Jeremiah GILLESPIE, Amherst, Virginia, 1726-unknown
GILLESPIE, DONALD, CASH, WALLACE, FEAZELL and HASH Family Histories

Jeremiah GILLESPIE, Amherst, Virginia, 1827-unknown

Jeremiah was born in Amherst, Virginia probably around 1827. He is documented as the son of Tarlton GILLESPIE, and given that we believe Tarlton only had one wife, I am assume that Mahala REYNOLDS was his mother.

Jeremiah married his cousin Mary GILLESPIE on 20 Nov 1848 in Amherst, VA. My great aunt Eva GILLESPIE told my father that Jeremiah married his first cousin. I believe that the Mary GILLESPIE that he married was the daughter of Willis GILLESPIE and Harriet SMITH. Evidence will be given in the discussion.

From census' we have determined that Jeremiah and Mary had at least 6 children:

Harriet A GILLESPIE, born Mar 1850
James GILLESPIE, born about 1851
William GILLESPIE, born about 1853
George GILLESPIE, born about 1856
Sarah H GILLESPIE, born about Feb 1860
Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE, born 15 Jul 1865

This particular family and generation has been a bit of a puzzle for me. Documentation has been sparse. I'm guessing a good deal of it was burned or otherwise destroyed during the civil war.

Facts and Timeline for Jeremiah GILLESPIE

1827
Jeremiah GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton and Mahala. Date is approximate. We know that he the son of Tarlton, via Tarlton's will.
28 Mar 1848
Jeremiah GILLESPIE, about age 22, son of Tarlton and Mahala, marries Mary GILLESPIE, about age 22, daughter of Willis GILLESPIE and Harriet Smith. Tarlton and Willis are believed to be brothers. in Amherst County.
1850 census
In 1850, Jeremiah was 23 years old, lived in Eastern District of Amherst County, VA. He was a farmer, with no value recorded for real estate. Also in the household: Mary E GILLESPIE, age 25, female; Harriet GILLESPIE, 6 months, female. I assume Mary was Jeremiah's wife.

Neighbors

Obediah NUCKLES (21), male, Laborer; James BIAS (25), male, Laborer; Richard BIAS (20), male, Laborer; all from Virginia Thomas McCockland (18), male, Laborer, Ireland; Isaac Filmore (22), male, Laborer, England; M L QUINN (40), male, Laborer, Virginia
Nancy DAVIS (54), female, value of real estate, 900; Nancy DAVIS (21), female; Susan F DAVIS (20), female; William L DAVIS (24), male, Farmer; Caroline DAVIS (18), female; Margaret DAVIS (16), female; all born in Virginia
Catherine Eubank (55), female, value of real estate, 1000; Susan R Eubank (23), female; Mary L EUBANK (21), female; Sallie C EUBANK (19), female; Robert H EUBANK (17), male, Laborer on Farm; all born in Virginia
Lindsay DAVIS (54), male, Farmer; Sally DAVIS (50), female; Susan DAVIS (20), female; Mary DAVIS (15), female; William DAVIS( 14), male; all born in virginia
Charles DAVIS (70), male, Farmer, value of real estate 250; born in Virginia
Archy REYNOLDS (50), male, farmer, value of real estate 315; Susan REYNOLDS (45), female; A ROWSEY (6), male; Susan A WRIGHT (19), female; all born in Virginia
Louis ROWSEY (30), male, Carpenter; Martha RoWSEY (25), female; neith can read or write; Mary E ROWSEY (6), female; Frances A ROWSEY (5), female; Ellen ROWSEY (2), female;
Obediah NUCKELS (60), male, Farmer; Belinda NUCKLES (55), female; George W NUCKLES (25), Laborer; Roseberry NUCKLES (23), female; first listed as cannot read or write; Barthena NUCKLES (18), female; Melinda NUCKLES (13), female; John NUCKLES (10), male;
1860 census
In 1860, Jeremiah was 33 years old, and lived in Amherst County, VA He was a farmer and owned real estate worth $300 and had a personal value of $50; marked as can't read/write. Also in the household, Mary E GILLESPIE (34), female; Harriett I GILLESPIE (10), female, attended school; James R GILLESPIE (9), male, attended school; William H GILLESPIE (7), male; Sarah M GILLESPIE, (8 months), female;

