Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey (1881-1882).

David T. Gillmor was a veteran of the Civil War, having fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg, and returned unscathed. He was soon overcome by scarlet fever and was admitted to the United States Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. He was honorably discharged from the military on May 14, 1863.

Before his election into politics, Gillmor made a fortune in his dry goods business in Paterson.

In 1881, the Republican leaders in Paterson were looking for a candidate to oppose Mayor Graham for re-election. Graham was considered invincible, and the Republicans were not in earnest in their search for a candidate. The nomination was offered to Mr. Gillmor, and he accepted it.

David T. Gillmor made a personal campaign. He showed the people of Paterson that he was earnest in his desire to be mayor of the city, and he succeeded. He told the people that he wanted to be mayor to give the city better government, and they believed him. The Democrats regarded Mr. Gillmor's candidacy as a huge joke, but he had the people with him and beat Mr. Graham by a margin of 75 votes.

Mayor Gillmor had his own ideas about running the city government, and they did not prove acceptable to the managers of his party, who had expected that he would prove a tool in the hands of the politicians. He gave the city a good administration but his party beat him when he came up for re-election.

Twenty years after leaving the Mayor's office, on 17 August 1902, David T. Gillmor shot himself when it was learned that he was to be a victim of an incurable attack of Bright's disease. He took his own life knowing that death would surely follow a long period of suffering had he endured the disease's duration.

After Mr. Gillmor's death, his widow, Minnie Gillmor, and surviving children immediately left Paterson and relocated to the Los Angeles, California, area. His widow and several of his surviving children died there and are buried there.