Gillespie

    The estate papers of Joseph Gillespie, dated 1800 and administered by his son James Gillespie in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, show that his wife was named Ruth and that he had the following children:

1. James Gillespie

    James was born circa 1762 probably in Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina. His age is given on at least three documents and is different each time. James served in the Revolutionary War and his pension record states that he was 74 in 1832. His pension started on 8 December 1832 and the amount was $80.00 per year. 

    On 2 February 1833, James appeared in court to affirm that a James Sloan had served a 10 month tour in South Carolina and that he was at the Battle of Eutaw Springs with him. James' age given in open court was 72.

    When the Revolutionary War Pension Census was taken in 1840, James was living with his son John O. Gillespie in Pickens Co., Alabama and his age is given as 78. This record states that his pension started in September of 1833 so the above pension record that says December 1832 may be for another James Gillespie.

     James' first wife is unknown but his son John O. Gillespie was born circa 1785 and may have been the only child with his first wife who may have died in childbirth or soon after. James's second wife was Esther Oliphant, widow of Isaac Jetton who died in 1786.

     Esther Oliphant Jetton had one child by Isaac Jetton, Zebulon Jetton who was born in 1779. James Gillespie became the guardian of Zebulon in 1792 so James and Esther married sometime between 1786 and 1792. Their daughter Ann was born circa 1790 so it seems likely that they married circa 1788 or 1789.

     Esther died sometime between 1840 and 1849 probably in Pickens Co., Alabama. We know from the pension census referred to above that James was living with his son John in 1840. So James and Esther are obviously the male and female age 70-80 listed on the 1840 Pickens Co census for John O. Galaspy. James was on the 1850 Mortality Schedule for Perry Co., Alabama as having died February 1850.

                 Children of James Gillespie and 1st Wife

                     1. John O. Gillespie

Children of James Gillespie and Esther [Oliphant] Jetton

                     1. James Gillespie

                     2. Ann Gillespie

                     3. Nancy Gillespie

2. William Gillespie

3. John Gillespie

4. Alexander Gillespie

5. Jacob Gillespie

6. Mary Gillespie

7. Martha Gillespie