WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TN - MILITARY - Revolutionary War Pension Applications of David Gillespie & widow Mary Gillespie ==================================================================== USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Larry & Barb Thomas ==================================================================== Contributor's Note: Below you will find the contents of David Gillespie's pension file. One is the file of his wife Mary in 1853 and the other is David's original application in 1834. I have tried to keep the spelling and punctuation marks as they were. Anything in parentheses with "ldt", are my notes or comments and not part of the original document. I'm still working on those ???'s. Beginning of documents __________________________________________________________ Dear Sir, Enclosed I send you the proof in regard to my marriage. In your letter of the 26th Sept last you wrote to me to let you know whether Thomas Gillespie & James Gillespie left any children. In answer to that I will say that Thomas Gillespie who was a revolutionary soldier has no living relatives, he was the Father of my husband David Gillespie. James Gillespie's children I know nothing about. Thomas Gillespie has a number of grand children in the county. Isaac Gillespie was a revolutionary soldier and I want you to search the records and see if ???? is. His wife is dead but has children living in this county and if they can draw anything they will endeavor to do so, and if they can write to me. Please let me hear from you soon, as I am anxious to learn the result of my pension. Yours Truly Mary Gillespie PS. Isaac Gillespie was a brother of my husband David Gillespie and I expect was in the same regiment and company. MG _____________________________________________________________________ Declaration State of Tennessee Marshall County On this __ day of September one thousand-eight hundred & fifty three personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for the county and state aforesaid. Mary Gillespie a resident of the County of Marshall and State aforesaid aged seventy four years who first being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by the act of congress passed on the 3rd of February 1853 granting pensions to the widows of persons who served during the revolutionary war. That she is the widow of David Gillespie who was a private in the army of the revolution in the North Carolina Militia. That he lived in the state of North Carolina when he entered the service. That he was wagon master a portion/position?? in perhaps all his time/term?? of service. She further declared that she was married to the said David Gillespie on the 12th day of February 1814. That her said husband died on the 28th day of September 1834 in the county of Williamson in the State of Tennessee that she was not married to him prior to the second of January eighteen hundred but at the time above stated. She further declares that she is now a widow. Test Mary Gillaspie (Seal) G.J. Poindexter J.P. for Marshall County (ldt-Continues on with statements to verify Mary Gillespie and Poindexter's signature.) ______________________________________________________________________ State of Tennessee Lincoln County On this 28 day of October 1853 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the county and State aforesaid, personally appeared Margaret George, aged 57 years who being first duly sworn and says that she was present at the marriage of David Gillespie to Mary (ldt-has Bailey, which is stricken out) Marlin now Mary Gillespie and that they were married in the State of North Carolina, Rowan County on the 12th day of February 1814. That said Mary Gillespie now resides in Marshal County Tennessee and that she is the identical Mary Gillespie who has applied to the Commissioner of Pensions for the pension due her late husband David Gillespie Dec'd. who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Margaret (X) George (Her Mark) (ldt-Her signature is then sworn to.) _______________________________________________________________________ The declaration of David Gillespie for a pension State of Tennessee Williamson County Court of pleas and quarter session. April term A.D. On this 8 day of July A.D. 1834 personally appeared before us Thomas Pro???, John Hughes & Gilbert M??? Justices of the court of pleas and quarter session held for the County of Williamson in the State of Tennessee, David Gilispie aged 70 years a resident of said county and state who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the benefit of (ldt-repeated) the provisions of an act of congress of congress (ldt-repeated) passed 7th June A.D. 1832 that he entered service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. I was born in Rowan County (N.Carolina) in the year 1763 where I lived during the revolution. My father Thomas Gillespie was a commissary under Gen. Rutherford and engaged me in driving a waggon loaded with stores and provisions for the army. I first drove from Rowan and Iredell Counties down to Salisby in the year 1780 commencing a short time before gates defeat at Camden. I halled two loads from Col. Loss??? Mill to Charlotte in Mecklinburgh County about 50 miles. I continued haling for two years at least without intermission. My being engaged in the halling of provisions exempted me from service. I was drafted at the order of Gen. Rutherford released from service, I lived after the war (ldt-small piece missing) Rowan until I was about 50 years of age when I moved to the State of Tennessee Williamson County where I now live and have been living ever since. I have no record of my age it having been destroyed by time. I know of no person except Alexander McCorkle whose certificate I have procured and appended it hereto, and David Dobins of Maury County who can prove the same?? is McCorkle who lives in Henry County in the district about 100 miles of this place. I was attached to a company under Capt. Cowan during the whole term of two years. There were with the troops when I served Col. Frank Locke and Gen. Rutherford. I can refer to John Allison Esgn, Robert Davis, Isaack Jones, Moses Steele, Levin Oglesby and Bird S. Hurt for my character for veracity and their belief of my services in the revolution. I can refer also Mark L. Andrews, David Christmon, Moses Steele who can testify to my character for veracity and their belief of my services in the revolution. I have no documents except the certificate of Alexander McCorkle and Dobbins (ldt-"and Dobbins" inserted) who died in two days after he gave it. I hereby relinquish every claim to a pension or annuity whatever except the present and declare my name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. David Gillespie Sworn to in open court 8 July 1834 Signature ???? We Robert Davis a clergyman resident in the County of Williamson and State of Tennessee and John Allison also a resident of said county do hereby certify that we are well aquantited with David Gillespie who has subscribed and (ldt-torn off, probably "sworn") to the above declaration that we believe him (ldt-torn off, probably "to be") in his 70th year of age, that he is respected and believed??? in the neighbor hood where he resides to have been in the service of the United States in the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Robert Davis John Allison Sworn to in open Court 8 July 1834 Signature ????? ______________________________________________________________________ End of documents A couple of items that I thought of interest. Notice when General Gates was mentioned, nothing of his rank was mentioned, and his name is with a small g, unlike that used in the name Gillespie. In the battle at Camden mentioned, the American troops were beaten badly and Gen. Gates was accused of cowardliness, and shortly afterwards replaced as commander in the South. Gen. Rutherford was captured during this battle. Also, Col Frank Locke is Francis Locke. Col. Locke led approximately 400 American Militia from Rowan, Burke and Lincoln Counties against over 1000 Tories at Ramsour's Mill in June 1780. Other familiar officers names involved were Col. William Brandon and Maj. Joseph McDowell. The 400 American's soundly defeated the Tories but in doing so lost about 170 dead or wounded. One of those killed in the battle was Ninian Steele, the husband of Agnes Graham Steele and sister of Mary Graham Gillespie and Jane Graham Gillespie. It is likely that some of our other ancestors were also involved. If anyone should find any errors or additions to the above, please let me know. Thanks Larry Thomas Stanton, MO Aust Co. TX - Births, 1936