David Jessup Gillett 1823-1902

GILLETT, PHELPS, ALLEN, SYMINGTON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/2/2010 at 17:06:13

David Gillett Dead
After a lingering illness of several weeks, David Gillett died at the home of is daughter, Mrs. F. E. Allen, in this city Friday [April 26, 1902] morning at eight o’clock, at the age of seventy-nine years.

David Jessup Gillett was born near Ithaca, N.Y., March 29th 1823. At the age of 17 his parents moved to Pennsylvania where he engaged in the lumbering business. In 1846 he was married to Wealthy Phelps at Liberty, Penn.; came west in 1855 and again engaged in the lumbering business in Wood Co., Wis., when he came to Estherville, Iowa, where he resided one years, then going to Lost Island and taking a homestead where he lived until 1885, when he returned to Estherville where he has since resided. He leaves a widow and two children, Mrs. Emma Allen, and Mrs. Orfa Symington, of Spencer, Iowa, and two sisters and three brothers living in Pennsylvania.

Funeral services will be held from the home of Mrs. F. E. Allen tomorrow afternoon at two o’clock and the remains interred in the Oak Hill Cemetery. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, May 2, 1902)

Burial of David Gillett
The funeral services of the late David Gillett, conducted by the Rev. J. W. Neyman, of the 1st Baptist church, and attended by a large concourse of friends, were held yesterday afternoon from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Emma G. Allen. In accordance with the wishes of the deceased, and befitting his unpretentious life, they were of the most simple character. It had also been Mr. Gillett’s desire that his friends should refrain from flower testimonials at this time; but there are some occasions when for very love’s sake, the wishes of the dead cannot be regarded, and this proved one of them. The old man had loved flowers and all knew it, so the flowers came and were beautiful, just as the tears, which had forbidden also. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, May 2, 1902)