J.C. Gilson - Oakland

1912 ⁸

Jewett Castello Gilson (May 23, 1844 – February 25, 1926) was a long-time educator, the first director of Chabot Observatory, and later owner of Hamilton Hall. He also wrote a book, Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania, and wrote columns for the Tribune.

Gilson was born May 23, 1844 in Rockingham, Vermont, to Freedom Gilson and Mary Edson (Gilson), one of 4 children. He was educated at Amherst. After teaching back east, he came to California in 1869. He married Carrie Tunis Greene (Gilson) (1846 – 1924) in 1872, and they had 3 sons: Ray Edson Gilson (1873 – 1958), Cass Lord Gilson (1877 – 1929), and Rosse Mozart Gilson (1883 – 1964). The rest of his family came to California about the time of his marriage. Sadly, his sister, Mary Emma Gilson, died not long after arriving, just 17 years old.

After teaching in Alameda County including Washington Township (now Fremont) and Pleasanton, in 1877 he was elected county superintendent of schools. Carrie served as his unpaid deputy supervisor. In 1882, he took the job as Oakland superintendent of schools. ¹

1882

Gilson was elected the first director of the Chabot Observatory in 1883. ⁴ He resigned from that position in 1886 ⁵ and became principal of the Pleasanton school.

In 1886, he also purchased Hamilton Hall. From 1894 to c.1901, he ran a boys' school there. ⁶ The 1889-1890 directory and later directories list J.C. and Carrie as living at Hamilton Hall, and Carrie teaching music there. ¹³ Gilson owned the hall until 1904.

1898

Despite not wanting to serve and declining the nomination, Gilson was elected a library trustee in 1895. ⁷

Gilson was principal of the Swett School from 1900 to 1909, then became principal of Longfellow School.

In 1909, he had the large, elegant home at 1085 Bella Vista (49 Bella Vista before renumbering) built. Despite the size, the 1910 census lists just J.C., Carrie, and a servant named Emil Bischof living there. In 1920, they had a servant named Grace Jones.

1909

In 1912, he traveled to Alaska, ⁸ and then wrote a series of articles about it for the Tribune. This led to a regular column, "Department of Science and Nature" which began at the end of 1912, and ran weekly for several months. ¹² After the column stopped, he continued writing occasional columns on science and nature, including about a trip to Arizona. Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania was published in 1913. ⁹

In 1913, he offered two alligators to the city. He had purchased them 12 years prior to help prepare a paper on reptiles, but said that he no longer had a use for them. The city council didn't know what to do with 4- and 5-foot long "Snap" and "Bite", so they referred the offer to the library board. ¹⁰ It's unknown what became of them, but it may help explain why there weren't more people living at 1085 Bella Vista. And while the facts about alligators in the article were a bit off (the oldest alligator known lived into its 80s), it did correctly note that they were not full-sized yet.

An offer to the city which was accepted in 1923 was a 3-ton section of petrified tree from Arizona. He was hesitant to give it because the city had not yet constructed a fireproof museum, but Henry Snow assured him it would be protected at the Snow Museum. ¹¹ The tree is now at the Oakland Museum of California.

Oakland Museum of California ¹⁴

Gilson retired in 1920 as principal of Longfellow School. He and fellow long-time educators, Simeon P. Meads and S.G.S. Dunbar retired the same year, and the 3 were given a banquet at the Claremont Hotel honoring their collective 104 years of service. ²

1896 ¹⁵1920 ²1921

Gilson died February 25, 1926 at Merritt Hospital after a brief illness. His obituary notes that he was instrumental in establishing and maintaining the Chabot Observatory. ³ He and Carrie are buried in Mountain View Cemetery in plot 5, one of the unendowed sections. Carrie's father Caleb Greene is also listed on the grave maker.