Biography

10/02/1792 - 07/08/1881

James Lisle Gillis (D28) Clarion, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Warren Counties 1846-1848

Early Life: 

James Lisle Gillis, born October 2, 1792, Hebron, Washington County, New York; son of Robert and Sarah Stewart Gillis; public school education; tanner and shoemaker, 1808-1812; lieutenant, Mounted Dragoons, New York Cavalry, United States Army, War of 1812, 1812-1815; wounded, Prisoner of War, War of 1812, Toronto, Kingston, Prescott, and Montreal, 1814-1815; married, Mary Ridgway, 1816, (d.1826) children, Ridgeway Brockden Gillis, Jennette Gillis Houk, Charles B Gillis; married, Cecilia Anne Berray, children, Mary B Gillis Porter, James Henry Gillis, Bosanquet Wesley Gillis, Augusta Emily Gillis Noxon, Robert Stuart Gillis, Claudius Victor Gillis, Cecilia Ann Gillis Whiting; moved to Ridgway, Pennsylvania, 1822; owner, saw and grist mill; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1841; appointed, associate judge, Jefferson, Franklin Counties, 1842; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1845-1848; mail agent, San Francisco, California; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1852; elected, delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1856; elected, Democrat, United States House of Representatives, Congress, 1857-1859; Presidential appointee, agent, Pawnees Tribe, 1859-1862; died, July 8, 1881 (aged 88), Mount Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa; interment, Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa.

Early Career:

Lieutenant, Mounted Dragoons, New York Cavalry, United States Army, War of 1812; action at Fort George, Chipewa, Lundy’s Lane (where he was wounded), captured, imprisoned, escaped, recaptured imprisoned prisoner of war, escaped, recaptured, through surrender, Toronto, Kingston, Prescott, and Montreal, 1814-1815

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1841. 

Appointed, Governor David Rittenhouse Porter associate judge, Jefferson, Franklin Counties, 1842.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 28th district, Clarion, Jefferson, McKean, Potter and Warren Counties, 1846-1848; wrote the legislation that formed Elk County. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1852.

Elected, delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1856.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Democrat, United States House of Representatives, 35th Congress, Pennsylvania 24th district, 1857-1859; unsuccessful candidate for reelection, 36th Congress, 1858.

Presidential appointee, agent, Pawnees Tribe, 1859-1862.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "G"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

James Lisle Gillis (1792-1881) - Find a Grave Memorial