A native of Rockbridge County, Virginia, Gilmore attended Washington College from 1846-47 and practiced law in Marion, Virginia from 1852 until he became professor of law at the University of Virginia in 1885. In 1888, he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Washington and Lee University. Like his predecessor Stephen Southall, Gilmore taught courses in civil, constitutional, international, and mercantile law, as well as evidence and equity. As a legal scholar, Gilmore published several texts, including Notes on Lectures on the Constitution of the United States, Notes on Mercantile Law, Notes on Vattel's Law of Nations, Notes on Adams' Equity, and Forms of Equity Procedure. When the Law School was reorganized in 1896, Gilmore’s position was eliminated by the Board of Visitors in the interest of economy.
Articles of Confederation and Constitution of the United States, and notes of a course of lectures on the Constitution of the United States. 339 pp. Charlottesville, J. Blakey, 1891.
Notes of a course of lectures on Greenleaf on evidence. 263 pp. Charlottesville, J. Blakey, 1891.
Notes of a course of lectures on mercantile law. 400 pp. Charlottesville, J. Blakey, 1891.
Notes of a course of lectures on Vattel's Law of nations. 254 pp. Charlottesville, J. Blakey, 1891.
Notes on Adams' Equity, in a course of lectures. 411 pp. Charlottesville, J. Blakey, 1891.
Forms of equity procedure. 40 pp. Charlottesville, Anderson Bros., n.d.
© by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia