Lake County Biographies

CHARLES GILETTE

Contributed by Margaret Hinton 

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
Was born in Scioto County, Ohio in 1838. When he was seventeen years of age he 
engaged as apprentice to the tinner's trade, which he followed in his native 
county until 1861, at which time he enlisted as a private in the Civil War in 
the 1st Ohio Regiment. After four months he returned home, and in October 1861, 
started for California. He came via Pamana, and arrived at San Francisco 
November 28th of the above year. The first winter was spent in Yolo County, and 
the following spring he went to Virginia City, Nevada; and after a short time he 
returned to Woodland, Yolo County, and opened the pioneer tin shop in that 
place. Here he remained until the fall of 1864 when he went to Solano County, 
where he remained until the fall of 1864, when he went to Solano County, where 
well-boring was prosecuted for about two years. We next find Mr. Gilette in 
Berryessa Valley, Napa County, where about one year was spent. He then went to 
the Zem Zem Springs, and spent about two years, when he returned to Suisun, 
where he engaged in the livery business for about six months. He then took 
charge of the Roberts House in that place for about one year. He then returned 
to Napa County, and spent about two and a half years at Zem Zem Springs, after 
which he followed an engineer's life in the California Mine, near Knowxville, 
for one year. He then went to the Buckeye Quicksilver Mine in Colusa County 
where he was employed as engineer until the spring of 1875. The following three 
years were spent on Cache Creek, in Lake County, engaged in wool growing. In the 
fall of 1879 he settled on his present place, located in the lowere end of Long 
Valley, which he calls "Live Oak Nook." Mr. Gillett married, in November 1875, 
Miss Caroline Pierce, a native of Kentucky, daughter of Henry Pierce, then chief 
engineer of the San Francisco Mint. She died November 18. 1878 leaving two 
living children, Elizabeth and Caroline. Caroline died November 27, 1878, aged 
one month and twenty days. 

"History of Napa and Lake Counties" 1881