| Notes |
- Tom was a farmer and a planter. On August 6, 1777 he was appointed Sessor in Capt. William Armstrong's Company.
Naomi and her family moved from 'head of the Chesapeake westward after 1730. They went first to Lancaster County then through Cumberland Valley into the Shenandoah. Thomas went to Rowan County, North Carolina in 1738. Thomas and Naomi were the first people to settle in Rowan County, west of the Yadkin River. "Thyatira Presbyterian Church, Rowan Co., NC"; Lingle, Walter L.
September 17, 1744, Granted Land by Earl Granville; Back Creek, Fork of Second Creek, Rowan Co., North Carolina.
Recorded in the August Co., VA court proceedings, September 1747, "Thomas Gillespie, about to remove an orphan boy of William Humphrey's deceased, out of the colony, is ordered to deliver said orphan to the church wardens."
Land grant dated June 24, 1751 awarded to Gillespie, but it is clear that he was there before the summer of 1749 and possibly before winter of 1747-8. The Gillespie home place was located on Sill's Creek, about one mile west of James Cathey's house.
In 1760 Tom is stated as being in Anson County, North Carolina, on 300 acres on the Catawba River and Fishing Creek. In 1760 and 1765 there are two deeds both involving a Henry Gillespie. In 1765 both Thomas and Henry are listed in Rowan County.
On August 6, 1777, Thomas was appointed Constable in the Revolutionary War. He was in Capt. Granville Smith's Co., William Grayson's Regiment.
July 20, 1788; Grant #80 4,000 acres next to son-in-law Thomas Allison.
He died at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 1796. Naomi died at 10 p.m. on the same day. They are buried in the same casket.
Will of Thomas Gillespie, Sr.
Rowan County North Carolina
Will Book G Pages 3 and 4
In the name of God, Amen. I, Thomas Gillespie of the County of Rowan and
the State of North Carolina, farmer, being weak of body but perfect mind and
sound memory, thanks be to God, considering the mortality of the body and
that it is appointed once for all men to die, do make and ordain this my
last will and testament; principally and first of all I recommend my soul
to God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent,
Christian manner at the discretion of my executors and to such worldly
substances as it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give and
bequeath in the following manner;
1. I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, Naomi, her choice of five rooms
in my house and all that part of the cleared land on the west side
between my two sons, Alexander and Robert Gillespie. I bequeath unto her,
her bed and furniture, one black hourse, her dresser and kitchen
furniture, the negro wenches, Liza and Fan, during her natural life and
after her death, the said negro Liza, to be the property of my son Thomas,
David and Isaac; also two cows and calves.
2. I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Martha Allison, Widow, one silver
dollar.
3. I give and bequeath unto my son George Gillespie, one silver dollar.
4. I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Lydia Knox, one silver dollar.
5. I give and bequeath unto my son, Thomas Gillespie, one thousand acres
of land on Flat Creek of Duck River and one silver dollar.
6. I give and bequeath unto my son, Isaac Gillespie, six hundred acres of
land on Flat Creek, Duck River.
7. I give and bequeath unto my son, John Gillespie, Six hundred acres of
land on Flat Creek, Duck River, also my clothes and saddle and young
black mare.
8. I give and bequeath unto my son, David Gillespie, Four hundred acres
of land on Flat Creek, Duck River.
9. I give and bequeath unto my son, Alexander Gillespie, the plantation I
now live on, half the meadow during his brother's lifetime, six hundred
acres of land on Flat Creek, Duck River, the negro boy Peter, the wench
Violet, one sorrel horse, one sorrel mare and colt, one chestnut colored
mare, his equal part of the cattle, a wagon, household furniture, books and
plantation tools. Also, I allow him to .........the.....20 to Robert
Gillespie in cash.
10. I give and bequeath unto my son, Robert Gillespie, 278 acres of land
by the name of Baily Place, also 600 acres of land on Flat Creek, Duck
River, my negro man named Dick, wench Phoebe, one sorrel mare and her
increase, one black horse, his equal part of the wagons, cattle, household
furniture, books and plantation tools.
11. I give and bequeath unto my son James Gillespie's son Thomas; my Son
George Gillespie's sons Thomas and Jacob; Thomas Allison; Thomas Knox;
and Isaac Gillespie's son Thomas, one thousand acres of land in Green
County, Duck River, to be divided equally among them, the title to be made
by James Karr, esquire of Iredell County.
Lastly, I do hereby constitute, make and appoint my sons Thomas and Robert
Gillespie, executors of this, my last will and testament, hereby revoking
and annulling all and every other will. In witness whereof, I have set my
hand and seal this the 15th day of November 1796.
Thomas Gillespie
Witnesses:
Thomas Irvin
Philip Palmer
Thomas and Naomi Gillespie, also ancestors of President Polk; an
obituary of Naomi reports "Died at 2 p.m. on Tuesday the 15th of December
1796, Mrs. Naomi Gillespie, aged 69; at 10 o'clock the same evening Mr.
Thomas Gillespie, aged 76. They were the first settlers in Rowan County on
the west side of the Yadkin River, and lived in the strictest bond of
matrimonial friendship for a space of 51 years. Their descendants amount to
63, of whom six sons carried them to their place of interment, where they
were deposited in the same coffin."
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- 1796