JUDGE JOHN W. GILLET
Was born at Accomack, C. H., Va., on the 26th of October, 1823.
His parents were William and Henrietta (Selby) Gillet, of Accomack
county, and grandson of Ayers and Peggy (Douglas) Gillet; his grandmother
being a daughter of George Douglas, a prominent lawyer of
Accomack before the Revolution. At the time of her marriage with
his grandfather she was the widow of John Wise, grandfather of the
late governor, Henry A. Wise. John Wise, father of the governor,
and his father were half brothers. His grandfather, Ayers Gillet,
was of French extraction, and first settled in the Province of Maryland,
afterward removing to Accomack. Judge Gillet was educated
in the private schools of his native county, and afterward tutor in
in a private family in 1841. In 1842 he entered the office of
clerk of county and circuit courts as deputy, the late Thomas R.
Joynes being the incumbent of the offices; he was elected clerk of
Accomack county in 1850, holding the office until 1862, when he was
displaced by the Federal military. He began the practice of law in
1864, in partnership with Judge Benj. T. Gunter; was elected clerk of
county and circuit courts of Accomack in 1865, remaining in office
until November, 1869, when he was ordered to vacate by military
commander of District No. 1, for having participated in the recent
rebellion, so called; resumed practice with Judge Gunter until 1884
when he retired. He is now Judge of the County Court of Accomack.
He was commissioned a captain in the Virginia volunteer militia in
the late war, but was not in active service on account of the civil
office he was holding.
