Thomas Gledhill of Hickmondwick, Yorkshire, England and his descendants

The Gledhill Museum of Jerseyville, Illinois, was the former home of descendants of Thomas Gledhill.

Thomas Gledhill was born in Hickmondwick, Yorkshire, England. His six sons were members of the famous Black Horse Cavalry of the Battle of Waterloo of 1815.

One of the sons, Joseph Gledhill, also born in Hickmondwick, Yorkshire, married Emeline Christy of Philadelphia.

Their son, Robert Christy Gledhill,  was born April 1, 1839 at Good Intent, NJ, a suburb of Philadelphia, located on the Delaware River across from that city.   His father was a woolen merchant and died when Robert was nine years old.    Robert was in the Civil War, Co. A, 10th Ill. Inf.  He married Mrs. Cornelia (Ducher) Strong in 1868.  When he died January 1917, he left his widow, one son, Dr. Henry R. Gledhill, one step-son, C.H. Strong of New York, and a sister, Harriet Barry of Oakland, CA.  He was preceded in death by a son, Herbert Gledhill, who died in 1877 in his fourth year. 

Dr. Henry Robert Gledhill (also known as Dr. Harry Gledhill) was born 15 Jan 1869 in Jerseyville, IL.  He graduated from Harvard University in 1891 and studied medicine at Columbia University, graduating in 1894.

He married Cornelia Newton 3 Mar 1905 in Jerseyville IL. Two children were born to them, Robert Henry Gledhill and Mary Florence Gledhill. 

Robert Gledhill got his A.B. degree at Harvard.  After graduation he lived in Paris, France for two years where he studied the language in the Sorbonne and lectured on art to tourists in the Louvre.  He married Dorothy Rommersberger in 1947. No children were born to them.  He died January 1984 and was survived only by his widow.    

Dorothy Gledhill, the last surviving member of this famiily, died in July 1991 and her heirs gave the family home to the Jersey County Historical Society to be used as a museum.       

Mary Florence Gledhill graduated at Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri and was a school teacher.  She never married; died in August 1974 and was survived only by her brother. 

These details have been kindly provided by the Jersey County Historical Society.

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