Information provided by Find a Graver "Roots Planted"--
(From the) Story of Columbus, Mississippi During the 19th Century, by Dr. W. L. Lipscomb, (Chapter 10) Published in 1909......
The Gilmer road leaves the Robinson road three miles from Columbus and runs in a south westerly direction to Crawford. Among the early settlers on this road were etc. etc.,,,,,, and Col. John Gilmer, a historic character who deserves more than a passing notice. He entered and opened a very large body of land on this road. He was married twice, his second wife being a wealthy widow, the mother of Dr. J. J. Gresham, of West Point. Col. Gilmer was a man, plain in his manners and frugal in his habits, with a strong, native intellect and love of literature, especially of politics and religion. He early became a Lowndes county politician and before 1840 had served two terms in the state legislature. He was the author and strenuous advocate of the celebrated Woman's Law, and secured its passage in 1839. The enactment of this law made a new era in the civil rights of women and an epoch in the jurisprudence of Mississippi. By this law a wife could own separate property from her husband, real and personal, not subject for his debt nor to his sale or devise, without her consent, and has continued in force until this date.
The Gilmer(-Wilburn) road was called after Col. Gilmer. He bought the stately McLaren mansion, perhaps the finest private residence in northeast Mississippi, now the residence of Capt. W. W. Humphries. He died at this place in 1861.
Col. John Gilmer was the largest original stockholder in the company that built the Gilmer hotel, and this in conjunction with his earnest advocacy of the Woman's Law, decided its name. He has two daughters now residing in Columbus, Mrs. Susan McGee and Mrs. M. M. Burke, who own a large portion of his land estate.
Information provided by Find a Graver "Roots Planted"--
(From the) Story of Columbus, Mississippi During the 19th Century, by Dr. W. L. Lipscomb, (Chapter 10) Published in 1909......
The Gilmer road leaves the Robinson road three miles from Columbus and runs in a south westerly direction to Crawford. Among the early settlers on this road were etc. etc.,,,,,, and Col. John Gilmer, a historic character who deserves more than a passing notice. He entered and opened a very large body of land on this road. He was married twice, his second wife being a wealthy widow, the mother of Dr. J. J. Gresham, of West Point. Col. Gilmer was a man, plain in his manners and frugal in his habits, with a strong, native intellect and love of literature, especially of politics and religion. He early became a Lowndes county politician and before 1840 had served two terms in the state legislature. He was the author and strenuous advocate of the celebrated Woman's Law, and secured its passage in 1839. The enactment of this law made a new era in the civil rights of women and an epoch in the jurisprudence of Mississippi. By this law a wife could own separate property from her husband, real and personal, not subject for his debt nor to his sale or devise, without her consent, and has continued in force until this date.
The Gilmer(-Wilburn) road was called after Col. Gilmer. He bought the stately McLaren mansion, perhaps the finest private residence in northeast Mississippi, now the residence of Capt. W. W. Humphries. He died at this place in 1861.
Col. John Gilmer was the largest original stockholder in the company that built the Gilmer hotel, and this in conjunction with his earnest advocacy of the Woman's Law, decided its name. He has two daughters now residing in Columbus, Mrs. Susan McGee and Mrs. M. M. Burke, who own a large portion of his land estate.
Gravesite Details
He was a Lowndes county politician and before 1840 had served two terms in the state legislature.
Family Members
-
![]()
Peachy Ridgeway Gilmer
1784–1861
-
Mary Meriwether Gilmer Taliaferro Powers
1786–1856
-
![]()
Thomas Lewis Gilmer
1788–1867
-
![]()
George Rockingham Gilmer
1790–1859
-
William Benjamin Strother Gilmer
1796–1865
-
![]()
Charles Lewis Gilmer
1798–1851
-
![]()
Sophia Lucy Ann Gilmer Bibb
1801–1887
-
![]()
Eliza Lewis Gilmer
1802–1813
-
![]()
Edward Hamden Gilmer
1809–1816
Advertisement
Advertisement
