I never knew him. He died in 1945, so only my older sister knew him, and she was only 3 years old when he died, so she has just bare memories.
What we know about him is from our dad, stories, letters, and other family memorabilia that gives little clues into the character of a person.
He and our grandmother, Mattie Delilah Anderson, were married in Dec. 12, 1917 and our father was born Oct. 2, 1918. Both were attending Vanderbilt University in Nashville at that time studying at the School of Religion. We also know George was working at the Old Hickory gunpowder factory in Nashville while he attended school.
George graduated in 1918 with a three year diploma (not the same as a Bachelor's Degree). From the 1917 – ’18 Announcement (Catalog) – “Diploma – A diploma is granted to those who complete the required work, but who have no baccalaureate degree. The recipient of a diploma, equally with the holder of a degree, is reckoned a graduate of the University, and is enrolled among its Alumni.”
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| George Leslie Gilbert Sr. |
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| Grandpa George Leslie Gilbert Sr. left |
In 1908 George attended Clarendon College, School of Religion in Clarendon, Texas. This school was run by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and awarded two year degrees.
About Clarendon College
In 1917 - 1918, Mattie (real name Martha) was considered part of the Junior class at Vanderbilt University, or a 1st year student.
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| Grandma Mattie Anderson Gilber, center front (white blouse) |
From the Vanderbilt University 1918 Commodore (p. 118 ff.) – Mrs. G.L. Gilbert, from Gould, OK, is listed with the Junior Class in the School of Religion and is pictured in a group photograph of the Junior and Middle Classes. from the 1917 – ’18 Registry of Students – Mrs. G.L. Gilbert, graduate of Scarritt Bible School, is listed as a student in the Junior Class of the School of Religion. (The degree or diploma program was a three year course, with the first year being termed “Junior,” second year called “Middle Class,” and then the “Senior Class.” The course likely began as a two year program and later added a third year, which resulted in calling the second year, Middle Class.) (Scarritt Bible and Training School was originally established in Kansas City, MO in 1892 as an institution to train women missionaries by the United Methodist Church. They moved to Nashville in 1923.)
Scarritt Bible & Training Institute
A Brief Marriage ends
By 1926? they were divorced. From the information we have, they must have been separated for several years before they actually divorced. Our dad never knew why they divorced, as he was very young (born 1918) but always was told it had to do with something in the church. Grandpa was a minister and our grandma was a deaconess in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
We have always speculated about a possible major rift in doctrine, perhaps whether or not he should stay in the ministry (not the best paying job there is), or some other broiling issues within the church. Whether or not this was really the reason, it undoubtedly affected our father's view of the church and faith as he saw it being the source of huge instability and sadness in his early life.
Or perhaps just as possible, they found they were not really compatible and with divorce being rare and in disfavor, the church became an excuse to end it. Neither of the grandparents were young when they married: Grandpa was 38 and grandma was 26. Grandpa never married again nor is there any evidence he was ever even interested in another woman. Grandma remarried 12 years later. Obviously neither of them left the marriage because of someone else already on the scene.
George Leslie Gilbert Sr. was the oldest of six children, born in 14 Oct. 1879 in Shelby County, Kentucky. Son of Francis Warren Gilbert and Sarah B. Parkhurst, we know very little about his family life growing up, or about his parents and their background and values.
What made him want to go into the ministry? We don't know. None of the writings or letters found to date give any indication of how he received his calling.
