When Robert van Gilse was born on 18 June 1873, in Middelburg, South Holland, Netherlands, his father, John Albert van Gilse, was 23 and his mother, Marie Hockelman, was 21. He married Trijntje Tensen on 29 April 1900, in Canyon, Idaho, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 4 daughters. He lived in Glendale, Los Angeles, California, United States in 1930 and Glendale Judicial Township, Los Angeles, California, United States in 1940. He died on 23 April 1955, in Camarillo, Ventura, California, United States, at the age of 81, and was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, Los Angeles, California, United States.