Jeremiah GILLESPIE, Amherst, Virginia, 1827 - 18xx
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, James GILLESPIE, William GILLESPIE, George GILLESPIE, Sarah H GILLESPIE, Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE
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. Or I'mlooking in the wrong places.
Facts and Timeline for GILLESPIE Jeremiah
30 Sep 1850
Census
Amherst, Virginia
Tarlton is listed in the 1850 census as being 57 years old. This is the one census where he shows up with an age that has him born in something other than 1787. I believe he is actually 63 at this point.
Tarlton is listed as a farmer, with a worth of 250. Mahala is listed as not being able to read.
Also listed in the house are: Mahala GILLESPIE, age 55, female, Lewallen GILLESPIE, age 20, male, laborer, Vallen GILLESPIE, age 16, male, laborer, William A GILLESPIE, age 14, male, John GILLESPIE, age 9, male All are listed as being born in Virginia.
Neighbors
A Rouach WAUGH, age 66, a miller, is listed as living next to Tarlton. Living with WAUGH, who is most probably Roderick are Editha WAUGH, age 30, female, who we know is Tarlton and Mahala's daughter, and Milton GILLESPIE, age 24, male, laborer who we know is Tarlton and Mahala's son. The worth of the property is listed on the line for Milton at 200.
Neighbors
James P (52) and Elizabeth (36) TAYLOR. We know that Roland GILLESPIE and Moses RUCKER (Narcissa GILLESPIE's husband) were witnesses for James TAYLOR and Elizabeth GILLESPIE in 1829; however, if this is that James and Elizabeth,
Neighbors
James (60) and Elizabeth (60) Bias. James is listed as a farmer with a worth of 450. Others living in the house are: Sarah (40), Maltida (20) and Nancy J (11). Everyone except for Nancy J is listed as not being able to read.
Neighbors
William (30) Bias, farmer. Others listed in the household are: Alfred (25), laborer.
Neighbors
AJ Burks (37) Laborer on canal and Louisa M Crery (22).
Neighbors
John (50) and Catharine (46) PUTT; he is listed as a laborer on canal, with a worth of 1000. Also in the house are C F (15) and Sophienia(?) (7).
Neighbors
Charles R EUBANKS (23), listed as Sawmill Keeper, born in Virginia.
Neighbors
Allen (39) and Susan (30) MARKET, listed as a Boatman with no value for personal property. Also in the house are Elizabeth MARKET (3), Richard TURPIN (7) and Cahterine HOWARD (18). All are listed as black, except for Catherine.
Neighbors
Pleasant (30) and Sally (26) SCOTT, listed as Boatman, all born in Virginia. Also in house James SCOTT (6). All are listed as black. All were born in Virginia.
1826
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
Mary Elizabeth GILLESPIE was born, daughter of Willis GILLESPIE and Harriet SMITH. Date is approximate. We know that she is the daugther of Willis and Harriet, via his will.
1827
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
Jeremiah GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate. We know that he the son of Tarlton, via his will.
1827
Birth
Virginia, probably Amherst
Jeremiah GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate from census reports.
We know that he the son of Tarlton, via Tarlton's will and we know that Tarlton only had one wife, so we assume that Mahala was his mother.
1830
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
Lewellan GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate. We know that he the son of Tarlton and Mahala, via census.
1834
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
Varlan GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate. We know that he the son of Tarlton and Mahala, via his will and via census.
1835
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
Varilla GILLESPIE was born, daughter of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate. We know that she the daughter of Tarlton and Mahala, via his will and via census.
1836
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
William A GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate. We know that he the son of Tarlton and Mahala, via his will and via census.
1838
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
John C GILLESPIE was born, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS. Date is approximate. We know that he the son of Tarlton and Mahala, via his will and via census.
1840
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
In the 1840 census, Eastern terrority of Amherst county, VA on Pages 22 and 23, we find: 2 males between 5 and 9 (birth years, 1831 and 1835), 2 males between 10 and 14 (birth years, 1826 and 1830), 2 males between 15 and 19 (birth years, 1821 and 1825), 1 male between 50 and 59 (which has tarlton's birth year between 1781 and 1790
We also find: 1 female between 0 and 4 (birth years, 1836 and 1840), 1 female between 15 and 19 (birth years , 1821 and 1825), 1 female between 40 and 49 (probably Mahala, birth year between 1791 and 1800
5 people employed in agriculture
2 slaves, 1 male under 5, 1 female between 24 and 35.
28 Mar 1845
Marriage
amherst
Edith Ann GILLESPIE, age 25, daughter of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS, married Roderick WAUGH, age 55.
