USNA Class of 1854.
He was the son of James L. Gillis and Cecelia Berray Gillis (1806-1855).
He was married to Lydia Ann Alexander sometime between 1850 to 1858.
They were the parents of four children:
Carrie Gillis Murray (born April 1859)
Harry A. Gillis, USNA Class of 1883.
Lyle Nugent Gillis (1870-1960).
United States Navy retired Lieut. Commander Irvin Van Gorder Gillis (1874-1948), USNA Class of 1894 (interment in China).
Per the 1910 Census for Melbourne, Florida, he married Ursula Mason Canfield (born 1838 in Ohio) about 1903.
The Boston Herald
Thursday, December 8, 1910
Commodore Gillis Dead
Commanded the Wateree When Tidal Wave Swept It Inland
Washington, December 7. Commodore James Henry Gillis, United States Navy, retired, who died at Melbourne Beach, Florida, was born in Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 1821 and when 17 years old received an appointment as a midshipman in the navy. The following year he was attached to the frigate Raritan in the home squadron and then went to the ship Dale on the coast of Africa, where he remained until 1854, when he was sent to the Naval Academy. He was promoted to passed midshipman in that year and after leaving the Naval Academy he was assigned to the sloop John Adams in the Pacific Squadron. He was promoted to master on September 16, 1855 and lieutenant on the following day.
Commissioned a lieutenant commander in July 1862, he commanded the Elk in the West Gulf blockading squadron in 1864 and went to the assistance of Admiral Porter's fleet when he was up the Red River with the Banks expedition. Later he commanded the ironclad Milwaukee in the engagement with Spanish Fort at Mobile Bay on March 28, 1865. Then he commanded the Monongahela, Scioto, Mahopac, Michigan, Franklin, Lackawanna and Minnesota.
While he was in command of the Wateree in the South Pacific Squadron in 1868, the vessel was carried half a mile inland by a tidal wave during an earthquake at Arica. The Wateree was afterwards used as a hotel. He was promoted to commander in 1866, captain in 1876, commodore in 1887 and was placed on the retired list for age in 1893. Commodore Gillis had had a sea service of 22 years and four months and shore duty 11 years and 10 months.
He was the son of James L. Gillis and Cecelia Berray Gillis (1806-1855).
He was married to Lydia Ann Alexander sometime between 1850 to 1858.
They were the parents of four children:
Carrie Gillis Murray (born April 1859)
Harry A. Gillis, USNA Class of 1883.
Lyle Nugent Gillis (1870-1960).
United States Navy retired Lieut. Commander Irvin Van Gorder Gillis (1874-1948), USNA Class of 1894 (interment in China).
Per the 1910 Census for Melbourne, Florida, he married Ursula Mason Canfield (born 1838 in Ohio) about 1903.
The Boston Herald
Thursday, December 8, 1910
Commodore Gillis Dead
Commanded the Wateree When Tidal Wave Swept It Inland
Washington, December 7. Commodore James Henry Gillis, United States Navy, retired, who died at Melbourne Beach, Florida, was born in Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 1821 and when 17 years old received an appointment as a midshipman in the navy. The following year he was attached to the frigate Raritan in the home squadron and then went to the ship Dale on the coast of Africa, where he remained until 1854, when he was sent to the Naval Academy. He was promoted to passed midshipman in that year and after leaving the Naval Academy he was assigned to the sloop John Adams in the Pacific Squadron. He was promoted to master on September 16, 1855 and lieutenant on the following day.
Commissioned a lieutenant commander in July 1862, he commanded the Elk in the West Gulf blockading squadron in 1864 and went to the assistance of Admiral Porter's fleet when he was up the Red River with the Banks expedition. Later he commanded the ironclad Milwaukee in the engagement with Spanish Fort at Mobile Bay on March 28, 1865. Then he commanded the Monongahela, Scioto, Mahopac, Michigan, Franklin, Lackawanna and Minnesota.
While he was in command of the Wateree in the South Pacific Squadron in 1868, the vessel was carried half a mile inland by a tidal wave during an earthquake at Arica. The Wateree was afterwards used as a hotel. He was promoted to commander in 1866, captain in 1876, commodore in 1887 and was placed on the retired list for age in 1893. Commodore Gillis had had a sea service of 22 years and four months and shore duty 11 years and 10 months.
