g:j_gillis
John Alexander Gillis (b. ~1861)
John Gillis was a dentist by occupation. He was a Freemason in the Dawson Lodge and signed the first register in 1897. He was elected to the Yukon council representing South Dawson and was the Speaker in the Council from 1912 to 1915. Gillis Lakes, west of the Peel River, are named for him.1)
A national patriotic fund was established during the First World War to support dependants of Canadian soldiers, British reservists, and those serving in other allied armies. Commissioner Black and Member of Parliament Alfred Thompson were honorary presidents of the Dawson Branch. Joe Boyle was the president and members included Bishop Isaac O. Stringer, Frederick Congdon, Frank Lowe, Dr. A. J. Gillis, George Williams, and William Radford volunteering for other positions. In December 1914, the Canadian Yukon Patriotic Fund was named as the central body for collecting funds and promoting volunteer efforts in the community. Members of the community stepped forward including Stringer and RNWMP Major J. D. Moodie. Edmund Ironside chaired the solicitations committee. The Fund oversaw a number of funds for specific purposes and groups.2)
1)
W. Bro. Dennis M. Eve, “Freemasonry in the Yukon Territory.” Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon, 2019 website: http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/history/yukon_history.html
2)
Peter Kikkert and P. Whitney Lackenbauer, “’The index to a Man’s principles’: Dawson and the Canadian Yukon Patriotic Fund, 1914-1920.” The Northern Review, Volume 44, 2017: 54-55.
g/j_gillis.txt · Last modified: 2024/11/11 09:09 by sallyr