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Kinyon Digital Library

History of Adair
County, Iowa, 1915.

Biographical.  Volume 2.

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Joseph Gillett.

Joseph Gillett

Joseph Gillett, who is a highly esteemed farmer living retired in Greenfield, was born in England, May 14, 1830, a son of Thomas and Anna (Crocker) Gillett, both natives of that country, where they passed their entire lives.  Our subject, who is the only survivor of a family of eight children, remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, when he was married.  In 1854 he emigrated to America and located in New York city, where he remained for three months.  He then went to Canada, where his wife joined him on crossing the Atlantic two years after his arrival.  He worked as a railroad fireman in Canada for three years, removing to Johnson county, Iowa, in 1857.  For the first year he accepted any employment that came to hand but at the end of that time he rented a farm which he operated for three years.

In 1861 Mr. Gillett put aside all personal considerations and proved loyal to his adopted country by enlisting in Company F, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for three years and eight months.  He took part in the battle of Fort Donelson, which lasted three days, and in the battle of Shiloh, where he was taken prisoner.  At length he was paroled with the other privates but the officers were still kept in the prison.  He returned home and remained for four months, after which he went to St. Louis and reported for duty, serving with the army until he was recaptured at the battle Pleasant Hill, Louisiana.  He was kept at Camp Ford, Texas, for thirteen months, or until the close of the war, when he was released from prison and was mustered out of the military service at Davenport, Iowa.

Mr. Gillett then returned to Johnson county, where he continued to live until 1887, which year witnessed his arrival in Adair county.  He purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Grove township and lived thereon for three years, after which he retired and removed to Greenfield, where he still makes his home.  He holds title to one hundred and sixty acres of land in Kansas and also owns four town lots in Greenfield in addition to his residence.  He was both practical and progressive as a farmer and managed his business affairs well with the result that he acquired a competence that insures him of the comforts of life during his remaining years.

Mr. Gillett married Miss Mary Ann Bradley, a native of England, and to them were born seven children:  William H., Thomas and Jacob, all of who have passed away;  Anna, who married A. M. Stouffer, of Goodland, Kansas;  Josephine, deceased;  Nicholas Z., who married Miss Edith Bonney;  and John, deceased.  The wife and mother was called to her reward on the 6th of July, 1897, and was laid to rest in the Greenfield cemetery.

Mr. Gillett supports the republican party at the polls but has always been content to perform his civic duties as a private citizen.  He finds the principles that guide his life in the teachings of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he belongs, and his integrity and uprightness have never been questioned.  He is well known throughout the county and all who have been brought in contact with him speak highly of him.

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