Neighbors

Ro S NEIGHBOR (24), male, Farmer; value real estate 1575, personal 325; Jane NEIGHBOR (75), female; Elizabeth NEIGHBOR (23), female; Wm Ed EUBANK (57), male, Overseeing;
Wm PAYOR (?) (93), male, Farming, value real estate 1000, personal 1679; Sorina PAYOR (34), female, can't read/write; Wm PAYOR (17), male, attended school; sara(? (10), female, attended school;
Wm D CRANK (30), male, Carpenter, no value listed; Frances CRANK (28), female; Alfred W CRANK, male, attended school; Tho E CRANK (7), male, attended school; Sarah E CRANK (5), female, attended school; Kinley CRANK (4), female; Maltida CRANKS (3), female; Jas W CRANK (1), male;
Susan STATON (20), female; William STATON (14), male;
Newton DRUMMOND (39), male, Farmer, value real estate 5470 , personal 3571; Jane DRUMMOND (38), female; Chas DRUMMOND (13), male, attended school; Newton DRUMMOND (11), male, attended school; Frances DRUMMOND (9), female, attended school; Elizabeth DRUMMOND (7), female; Julia DRUMMOND (4), female;
Wm HARRISON (45), male, Farmer, personal value 167; Elizabeth HARRISON (43), female; Eliza HARRISON (22), female; Elizabeth J HARRISON (19), female; Mary E HARRISON (17), female; Nancy C HARRISON (13), female, attended school;
1870 census
In 1870, Jeremiah was 44 and lived in Amherst County. Jeremiah Gillespie, age 44. He was a farmer with a real estate value of $100. Also in the household: Ann GILLESPIE (43), female, keeping house; (was this really Mary?); Hallie GILLESPIE (23), female, Farm Hand; James GILLESPIE (19), male, Farm Hand; William GILLESPIE (15), male, Farm Hand; George GILLESPIE (15), male, Farm Hand; Paul GILLESPIE (7), male; all born in Virginia; entire family listed as can't read/write

