Gillespie Family Genealogical Record
Scope and Contents
This family genealogy begins with David Gillespie, Sr., and his wife, Miss Borthick. Their son, David Jr., had three sons, James, Archibald and Borthick, who emigrated to New Bern, North Carolina. Borthick returned to Ireland while Archibald and James remained. James purchased land near Kenansville and named his home Golden Grove. This record lists James’ descendants, sometimes as far as the ninth generation-James being the third. This record is 41 pages long and is a photocopy; the original is in the family's possession. With it is a photocopy of a letter from S. Carroll Pearsall, Annandale, Va., to Leora McEachern of Wilmington, N.C., which contains further genealogical information about Pearsalls and Gillespies. All items in this collection are photocopies of the originals, which remain in the possession of the family.
Dates
- 1977, Undated (photocopies)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Copyright Statement
Copyright retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Biographical Note
A biographical sketch of James Gillespie, appearing in the McGowens’ Flashes of Duplin’s History and Government[1], generally agrees with this family genealogy, though it differs on one major point. This record states James was born in Ireland and emigrated; Flashes, in an excerpt from A.T. Outlaw’s Official Directory, states he was “probably born near Kenansville after the family moved to Duplin County from Ireland”.[2]
James Gillespie was a member of the Provincial Congress of 1776 at Halifax and served as a captain during the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the State House of Commons, 1779-1783, and of the State Senate, 1784-1786, and again in 1789 and 1792. He served as Councilor of State and Secretary to Governor Martin and was a member of the State Constitutional Conventions in 1788 and 1789.
Gillespie was elected to the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Congresses (1793-1799) and served in the Eighth Congress from March 4, 1803, until his death in Washington, D.C., on January 11, 1805.
[1] McGowen, Faison Wells, and McGowen, Pearl Canady, editors, Flashes of Duplin's History and Government. Raleigh, N.C.: Edwards & Broughton, 1971. p. 406
[2] Outlaw, Albert Timothy. Official Directory of Duplin County, North Carolina. 1749-1935. Kenansville, N.C., pref. 1935. 16p
Extent
1.00 Folder (Contains 1 folder)
Language
English
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated by Leora McEachern on November 14, 1977.
Processing Information
In 2014, this manuscript collection was re-foldered and re-housed with current archival standard materials by Christine Hockaday.
- Title
- Gillespie Family Genealogical Record
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Special Collections Staff
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Randall Library Special Collections Repository