Butte
County
Biographies
C. M. GILLEECE
One
of the most prominent citizens of Butte County is C. M. Gilleece, of Gridley,
California, who is treasurer of the Sutter Butte Canal Company, also mayor of
the City of Gridley, justice of the peace, trustee of the grammar school,
member of the library board, and in all rated as one of the most
public-spirited and helpful men of the community. Mr. Gilleece was born in the state of Kansas,
October 13, 1876, a son of William and Cora (Cline) Gilleece. The father was a native of Indiana, and went
to Kansas in the ‘50s, when that state was very sparsely inhabited. He was a farmer by occupation, and in 1913
retired to California, making his home at Gridley for a few years, and then
moved to Paradise, where he resided until his death in 1925. His wife had died in 1888 in Kansas. They had four children, namely: C. M.; Minnie, who died in 1915; Charles F.,
now of Marysville, California; and Ivan, who died when very young.
C.
M. Gilleece attended the common schools of Kansas, then studied two years at
Manhattan Agricultural College, and one year at the University of Kansas. Subsequently for a period of twelve years, he
followed the mining camps, in either a clerical or mining capacity. In 1913 he settled in Gridley and became
associated with the Sutter Butte Canal Company as treasurer, which position he
now retains. Mr. Gilleece is now serving
his third consecutive term as mayor of the city, and is also justice of the
peace, member of the library board, and a trustee of the grammar school. He is a member of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, the Encampment, the Rebekahs, and the Loyal Order of Moose, of
which he is past dictator.
In
1902, in the state of Colorado, Mr. Gilleece was married to Miss Nellie J.
Apple, who was born in Kansas. Her
father was born in Indiana, and was a carpenter by trade. Both she and her father are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Gilleece became the parents of
three children, namely: Lawrence, who at
the age of twenty-four years, was electrocuted while working on the high power
lines of the Southern California Edison Company; Ethel, who married David P.
Lester, a garage foreman of Sacramento; and Floyd, a student at the University
of California. The diversions of Mr.
Gilleece are hunting and fishing.
While
Mr. Gilleece is a Republican, he has never failed to cast his vote for the best
man when it comes to local affairs, and is always dependable when it comes to
anything in which the local community is involved. Known by his many friends as a man of staunch
principals, clear vision, and executive ability, he stands foursquare to every
wind that blows. He has made his
influence felt in his community by supporting all measures of benefit to his
general district.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 358-359. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies