Gideon B. Gillette

Gideon B. Gillette was born in Sullivan county, New York, in the year 1815, of English and French parentage. He was married to Sarah A. Dixon in 1837, came with his wife and four children to Stark county, Ill, in 1842, where he settled upon and owned a part of the farm now owned by Austin Grant. Here he spent the few years allowed him, dying in the year 1849, of consumption, leaving a widow and three little daughters, Cynthia having died a few years previous. Theda, the eldest daughter, now the wife of C. H. Fuller, of Galesburg; Ill., master train-dispatcher in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, they having one son, Fred. C, married to Nellie Hill, also of Galesburg, they residing in Bloomington, Ill., he being in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company at that place. Abbie, second daughter of Gideon B. and Sarah A. Gillette, wife of F. J. Bush, banker at Clear Lake, Ia., have two children, Mabel and Grant A., Mabel being the wife of A. D. Davis, with Perry & Co., Chicago, Ill., they having one little daughter, Maud B. Grant A. is an attorney at law, Lincoln, Neb., a member of the firm of Barnes & Bush, married Mabel A. Barnes, of Lincoln, Neb. Mary Jane, third daughter of Gideon B. and Sarah A. Gillette, married James Balentine, of Toulon, Ill. Mary Jane, now deceased, leaving two children, Charles and Blanche. It is said of Gideon B. Gillette by those to whom he was best known, that an enemy was unknown to him. On the contrary, he was blessed with the happy faculty of making many friends; the poor always found in him a willing helper. He was public spirited and successful in his business undertakings, and had he lived would have been, no doubt, as he intended, an extensive land owner. He died as he had always lived, a true Christian.