Obedience Gillespie

F, (12 September 1743 - 1821)
FatherJames Gillespie (c 1715 - Jun 1755)
MotherMary Young (c 1720 - c 1766)
Birth*12 September 1743 Obedience was born at South Carolina on 12 September 1743. 
Marriage*circa 1763 She married Thomas Ellerby circa 1763. 
Married Namecirca 1763  As of circa 1763, her married name was Ellerby. 
Burial*1821 Her body was interred in 1821 at Red Hill Cemetery, Cheraw, Chesterfield District, South Carolina.1 
Death*1821 She died in 1821. 

Family

Thomas Ellerby (20 March 1742/43 - 16 September 1808)
Last Edited28 March 2004

Citations

  1. E-mail written 2004 from Jane Peyrouse, e-mail address.

Janet Gillespie

F, (11 March 1748 - )
FatherJames Gillespie (c 1715 - Jun 1755)
MotherMary Young (c 1720 - c 1766)
Birth*11 March 1748 Janet was born at South Carolina on 11 March 1748. 
Last Edited8 August 1999

Mary Gillespie

F, (13 June 1752 - )
FatherJames Gillespie (c 1715 - Jun 1755)
MotherMary Young (c 1720 - c 1766)
Birth*13 June 1752 Mary was born at South Carolina on 13 June 1752. 
Last Edited3 January 2002

General James Gillespie

M, (2 December 1754 - 18 May 1828)
FatherJames Gillespie (c 1715 - Jun 1755)
MotherMary Young (c 1720 - c 1766)
Birth*2 December 1754 James was born at South Carolina on 2 December 1754. 
American Revolution*between 1775 and 1783 He provided service in the American Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783
(DAR Listing: James Gillespie, born 2 Dec 1754 in South Carolina, died 18 May 1828 in South Carolina, married Sarah Wild, Sergeant, South Carolina.)1 
Marriage*circa 1777 He married Sarah Wilds circa 1777. 
Portrait*say 1795 He was in a portrait say 1795 at Darlington District, South Carolina:
Rockford Morning Star, Sunday, Jan. 15, 1967, page A 15 -- By Dolores Pollen, Morning Star Correspondent

PECATONICA -- When S. L. Gillespie recently salvaged a damaged portrait from the attic of his family home in South Carolina, he brought it back to Rockford, hoping to have it restored.

William J. Purnell, Pecatonica artist, accepted the challenge. The canvas apparently had been neglected for many years and required a great amount of research and work to achieve a satisfactory end result.

According to a family Bible, the figure in the painting is that of James Gillespie, who lived in Cheraw, Marlboro County, South Carolina from 1754 to 1828. The Bible notations also state that it was painted by Thomas Sully (1783 - 1872) [note from William L. Gillespie: not true; not in Bible, probably not by Sully].

Sully, considered to be the last of the "American old masters," was a prominent English-born American artist, best noted for his portraits of Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, "Portrait of Eliza," and "The Torn Hat." He was a pupil of Gilbert Stuart, and finished Stuart's portrait of John Quincy Adams. During his career, Sully painted more than 2,500 portraits.

"It is quite probable that he did the portrait of my ancestor during the early part of his career," Gillespie said.

James Gillespie is a direct paternal ancestor of S. L. Gillespie, and it states in "A History of Marlboro County," that he served three terms in the state legislature.

When Purnell received the masterpiece for restoration, it was in a great state of disrepair.

"The entire background, clothing, and portions of the head were devoid of paint, except for minute areas which gave a clue as to color," Purnell related "The canvas was torn in areas."

EXTENSIVE RESEARCH
Purnell had the canvas removed from the stretcher and mounted on hardboard by a Rockford art shop. He then did a considerable amount of research on the original artist, so Sully's technique could be followed.

Research on clothing worn by aristocracy of that era was also done, since the canvas was so badly deteriorated. In some places, only bare outlines visible.

After research was completed and the canvas repaired, the task of actual painting started.

"I worked on much of it through a magnifying glass in order to pick up colors of paint," Purnell said. "Only flecks of paint were showing in many areas. The features of the face were there, although the hair and sideburns on one side were missing.

ARTISTIC SATISFACTION
"Although the project entailed hours of research and painstaking work at the easel," he said, " I feel satisfied with the outcome. Considering that the original painting is almost 200 years old, it was a gratifying experience to restore it."

Both Gillespie and Purnell are employed by the Woodward Governor Co., Gillespie in the research department and Purnell in publications as a professional artist.

He is a graduate of the Layton School of Art, Milwaukee, and also teaches adult art classes at the YWCA in Rockford.

Caption beneath the photo:

FINISHING TOUCHES... W. J. Purnell, Pecatonica artist, put the finishing touches on an old painting he restored for a Rockford co-worker, S. L. Gillespie. The painting, about 200 years old, was done by Thomas Sully, the last of the "American old masters." (Morning Star photo.)2
General James Gillespie Jr.
Death*18 May 1828 He died on 18 May 1828 at age 73. 
Biography* The Gillespie family Bible can be found at: http://gen.culpepper.com/archives/sc/misc/gillespiebible.htm. 

Family

Sarah Wilds (4 February 1761 - 30 November 1808)
Children
ChartsJames Gillespie Jr. Descendants
Last Edited30 April 2012

Citations

  1. DAR Patriot Index, Washington, DC: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 2003.
  2. E-mail written 2001 - 2002 to Lew Griffin from William Lockwood Gillespie, Fort Collins, CO, e-mail address.

