This is a research aid for the Gillespie family members in Rowan County and Tennessee in the 1700s and early 1800s. Before towns and townships were established most of the land records were described by the nearest stream, creek or river. The original ancestor in this region was Thomas Gillespie (1719-1796), a Revolutionary War veteran of the Rowan County Regiment and an ancestor of President James Knox Polk. Some of the Gillespie family members received land grants in Tennessee for their Revolutionary War Service.
Rowan County was created in 1753 from Anson. Portions of Rowan County were divided off to create Surry County in 1771, Burke County in 1777, Iredell County in 1778, Davidson County in 1822, and Davie County in 1836.
This is a work in progress.
Land Sales in Rowan County
The following land sales of Gillespie Family Members were recorded in Rowan County, North Carolina. (See Rowan County Register of Deeds.
| Date
| Grantor
| Grantee
| Inst.
| Book
| Page
|
| 1753-1756
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Burtley, Henry
| Deed
| 1
| 79
|
| 1753-1756
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Burtely, Henry
| Deed
| 1
| 80
|
| 1753-1756
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Montgomery, Humphry
| Deed
| 1
| 69
|
| 1753-1756
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Montgomery, Humphry
| Deed
| 1
| 70
|
| 1753-1758
| Gillespie, Robert
| Bashford, Thomas
| Deed
| 2
| 370
|
| 1753-1758
| Gillespie, Robert
| Bashford, Thomas
| Deed
| 2
| 371
|
| 1753-1762
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Kerr, Andrew
| Deed
| 4
| 538
|
| 1753-1762
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Kerr, Andrew
| Deed
| 4
| 539
|
| 1762-1764
| Gillespie, R
| Harrison, Wm and Stewart, J
| Deed
| 5
| 529
|
| 1762-1764
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, Js
| Deed
| 6
| 482
|
| 1768-1772
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, Geo
| Deed
| 7
| 335
|
| 1772-1778
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, Jas
| Deed
| 8
| 356
|
| 1778-1784
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Brandon, James
| Deed
| 9
| 325
|
| 1785-1787
| Gillespie, Robert
| Alliman, Daniel
| Deed
| 10
| 179
|
| 1787-1790
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Deed
| 11
| 437
|
| 1787-1790
| Gillespie, Thomas
| McKeely, John
| Deed
| 11
| 437
|
| 1787-1790
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Kerr, Josefh
| Deed
| 11
| 478
|
| 1790-1793
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, David
| Deed
| 12
| 188
|
| 1790-1793
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, Alexander
| Deed
| 12
| 189
|
| 1801-1804
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Biles, Charles
| Deed
| 18
| 1044
|
| 1807-1811
| Gillespie, Robt
| Dancey, Willaim
| Deed
| 20
| 47
|
| 1807-1811
| Gillespie, Richard & wife et al
| McCracken, Ephraim
| Deed
| 21
| 893
|
| 1807-1811
| Gillespie, Thomas, Richd et al
| Dancy, Wm
| Deed
| 22
| 818
|
| 1817-1819
| Gillespie, Thomas
| Gillespie, Richard
| Deed
| 24
| 394
|
| 1826-1828
| Gilespie, Thomas
| Owan, Josiah
| Deed
| 29
| 448
|
| 1830-1833
| Gilespie, Robt
| Reese, Juliuis J.
| Deed
| 31
| 671
|
| 1842-1844
| Gilespie, Thomas C.
| Gillespie, James A.
| Deed
| 36
| 276
|
| 1842-1844
| Gelespie, Robert et al
| Mebane, David C.
| Deed
| 36
| 359
|
| 1844-1846
| Gillespie, Richard Thomas et al
| Gillespie, John C.
| Deed
| 37
| 284
|
| 1856-1859
| Gillespie, J M.
| Todd, Thomas
| Deed
| 41
| 207
|
| 1856-1859
| Gillespie, Terrissa
| Douglas, Samuel H.
| Deed
| 41
| 364
|
Land Grants for Gillespie Family Members in North Carolina and Tennessee
The following Granville and State Land Grants were issued to Gillespie Family Members in Rowan County, North Carolina and Tennessee. (See North Carolina and Tennessee Land Grants
Joseph
| Name
| County
| Entered
| Issued
| Grant #
| Book
| Page
| Acres
| Location
| Images ..
