Both the family Bible and institution records recorded her name asGilb y. However, she was probably named after her mother who signedher nam e Gilley.
4/26/1869 She was declared insane and admitted to the State Hospitalp er the following:
"In the matter of Gilly Jane Spurgin, alleged to be Insane.
Whereas Jesse K. Spurgin of the County aforesaid has duly filedin t he County Court of said County a statement that Gilly JaneSpurgin of t he County and State aforesaid is Insane and that saidJesse K. Spurgin b elieves that said Gilly Jane Spurgin for herbenefit and for the safety o f the community, ought to be committed tothe Illinois State Hospital f or the Insane and the facts of her casecan be proven by Dr. E. Penwell , a regular physician and by WilliamMears both of whom reside in said C ounty.
It is therefore hereby ordered by the Court that the clerk ofsaid C ourt issue a (unreadable) under the seal of said Court directedto the S heriff requiring the said person alleged to be Insane to bebrought bef ore the judge of said Court at the office of the clerk ofsaid Court in S helbyville in said County at 1 1/2 oclock P.M. thisday (April 26th 186 9) which time and place are appointed for thehearing of said (unreadab le).
And the above order of the Court having been complied with, comesn ow the Sheriff into Court with the body of said Gilly Jane Spurginalle ged to be Insane and notice of this proceeding having been dulyserved u pon the said Gilly Jane Spurgin as required by law.
Whereupon comes a jury to wit: W.G. Wilson, M.D.; James Goodwin;R .B. Miller; G.E. Guion; J.T. Nelson and William Myers, who beingduly e lected tried and sworn according to law, and having heard theevidence f or verdict say:
' We the undersigned Jury in the case of Gilly Janes Spurginallege d to be Insane having heard the evidence in the case aresatisfied that s aid Gilly Jane Spurgin is Insane, and is fit personto be sent to the I llinois State Hospital for the Insane; that she isa resident of the St ate of Illinois and County of Shelby, that herage is 35 years, that he r disease is of about 15 months duration;that the cause is unknown - b ut follows a fever attended with soreeyes, that the disease is with he r not hereditary; that she is notsubject to Epilepsy, and that she is f ree from vermin; or anyinfectious disease, and that she is a pauper.
It is therefore ordered by the Court that said Gilly JanesSpurgi n be conveyed by the sheriff to the Illinois State Hospital forthe Ins ane at Jacksonville to be treated for her said disease, &c.' "
6/4/1873 Shelby Co, IL. Gilly, her daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth,an d son, Nelson, were all admitted to the Shelby County Infirmary(Almsho use) because of Pauperism caused by the family being "desertedby husba nd and father."
3/1874 She was discharged from the almshouse and admitted to theasylu m at age 48.
5/11/1879 She was returned from the "asylym" and readmitted to thealm shouse.
1880 Shelby Co, IL. Gilly and daughter, Sarah, were listed in thecen sus in the almshouse as "paupers." The other two children hadjoined r elatives elsewhere.
Her daughter Sarah Louise was also an inmate there at the time of herd eath.
