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Below is a family biography included in The History of Sumner County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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R. G. Gillespie, a well known farmer of the Ninth District, was born July 15, 1826, in Sumner County. He is the eldest of two children born to Jacob and Nellie (Graham) Gillespie. The father was born in October, 1779, in Roane County, N. C., of Irish ancestry. He was a soldier of the war of 1812. When he first came to Sumner County he settled at a town called Cairo (which is now extinct). At that time there were but few settlers. The mother was also a native of North Carolina, of Irish descent. With her father (who was an officer of the Revolutionary war) she moved to Mercer County, Ky., and then to Sumner County. Her death occurred in 1867. The subject of our sketch was educated in Sumner County. October 26, 1853, he married Miss Susan Harris, who bore him five children: George Marian (deceased), Bright Harris, Jacob, Benjamin Blake, Nellie Graham (now Mrs. Head), Frank Bates and Mattie Ann (deceased). Mrs. Gillespie’s grandfather, Squire Walton, came to Davidson County at a very early day, and settled near Goodlettsville. At the age of twenty-six our subject moved to his present place of residence, purchasing 205 acres of valuable land, to which he has since added 72 acres. It is located on the Red River Turnpike, six miles from Gallatin. Mr. Gillespie is a life-long Democrat, and cast his first vote for Franklin Pierce. He is a Master Mason. Mrs. Gillespie and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
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This family biography is one of 115 biographies included in The History of Sumner County, Tennessee published in 1887. The History of Sumner County was included within The History of Sumner, Smith, Macon & Trousdale Counties of Tennessee. View the complete description here: History of Sumner, Smith, Macon and Trousdale Counties of Tennessee
View additional Sumner County, Tennessee family biographies here: Sumner County, Tennessee
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