"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"


Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography


Gillie, Robert J. who has proved himself a live factor in the development of the manufacturing interests of the city of Tomahawk by the erection of a saw mill and wood working establishment which he is operating successfully, was born at Twinsburg, Ohio, Feb. 20, 1876, son of Robert and Jessie (HAMILTON) GILLIE. The father, was born in Scotland, Sept. 3, 1840, and the mother in Haimilton, Ontario, Oct. 25, 1851. They came to the United States in 1857, settling in Ohio, where he conducted a saw and grist mill, besides farming. After living there until 1905, he retired and moved with his wife to Cleveland, where he died Jan. 22, 1909; his wife died Aug. 11, 1914. They had six children, Robert, Edith, William, Jean, James and Hattie. Robert J. GILLIE was reared and educated in Ohio, attending common and high school. In 1896, at the age of 20, he came to Rhinelander, Wis., where for two years he worked in mills and factories. In 1898 he came to Tomahawk, entering the employ of W. H. BRADLEY as greaser in Mill No. 2. After that he took up carpenter work, being employed by others, and so continued until 1904, when he started contracting and building on his own account. It was in 1910 that he founded his present establishment, erecting a building which he equipped with saws, planers and other machinery, and in which he began the manufacture of frames, sash and doors and mouldings. In 1916 he bought a portable saw mill, which he operated in various places sawing logs, but later installed in a building erected for the purpose close to his original plant, and in it he now saws the lumber to supply his wood-working plant as well as lumber for general distribution. He also owns a farm of 160 acres which he is devoting to general farming and dairying, having 40 acres under the plow, the balance being in cut-over and pasture land. He is meeting with good success in both his enterprises and is a well known and respected citizen of Lincoln County. On Ja. 29, 1901, Mr. GILLIE was married in Tomahawk to Laura JARVIS, who came to this place with her parents, John and Sophie JARVIS, before the advent of the railroad, when they had to travel by stage from Herford Junction. Both her parents are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. GILLIE are the parents of three children, all sons, namely: Robert Johnston, born Aug. 20, 1904; John Newell, born Sept. 29, 1913, and Warren Harding, born March 3, 1921.

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