|
| Joseph Gillaspie
| Rowan
|
| 1757
| 103
| 6
| 150
| 397
| N. side of Cataba river and on the head branches of Rocky river
| Patent
|
Thomas
| Name
| County
| Entered
| Issued
| Grant #
| Book
| Page
| Acres
| Location
| Images ..
|
| Thomas Gillaspie
| Rowan
|
| 1758
| 22
| 6
| 151
| 578
| On both - of Back Creek a fork of Second Creek W. side of Yadkin River
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillaspie
| Rowan
|
| 1759
| 74
| 6
| 151
| 393
| On a ridge betweeen Sills and Catheys Creek being the waters of Second Creek on W. side of Yadkin River
| Patent
|
| Thomas and Richard Gillispie
| Rowan
| 1793
| 1799
| 2591
| 105
| 293
| 75
| On Back Creek
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie
| Rowan
| 1779
| 1786
| 1342
| 67
| 104
| 41
| On the waters of Second Creek
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillipsie [Gillispie] Sr.
| Rowan
| 1808
| 1810
| 2986
| 124
| 242
| 14
| Lying on S. side of Sills Creek
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillispie
| Rowan
| 1778
| 1779
| 10
| 38
| 397
| 590
| On the Ridge between Thompsons Mill Creek and Sills Creek, on both sides of the Road that leads from Salisbury to Sherrill's Ford.
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillispie
| Rowan
| 1778
| 1779
| 18
| 38
| 405
| 84
| Lying between Black [Back] Creek and Sills Creek
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillaspie (Warrant No. 2561)
| TN Washington
| 1780
| 1791
| 976
| 77
| 301
| 200
| On the west side of Nolachucky River
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillaspie (Warrant No. 498)
| TN Washington
| 1778
| 1782
| 97
| 47
| 47
| 83
| South side of Nolachucky river
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespey (Warrant No. -- )
| TN Greene
|
| 1788
| 619
| 64
| 347
| 300
| On the south side of Clinch river
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespey (Warrant No. 1302)
| TN Greene
| 1779
| 1788
| 642
| 64
| 355
| 200
| On the Swan Pond in the fork of French Broad and Holston Rivers
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 1412)
| TN Greene
| 1784
| 1786
| 76
| 58
| 437
| 100
| Beg. at a stake Dumplin Cr.
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 2668)
| TN Washington
| 1780
| 1787
| 798
| 64
| 151
| 150
| On Rock House branch
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 2788)
| TN Washington
| 1781
| 1787
| 805
| 64
| 154
| 100
| Joining said Gillespies Survey of one hundred and fifty acres on the rock house branch
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 371)
| TN Greene
| 1783
| 1786
| 45
| 59
| 406
| 200
| Upon Nolachuckie River
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 456)
| TN Greene
| 1778
| 1786
| 24
| 59
| 385
| 100
| Upon Dumplin Creek
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 469)
| TN Greene
| 1783
| 1786
| 23
| 59
| 384
| 200
| Upon Dumplin Creek
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 756)
| TN Washington
| 1778
| 1787
| 794
| 64
| 150
| 150
| On Rock house branch
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillespie (Warrant No. 92)
| TN Greene
| 1778
| 1788
| 596
| 68
| 260
| 200
| Lying on its North side of Clinch River in its upper end of its first bent
| Patent
|
| Thomas Gillispie (Warrant No. 508)
| TN Middle District
| 1783
| 1788
| 80
| 67
| 449
| 4000
| Lying on the Flatt Creek
| Patent
|
| Thos. Gillespie (Warrant No. 37)
| TN Middle District
| 1787
| 1792
| 191
| 78
| 457
| 1000
| On waters of Flat Creek
| Patent
|
George
| Name
| County
| Entered
| Issued
| Grant #
| Book
| Page
| Acres
| Location
| Images ..
