Notebook:Gillespie Family Notes from Dan Welch

Contents 1 Note 1 2 Note 2 3 Footnotes		Gillespie Tapestry Register Data Notebooks Analysis Bibliography Graphics YDNA. Gillespie YDNA Index
	……………………..The Tapestry Families Old Chester OldAugusta Germanna New River SWVP Cumberland Carolina Cradle The Smokies Old Kentucky

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Note 1

From Dan Welch, 17 May 2010:

I've traced a surprising Gillespie DNA match with a Daniel Gillespie of Troup County, Georgia. Turned out that this Daniel descended from a Matthew Gillespie, next door neighbor of militia General Andrew Pickens (who happened to be invovled in siting the Hawkins Line as well as the Pickens Line.) Pickens left an autobiography - he married a Gillespie woman in Pennsylvania. Pickens then lived right on the Bucks County Line. My memory fades but it was the very western edge of Bucks County and I can not recall the adjoining County. Pickens later removed to Augusta County, VA and settled quite near my James and Jennett Gillespy as did his wife's kin - Matthew Gillespie. Matthew's children were born in Augusta County nearly the same years as my James and Jennett's children. DNA shows Matthew's line as close kin but as yet I have found no record - Pennsylvania included - to connect them. It is now pretty clear Matthew was kin but the exact relationship is a total mystery. Other researchers report that a Thomas Gillespie of Augusta County that removed to West Virginia was related according to legend. But as yet there is no clear DNA data to show proof. Only a mysterious Thomas Gillespie that appears in Blount County from no known location that marries Sally Gillespy - sister of my Smoking Jimmie Gillespy The DNA of this Thomas Gillespie line is a DNA match. It is possible as there was an untraceable Thomas, son of Thomas Gillespie of West Virginia. There is an ancient letter published about 1910 in the genealogy section of the Gavelston, Texas newspaper that reports a letter was left in the Ulster records describing all the siblings that removed to America excepting one son that returned and left the letter. The letter goes on to report that James Gillespy of James and Jennett was the son of James Gillespy and Elizabeth Riddle (or Ridell.) Although several individuals cite this letter on the internet I can not rediscover this letter. My own reading of the 1910 newspaper seems to be the oldest known authoritative mention. Interestingly, all those citing this letter seem to have Texas Gillespie ancestors. It gets more interesting as the Yorkshire Riddle (or Ridell) family is known to have hid Patrick Gillespie, brother of the eminent devine George Gillepie in the mid 1600s. So timing is right. To date no clear line of DNA can prove which line traces to the famous George Gillespie. One modern Gillespie DNA match on the Maline coast north of Londonderry shows that at least some of the Gillespie line stayed behind. Keep in mind that my James Gilespy (who married Jennett) was an elder of the Tinkling Spring church showing that he was very closely connected with the Presbyterain Church just as family legend reports the Gillespys were in Scotland. Many years past researching and yet very thin - but it is getting better as some lost lines can now be identified - including a line that left Tennessee and migrated to Illinios. Oh... by the way, Smoking Jimmie's sister Sally died after the Civil War in Uvalde County, Texas. Way out west - no wonder she was lost from family legend.

Note 2

From Dan Welch 18 may 2010 on the TWWFA mailing list:

Once in a while someone challenges the identity of the Gillespie 3 brothers that removed to Tennessee in 1787 but I am certain about them as they have never been lost from constant family conversation.^[1]The 2 sisters of the 3 Gillespy brothers are more difficult. The McCulloch family documents sister Elizabeth born in Augusta County as migrating to Blount County and settling near my James. In fact, it is her family that built the "Sam Houston" schoolhouse which is still standing. According to family legend sister Agnus married and never moved. Descendants of the Augusta County neighboring McClure family report she married into their line. No proof - just legend - but it does match my legend.

Footnotes

1. ↑ This statement is virtually impossible to prove. Doubtless this information is current among current family members. They may indeed believe the identity of the 3 Gillespie's as being brothers. Whether previous generations believed this can't be determined by simply interviewing living family members. Even if current family members make this statement (ie, "we have always believed that the three Gillespie's who settled here after the Revolution were brothers", that in itself does not substantiate the statement. This is essentially a Circular Argument. ~~~~