Virgil James Gilchrist
birth: 28 Mar 1900 in Richland Twp., Fulton Co., IN to William Jefferson Gilchrist & Millie Artemicia Mow
death: 08 Apr 1971 in Jeffersonville, Clark County, IN
burial: Walnut Ridge Cemetery, Jeffersonville, Clark Co., IN

marriage: 25 Oct. 1927 in South Bend, St. Joseph Co., IN
Alcie Elizabeth O’Dell
birth: 25 Oct 1903 in Montgomery County, IN to William Franklin O’Dell & Virginia Margaret Phelps
death: 18 Mar 1972 in Jeffersonville, Clark Co., IN
burial: Walnut Ridge Cemetery, Jeffersonville, Clark Co, IN

Children of Virgil James Gilchrist and Alcie Elizabeth O’Dell:

• Claudia Marie Gilchrist m. Robert Eugene Deen
• Margaret Jean Gilchrist m. Frank Duane Killebrew
• Wilma Opal Gilchrist (11 Dec. 1930 – 01 May 2012) m. 27 Aug 1955 to Samuel Cline Gill
• James Bruce Gilchrist (01 Jan 1933 – 04 Jan 2004) m. Katherine Joanna Wishard
• Living
• Robert Allen Gilchrist m. Patricia Sue McAllister

Virgil James Gilchrist lived in:

• 1900-1927 Fulton County, IN
• 1928- 1939 St. Joseph Co., IN and Fulton Co., IN
• 1943-1945 New Albany, Floyd County, IN
• 1945- 1954 Jeffersonville, Clark County, IN
• 1957-1971 Jeffersonville, Clark County, IN
• 1939-1943 Vinita, Craig County, OK
• 1954-1957 Reidland, McCrackin County, KY

Other Information:

Virgil dropped out of high school in the first part of his senior year and began his life’s work in construction. For a short time he took a job in IL, working on a horse farm and helping to train trotters and pacers. He loved sulky racing and frequently took his family to fairgrounds and race tracks where these horses were raced. He never bet on the horses, but simply loved to watch them run. Living in Jeffersonville, IN he often took out-of-town visitors to Lexington, KY to tour the thoroughbred horse farms in the days when visitors were allowed to walk through the barns and stables. In his younger days, Virgil was on the construction crew that built the football stadium at Notre Dame University in South Bend. During his working life, he worked as a carpenter and later as construction superintendent, building schools, churches and place of business. From the 1940s until his death, Virgil was very active in the Methodist Church, serving as lay leader, chairman of the official board, choir member and Sunday School teacher. He started teaching a class of junior high school students at Park Place Methodist Church and continued with that class until those students had children in junior high school. He was lovingly called “Pop” Gilchrist by that group, and at the time of his death, the class built a picnic shelter on the church property and named it in honor of Virgil J. Gilchrist. He loved working with young people, and he loved the Lord he served so faithfully.

Submitted by: 
E Ann Grubb
Your Email: eanng1177@gmail.com