John Gilfillan 1826-1885
Alexander Gilfillan 1857-1934
education at the University of Pittsburgh Law School before following in their father’s footsteps at the family’s law offices in Pittsburgh. Margaret attended Canonsburg High School. She then attended Pennsylvania College for Women, now Chatham College, majoring in English Literature. That same commitment to learning can be seen today in Marjorie Brown Heins (daughter of Jean Gilfillan Brown and Donald Brown) as she tries to instill that same desire for learning in her students at Upper St. Clair High School. The Gilfillans dedication to their family, to their beliefs and to their training can also be seen in the quality workmanship they put into their farm. The homes of many of the Gilfillans still stand throughout Upper St. Clair. The most familiar, the red farmhouse, was built in 1857 and is late Greek Revival with Victorian alterations, the type of home typical of prosperous farmers during the middle of the 19th century. All of the bricks were handmade on the property and the attention to detail in the woodwork attests to the pride of craftsmanship in the building. Beside the farmhouse is the springhouse where the family stored their refrigerated items and is actually older than the farmhouse. There are two brick buildings behind the farmhouse, the
John Gilfillan 1898-1980
Alexander Gilfillan 1902-1997
smoke house and the washhouse, also constructed of bricks made on the premises and completed in 1862. The barn, built from wood on the property, was the product of a “barn raising,” an event that brought the entire community together. More importantly than the building was the life that the Gilfillans etched from the farm. From the days when farming was a way of life and a necessity to the days of being a gentleman farmer enjoyed by John and Alexander Gilfillan, the farm was a reflection of the dedication of its inhabitants. The Gilfillan line of sheep can still be seen on the farm today through the hard work of Debra Gilfillan Panichi (daughter of Carol and Bill Gilfillan). As an eighth generation Gilfillan, living, studying and working in the Township of my ancestors, I am always touched by their dedication and perseverance in providing me with a history of which I can be proud. When Margaret Gilfillan passed away on May 4, 2001, I felt like I had lost a piece of my history when in fact her story and the story of the Gilfillans continues in the community that they loved, the excellence they sought and in the farm they leave for all of
Margaret Gilfillan 1901-2001
Alexander Gilfillan’s Log Cabin—1785
us to enjoy. So the next time you drive by the Gilfillan farm or walk on its trail, or, in the near future, are able to visit, take the time to think about the history you are a part of, as the experiences of today become the history of us all tomorrow. ■
Rachel and Diane Heins
Rachel, daughter of Marjorie and Roger Heins, and a 1995 graduate of USCHS, has her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and Science and Technology Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is currently working on her Master’s at the University of Pittsburgh in Bioengineering, while working in the Artificial Heart Program at UPMC. She is also active with Young Life and a volunteer at the High School.
Photos by Nancy Barnard, Debra Panichi (daughter of Carol and Bill Gilfillan) and Diane Heins (daughter of Marjorie and Roger Heins). Summer 2002
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
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