James Gillespie (abt. 1715 - abt. 1755)

Born about 1715 in Ireland

Husband of Mary (Young) Gillespie — married 1742 in South Carolina

Descendants

Died about Jun 1755 at about age 40 in Cheraw, Chesterfield, South Carolina

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Biography

James Gillespie was a South Carolina colonist.

James was born about 1715. James Gillespie. He passed away about 1755. ^[1]

From History of the Old Cheraws:

James Galespy came to South Carolina in 1743 from Northern Ireland. In the South Carolina Council Journal for November 9, 1743, "was read the petition of James Galespy, shewing that the Petitioner, having six persons in his family, for whom, as yet, he has not had any lands assigned him, humbly prays that a warrant of survey for 300 acres be granted him in the Welch Tract. But, not appearing to swear to his family right, his petition was ordered to lie on the table." James Galespy was a man of energy and enterprise. In connection with General Christopher Gadsden, of Charleston, he was engaged in boating on the Pedee many years before the Revolution, and is believed to have been the first person who ever brought a boat to Cheraw.... He entered on a successful career as a trader.... James Galespy died before the Revolution.

A James Galespie was in South Carolina as early as June 1736, when he witnessed a deed from Richard Purcell, planter, to John Wilson, planter, both of Colleton Co. (SC Deeds, Bk. P, p.49)

In July 1757, Charles Lowndes P. M. To Christopher Gadsden, merchant of Charleston, at public auction for 890 pds. currency, 1280 acres on Thompson Creek and Peedee River. Whereas James Gillespie of Craven County owned 1280 acres and whereas on 16 March 1743 he gave bond to Ebenezer Simmons, Benjamin Smith and James Crokatt, in penal sum of 5782 pds. for payment of #2890:13:10.5 currency, with interest, on 2 January 1744; and whereas Gillespie died without having paid the debt and Mary Gillespie was appointed administratrix of his goods, etc., and whereas Simmons, Smith and Corkatt obtained a judgement against her and a writ of fieri facias was issued (Peter Leigh, C.J., Commanding the P.M. to levy this amount against Gillespie's estate; now the P.M. sells the above tract to Gadsden. Witnesses Thomas Slamm, Joshua Ward. Before William Burrows, J.P., Willaim Hopton Register. Plat given. (SC Deeds, Bk. T-T, p. 85)

James Gillespie may have had a brother, "John Galaspee of Savanna Town" in South Carolina before 1730. Abstracts of the Wills of the State of South Carolina, 1670-1740, gives the following information from Will Book 1729-1731, p.150:

"John Galaspee, his mark, Indian Trader. Brother: James Galaspee; Sister: Jane Galaspee. Mentions said brother and sister of Colufornia, Ireland; James Macabney of Charles Town, Samuel Eveleigh Jr; Andrew Allen. Exors: Andrew Allen, James Macabney, William Tennant. Wit: John Parker, George Ducat, Thomas Ellery. Died November 26, 1730. Probated January 25, 1730/31.

John left a horse, some furniture and a Negro boy named Stepney to his friend James Macabney of Charles Town. He left a white horse named Jolly Boy to Samuel Eveleigh, Jr. The rest of his estate he left to Andrew Allen and James Macabney, executors, to be disposed of "to the most advantage and the proceeds paid to my brother, James Galespee and my sister Jane Galespee of Colufornia, Ireland, two-thirds to my brother and the other thrid to my sister."

John Galaspie's estate totaled "Three Thousand two hundred and Fifty pounds Six Shillings & One penny half penny." It included his personal items of clothing and household goods, livestock, and a large stock of merchandise "at the Store at Savanna Town," including 100 brass kettles, pots and pans, silk, calico, buttons, thread, hats, guns, deerskins, blankets, and many other items of merchandise; also his "dwelling house Kitchen and other immprovements," seven slaves, and an Indian named Caesar.

Research Notes

Birth

An alternate birth of about 1710 was previously listed.

DNA Information

The owner of KIT 56315 is a descendant of this family line.

See these DNA projects:

• Gillespie Surname DNA Project
• FTDNA Gillespie yDNA Test Results
• FTDNA Gillespie mtDNA Test Results

Sources

1. ↑ First-hand information as remembered by F LaVerne Gillespie, Sunday, August 10, 2014. Replace this citation if there is another source.

See also:

• Gregg, Alexander. History of the Old Cheraws : containing an account of the aborigines of the Pedee, the first white settlements, their subsequent progress, civil changes, the struggle of the revolution, and the growth of the country afterward, extending from about A.D. 1730 to 1810 with notices of families and sketches of individuals. 1867. Microreproduction of reprint published: Columbia, S.C. : State Co., 1925. viii, 555 p. | Link to book on FamilySearch.
• Culpepper Family Tree, retrieved 24 April 2020.