Posted on: Skagit Co. Wa Biographies Reply Here: http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/USA/Wa/SkagitBios/12 Surname: Gilkey, Taggart, Butler, Conn, Watkinson ------------------------- From Skagit Herald, November 2, 1930: HE GAVE GEN. LEE "ADVICE" Frank E. Gilkey, 92, Told Confederate Leader How War Would Be Won; Has 120 Blood Relations; Grandmother Was Franklin's Sister. Besides proving that the first hundred years are the hardest, Frank E. Gilkey (he's 92 now), of Allen, lays claims to having more blood relations than anyone in the state. In fact he challenges the nation, for he has 120, four children, 36 grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren. Add 'em up yourself. One of the earliest settlers of Skagit county, Frank Gilkey is in a longevity race with his friend of years standing "Uncle" Jake Harding of Bow. Jake is in his 97th year. And another thing, Skagit county's oldest Civil war veteran, Frank Gilkey lays claim to that one too, is one of the very few living today who gave General Robert E. Lee "advice," as he puts it. Despite his years, the grand old man likes his little joke. The large family is a source of pleasure to Gilkey today. He reads very little, prefering to talk to someone. He has lots to talk about he says, and that is his favorite indoor sport. He loves companionship and is happiest when there is a houseful about him and that is often, due to the 120 relations who all live within a radius of 100 miles. Often there are as many as twenty at a time at the home of his granddaughter, Mrs. Melbourne Watkinson, of Allen, where he lives. Reminds him of the old hotel days when he owned a hostelry at Edison, he says, there are so many about. HE TOLD LEE Now, about giving General Lee "advice." That sounds interesting and the old fellow likes to tell it. He enlisted for three months service at the start of the war, that's how long the Northerners thought the war would last, but remained for three years. He got shot up, a bullet in both legs. He was eventually taken prisoner and learned how the Confederates lived, "rebels," he still calls 'em. Soon after his capture General Lee and an officer questioned him as to his rank, Gilkey was a very well-groomed soldier in those days and appeared as if he might be a higher officer than a second ranking sergeant. "General Lee asked me how the Northerners felt about the war," Gilkey says. "I told him I was home in Buffalo only recently and 'you'd never know there was a war if it warn't for seeing a cripple now and then.'" "Then he asked me who was going to win the war. I told him 'we are.'" "'How?'" he asked "'We're going to wear you out.'" I said Gilkey says General Lee was a fine fellow and that he laughed and enjoyed his conversation, especially the Skagit veteran's reply as to who would win the war and why. Funny thing about the great number of blood relations, Gilkey says, as he only has four daughters, all living, Mrs. M. Taggart, Anacortes; Mrs. Curtis Butler, Sedro-Woolley; Mrs. Ida Conn, Edison and Mrs. Ada Gilkey, Anacortes. Speaking of relatives, it can be added right here that Gilkey's grandmother on the father's side was Sally Franklin, a sister of none other than Benjamin Franklin who flew the kite and gave the world electricity. When Gilkey came West, and landed in Seattle May 14, 1875, one of the first men he met was Jake Harding fiddling in a dance hall on Yesler way. A little later, he hired out as a teamster to haul logs at Centerville, known now as Stanwood. Those were the days of horses and the logging industry was just beginning to boom. $100 A DAY Gilkey got ahead in the world and operated a logging company in Skagit county later with Pat McCoy, now retired, and also owned a hotel at Edison besides running a hop farm. Those were great hotel days he says, a day's receipts averaging $100, thanks to the logger. There was little at Centerville when he arrived, just a whisky house, he says and there was also very little at Whatcom. He says he came to Whatcom by boat, there were no roads, when Whatcom's population totaled little more than a handful of residents. COUNTIES UNITED Those also were the days when Skagit and Whatcom counties were rolled into one and he served as county commissioner when they were divided. The fight was quite a struggle, he adds, as the people were "jumping sideways". There was no money for roads and everybody in the county wanted them, Gilkey says. The commissioners laid out what is now the Mount Baker highway to Deming, known then as the Northeast diagonal, but it did not get any further than "on the paper" while he was in office. He recalls the commissioners undertook to look the proposed route over one day and their horses rolled belly-deep in the mud. Hale and hearty at 92, Gilkey enjoys living and is looking forward to greeting another houseful of relatives.