JAMES L GILLIS

 

     This gentleman has been prominently before the people of Sacramento for many years.  In business and politics he has commanded the highest respect and confidence of the public. Unassuming, conservative, conscientious and honest in the discharge of duty, he has always been regarded in an eminent degree as safe and reliable in every relation of life.  The men whose biographies are really the most interesting and instructive are not those who through some exceptionally favorable opportunities have been suddenly thrust into prominence, but are those whose lives have been a steady and gradual development and progress. Mr. Gillis is a representative of the latter class.  There have been no brilliant flashes in his career, but a modest, faithful following in the path of duty wheresoever it led and a constant exhibition of substantial dependable character.  He is now occupying the position of state librarian of California and is eminently qualified to discharge the important duties devolving upon him.

     James Louis Gillis was born in Richmond, Washington county, Iowa October 3, 1857, and is a son of Charles and Emily Eliza (Gelatt) Gillis.  His paternal grandparents were Enos and Lucretia (Hart) Gillis.  His maternal grandparents were Richard and Eliza (Morey) Gelatt.  The former was born in Savoy Massachusetts, and died in Bentonsport, Iowa at the age of sixty-three years. The latter was born in Charlton, Worcester county, Massachusetts, and died in Bentonsport at the age of fifty-two years.  On the maternal side the ancestry can be traced back to John Gelatt, who came from Paris, France at the end of the French and Indian War in 1755, being then eighteen years of age.  His father was a wealthy silk manufacturer.  John was induced to come to this country by the offer of French officials of a governorship of some territory here, but instead of this he was given a gun and put into the ranks.  He settled in Taunton, Massachusetts, where he married and had three sons and a daughter, namely: John, George, Abraham and Lydia.  From Taunton he removed to Savoy, Massachusetts, where he died when about one hundred years of age.  George Gelatt, the second son, was born in Taunton, and lived through that pioneer epoch in the history of the colony, when the settlers had to carry their guns to church in order to protect themselves from possible Indian attacks. When a young man he enlisted in the Revolutionary war and served in the navy for seven years.  After American Independence was secured, he married Hannah Collins, of Bedford, Massachusetts, and to them were born three children, after which they removed from Bedford to Savoy Massachusetts, where three more children were added to their family.  These were all sons, save one, namely:  Robert, Collins, Abigail, George, Richard and Jonathan.  The father died in Gibson, Pennsylvania, December 3, 1852 at the advanced age of one hundred years, and his wife passed away at the same place, August 24, 1848, at the age of ninety-one years. Richard Gelatt was a lumberman and spent the greater part of his life in Jay Township, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, but his last days were spent in Iowa.

     The father of our subject,  Charles Gillis, was born in Victor, Ontario county, New York, February 20, 1820 and married Miss Gelatt, whose birth occurred in Jay Township, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania,  March 9, 1822.  For some years they resided in Washington county Iowa, but during the early childhood of James Gillis they removed to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where they lived until April 9, 1861, when they started with ox teams for California.  The journey across the plains consumed five months, but was largely uneventful.  On one occasion they came across a horse train stranded, some members of the train having been wounded while their horses had been stolen by the Indians.  The train with which the Gillis family traveled was not molested and they reached Empire City, Nevada, late in August of that year.

     The father engaged in the hotel business in that place, conducting his hostlery until the following spring, when a heavy rise in the Carson river overflowed the hotel and practically destroyed the whole property. A new building was immediately erected upon higher ground, which they occupied as a hotel until the fall of 1863, when it was sold, the family removing to Carson City, where the father engaged in teaming.  There James Gillis entered the public schools, but in the spring of 1864 the family again removed, locating in Antelope valley upon a farm, which was their place of abode until the latter part of 1866, when they started for California, reaching Placerville in December.  There they spent Christmas and in January, 1867, arrived in Sacramento.  The father purchased a house and a lot on L street, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, where the family remained until 1870, when they went to San Jose.  During their residence in Sacramento, James L Gillis was a student in the public schools there.

      After a short residence in San Jose, Charles Gillis rented a fruit ranch at Saratoga, Santa Clara county, where a year was passed, after which he returned with his family to Sacramento in the fall of 1871.  His death occurred in San Francisco, at the age of seventy-five years.  The mother is still living, making her home with our subject. Two daughters of the family yet survive:  Emeline Lucretia, and Sabra Nevada, while two sons and four daughters have passed away.

      After the return of the family to Sacramento, James Louis Gillis entered a private school conducted by the Rev M. Goethe, conducted in the German Lutheran church of which he was the minister.  He left that school August 12, 1872, to enter the service of the Sacramento Valley Railroad Company as a messenger boy.   He was to work for three months without pay and then receive twenty dollars per month; but the superintendent was so well pleased with his service that he paid him twenty dollars for the first month and the second month increased his salary to forty dollars.  He learned telegraphy and gained a good general knowledge of railroading in its various departments.  For some time he served as a telegraph operator and bill clerk, and in 1876, on the death of C. S. Johnson, a son of the superintendent and his assistant, Mr. Gillis was appointed to fill the vacancy.  After the resignation of Josiah Johnson, September 1, 1878, the superintendent, Mr. Gillis remained with his successor, J. B. Wright, until 1894, when it was thought necessary to curtail expenses there and he was offered the position of chief clerk in the freight office at Sacramento.  He declined to serve in that capacity, however, and on the 26th of November 1894, severed his connection with the railroad.  He had served in almost every capacity from messenger boy up.  He had charge of the road in Mr. Wright's absence, acted as paymaster, and relieved the cashier during his absence from the state.  He was on duty almost constantly during the strike of 1894, after which he suffered a severe attack of illness as a result of hard work and exposure to the hot sun during that time.

      On Christmas Day of 1881 Mr. Gillis was united in marriage to Miss Kate Petree, of Sacramento, and to them have been born three daughters:  Mabel R.; Emily G. and Ruth M. The family has a wide acquaintance in this locality and the hospitality of many of the best homes of  Sacramento is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Gillis.

      On leaving the railway service, Mr. Gillis was appointed chief clerk of the committee on ways and means of the assembly session of 1895, by Hon. Judson Brusie, a member of Sacramento, and the chairman of the committee.  At the close of the session he received the appointment of keeper of the archives in the office of the secretary of state and filled that position until 1897, when, on the solicitation of Chairman W. R. Guy, he was again appointed clerk of the committee of ways and means.  When his duties in that connection were ended at the close of the legislative session, he again returned to the secretary of state's office, which he left to accept the position of deputy in the state library.  He was at that time attempting to secure the position of state librarian, but after being defeated for the office he resigned the position as deputy and returned to the office of secretary of state.  On the assembling of the legislature in 1890 he was for the third time appointed the chief clerk of the committee on ways and means, by its chairman, L. H. Valentine.  On the 1st of April, 1899, on the resignation of the state librarian, Frank L. Combs, he was elected state librarian for the term ending April, 1902. He has been active in Republican politics in Sacramento county since 1890 and has given his best efforts for the success of the party in every way.

      Socially Mr. Gillis is a member of Court Sutter, I.O. F., in which he has served as the chief ranger and also belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Sacramento Athletic Club.  In the community in which he is best known, the community in which he lives, he is most honored and respected.  A man of rare good judgment, of kindly disposition, faithful to his friends, loyal to principle and in all respects an exemplary citizen, his character embraces all the elements that insure business, political and social success and popularity.