Sarah Wilds

F, (4 February 1761 - 30 November 1808)
FatherSamuel Wilds (c 1720 - )
Mother(?) (?) (s 1722 - )
Birth*4 February 1761 Sarah was born on 4 February 1761. 
Marriage*circa 1777 She married General James Gillespie circa 1777. 
Married Namecirca 1777  As of circa 1777, her married name was Gillespie. 
Death*30 November 1808 She died on 30 November 1808 at age 47. 

Family

General James Gillespie (2 December 1754 - 18 May 1828)
Children
ChartsJames Gillespie Jr. Descendants
Last Edited23 February 2007

Citations

  1. E-mail written 2001 - 2002 to Lew Griffin from William Lockwood Gillespie, Fort Collins, CO, e-mail address.

Obedience (?)

F, (say 1699 - circa 1763)
Married Name Her married name was Young. 
Marriage* She married Francis Young. 
Birth*say 1699 Obedience was born say 1699. 
Death*circa 1763 She died at Craven Co., South Carolina, circa 1763. 

Family

Francis Young (circa 1698 - circa 1755)
Children
ChartsGillespie Ancestry
Last Edited5 October 2000

Thomas Ellerby

M, (20 March 1742/43 - 16 September 1808)
Birth*20 March 1742/43 Thomas was born at South Carolina on 20 March 1742/43.1,2 
Marriage*circa 1763 He married Obedience Gillespie circa 1763. 
American Revolution*between 1775 and 1783 He provided service in the American Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783
(DAR Listing: Thomas Ellerbe, born 20 Mar 1742/3 in South Carolina, died 16 Sep 1802 in South Carolina, married Obedience Gillespie, Captain, Patriotic Service, South Carolina.)2 
Death*16 September 1808 He died at South Carolina on 16 September 1808 at age 65.1,2 
Burial*say 18 September 1808 His body was interred say 18 September 1808 at Red Hill Cemetery, Cheraw, Chesterfield District, South Carolina.1 

Family

Obedience Gillespie (12 September 1743 - 1821)
Last Edited30 April 2012

Citations

  1. E-mail written 2004 from Jane Peyrouse, e-mail address.
  2. DAR Patriot Index, Washington, DC: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 2003.

Charles Bedingfield

M, (circa 1740 - )
Birth*circa 1740 Charles was born circa 1740. 
Last Edited28 March 2004

Samuel Wilds

M, (circa 1720 - )
Birth*circa 1720 Samuel was born circa 1720. 
Marriage*say 1743 He married (?) (?) say 1743. 

Family

(?) (?) (say 1722 - )
Children
Last Edited5 August 2000

(?) (?)

F, (say 1722 - )
Birth*say 1722 (?) was born say 1722. 
Marriage*say 1743 She married Samuel Wilds say 1743. 

Family

Samuel Wilds (circa 1720 - )
Children
Last Edited5 October 2000

John Wilds

M, (say 1750 - )
FatherSamuel Wilds (c 1720 - )
Mother(?) (?) (s 1722 - )
Birth*say 1750 John was born say 1750. 
Last Edited5 August 2000

Abel Wilds

M, (say 1755 - )
FatherSamuel Wilds (c 1720 - )
Mother(?) (?) (s 1722 - )
Birth*say 1755 Abel was born say 1755. 
Last Edited5 August 2000

Joel Pickens Taylor

M, (circa 1833 - )
Birth*circa 1833 Joel was born circa 1833. 
Marriage*circa 1865 He married Rebecca Hodnett circa 1865. 

Family

Rebecca Hodnett (circa 1836 - )
Child
Last Edited20 September 2005

Rebecca Hodnett

F, (circa 1836 - )
Birth*circa 1836 Rebecca was born circa 1836. 
Marriage*circa 1865 She married Joel Pickens Taylor circa 1865. 
Married Namecirca 1865  As of circa 1865, her married name was Taylor. 

Family

Joel Pickens Taylor (circa 1833 - )
Child
Last Edited20 September 2005

William B. Merritt

M, (say 1833 - )
Birth*say 1833 William was born say 1833. 
Employment* William's occupation: minister. 

Family
Child
Last Edited5 August 2000

Griffin Zola Jelin

M, (15 January 1936 - 22 April 1955)
FatherLeo Zola Jelin (15 Mar 1908 - 15 Jul 1988)
MotherMary Claire Griffin (24 Dec 1905 - 3 Jun 2005)
Birth*15 January 1936 Griffin was born at New York on 15 January 1936. 
(Great-grandson) Photographedcirca 1938 He appeared as a great-grandson in a family photograph circa 1938 at Lineville, Clay Co., Alabama,
Left to right: Robert Lewis Griffin, Clarissa Culpepper Griffin, Mary Claire Griffin Jelin with son Griffin Zola Jelin.1
Robert Lewis Griffin with mother, daughter, and grandson
Death*22 April 1955 He died at Los Angeles Co., California, on 22 April 1955 at age 19.2 
Biography*2 January 1964 Mary Lewis wrote 2 Jan 1964 that Griffin died of a brain tumor when he was 19. He was attending Claremont College. 
ChartsJoseph Culpepper of SC Descendants
John Culpepper of Randolph AL Female Descendants
Last Edited28 April 2017

Citations

  1. Ancestry.com, Public Member Trees.
  2. State of California Department of Health Services / Center for Health Statistics, compiler, California Death Index, 1940-1997, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2000.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5180