Correspondence relating to family and social life, business, political matters and law practice. Legal and business papers, ephemera, unidentified and non-California photographs, diaries, scrapbook, poetry and miscellaneous personal papers.

James Norris Gillett was born in Viroqua, Wisconsin, September 20, 1860 to Cyrus F. Gillett and Sarah Jane Norris. He graduated from high school in Sparta, Wisconsin. He was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar in 1881. He came west, first to Montana, then Washington and in 1884 to California. He opened a law practice in Eureka. He became Eureka City Attorney in 1890. He was later elected State Senator, 1896, Congressman, 1902 and 1904, and Governor of California, 1906. He served as Governor 1907-1911, after which he retired from politics to enter law practice in San Francisco.

Please credit California State Library.

Unrestricted.