To the editor:
Chas McKenzie, of Gillett, was thinking of his friend Rodney Gillett when he decided to write a letter to him during his time in Nashville during the Civil War. In 1859 he wrote, “Dear Friend, I was glad to hear from you but you did not write much of any thing,” and he added, about another Gillett man serving with him in the same infantry, “Joseph Helmke is fat and lazy, he is bout as long as he is wide.”
It is letters such as this from over 150 years ago that the Gillett Area Historical museum finds a place for in its small office/research room. File cabinets hold many photos, news items, old receipts, documents, family histories and much more.
The “Gillette/Gillett letters” are now a part of this, thanks to the third great-grandson of Rodney Gillett who visited the museum with his young son a few weeks ago with a folder of over 20-some vintage letters dating from 1859 to 1952.
Rodney Gillett, for whom Gillett was named, was the grandfather of A. Ward Gillette, and included in the letters was one dated May 11, 1945, from Lt. Col. A. Ward Gillette, a local Gillett young man who graduated from West Point and served in World War II in Europe.
He wrote of participating in a battle at Itter Castle during the final days of World War II, which in later years became known as “The Last Battle.”
A quote from his letter read, ” We also captured Goering the other day. I talked to Frau Goering after he left. Goering had been ordered executed by Hitler, but the execution was not carried out because Luftwaffe troops released him from the SS guards and then Hitler’s death was announced. It seems strange to me German soldiers arrived but they all seem very glad that it is over. They are very much afraid that they will be sent to Russia. No doubt their conscience hurts them. I went through a couple concentration camps and the conditions were appalling — especially in the Jewish camps.”
Gillett Area Historical Society is very fortunate to have folks such as Rodney Gillett’s descendants think of us when trying to find a home for such valuable documents.
We sincerely hope the people of the area pay a visit to the Gillett Area Historical Museum to view the many treasures that have found a home there.
Nancy Smith,
Gillett Area Historical Museum volunteer
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