Gill, West Virginia

Gill, West Virginia
UTC-4 (EDT)
GNIS feature ID	1549701[1]

Gill is an unincorporated community and former railroad town in Lincoln County, West Virginia, United States.

Geography

Gill is located between the mouth of Little Ugly Creek and Big Ugly Creek on the Guyandotte River in Lincoln County. Land situated across the river was once considered part of Gill. The community is located approximately five miles from Harts and 5.1 miles from Ranger.

History

Captain Farley's Raid

Captain Henry Farley, a veteran of the

Pioneer settlers

William Wirt Brumfield first settled at the mouth of Big Ugly Creek, arriving about 1802 from the Big Stoney Creek section of what was then

, was born and raised in this vicinity. One noteworthy resident was Lewis "Jupiter" Fry, a well-known fiddler. Sampson S. Brumfield operated a log boom near the mouth of Ugly.

Formation of town

Gill Post Office was established on October 8, 1903. Thomas J. Gill, a timberman and store operator, served as the first postmaster.^[3] Later postmasters were Bradley W. Gill (son of Thomas) and Arabelle Gill (merchant mother of Brad). Notable residents in the early 1900s included members of the Cyfers family. At one time, the community boasted a hotel, railroad stop, church, school, and post office.

Decline

Gill's prosperity was linked to its location at the mouth of Big Ugly Creek and its proximity to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The construction of Route 10 on the opposite side of the Guyandotte River in the 1920s caused the demise of Gill.

Economy

Timbering served as the primary industry. Gas is also important in the community's history. In the early 1900s, the Guyan, Big Ugly and Coal River Railway Company constructed a branch line up Big Ugly Creek from Gill.

Notable residents

• Paris Brumfield (1837-1891), Confederate veteran and major figure in the
  Lincoln County Feud
• Sampson S. Brumfield (1847-c.1916), log boomer
• Lewis "Jupiter" Fry (1843-1924), Confederate veteran and fiddler

References