James B. Gillett

James Buchanan Gillett was a lawman of the Old West, mostly known for his service as a Texas Ranger. He is a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.

He was born in Austin, Texas. Gillett grew up working as a cowboy on local ranches.

He joined the Texas Rangers in 1875, in Menard. Gillett initially served under Captain D. W. Roberts with "Company D", and later with Captain N. O. Reynolds and Captain G. W. Baylor. Baylor's daughter Helen later became his wife. Mostly assigned to the west Texas border regions, Gillett fought in numerous skirmishes with Kiowa, Apache, and Comanche Indians. He was involved in the July 21, 1878, killing of outlaw Sam Bass in Round Rock, Texas, when Bass was shot by Texas Ranger George Herold. Gillett later took part in settling the Mason County War and the Horrell-Higgins feud.

Gillett's fights with Indians and several other outlaws made him a legend. While under the command of Captain Baylor in January 1881, Gillett's company pursued a hostile band of Apache who had attacked a stagecoach. The Rangers surprised the band, killing six and scattering the rest. He pursued outlaw Dick Dublin that year, killing him in a gunfight.