William Gillespie (1849 - 1915)

Born 16 Sep 1849 in County Fermanagh, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Jane (Cunningham) Gillespie — married 28 Jan 1875 in Swan Creek, Queensland, Australia

Descendants

Died 29 Oct 1915 at age 66 in Warwick, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

Warwick Examiner and Times (Qld. : 1867 - 1919), Saturday 30 January 1875, page 2
GILLESPIE—CUNNINGHAM.—On the 28th inst., At the Church of England, Swan Creek, by the Rev. James Love, William, second son of Leonard Gillespie, farmer, of Edenbank, Swan Creek, to Mary Jane, daughter of James Cunningham, Dromore, County Tyrone, Ireland.

Warwick Examiner and Times (Qld. : 1867 - 1919), Monday 1 November 1915, page 5
It is with deep regret that we announce the death of Mr. William Gillespie, which sad event took place about 10.30 o'clock last Friday night at the Warwick General Hospital. He had been ill for about a fortnight, and death was due to an internal complaint.

The late Mr. Gillespie, who was aged 66 years, was born in county Fermanagh, Ire land, and landed with his parents in Brisbane in 1862. The family shortly afterwards came to Warwick and for a time lived in a cottage at the corner where Dr. Egan's residence and surgery now stands. Land was afterwards selected at Mount Sturt, but Mr. Gillespie also engaged in the carrying business between Ipswich and Warwick before the railway was built. It is interesting to note he was present in Ipswich when the first sod of the railway from that center to Toowoomba was turned.

Turning his attention to agricultural pursuits he became a successful farmer at Mount Sturt, and only removed to the Hermitage about three years ago. He was highly respected by all who knew him and their number is legion-and his passing removes a pioneer whose personality and work have had much to do with the building up of this end of the Downs.

He leaves, to mourn their irreparable loss, a widow, five sons, and one daughter. The sons are L. J. Gillespie (who is training at the Bowen Park military camp), W. J. Gillespie (Wyreema), F. G. Gillespie (Stationmaster at Mungal-lala, on the western line near Charleville, W. R. Gillespie (Mount Sturt, and H. A. Gillespie (Hermitage). The only daughter is Mrs. James Smith (Tannymorel).

His brothers are James, Armstrong, and Richard Gillespie (all of Swan Creek district, Frank Gillespie (Emu Creek) and Leonard Gillespie (Acacia Creek). His sisters are Mrs. T. Armstrong (Guy Street, Warwlck, and Mrs. H. M. May (Hermitage). The funeral took place yesterday to the Swan Creek cemetery, and was very largely attended, thus exhibiting the sense of loss the district has sustained. The Rev. R. B. Massey officiated at the graveside.

Sources

• Marriage: QLD Marriage Index 1875/C/1000
• Death: QLD Death Index 1915/C/5563
• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/169257727/william-gillespie : accessed 18 July 2021), memorial page for William Gillespie (16 Sep 1849–29 Oct 1915), Find a Grave Memorial ID 169257727, citing Swan Creek Anglican Cemetery, Swan Creek, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia ; Maintained by Richie Wright (contributor 48346415) .