Thursday, February 27, 2014

KILGORE...WHAT'S IN A NAME?

by Johnny Kilgore

What’s in a name?  That is a question which has been asked down through the years.  Certainly, a name represents more than the utterance of it.  Mental imagines of real things or people and intrinsic emotions and thoughts arise when uttering a name, or come to mind when hearing  a name uttered.   We bear the name Kilgore.  What comes to mind?

As a young child, I did not care for my name.  I did not know anyone else who carried our name.  In my mind, I thought the name made me an outsider.  Of course, my relatives had to carry that same stigma.  My world view was limited, and I felt that my name made us different, a less than desirable trait for a young child.  Even the sound of our name was repulsive to me.  The first syllable, “kill” evoked the image of murder and someone dying.  I was  a sensitive, peace loving kid, and was not comfortable with the thought of killing.  And then there was the second syllable— “gore.”  That too evoked a negative image--much like a big bull goring a human being.  The name, “Kilgore” was heavy and hard sounding.  During the last 50’s and 60’s in Junior high and Senior high school, all the boys in my grade called each other only by last names. Although I didn’t like that practice, I became acclimated to being called Kilgore. I always preferred to be called by my first name.

In “googling” my last name on the internet, I found some information that some others have researched in regards to the ancestry of the name, Kilgore.  I found out there are are variations of my name.  Those variations are  Kilgour, Kilgoure, Kilgor, Kilgo, Killgowr, Killgour, Killgoure, Killgoar, Killgore and Kilgore.  The spelling of our name is the most commonly used in America today.  

The internet source, www.jkilgo.com (written by Darrell Brock) states the following about our name: 
The name seems to be Gaelic in origin, probably from the ancient name of a parish in Fife Shire Scotland.  Kilgour means “wooded hill”.  From the Celtic word for hill we get kill and from the Gaelic prefix kil which meaning often denoted a church, we get the idea that kil could mean a “church hill”.  Another explanation is a hill of goats, kil meaning hill and gour meaning goat.  Whatever the origin of the name we know that it came from the Gaelic language which is a branch of the Indo-European family of languages.  The Gauls carried it with them on their conquest to Ireland from Europe and and later the Irish carried it to Scotland about the year 500 A.D.

The same web site also disclosed the following history:

The name Kilgour is found all over Fife and Aberdeen Scotland. The oldest Kilgour on record seems to be Sir Thomas Kilgour who was chaplain of St. Thomas Church in Falkland Palace of Fife Scotland. This palace was a favorite hang out of Scottish royalty. James the V, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles the I and Charles the II all paid visits to the palace.

I link you now to additional historical information concerning our ancestry and another tradition concerning our name. Just click on the link below.



Since coming of age (meaning I know better now), I consider my name wonderfully special.  First, it is the name of loved ones I hold so dear — specially, John Wesley Kilgore and Sarah Noles Kilgore-- My father, Cecil W. Kilgore and mother, Beatrice Manasco Kilgore.  It is the name that both my son, Dr. John McCoy Kilgore and my daughter, Lee Elizabeth Kilgore, bear. It is the name of cousins and uncles, nephews and nieces.  It is the name of origin of my aunts whose families bear different last names through marriage—McKleroy, McKeever, Chadwick, Sherer, Gordon, Spain, and Romans.  Kilgore is the name that my dear wife, legally acquired and accepted when we married in January 1967.    

Second, the name is not as obscure as I believed as a child.  There is Kilgore College and the Kilgore Rangerettes.  There are three place in the U.S. that bear the name: Kilgore, Texas,  Kilgore, Nebraska, and Kilgore, Idaho.  There are politicians from the state of Virginia who are Kilgores.  There is the entertainer, Merle Kilgore.  Sometime while watching  T.V. shows (old Perry Mason shows and Sgt. Preston of the Yukon), I’ve heard our name used in the story line. It is a name not common like "Jones" or "Smith" which is an added plus in my eyes. 

But we need no justification to be proud of our name and our heritage.  We are a hardy, keen-minded and energetic family.  Our family displays both creativity, beauty,  and intellectual ability with the strongest work ethnic.  At the same time we are a  loving family who remembers our roots.  We are a patriotic group and most of all— a God-fearing one.   Need I say more.  I think not!  There is much is a name, and we have much to be grateful. It’s great to be a KILGORE!


42 comments:

  1. I too, am a Kilgore, and grew up like you thinking what a morbid name. And as I've discovered more and more about my roots, the more I enjoy bearing the name, Kilgore. The name itself has taken me to Derry to understand more about who I am … and is now going a bit deeper this summer as I head to Fife. It's lovely, isn't it!

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  2. I am a daughter of Opal Killgore har mother is Gladys Louise caver Kilgore and her f
    father is Orville Glenn Kilgore ..from Georgia

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  3. I'm a Kilgore and always been Proud of the name it means Strenth to me , Enjoy

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  4. Been trying to find more info on our surname. Where the Kilgore's came from, who I'm directly related too, but I'm a Kilgore from northern ky.

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    1. My name is Glen Kilgore, I live in michigan. My great grandfather was James kilgore from eddyville Kentucky. I have a book on our history as well as the graves that were moved because of the dams.

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    2. My grandfather, Frank E. Kilgore lived in Michigan as did Lester Monroe Kilgore who was his father.

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  5. Im from San Antonio Texas my dad is Wesley killgore and my grandfather is Victor Lee killgore

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  7. My grandfather is Charles Kilgore of San Antonio, TX. My great grandfather was James Smead Kilgore from Arkansas. And his father was Mirium Charles Kilgore. They had all girls in the 50's so the name is no longer our surname, but I am a proud Kilgore by blood.

