Charles S. Gillette, who  still resides upon his farm in the town of Cheshire, has retired from most of the activities which engaged his attention in his earlier years but still conducts his implement business. He was born in Colchester, New London county, Connecticut, July 15, 1840, a son of Samuel S. Gillette, whose father likewise bore the name of Samuel. After completing his education Samuel S. Gillette engaged in teaching in New London county  for a number of years but at length located upon a farm in the town of Colchester and during his remaining years engaged in the cultivation of the soil and in raising, and dealing in, stock. He held membership in the Congregational church and supported the whig party until it was succeeded in national politics by the republican party, whose principles he endorsed by his ballot. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Josephine Babcock, was born in East Haddam, Middlesex county, Connecticut, and was a daughter of Samuel Babcock, a representative of an old Rhode Island family. To this union were born four children: Charles S.; Oscar, who died in New Orleans while a soldier in the Union army; Dwight, who lives on the old homestead; and Selden L., who resides in Kent, Ohio.

  Charles S. Gillette attended the district schools and Colchester Academy and after completing his schooling learned the carpenter’s and joiner’s trade, which he followed for some time. At length, however, he turned his attention to farming, and after following agricultural pursuits in New London county for two years he removed to the town of Meriden, where he worked at the carpenter’s trade until his removal to Cheshire in 1874. He then purchased what was known as the Anson Tuttle farm of fifty-three acres and has since resided thereon. He was successful as a general farmer and also has worked at his trade somewhat for a number of years. In 1890 he established a feed and agricultural implement business upon his farm and for many years successfully engaged in merchandising along those lines. He still deals in implements, handling the best known makes, but has given up the feed business. He no longer gives his personal attention to the operation of his farm, that being now in charge of his son, Dwight L., who, in addition to raising the usual crops, engages in dairying. Many changes have occurred in the methods of farming since our subject first took up that occupation, at which time he used eight yoke of oxen in cultivating his land.
 
  Mr. Gillette was married in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to Miss Emma Laing, a native of Johnsburg, Warren county, New Jersey, and a daughter of Joseph C. and Phoebe A. (Bunting) Laing. Her paternal grandparents, Samuel and Edith (Lundy) Laing, were born respectively in New Jersey and New York, and the family came originally from Aberdeen, Scotland. Mrs. Gillette is a well educated woman and is also a talented musician. By her marriage she has become the mother of two children. Charles is deceased. Dwight Laing was educated in the Cheshire Academy, an Episcopal school, and in the Massachusetts State Agricultural College at Amherst, from which he holds a diploma. He married Miss Vivian Case, of Suffield, and has a son, Warren. Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Gillette have also reared three girls, one of whom is deceased. Minna Bunting is now the wife of W. Percy Bristol, of Meriden, and Amy is still in school.

  In politics Mr. Gillette is a stanch republican and he has been called to a number of offices. He served as justice of the peace for a long time, retiring in 1910 because of the statute limitation as to age. For three years he was road commissioner and during that time maintained the roads of the town at a high standard of excellence, making them among the best in the county. He has always been a good roads enthusiast and as a private citizen has done much to arouse an interest in the subject. He has also served as selectman and as assessor, and his official duties have invariably been discharged with an eye single to the general welfare. He was president of the Farmers Club at the time the Grange was organized and his was the first name on the charter membership list of the latter organization, in the work of which he has taken an active part. He and his wife hold membership in the Congregational church and both can be counted upon to further in every way possible the moral advancement of their community. They are well known and justly held in the highest esteem.