Biographies of American Seedsmen and Nurserymen Gillet, Felix–1835-1908–Grass Valley, California–was born in France in 1835 and came to the United States in 1852.  He arrived in California in 1858, and settled in Nevada City in 1859.  He established his “Barren Hill” Nursery in 1871.  In 1968, this was thought to be the oldest continuously operating nursery in California.  Gillet was interested primarily in deciduous fruit and nut trees.  After the death of Gillet in 1908, his successors offered many ornamentals.  The 1930 catalog offered several conifers that appealed to customers in mountain areas.
Sources: CHSJ-Jan. 1968