Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-08-17
A MOST REMARKABLE SOLDIER
STATESMAN, JUDGE AND LEADING CIT
IZEN-HIs ARREST AND TRIAL FoR
THE MURDER OF MoRGAN-Iils
STATEMENT ABOUT MORGAN
his BLAMELEss LIFE.
From the philadelphia rlms..I


The death of Judge Gillis, at Mount
Pleasant, Iowa, a few weeks ago, calls
to mind the man, who he was, and the
part he filled in his eventful life, most
of which was spent in Pennsylvania
He was born in Washington county
New York, October 7, 1902, and was
one OF large number of sons, all stur
dy and hardy men, His father lived
to ripe old age and visited his sons
James and Enos, late in life, when
they resided at Ridgway, Pennsylva
MIA. A few years prior to the war ol
1912 the family moved to Ontario Co.
in the State of New York. There, in
1912, James enlisted in company OF
New York volunteers, and was imme-
diately commissioned lieutenant Of
cavalry and assigned TO a regiment
commanded by one Colonel Harris,
regular dragons, He was in the bat
ties Of Fort George Chippewa and
Lundy's Lane, Shortly after the lat
ter battle he was taken prisoner by
the British and confined at various
places in Canada, and in 1914, while
under parole he was arrested and put
on board a transport about to sail for
England. Gillis and several others
were successful in making their escape
by capturing q boat belonging to the
transport and gaining the bank Of the
st. Lawrence river opposite Quebec,
at which place tho vessel was lying.
All were finally re.taken. They wan
dered about for several days, wishing
to reach the United States frontier,
and made but little headway in that
direction. Finally they made terms
with Canadian Frenchman, who
promised TO guide them towards the
boundary, but betrayed them; the
red-coats got them, returned them to
confinement, and Lieutenant Gillis
was not again permitted to escape.
He remained in confinement until the
close of the war, when he was exchan.
ged at Salem Massachusetts,. When
Congress, about 1858, passed law
giving bounty of 1860 acres of land
to the soldiers Of the war Of 1912,
Judge Gillis had no trouble in proving
his title to one. He considered it too
sacred TO part with, and for years be
kept it hanging in his house in gilt
frame, which was luxury in the way
of fine art that his neighbors generally
could not indulge in.
IN THE wILDs OF PENNSYLVANIA.
In 1922 be moved to Pennsylvania
and located in what was then Indiana
county, afterwards a part of Jefferson
county, now Elk county. His nearest
nelghbor was sixteen miles distant and
his nearest postolfice about seventy
miles. The approach to his location
was from Clean Point, on the ALLIE
gheny river and supplies were brought
from that place over a rough wagon
road, about thirty miles of which he
got over as best be could. lie came
there as the agent OF Jacob Ridgway,
Of Philadelphia, who owned large
tract OF land in Indiana county, ex.
pectiDg that the country would soon
settle up. He built a grist mill, upon
a small scale, TO supply his wants in
that direction and those OF tho future
settlers, but It was some years before
1t was used by anyone except himself.
In 1916 he married Miss Mary Ridg.
way, of Philadelphia, a niece of his
future employer. By that marriage
he had three children Ridgway b.,
Charles B. and Caroline, now tie wild.
ow of Judge Houk, late OF Ridgway.
In that wild country he reared these
three children, His wife died in 1926,
and in 1928 he married Miss Celia
A. Berry, who died in 1855, leaving
seven children. In 1880 he moved
from his farm, which he cleared six
miles from the town OF Ridgway, to
that place, naming the place Ridgway,
where he and his family resided for a
long time. In that country, where
the benefits of education were very
limited, he brought up his ten children,
giving them such education as the
country afforded, and all Of them have
acquitted themselves very creditably
in life. One of his sons, Capt. James
II. Gillis, United States Navy, did
gallant service in the late rebellion.
He was in command Of war vessel
throughout the war, and at the bonn
bardment Of Mobile bis vessel came in
contact with a torpedo, was sunk to
her gundeck, but he fought her as
long as there was enough OF her above
water to stand upon. While he was
midshipman, and tho vessel to which
he was attached was in a South Ameri.
can port, be called for volunteers from
his crew, took one of the ships boats
and saved the crew Of a Chilian vessel
which was going to pieces in a fierce
storm two miles from the shore. He
took the crew from the rigging and
brought them safely to land The act
was recognized by the Chilian Gov.
ernment in fitting manner Another
son, b. W. Gillis, has made considera-
bic reputation as journalist in Vir-
ginia. Another, G, V. Gillis, lives in
this State.