James Buchanan Gillett

James Buchanan Gillett was born in Austin, Texas on November 4, 1856.

At age 19 he enlisted in the Texas Rangers and was sent to Fort Davis in 1880 to help suppress Native American uprisings in the Big Bend area. He was honorably discharged from the Texas
Rangers on December 26, 1881, and moved to El Paso, Texas where he was appointed deputy Marshal.

Gillett was elected Sheriff of Brewster County in 1890 and served one term until 1892. He was a respected leader and is recognized as an original stockholder in the First National Bank of Alpine in 1904, and a member of the Alpine Public School Board of Trustees. He helped organize the Alpine Masonic Lodge #766 as well as the Southwest Texas Historical and Scientific Society headquartered at Sul Ross State College and served as the board president in 1935-1936.

Captain Gillett wrote a book about his life as a Texas Ranger entitled “Six Years With The Texas Rangers” that was published in 1921.

Gillett resided at his Barrell Springs ranch in Marfa, Texas until his death in 1937.

James Buchanan Gillett photo courtesy of Carl C. Williams collection