John D. (2), son of John Smith Gillis, was born in Victor, October 12, 1859. He attended the district schools of Victor village, and the Canandaigua Academy. During his boyhood and afterward until the year 1889 he worked with his father on the homestead. He and his brother, Alexander P., then took charge of the homestead and continued until 1902 when the farm was divided. His brother had the house and the north part and he had the south part of the homestead. In the spring of 1910 he sold the farm to John H. Croft, and he now (1910) owns two farms east of Victor which occupy his time and attention. In politics he is a Democrat, and is serving his third year as trustee of the incorporated village of Victor. In religion he is a Methodist, and for twenty years he has been a steward of the church.
He married Margaret Cline, born January 2, 1861, in Rochester, New York. She had two half-sisters: Carrie, born February 13. 1873, married Henry LeRoy Betts, and had Henry LeRoy Betts Jr., Henry LeRoy Betts died in May 1905; Minnie, married Dockstader, and has five children.