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Person Info

• Name: Thomas GILLESPIE
• Sex: M
• Birth: 12 Aug 1776 in Hopewell Twp, Washington Co, Pennsylvania ^b
• Death: 14 May 1856 in Sulphur Springs, Crawford Co, Ohio ^d
• Burial: Oakwood Cemetery ^u


Parents:

• Father:
  
• James William GILLESPIE Birth: 1749 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland Death: 16 Jul 1824 in Sugar Creek Twp, Greene Co, Ohio
Mother:

• Esther Hadassa TAYLOR Birth: Abt 1744 in Cecil Co, Maryland Death: After 1824

Family:
Marriage:

• Polly MITCHELL on 1800 .^m1
  
• Polly MITCHELL Death: Abt 1842

Children:

1. Thomas Jefferson GILLESPIE Death: 1813
2. (Unk son) GILLESPIE Birth: Abt 1814 Death: 1814 in Zenia, Ohio
3. Thomas GILLESPIE Birth: 14 Jul 1816 in Xenia, Greene Co, Ohio Death: 30 Jul 1880 in Lykins Twp, Crawford Co, Ohio

Bibliography

Sources for birth and parent Information

date:

[Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

12 Apr 1776 [Ref: Tom Long 12/26/2002]

1776 [Ref: Mrs. S. J. Smith 3/9/1880],

place:

[Ref: Tom Long 12/26/2002],

parents:

[Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009, GillespieJR GILLESPIE p1, Mrs. S. J. Smith 3/9/1880, Tom Long 12/26/2002]

Sources for death Information

date:

[Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009, Tom Long 12/26/2002]

living 1840 [Ref: Mrs. S. J. Smith 3/9/1880],

place:

[Ref: Tom Long 12/26/2002]

Bucyrus, Ohio [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

Sources for burial Information

place:

[Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

Sources with Information about marriage to Polly MITCHELL

date:

[Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009, GillespieJR GILLESPIE p26],

names:

Thomas GILLESPIE & Mary MITCHELL [Ref: GillespieJR GILLESPIE p1],

child:

[Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009, Mrs. S. J. Smith 3/9/1880]

Research Notes:
1801: his father and mother sold 44 acres of their land to him [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

1811-13: owned two mills - a saw mill and a grist mill, two horses, and two cows [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

6 Oct 1814: purchased 456 1/4 acres of land on the Little Miami River in Greene Co, Ohio [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

1815: ran a tavern in Greene Co, OH [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

1816: one of the founders of the library [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

21 Aug 1817: ordained as an elder in Presbyterian Church [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

late 1829: established a separate Sugar Creek congregation [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

appoined Land Commissioner for northern Ohio by President Andrew Jackson [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

16 Jun 1830: left Xenia to go to Tiffin, Seneca Co, Ohio, to begin work for the General land Office [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

1832: Land office was moved to Bucyrus, Crawford Co; Thomas moved there and his wife and two daughters left Xenia and joined him [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

moved to Iowa 1840-43 [Ref: Mrs. S. J. Smith 3/9/1880]

Thomas sold all of his land before his death. He left certain personal effects to daughter-in-law Julia Gillespie and granddaughter Laura Gillespie in recognition of their care of him during his long illness. The appraised value of Thomas Sr.'s total estate was $5,020. Thomas willed 200 shares of Ohio and Indiana Railroad stock as follows: 20 shares to the Associate Synod of North America, 40 to Thomas Jr., 36 to son James Mitchell, 38 each to daughters Cynthia Merriman and Mariah Musgrave, and 4 shares to each of the 6 children of his deceased daughter, Harriet McCracken. Four shares were reserved to pay expenses. [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

There was a nasty court case over Thomas Sr's estate which lasted three years. Thomas Jr. was removed as executor by the Court after he prematurely took possession of his shares of railroad stock. His sisters contested the will. In the end on May 10, 1859, everyone got exactly what was willed to them. [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]

OBITUARY OF THOMAS GILLESPIE SR. Published May 16, 1856 Crawford County Forum
Another sun has set! Another noble spirit has been gathered to its father! Another tongue has palsied in death! Another heart has ceased to beat! The venerable and beloved THOMAS GILLESPIE is no more! He breathed his last at Annapolis, in this county, at the residence of his son, on Tuesday, the 14th inst. For several years past his health had been gradually declining, giving fearful evidence of his approaching dissolution.
The deceased was born in the year 1776, in the county of Washington, Pa., and emigrated to Ohio when almost an unbroken wilderness. He was in the 81st year of his age, having made his fourscore years. He endured for many years the hardships and trials incident to a frontier life, and traversed it in almost every direction, while yet in its infancy, in the capacity of an adventurer and pioneer of civilization.
Coming on the stage of action at the time when it seemed like treason to doubt the doctrine of "our county, right or wrong", he became deeply imbued with the spirit of that period, and conceived a devoted attachment for the great political leader of that day, the immortal Jefferson. Having adopted his political faith and given him his support, the deceased adhered to his policy throughout his entire career. In like manner, he supported, successively, the administration of Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren, Polk, and Pierce. During the memorable contest of 1824, Mr. Gillespie was placed on the Jackson Electoral ticket in Ohio, and was honored in bearing the vote of the State to Washinton with a majority for the veteran hero of New Orleans. After the election of General Jackson to the Presidency, the deceased was honored with a commission as Register of the Land office, a post which his honesty and qualification admirably fitted him to fill, with entire satisfaction to the Government and to the people. For the several past years of his life, although taking a deep interest in political affairs, his great age and his declining health, have drawn him into comparative retirement.
In every relation of life, the deceased was pure and upright. A member of a Christian church, distinguished more for its attachment to the doctrines of the primitive teachers and for the ardent piety of its members than for its numerical strength, he was a devout and sincere Christian. At peace with all mankind, he died as he had lived, a kind parent, a sincere friend and an honest man. His loss will be deeply felt in this community where his goodness was best known. His monument may be found in the affection of kindred and friends, for his memory is deeply engraved upon the hearts of those who loved him for his sincere piety and unaffected goodness." [Ref: Betty Pollack 9/7/2009]



Pedigree of Thomas GILLESPIE
          /-----James GILLESPIE
 /-----James William GILLESPIE
|         \-----Elizabeth RIDDLE
Thomas GILLESPIE
|                  /-----Nathaniel TAYLOR
|         /-----Matthew TAYLOR
 \-----Esther Hadassa TAYLOR
          \-----Mary BEYERINGTON



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