Neighbors

William BYERS (55), male, Farmer; Martha BYERS (32), female, keeping home; James BYERS 11, male; Emily BYERS (9), female; Elizabeth BYERS (3), female; All are born in Virginia; all are listed as not being able to read and write. No real estate or property value listed.
James BYERS (80), male, at home, real estate value 1500, personal value 100; Maltida BYERS (50), female, keeping home; Sallie BYERS (65), female, at home; Nancy B BYERS (23), female, at home; Alfred BYERS (57), male, Farm hand; All are born in Virginia; all listed as not being able to read and write.
Benjamin SAYLE (57), male, Farm hand; Elsie SAYLE (80), female, Keeping house; Peggy SAYLE (60), female, At home; All are born in Virginia; no treal estate or property value listed.
Varlan GILLESPIE (27), male, Woodworkman; Nancy GILLESPIE (22), female, Keeping House; Both are listed as born in Virginia; Varlan is listed as not being able to read and write.
Varlan is Jeremiah's younger brother. I have a record of Varlan, marrying someone named Liza in 1865, but I'm not sure where I got that from or how accurate it is. It is probably reasonable to assume that Nancy is Varlan's wife, but I have no other evidence for that. There is also evidence that Varlan was born in 1834, not 1843, so I am not 100% positive who this gentleman is. However, given that Tarlton died in 1867 and left his land to his sons, this could be one of those sons. This census page gets more confusing.
William GILLESPIE (55), male, Farm Hand; Mahala GILLESPIE (75), female, Keeping house; John GILLESPIE (24), male, Farm Hand; Elmyra GILLESPIE (30), female, At home; Elmyra GILLESPIE (2 months, born in April), female; Edith WAUGH (50) female, At home All are listed as being born in Virginia. William is listed as having a personal value of 100. William and Edith are listed as not being able to read and write; everyone else is listed as being able to read and write.
We know that Mahala is the mother of Jeremiah and Edith WAUGH. This William was born in 1815. So he is not the child of Mahala and Tarlton. But who is he?
John has an age of 24, which has him being born in 1846. I have other documentation that shows John GILLESPIE, Jeremiah's youngest brother being born in 1848, so this close. He married a woman named Almira HECK in 1869, and they had a daughter named Clara Alice in 1870. Are John, Elmira and Elmira really John Almira and Clara Alice?
William GILLESPIE (25 and 40 are both crossed out), male, Farm hand; Jennie GILLESPIE (37), female, Keeping House; Ella GILLESPIE (15), female, At school; Frank GILLESPIE (12), male, At Home; Thomas GILLESPIE (10), male; Peggy GILLESPIE (8), female; John GILLESPIE (4), male; William GILLESPIE (2), male; All are listed as being born in Virginia, William is marked as not being able to read and write, but that is marked out.
Is this William, Jeremiah's brother? I estimate William, Jeremiah's brother to be be about 34 at this point. I really know very little else about him. It is probably reasonable to believe that all of these Gillespies are related. It is interesting to note that Gillespie is not spelled consistently on the page.
Howard BURTON (60), male, Teacher; Mary BURTON (60), female; listed as "idiotic"; Ann BURTON (35), female; All are listed as born in Virginia. All are listed as being able to read and write.
1880 census
In 1880, Jeremiah (Jere) was recorded as 60 years old, living in Amherst, Virginia as a Farmer. He is listed as being in the Pedlar District, District 19. Also, in his house is Mary GILLESPIE (40), female, Keeping House. Also, listed are Harriet GILLESPIE (30), daughter, works farm; George GILLESPIE (24), son, works farm; Paul GILLESPIE (16), son, works farm. All are listed as being born in Virginia.
Obviously, Jeremiah's and Mary's ages are questionable here, or they are questionable as being my Jeremiah and Mary. Given that, the children match, I believe that at least Jeremiah is correct. We saw in 1870 Jeremiah was living with a woman named Ann GILLESPIE and here a Mary GILLESPIE who is 20 years his junior. His first wife (and maybe his only wife), was about his age.

Neighbors

Mahala GILLESPIE (86), female, widowed; Editha GILLESPIE (58), daughter, widowed, Housekeeper; William GILLESPIE (44), son, widowed, Farming;
Mahala is Jeremiah's mother, Editha is most probably Editha WAUGH, Jeremiah's sister, and William is his brother.
William BIAS (60), male, married, Farming; Malinda BIAS (45), wife, married, Keeping House; Emma BIAS (17), daughter, single, Farm work; James BIAS (16), son, single, Coaling; Mary BIAS (12), daughter, single, House work; Lonemzan(?) (9), son, single; Charles BIAS (8), son, single; Susan BIAS (5), daughter, single; Dillan BIAS (4), son, single; Belle BIAS (1), daughter, single;
All listed as can't read/write.
Alfred BIAS (60), male, single, Farmer; Maltida BIAS (59), sister, single, Keeping House;
Howell BURTON(?) (72), male, Teaching School; Noxzuma(?) BURTON (71), wife, Keeping House; Josephine BURTON (34), daughter, single, Works Farm; William BURTON (27), son, single, Farming; Euphenia BURTON (8), daughter, single, attended school; David DAVIS (22), black, male, unrelated, Farm Laborer, can't read/write;
Elmira(?) GILLESPIE (40), female, widowed, Farming; Clara GILLESPIE (10), daughter, single; John GILLESPIE (4), son, Farm Work; Netty GILLESPIE (4), daughter; Thomas GILLESPIE (2), son, single; Kate GILLESPIE (1), daughter, single;
Head of households name is almost impossible to read; but the children leave me to believe this is Almira HECK GILLESPIE, the widow of John GILLESPIE, Jeremiah's brother.
?? GILLESPIE, (42), male, Farming; Eliza GILLESPIE (25), wife, Housekeeping; Maggie GILLESPIE (4), daughter, single; Cora GILLESPIE (3), daughter;