Honorable Frederick H. Gillett
Honorable Frederick H. Gillett
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Westfield's Foremost Citizen
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Westfield's Foremost Citizen
Honorable Frederick Huntington Gillett, Speaker of the House of Representatives, was born in Westfield, Oct. 16, 1851, the son of Edward B. and Lucy Fowler Gillett. His birthplace was the building now occupied by the Westfield Public Library, then the Fowler family residence. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Westfield. He was graduated from Amherst College in 1874 and from Harvard Law School three years later. His father, one of the ablest lawyers and most polished men of his time, took a deep interest in his education and early developed in him a talent for graceful oratory felicitous expression inherited from himself. Mr. Gillett practiced law in Springfield and in Boston, being for a time assistant attorney-general of Massachusetts. He was first elected to Congress from the Springfield District in 1892, and has served thirteen consecutive terms since then, a very unusual record, and is the senior Republican member in point of continuous service, Mr. Gillett has served on several important committees in the House. Most of his work in the last decade has been upon the very important Appropriations Committee.
Mr. Gillett was married in 1915, to Mrs. Christine Rice Hoar. Socially Mr. Gillett is one of the most agreeable of men and has long held an enviable position in Washington society.
The honor of the Speakership comes to him as the natural and legitimate reward of his many years of able service at the national Capitol. The Speaker of the House is generally regarded second only to the President and perhaps the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Mr. Gillett is quoted as saying, "I have reached the goal of my ambition, a happiness which I suppose comes to few men." Mr. Gillett is Westfield's foremost citizen. No other son of Westfield has attained so high a position in the councils of the nation; and it seems singularly fitting he should have been so highly honored in Westfield's jubilee year.
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