Mayor James McDowell Gillies

1889 - 1935  (46 years)

• Name	James McDowell Gillies
  Prefix	Mayor
  Born	11 Mar 1889	Paris, Brant County, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Business	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	James Gillies and Son Ltd. (lumber and coal)
  		Waterloo Region Museum An ink blotter made of white paper printed in black and yellow with a picture of a house, borders, and a message. The message reads: Your Home will be Warm - / Clean, Cheerful and Bright/ If You Burn/ D & H Anthracite/ Jas. Gillies & Son/ Opposite G.T.R. Sta/ Preston, Ont. 15 x 8.5 cm
  Elected Office	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	councillor on Preston Town Council, reeve and mayor.
  Interesting	politics, business
  Occupation	1911	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Foreman, Planing Mill
  Residence	1911	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Presbyterian
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-90354
  Died	31 Dec 1935	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Cause: Cause: Acute Alcoholism - Myocardial Failure
  Buried	3 Jan 1936	Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Person ID	I90354	Generations
  Last Modified	9 Jun 2025

  
  

  Father	James Gillies,   b. 11 Jan 1848, Vankleek Hill, Prescott and Russel, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 9 Oct 1931, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Agnes McDowell,   b. 6 Apr 1849, , USA ,   d. 4 Sep 1910, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 61 years)
  Family ID	F23366	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Alberta Verta "Verta" Beck,   b. 22 Jul 1889, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 23 Jan 1980, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 90 years)
  Married	4 Jun 1914	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2025
  Family ID	F252199	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  James McDowell Gillies was born in Paris son of James Gillies and Agnes McDowell spent most of his life in Preston, but came as an infant. With his father he operated the James Gillies and Son Ltd. coal and wood business that his father had purchased from C. W. Winter in 1889. It also manufactured doors and sashes and later known as Gillies Lumber, which was still in business in the 1990's. James served as councillor on Preston Town Council, reeve and mayor. Cambridge Mosaic , Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge [abbreviated snippet from original text in book]

  
  

• Sources

  [S204] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1901, Preston (Village) F-2 Page 27. [S57] Vit - ON - Birth Registration. James Gillies Born: 11 Mar 1889 County: Brant Father: James Gillies Mother: Agnes McDowell [S1669] Census - ON, Waterloo, Preston - 1911, Div. 24 Pg. 37. [S57] Vit - ON - Birth Registration. Name:James Gillies Date of Birth:11 Mar 1889 Gender:Male Birth Place:Brant, Ontario, Canada Father's name:James Gillies Mother's name:Agnes McDowell [S116] Vit - ON - Death Registration. Name:James McDowell Gillies Gender:Male Birth Year:abt 1889 Birth Place:Paris, Ontario Age at Death:46 Death Date:31 Dec 1935 Death Place:Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Father:James Gillies Mother:Agnes McDowell [S239] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Preston CC#6335 Cemetery Internet Link . [Front] In/ loving memory of/ James GILLIES/ died Oct. 9, 1931, aged 84 years/ Agnes MCDOWELL/ beloved wife of James GILLIES/ died Sept. 4, 1910, aged 60 years/ Robert W. their son/ died July 14, 1907 aged 31 years/ James McDowell GILLIES/ died Dec. 31, 1935 aged 46 years/ husband of/ Verta (BECK) GILLIES/ died Jan. 23, 1980/ aged 90 years/ GILLIES./ [Flat markers] Father/ Mother/ Robert/ James McDowell GILLIES/ Verta BECK) GILLIES./ [Right side] Eliza HAMILTON/ RITCHIE/ died Jan. 6, 1926/ aged 83 years./ [Flat marker, right of monument] Eliza RITCHIE. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. Name:James M Gillies Age:24 Birth Date:abt 1889 Birth Place:Baris, Ontario Marriage Date:4 Jun 1913 Marriage County or District:Waterloo Father:Jas Gillies Mother:Agnes McDonald Spouse:Verta E Beck Spouse's Age:22 Spouse Birth Date:abt 1891 Spouse Birth Place:Preston Spouse Father:Harry Beck Spouse Mother:Lydia Erb

  
  

• Event Map

  Business - James Gillies and Son Ltd. (lumber and coal) - - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - councillor on Preston Town Council, reeve and mayor. - - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Foreman, Planing Mill - 1911 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1911 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 4 Jun 1914 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: Cause: Acute Alcoholism - Myocardial Failure - 31 Dec 1935 - Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - 3 Jan 1936 - Preston Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth