The Heyburn Citizens group received some photos from a Rose Pederson in Vancouver, Washington. These were given to the City of Heyburn. I took the opportunity to scan them and make them available more widely.

I was able to track down Walter Arthur Gill fairly easily. Walter Arthur Gill born 19 July 1889 in St. Edward, Boone, Nebraska. The 1900 Census has him with his family still in St. Edward. The 1910 Census has him in Heyburn, living with his parents. His brother, Amos, is living next door with his family.

This letter from 1911 indicates he was now the owner of some real estate in Heyburn, Idaho.

This letter indicates his homestead application is allowed in Section 14, Township 10 South, Range 23 East. This would put this farm east of Heyburn’s A Street (400 West), west of 300 West, south of 400 South, and north of 500 South. Nothing on the 1910 census tells me exactly where they were living, but I don’t know that was where he homesteaded either.

Walt is the son of Arthur Erwin Gill (1854 – 1923) and Amy Jane Hall Gill (1858 – 1935). He married Dolly Genevera Baily (1891 – 1966) on 11 January 1911 in Albion, Cassia, Idaho. I do not see any children and do not know how that marriage ended.

He married Edith Marion Howell (1899 – 1940) on 19 July 1921 in Rupert, Minidoka, Idaho. The 1920 Census does not provide where he lives, but Dolly is not with him. Ralph Arthur Gill was born 4 April 1922 in Jarbridge, Elko, Nevada. Aimee Jean Gill was born 21 January 1924 in Idaho (not clear where).

I cannot tell how long he was on the homestead he claimed. It doesn’t seem to have been very long.

Anona Gill (1912 – 1974) is his niece, daughter of Amos Hiram Gill (1881 – 1940) and Jane A Vizzard (1881 – 1953).

Edith remarried to Robert Earl Taylor (1894 – 1953) on 27 January 1931 in Elko, Elko, Nevada.

The 1930 Census has Walt living in Inyo County, California. He appears to be in or around Bishop, Inyo, California for the 1940 Census and reports he was also living there in 1935. The obituary for his mother lists him as living in Taft, Kern, California in 1935. When he registered for the draft in 1942, he was living in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. He remarried to a Jessie Opal Shafer, nee Fowler, in California. She was using the Gill name for the 1940 Census, so likely married before then.

I don’t know what Nancy is as referenced as a name on the photo. Maybe that is her shadow on the horse?

Walter died 13 February 1943 in Hollywood. He is buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.