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Researching a GILLESPIE line that, in America, begins with William Gillespie, Scottish immigrant, Revolutionary War soldier, privateer, one-time prisoner detained in New York aboard a British prison ship. After William's death in 1802, much of his family moved to Herkimer, NY and Blendon Twp, OH. Later, some of the Ohio branch moved to Whitley County, IN; another branch moved to Constant, KS.
William was survived by his widow, Mary HOLCOMBE, at least five sons, and two daughters. In 1806, his widow married Jonathan ELLSWORTH, who died less than a year later.
The eldest son, William Gillespie, Jr., went to Herkimer and studied law. Elihu Griswold, a family friend, reported back to the widow Ellsworth that William died of a fever in August 1808.
The next eldest son, Walter, lived in Westfield, MA, where he served in the state militia. Walter rented rooms at Lydia Bush’s inn, where his mother, sister Mary (an invalid), sister Alma, and brother John Magowan also stayed. In 1818, Walter married Julia Ann BUSH, and they settled in Herkimer County, NY with Walter's extended family. Walter was a blacksmith in the town of Clinton, and helped establish the Clinton Methodist Church.
Another son, Menzes, fought in the War of 1812 (notably in the Battle of Lundy's Lane) and then settled in Blendon Twp, OH with his wife Chloe PHELPS.
A fourth son, Jabez, a seaman, was presumed drowned when he was lost at sea around 1829-30 off the coast of South America.
Alma Gillespie married David ELLSWORTH in 1818, and they returned to Windsor, CT (or later, Granby, in the same vicinity).
The youngest son, John Magowan, left Clinton around 1819-20 “without clothes or money.” He died in Savannah, GA before May 29, 1821.
This information I've gleaned from letters, pension files, and military records. There was another son, Marcus, of whom I can find no trace other than his birth date recorded in the family Bible as January 30, 1792.
Little is known about William Gillespie prior to his military service in America. In a letter, his grand-daughter stated that William was born in Stirling, Scotland, and that he came to America with a sister who married "a Mr. McGowan." William's first military records begin in New York in 1775; it's possible this is the William Gillespie who sailed from Greenock aboard the brigantine Matty, arriving in New York in July 1774. Two passengers named MCGOWAN, man and wife, are also listed on the manifest.
Based on circumstantial evidence, I believe William's parents were William Gillespie and Janet McGowan of Kincardine parish, near Stirling. My assumption is based on records of parishes around Stirling and on occurrences of family names. Following Scottish naming tradition, the eldest son’s namesake would have been a paternal grandfather rather than his father (also William). The second son was named “Walter,” which would be a paternal grandfather. Finally, the youngest son carried a second name of “Magowan,” a variation of McGowan.
William Gillespie was a farmer; however, in a letter dated 1854, a family friend stated that William had been a mason prior to his military service. In any case, he apparently knew something of the sea as well: William went privateering late in the war, his son Jabez became an officer aboard a merchant sea vessel, and according to a diary, his son William, Jr. knitted fishing nets in his spare time (not typical for a law student).
William might share a common ancestor with these Gillespie lines from Central Scotland:
JAMES GILLESPIE, b. abt. 1759
m. Isabel CLARK, 20 Feb 1784, Tillicoultry
Children: Edward, John
DAVID GILLESPIE, b. abt. 1779, Larbert
m. Elizabeth WAUGH
Children: James, Marion, John, David, Archibald, Elizabeth
So far I've been unable to establish the parentage of James or David Gillespie or to prove without a doubt the parentage of William Gillespie.
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