James B. Gillett
1856–1937 (age 81)
Texas Ranger
Biography
James B. Gillett rose from the cattle trails of the late 19th century to become a captain of the Texas Rangers, leading men across wide stretches of Texas as they sought to uphold law in a landscape still shaping its civic order. He later put those experiences to paper, offering readers a candid look at the demands and duties of frontier law enforcement.
After leaving active service, he settled in West Texas, continuing to guide others with the same calm judgment that had marked his Ranger days, and he now rests in Marfa Cemetery, a reminder of the Rangers' complicated heritage.