|
| Geo. Gillespie (Warrant No. 1109)
| TN Greene
| 1779
| 1793
| 1109
| 78
| 369
| 400
| On McCartneys Branch
| Patent
|
| George Gillaspie (Warrant No. 1612)
| TN Washington
| 1779
| 1791
| 971
| 77
| 299
| 100
| Beg at a small white oak on the west side of big limestone
| Patent
|
| George Gillaspie (Warrant No. 216)
| TN Washington
| 1778
| 1782
| 98
| 47
| 48
| 394
| North side of Nolachuckey river
| Patent
|
| George Gillaspie [Gillispie] (Warrant No. 2561)
| TN Washington
| 1781
| 1793
| 463
| 79
| 274
| 200
| On Draught of Big Limestone Creek
| Patent
|
| George Gillaspie, Assignee of Reason Holland (Military Warrant No. 252)
| TN Tennessee
| 1783
| 1798
| 1860
| 81
| 92
| 274
| On N. side of Cumberland River on N. fork of Red River
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 1074)
| TN Greene
| 1780
| 1793
| 1112
| 78
| 371
| 300
| On the Cedar Branch
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 108)
| TN Washington
| 1778
| 1782
| 257
| 44
| 276
| 211
| On a branch of big limestone
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 18)
| TN Greene
| 1783
| 1786
| 20
| 59
| 381
| 200
| North side of Nolachuckie River
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 2601)
| TN Greene
| 1780
| 1786
| 77
| 58
| 438
| 50
| Lying on McCortrep branch
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 2667)
| TN Greene
| 1781
| 1792
| 1227
| 80
| 163
| 100
| On McCortneys Creek
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 278)
| TN Washington
| 1778
| 1782
| 274
| 44
| 285
| 300
| Near Nolachucky River
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 373)
| TN Greene
| 1778
| 1792
| 1256
| 80
| 173
| 100
| On the head of McCartneys Branch
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 45)
| TN Greene
| 1784
| 1788
| 636
| 64
| 353
| 200
| On the North side of Holston River on the west fork of flat creek
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie (Warrant No. 714)
| TN Davidson
| 1785
| 1788
| 208
| 66
| 413
| 640
| On the So. side of Big Harpeth river Beg. at Jno. Donelsons corner ash
| Patent
|
| George Gillespie, Jr. (Warrant No. 108)
| TN Greene
| 1778
| 1793
| 1074
| 78
| 348
| 300
| On N. side of Noleychucky River
| Patent
|
| George Gillispie (Warrant No. 2601)
| TN Greene
| 1780
| 1792
| 1255
| 80
| 172
| 50
| N. side of Nolichucky on McCartneys Creek
| Patent
|
James
| Name
| County
| Entered
| Issued
| Grant #
| Book
| Page
| Acres
| Location
| Images ..
|
| James Gillespie (Warrant No. -- )
| TN Eastern District
|
|
|
|
|
| 640
|
| Text Only
|
| James Gillespie (Warrant No. 285)
| TN Greene
| 1783
| 1787
| 348
| 65
| 472
| 150
| On Lick Creek
| Patent
|
| James Gillespie, Assignee (Warrant No. -- )
| TN Greene
|
| 1795
| 1376
| 84
| 140
| 640
| On S. side of Little River
| Patent
|
| James Gillespie, Assignee of Cornelius Ryan (Military Warrant No. 955)
| TN Sumner
| 1791
| 1793
| 2368
| 81
| 205
| 640
| N. side of Cumberland River on waters of Big Barron
| Patent
|
| Jas. Gillespie (Warrant No. 503)
| TN Middle District
| 1783
| 1792
| 192
| 78
| 457
| 3030
| On S. side of Duck River
| Patent
|
John
| Name
| County
| Entered
| Issued
| Grant #
| Book
| Page
| Acres
| Location
| Images ..
|
| John Gillaspie (Warrant No. 2168)
| TN Greene
| 1779
| 1791
| 1009
| 77
| 285
| 177
| On McCartney Creek
| Patent
|
| John Gillaspie (Warrant No. 2170)
| TN Greene
| 1779
| 1791
| 919
| 77
| 248
| 50
| On McCartneys Branch
| Patent
|
| John Gillespie (Warrant No. 282)
| TN Greene
| 1783
| 1787
| 293
| 65
| 456
| 450
| On Lick Creek
| Patent
|
Sources
