James T. Gillmore Biography


	This biography appears on pages 952-955 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JAMES T. GILLMORE. 

	James T. Gillmore, owner and manager of the Gil]more Hotel at 
Deadwood, was born in Earlville, Madison county, New York, August 4, 
1841, his parents being John Henderson and Ursula A. (Weaver) Gillmore, 
both of whom were natives of New York. The family comes of Scotch 
ancestry in the paternal line. James T. Gillmore was reared in his 
native town to the age of twelve years, when he accompanied his parents 
on their removal westward to Adams county, Wisconsin, where the father 
took up government land. The son assisted in the arduous task of 
developing a new farm and continued to aid in the work of the fields 
upon the old home place until about 1855, when at the age of fourteen 
years he went south and spent some time at work at the printer's trade, 
which he had learned in Portage, Wisconsin. He remained in Memphis, 
Tennessee, until after the Civil war and then returned to La Crosse, 
Wisconsin, where he purchased a farm. For several years he carried on 
general agricultural pursuits and was especially successful in raising 
hops, which at that time sold at a high price. He continued the further 
development and improvement of the farm until about 1875, when he sold 
out and took up his abode in La Crosse, where he conducted a hotel for 
three years, remaining there until 1878. 

	In that year he removed to Deadwood, Dakota territory, where he 
resumed work at the printer's trade and for years was employed on The 
Pioneer and Times. As his financial resources increased and favorable 
opportunity offered, he made investments in city real estate and in 
mining properties and won a gratifying measure of prosperity by his 
activities along both lines. He built the Gillmore Hotel, which for 
years he leased to others, but in 1913 he took the property under his 
own management and is now conducting the hotel, which he has made one 
of the popular hostelries of his part of the state. It is well 
equipped, being attractively furnished. In addition to his hotel 
interests he has large mining properties, which are being developed and 
are considered very valuable, his stock including holdings in Montezuma 
and the Whizzer mines. 

	In St. Louis, Missouri, in 1866, Mr. Gillmore was married to Miss 
Hannah Walker, who died in 1913. Mr. Gillmore is a charter member of 
the lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of La Crosse, 
Wisconsin. His political allegiance is given to the republican party 
and he has been prominent in framing its policy and directing its 
course in Deadwood, but he has steadily refused to accept office for 
himself. He is most highly regarded and has done much toward developing 
his part of the county. His hotel is one of the old landmarks and is 
liberally patronized, especially during the summer months. Aside from 
his business activities he has contributed to the improvement and 
upbuilding of his city in many ways, for he cooperates heartily in all 
plans and projects looking to its welfare and progress.