Witness listed is Tailor (sic) A GILLESPIE. It is noted that it is E. A. GILLESPIE in body of bond and Roderick WAUGH in three places on bond. (Record 391; record 486 same.)
28 Mar 1848
Marriage
Amherst, Virginia
Jeremiah GILLESPIE, about age 20, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS, of Amherst, Virigina, marries Mary Elizabeth GILLESPIE, about age 21, daughter of Willis GILLESPIE and Harriet SMITH, of Amherst, Virginia.
According to my great aunt Eva (Eva Dold GILLESPIE), Jeremiah and Mary were first cousins, which is the best evidence I currently have that Tarlton GILLESPIE and Willis GILLESPIE are brothers.
28 Mar 1848
Marriage
amherst
Jeremiah GILLESPIE, about age 20, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS, marries Mary GILLESPIE, about age 22, daughter of Willis GILLESPIE and Harriet SMITH. Tarlton and Willis are believed to be brothers.
Witness for husband is Tarlton GILLESPIE as Jeremiah is under age. (Legal age for a male to be married in Virginia at that time was 21.) Also listed as witnesses were James GILLESPIE (no idea which one, J POWELL, Jr., Rich WAUGH (not sure if this was Roderick WAUGH or some relation.) (Record 408; record 490)
9 May 1853
Marriage
Amherst, Virginia
Lewellan GILLESPIE, about age 23, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS, marries Mary Jane HUDSON, about age 18, daughter of Micajah HUDSON and Elvira REYNOLDS, in Amherst County. Elvira REYNOLDS is the half sister of Mahala REYNOLDS.
17 Apr 1856
Marriage
Amherst, Virginia
Varilla GILLESPIE, about age 23, daughter of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS, marries William PUTT, about age 23, son of John PUTT and Catherine, possibly in Amherst County.
15 Jul 1865
Birth
Amherst, Virginia
Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE was born in Amherst, Virginia, son of Jeremiah GILLESPIE and Mary Elizabeth GILLESPIE. He was the youngest of six children, five who survived until adulthood.
Varlan GILLESPIE, about age 31, son of Tarlton GILLESPIE and Mahala REYNOLDS, marries Liza (?), about age 25. Detail comes from a census.
9 Apr 1867
Will
Amherst, Virginia
This is the abstract I have for Tarlton's Will. I'm assuming that the first date is the date it was recorded. His wife is listed as Perhala, but everywhere else she is listed as Mahala. My ancestors were not very good at spelling their own names. It is on my list to try and get the microfilm of the actual Will and get all of the details.
19:314 Apr.9,1867; Sept. 16, 1868.Wits.:Jno.D.Burch; Jos.O.Huntley;Wm.L.Davis and proved by Burch and Davis. Baptist burial desired. Ux,Perhela-land-home tract of 50a. Sons and daughters:Jeremiah;Milton M. (M.denoted as error by clerk's underline.);Editha Ann;Verrilla F.. 97a to sons,Wm.A.;Varlan,and Jno.C.
1880
Census
Lexington, Virginia
Jeremiah, age 53, and Mary, age 54, live in Amherst, Virginia, with 3 of their children. Note, Jeremiah is listed as being 60, and Mary as 40, but I'm pretty sure this is the right family.
They are living with three children: Harriet, age 31, George, age 24, and Paul (Wyatt Paul), age 16 (or 14). All three are listed as working on the farm.
Next door to Jeremiah and Mary, lives Almira (or Elmira Heck GILLESPIE), widow of Jeremiah's youngest brother John. According to a Civil War database, John was killed in 1879 by a freed slave with an axe.
Almira lives with her 5 children, Clara, age 10, John, age 3 (really age 8), Netty (Rena Janette), age 6, Thomas, age 4, and Daniel, age 1
Next door to Almira lives Jeremiah's brother Varlan, age 42, his wife Eliza, age 25, and their two daughters, Maggie, age 4, and Cora, age 3.
Also, on this page is Mahala REYNOLDS, Jeremiah's mother, living with her daughter, Edith, age 58, and her son, William age 44. All three are listed as being widowed. I've never figured out who William's wife was.
24 Jan 1894
Marriage
Buffalo Forge, Rockbridge, Virginia
Laura Cecile DONALD, age 17, daughter of James Calvin DONALD and Elizabeth Jane WALLACE, married Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE, age 29, son of Jeremiah GILLESPIE and Mary Elizabeth GILLESPIE, of Amherst, Virginia. They are married in Lexington, Buffalo Forge, Virginia.