From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 29, 1912:

“‘I have voted the Democratic ticket from Andrew Jackson in 1832 to William Jennings Bryan in 1908 and I am still voting the same ticket,’ declared ‘Father’ Gilhan recently, after having passed the one hundred and first milestone of his life. Times have changed and politics have changed but the Kansas Centenarian has never swerved from the political choice of his boyhood days, and if he is permitted to see another president elected to the office in the United States there will be a vote from ‘Father’ Gilhan for the Democratic nominee, be he Harmon, Wilson, Clark or Bryan. The old man is still interested in the political game and is staunch in his belief that this is the Democratic year to win. But ‘Father’ Gilhan is rapidly failing in health and it is feared by his friends that his long life is drawing to a close. About two months ago he was afflicted with a stroke of paralysis, from which it is feared that he will never recover. Up until that time he had been in good health…. One hundred and one and one-half years is a good old age…. Up until within six months ago Mr. Gilhan had almost perfect eye-sight and never found it necessary to use glasses in his reading. However, owing to his recent illness, his eyes have been affected and he is unable to read at all. Mr. Gilhan has never been known to smoke, but he has been a constant user of chewing tobacco from his early manhood, and he knows that the use of the weed has had no ill effect upon his health…. Mr. Gilhan has always led a simple country life at the old homestead near Worden and it is perhaps due to the simplicity of his country life that he advanced to such a splendid old age. Since the death of his wife he has lived with his son, three and one-half miles southeast of Worden. He has always remained close to the farm and it is said that he has not been in Lawrence for close to forty years…. ‘Father’ Gilhan is known to all of the residents of the southern part of the county and Lawrence people have often heard of the Kansas Centenarian. All will be sorry to hear of his illness which threatens to end such a long and useful life.”