Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE, Lexington, Virginia, 1865 - 1941
Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE was my great-grandfather. He was the son and the youngest child of Jeremiah GILLESPIE and Mary Elizabeth GILLESPIE, who according to my Great Aunt Eva GILLESPIE, were first cousins..
I believe he was named after his maternal uncle Wyatt GILLESPIE, who died in a Yankee Prisoner of War Camp in Elmira, NY on 8 May 1865.
Wyatt had two sisters, Harriet and Sarah. Sara died before the age of 10. He also had three brothers, James, William, and George.
Wyatt was a Carpenter by trade and sometimes a farmer according to census reports I have seen for him.
Wyatt married Laura Cecile DONALD in 1894 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, where they lived the rest of their lives. They had eight children.
From: Lyle Family: The Ancestry and Posterity of Matthew, John, Daniel and Samuel Lyle, Pioneer Settlers in Virginia
Facts and Timeline for GILLESPIE Wyatt Paul
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.
13 Feb 1877
Birth
Rockbridge, Virginia
Laura Cecile DONALD was born in Rockbridge, Virginia, daughter of James Calvin DONALD and Elizabeth Jane WALLACE.
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.
29 Jan 1897
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Minnie Maude GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, daughter of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD
21 Jun 1898
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Ashby Paul GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, son of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD
1900
Census
Lexington, Virginia
Wyatt, age 34, and Laura, age 23, are living in Lexington, Rockbridge, Virginia in a house that they are renting.
In 1900, they have two children: Minnie, age 3, and Ashby, age 1
Wyatt works as a Carpenter, as was unemployed for two months of the past year.
Both Wyatt and Laura, can read and write.
15 Jul 1901
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Eva Dold GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, daughter of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD
5 Jan 1904
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Clinton Clifton GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, son of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD.
7 Nov 1907
Land Purchase
Lexington, Virginia
Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD purchased the property at 108 Houston St from J. A. CAMP for the sum of $400.00
10 Dec 1907
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Louise Graham GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, daughter of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD
9 Jun 1910
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Fred Douglas GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, son of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD.
1910
Census
Lexington, Virginia
Wyatt, age 44, and Laura, age 33, live at 108 Houston Street, in Lexington, Rockbridge, Virginia in a house that they own.
The house is listed as being owned without a mortage. And it is listed as a home and not a farm.
Wyatt is working as a Carpenter, working mainly on houses; he has been employed for the last 12 months.
They have five children in in 1910: Minnie, age 13, Ashby, age 11, Eva, age 8, Clinton, age 5, and Louise, age 3.
Everyone, except for Clinton and Louise, are listed as being able to read and write, and Minnie, Ashby, and Eva all attended school within the year.
20 Mar 1914
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Gilbert McClung GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, son of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE, age 48, and Laura Cecile DONALD, age 37. He is their seventh child and their fourth son.
1 Nov 1918
Birth
Lexington, Virginia
Helen Mae GILLESPIE was born in Lexington, Virginia, daughter of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD.
1920
Census
Lexington, Virginia
In 1920, all eight children are living with Wyatt,age 54, and Laura, age 43, as well as Wyatt's older sister Harriet, age 69.
The house is at 108 Houston Street
Wyatt is listed as both a Carpenter and a farmer.
Minnie is working as a salesladdy in a dry goods store and Ashby is working as an Electrician in a Power Plant.
Eva, Clinton, Louise, and Fred have all attended school withing the year.
1930
Census
Lexington, Virginia
In 1930, Minnie, Louise, Fred, Gilbert and Helen are all living at home with their parents Wyatt, age 65, and Laura, age 53.
The house is at 108 Houston Street, and is worth about $2,000.
Wyatt is working as a Carpenter, doing odd jobs; Laura has no occupation.
Minnie is working as saleslady in a dry goods store, Eva and Louise as teachers. Fred has no occupation listed and Gilbert is working as a salesman in a dry good store. Helen is not working.
Fred, Gilbert, and Helen had all attended school within the last year.
The stock market had crashed in September of 1929, which is probably why jobs were not as steady for the family at this point. Wyatt is listed as being unemployed and number 29 on the unemployment schedule.
The family is listed as being number 3 on the farm schedule.
This census page is District 6, Lexington, Rockbridge, Virginia, 1930; sheeat No. 10A. Enumeration District 82-6; Supervisor's District No. 3. The enumerator was James H Fitch and he recorded this information on April 9, 1930.
14 Jun 1935
Marriage
unknown
Gilbert McClung GILLESPIE, age 21, son of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD, marries Ann "Judy" Irene FEAZELL, age 18, daughter of Adam Franklin FEAZELL and Clara Ellen HASH
19 Feb 1941
Death
Lexington, Virginia
Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE, age 75, son of Jeremiah GILLESPIE and Mary Elizabeth GILLESPIE dies in Lexington, Virginia
17 Aug 1949
Marriage
Lexington, Virginia
Helen Mae GILLESPIE, age 31, of Lexington, Virginia, daughter of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD, married John Calvin Keezel, age 35, son of Charles KEEZEL and Anna Louise AKCER, in Lexington, Virginia
Clinton Clifton GILLESPIE, age 48, son of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD, marries Ernestine CONNER, age 44.
1 Apr 1958
Death
Lexington, Virginia
Minnie Maude GILLESPIE, age 61, daughter of Wyatt Paul GILLESPIE and Laura Cecile DONALD dies in Lexington, Virginia. Minnie was never married.
23 Aug 1964
Death
Lexington, Virginia
Laura Cecile DONALD dies in Rockbridge, Virginia. She was survived by her children, Ashby, Eva, Clinton, Louise, Fred, Gilbert, and Helen