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Great-Great-Grandparents    (Father's Father's Father's Parents)

Joel Griswold Gillett

Born: May 25, 1812, probably in Seneca County,
  New York, the eighth child of Joel and Chloe
  (Griswold) Gillett

Died: June 27, 1875, in Barry County, Missouri,
  at age 63. Buried at the Maddy Cemetery,
  about one mile west of Purdy, Missouri.

Nancy Ann Radford

Born: September 3, 1815, in St. Pauls, Little Eaton,    Derby, England, the daughter of John and Sarah    (Hodder) Radford

Died: Unknown -- as of 1891 still living in Monett,
   Missouri, over 76 years old

Married: July 30, 1833, in Lawrence County, Ohio
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Occupation: Carpenter and farmer

In about 1816, as a young boy Joel Griswold Gillett traveled with his parents from New York to Marietta, Ohio. He was only about 4 years old. About a year later they traveled down the Ohio River to Lawrence County, Ohio.

As a youth he worked on the farm of Tom Gardner. Tom had married Joel's sister, Chloe Gillett.

Joel was probably raised by his older sister as his mother died before he was 8 years old and his father died a few years later in 1823 when he was only 11 years old. His step mother, Azuba Gillett, left the area for Louisiana.

In 1833, when he was about 21 years old, he purchased 160 acres of land for $160. In 1847, when he was about 35 years old he started selling that land completing the transactions in 1856. The total transactions netted them $1,795 profit.

The 1850 census indicated that Joel was a carpenter with real estate valued at $100.

Sometime before 1860, when Joel was about 38 years old, they left the area for Louisiana or Texas. His brother, Columbus Gillett, had gone to Louisiana and then to Texas and his sister, Emma Gillett, had also gone to Louisiana. One of Joel's grandchildren was born in Texas in 1863.

The next record of the Joel G. Gillett family came from Barry County, Missouri, in 1869 as he had obtained over 160 acres of land in the Shoal Creek Township. During this period the Civil War was going on. Normally a listing of 160 acres represented fighting for the North but no record was found of his being involved in the War.

The 1870 census of Barry County listed J.G. Gillett as a farmer living with his wife, Ann, and son, B.O. Gillett. His holdings in addition to his real estate were $400. Living on the same land was their son-in-law, Joseph Graham. His holdings were $200.

Joel G. and Ann Gillett had numerous land transactions, a total of 19. The last transaction was when Ann sold land in Cassville to her son-in-law, Joseph Graham, for $200.

Joel died June 27, 1875, in Barry County, Missouri, while his wife, Ann (Radford) Gillett, was still living as of 1891. The 1880 census for Shoal Creek Township of Barry County listed Ann Gillett as being a widow living next to Joseph Graham, her son-in-law, and Alanson Gillett, her son. Living with her was her granddaughter, Minnie A. Gillett, and a servant, Elijah Mackey.

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