USNA Class of 1854.
He was the son of James L. Gillis and Cecelia Berray Gillis (1806-1855).
He was married to Lydia Ann Alexander sometime between 1850 to 1858.
They were the parents of four children:
Carrie Gillis Murray (born April 1859)
Harry A. Gillis, USNA Class of 1883.
Lyle Nugent Gillis (1870-1960).
United States Navy retired Lieut. Commander Irvin Van Gorder Gillis (1874-1948), USNA Class of 1894 (interment in China).
Per the 1910 Census for Melbourne, Florida, he married Ursula Mason Canfield (born 1838 in Ohio) about 1903.
The Boston Herald
Thursday, December 8, 1910
Commodore Gillis Dead
Commanded the Wateree When Tidal Wave Swept It Inland
Washington, December 7. Commodore James Henry Gillis, United States Navy, retired, who died at Melbourne Beach, Florida, was born in Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 1821 and when 17 years old received an appointment as a midshipman in the navy. The following year he was attached to the frigate Raritan in the home squadron and then went to the ship Dale on the coast of Africa, where he remained until 1854, when he was sent to the Naval Academy. He was promoted to passed midshipman in that year and after leaving the Naval Academy he was assigned to the sloop John Adams in the Pacific Squadron. He was promoted to master on September 16, 1855 and lieutenant on the following day.
Commissioned a lieutenant commander in July 1862, he commanded the Elk in the West Gulf blockading squadron in 1864 and went to the assistance of Admiral Porter's fleet when he was up the Red River with the Banks expedition. Later he commanded the ironclad Milwaukee in the engagement with Spanish Fort at Mobile Bay on March 28, 1865. Then he commanded the Monongahela, Scioto, Mahopac, Michigan, Franklin, Lackawanna and Minnesota.
While he was in command of the Wateree in the South Pacific Squadron in 1868, the vessel was carried half a mile inland by a tidal wave during an earthquake at Arica. The Wateree was afterwards used as a hotel. He was promoted to commander in 1866, captain in 1876, commodore in 1887 and was placed on the retired list for age in 1893. Commodore Gillis had had a sea service of 22 years and four months and shore duty 11 years and 10 months.
He was the son of James L. Gillis and Cecelia Berray Gillis (1806-1855).
He was married to Lydia Ann Alexander sometime between 1850 to 1858.
They were the parents of four children:
Carrie Gillis Murray (born April 1859)
Harry A. Gillis, USNA Class of 1883.
Lyle Nugent Gillis (1870-1960).
United States Navy retired Lieut. Commander Irvin Van Gorder Gillis (1874-1948), USNA Class of 1894 (interment in China).
Per the 1910 Census for Melbourne, Florida, he married Ursula Mason Canfield (born 1838 in Ohio) about 1903.
The Boston Herald
Thursday, December 8, 1910
Commodore Gillis Dead
Commanded the Wateree When Tidal Wave Swept It Inland
Washington, December 7. Commodore James Henry Gillis, United States Navy, retired, who died at Melbourne Beach, Florida, was born in Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 1821 and when 17 years old received an appointment as a midshipman in the navy. The following year he was attached to the frigate Raritan in the home squadron and then went to the ship Dale on the coast of Africa, where he remained until 1854, when he was sent to the Naval Academy. He was promoted to passed midshipman in that year and after leaving the Naval Academy he was assigned to the sloop John Adams in the Pacific Squadron. He was promoted to master on September 16, 1855 and lieutenant on the following day.
Commissioned a lieutenant commander in July 1862, he commanded the Elk in the West Gulf blockading squadron in 1864 and went to the assistance of Admiral Porter's fleet when he was up the Red River with the Banks expedition. Later he commanded the ironclad Milwaukee in the engagement with Spanish Fort at Mobile Bay on March 28, 1865. Then he commanded the Monongahela, Scioto, Mahopac, Michigan, Franklin, Lackawanna and Minnesota.
While he was in command of the Wateree in the South Pacific Squadron in 1868, the vessel was carried half a mile inland by a tidal wave during an earthquake at Arica. The Wateree was afterwards used as a hotel. He was promoted to commander in 1866, captain in 1876, commodore in 1887 and was placed on the retired list for age in 1893. Commodore Gillis had had a sea service of 22 years and four months and shore duty 11 years and 10 months.
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