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    1. My grandfather was born in Little Rock, and died in superior, Wisconsin. He lived in Michigan too

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  8. I am just down the road from you in Jasper. I've traced my history to the Scottish, Irish, & went to London to research my English. Studying all of the old religions of my people opened my eyes to the nonsense of the fighting of whose is best & whose correct. Oh I also have Native American running through my veins & I'm proud of it all. I'm proud of all of my ancestors but I'm not 1 to throw "god" into especially when jesus meets Odin lol. Peace

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  9. I am a descendant of Judge David Kilgore of Indiana he served in the 35th and 36th US Congress. Our family migrated to Indiana from Kentucky in 1819 and settled in Franklin county before moving to Delaware county around 1830.

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    1. John Wesley Kilgore my great x2 grandfather was living in Indiana.

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    2. My name Michelle Kilgore-Durand
      John wesley kilgore was my 2nd grandfather as well. From Indiana. Later moved to Wisconsin where I was born. His son Lester Monroe Kilgore, and his son Frank E. KILGORE. My father, Roger Frank Kilgore is Frank E.Kilgores son.

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  10. My grandmothers maiden name is gloria Kilgore, daughter to clarence Kilgore of daisy wa. We have a long line of Kilgore records.

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  11. My father was Ralph Leon Kilgore,b1917,
    His father's name,Charley Huey Acey? Kilgore.
    Lived in Arkansas until 1955,then to Okkahoma.
    Other than that,nothing!

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  12. My grandmother great grandfather was a Kilgore. I haven't had much luck finding descendants. From the history I was given. He was called Dr.Kilgore, he was married with 3 daughters at that time and he owned over 80 slaves. My grandmother's great grandmother was a slave owned by Kilgore. As a result Sally was pregnant with her child Dora.Which was Dr.Kilgore child. From what I know Sally was bought in Virginia they went through Georgia and Settled between Homer Louisiana and Minden Louisiana. Although what my family endured wasn't right by far.It would be really nice to someday meet some Kilgore's from that lineage,because my family started there.

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  13. I am a genealogist and Kilgore ,to which is something I am very proud to carry , I haven't seen a Kilgore that is not related in some way.Carry the name with pride.

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    1. I am starting to see the same pattern...

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  14. I am the great great granddaughter of John Wesley Kilgore. His son Lester Monroe Kilgore, my grandfather Frank E Kilgore, and my father Roger Kilgore. Wisconsin born

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  15. I was born in Tennessee, descended from Thomas Sr., whoose father was Robert born in North Carolina in 1705. We've always thought our name was Gaelic for church hill.

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    1. I'm a descendant from Sir Thomas Kilgore. I live in TN.

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  16. Has anyone ever been to the Kilgore Cemetary? I visited an uncle recently and he took us there. I have pics of almost all the headstones there and would share them if interested. Just share the info you glean from them to me also.

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    1. My grandfather, which I found out a few days ago,Charley Kilgor lived in Haskell County ,Oklahoma.My father was Ralph Leon Kilgore.

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  17. I am the greatgrandaughter of James Williams Kilgore Rutherford The 1st. My Christian name is Princess Antoinette Monique Albonique Kilgore Rutherford. YO SOY Cantar Fife SassaFrassaMe

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  18. Kilgore is my maiden name. Grandparents were William and Plumer Kilgore, orginally from Kettle Island Ky. Moved to Northwest GA area in early 1940s.

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  19. My Grandmother Bertha married John B Kilgore & my Mother Brenda was born. We may be related . My Mom loved her Maiden name.

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  20. I come from huge clan of black Kilgores in South Carolina. We have loads of history

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    1. Same. Come from the lineage of black Kilgore’s established in South Carolina but hold family reunions in North Carolina.. we have to be related

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  21. My grandfather, Andrew Wayne Kilgore, was born in Weakley County, TN in 1906, son of Oliver McCoy Kilgore. My first cousin has traced our lineage to the Revolutionary War in which our Kilgore ancestors fought! We are very proud, as our Grandfather was a wonderful, kind, generous, and very humble man. He was also extremely funny, always keeping us in laughter with his never-ending practical jokes!

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  22. My grandfather was an alcoholic until he sobered up and threw away his old life and started a new one. He also threw away his wife and kids. He divorced, remarried and had seven more kids. The three he left all had no more active father and all in their early teens. He dies a beloved man but I don't think I ever met him. My father was the oldest of the three. My (step)uncles have never treated me or my family as anything less than family. So after doing so many things wrong he did do something right. He raised his 7 kids right. His 3 first kids harbored no ill will toward him. My own father did his own version of the same thing to my brothers and sisters. I hope to have broke the mold.

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  23. I didn't know anything about our history until seeing a photo of a horse my great grand father used for breeding named Buttons and the name was spelled William Killgore in Miami Oklahoma. I noticed on her death certificate my grandmothers maiden name was Kilgore. Anyone know of them

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  24. I really wish all the people on here could/would contact me as I would like to speak to them all. 75134

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    1. How does one get in contact with you

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    2. Donald Kilgore, lancaster TX
      Text me first and let me know you're going to call and when. I get a lot of spam .

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  25. i am also a Kilgore father from cuthbert Ga

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    1. My apologies for taking so long to reply. I thought the site went down.

      Donald Kilgore, Lancaster Tx. (google it)

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  26. Jesse E Kilgore Jr. here - I was a foster child and have lost all connection with my fellow Kilgores - a shame really. My father was Jesse E Kilgore from Kansas City his father was William james and his father was Jesse Earl

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    1. Donald Kilgore, Lancaster Tx
      (google it, so you know it's legit)

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  27. Katie Kilgore, Alabama katierobinsonrn@yahoo.com

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