James L. Gillis    

JAMES L. GILLIS was born in Hebron, Washington Co., N. Y., in 1792. The educational advantages were meager then as compared to the present day, and the common school was all that he was privileged to enjoy, and that only for three months in the year. In 1808 his parents moved to Argyle, N. Y., and there he served an apprenticeship of three years at the tanner’s trade. Immediately after the declaration of war between the United States and Great Britain, in 1812, he enlisted in the mounted dragoons, commanded by Capt. C. V. Boughton. This was an independent company, which served as escort to Gen. Hull, who was afterward superseded by Gen. Van Rensselaer. When the regiment went into winter quarters, he again enlisted, this time in the regiment commanded by Col. Stone, and during this year was at Fort George with Gen. McClure. After the abandonment of this fort, and before the burning of Newark, Canada, Mr. Gillis was taken sick and was sent to Batavia, N. Y. In the meantime Buffalo, Lewiston, Youngstown, Black Rock and Manchester were captured and burned, and in the winter of 1813-14 the company of Capt. Boughton was paid off and discharged. In the spring of 1814 Mr. Gillis again enlisted for one year, and during the following summer participated in the battles at Chippewa and Lundy’ s Lane. At the last-named battle his horse was shot from under him and he was wounded. August 7, 1814, he had charge of sixteen men, who were sent on a foraging expedition, but they were surprised, four men being killed and nine, including Mr. Gillis, captured and confined at Toronto, Kingston, Prescott and Montreal. November 14, 1814, he, with twenty-five others, was put on board the transport boat “Stately,” which was about to sail for England, but Mr. Gillis and five others escaped in a boat, landing near the city of Quebec. After wandering in the woods three days, they came upon the cabin of a Frenchman, who agreed to conduct them to a place of safety. He put them into a darkened room, and went to the reconnoitre, returning after considerable time, and when the door was opened, they found the house surrounded by British soldiers. They were taken to Halifax and there kept until the spring of 1815, when the treaty of peace was signed. After the war Mr. Gillis lived at Victor, N. Y., for some time, and then worked with his brothers, Enon and Samuel, at tanning and shoemaking. In 1822 he moved to Elk (then in Jefferson) county and located sixteen miles from any neighbor and seventy from any post-office. He cleared up what is now the Montmorenci farm, and built a saw- and grist-mill, and became the first extensive lumber manufacturer in this region. He was appointed associate judge of Jefferson and Franklin counties, and held the office two terms. In 1840 he was elected to the Pennsylvania legislature, and served three years in the house and three years in the senate. In 1856 he was elected a member of congress from his district. He was an intimate friend of James Buchanan, and was a delegate to the convention that nominated him for the presidency. He was appointed Indian agent for the Pawnees in 1859, which was the last office he held. In 1862 he went to Iowa and lived with his son until the tragic death of the latter, and finally came to his death at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in July, 1881. The long and notable career of James L. Gillis is an example to young men of to-day. He was a foremost actor in the stirring scenes of life, and was one of the pioneers of the now thriving county of Elk. He was married, in 1816, to Mary Ridgway, of Philadelphia, who died in 1826, leaving three children: Ridgway B., Charles B. and Jeannette C. (now Mrs. Houk). In 1828 he married Miss Berry, of New York, who died in 1855, leaving seven children: B. W., a journalist of Richmond, Va.; Claudius V., of Kane, Penn.; James H., commodore, U. S. N.; Robert S., of Iowa; Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Noxon and Mrs. Whiting. Mr. Gillis’ father, Robert Gillis, was born in Boston, Mass., in 1740, three days after the landing of his Scotch parents. He spent his young manhood as a sailor on coasting vessels running from Boston to New Orleans and other American seaports. He married Jerusha Clark, of New Hampshire, and they reared a family of five children, all of whom passed the age of four score, and one son, John, lived to be ninety-three years old. The first wife died, and Robert then married Sarah Stewart, by whom there were six children: Enos, who died aged sixty-seven; Samuel, aged eighty-four; James L., aged eighty-nine; Thomas, born June 10, 1794, is still living; Elizabeth, wife of Elisha Ingersoll, died aged fifty-five years, and Hugh.

History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania with biographical selections, including their early settlement and development, a description of the historic and interesting localities, sketches of their cities, towns and villages, portraits of prominent men, biographies of representative citizens, outline history of Pennsylvania, statistics.. Chicago. J.H. Beers & Co.. 1890, page 726-727. Read this book on line - Free Trial Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

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