Thomas Gillespie

Thomas Gillespie ( – December 13, 1796) was the owner of a large plantation in mid-to-late 18th-century North Carolina and served as commissary of the Rowan County Regiment in the North Carolina militia during the American Revolution. He spent his early life in Augusta County, Virginia before migrating to Anson County, North Carolina in about 1750, where he lived most of his life on Sills Creek in the area that became Rowan County, North Carolina in 1753. He and his wife and son were the first white settlers west of the Yadkin River. He owned a plantation of over 1,000 acres on Sills Creek in Rowan County, as well as 6,000 acres in the area of western North Carolina that became part of the state of Tennessee in 1796. He was an early elder in the Thyatira Presbyterian Church in Rowan County, which had been established by 1750. Thomas was the great-grandfather of U.S. President James K. Polk through the lineage of his daughter Lydia, who married Captain James Knox and gave birth to Jane Gracey Knox, mother of the President. Thomas was probably a member of the Tinkling Springs Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Gillespie owned land in Augusta County, Virginia. On December 1, 1740, Thomas Glassbey (sic Gillespie) in Augusta County, Virginia received 400 acres on a draft of the north river of "Shanando" called the "Long Glade". He paid forty shillings of good and lawful money for this land. The land was bounded on the west by Long Glade and on the east by Naked Creek. This is in the northern part of Augusta County. This is the first legal document about Thomas and places him in Augusta County in December 1740.

Move to North Carolina Before 1750, Thomas and his wife and young son, James, moved south to Anson County, North Carolina (in the area that became Rowan County, North Carolina in 1753), perhaps because of land that he acquired for his colonial militia service in Virginia. Thomas, Naomi, and their first son (James) are reported to be the first white family to settle west of the Yadkin River in Anson County. The Gillespie plantation was located on Sills Creek. He attended church at the nearby Cathy's Meeting House (founded in the 1740s) on Cathy's Creek, which later became Thyatira Presbyterian Church. It was the first Presbyterian church in this area of western North Carolina. During his lifetime, Thomas was granted or purchased a total of 2,570 acres of land in Rowan County, beginning with two Granville Land Grants in 1751 and 1752. The 1780 tax list of Rowan County prepared by Adlai Osborne lists Thomas Gillespie, Sen. in Captain John Cowan's District with land valued at 5,529 pounds, as well as his sons Thomas Gillespie, Jr. with land valued at 230 pounds and James Gillespie with land valued at 2,521 pounds. His son, George Gillespie, was listed in Captain George Cowan's District with land valued at 1,430 pounds.

His large plantation house was located on Sills Creek included more than five rooms. He owned farm machinery, including a cotton gin. The crops that were grown on his plantation included flax, cotton, potatoes, and wheat. He also raised horses and cattle. Thomas owned up to seven slaves to help on his plantation but must have relied extensively on family to help run his large plantation. In 1790, there were 1,742 slaves in 2,432 families in Rowan County. The largest plantation, owned by Richmond Person, had 101 slaves and there were 31 families with ten or more slaves. There were six slaves mentioned in his will and seven slaves enumerated in the 1790 Census in Rowan County for Thomas Gillespie, Sr. George Gillespie (July 22, 1751 – August 31, 1818): He died in Gallatin or Bethpage, Sumner County, Tennessee and was buried at the Old Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Sumner County. He married Mary Graham (May 32, 1751 – 1815) on April 8, 1771, in Rowan County. He provided patriotic services during the Revolutionary War. He may have fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Thomas Gillespie, Jr. (c. 1755 – c. 1830): He died in Williamson County, Tennessee after moving there after 1805 and was buried in the Moses Steele Cemetery near Flat Creek in Williamson County. He married Mary Jane Luckey (c. 1763 – unknown) on September 5, 1785 in Rowan County. and was also a large land owner, like Thomas. Thomas was one of five commissaries under a Quartermaster General, Joseph Marbury. As commissary, Thomas was responsible for provisioning the soldiers in the brigade, which included as many as 1,400 to 2,000 men.

Non-commissioned officers were entitled to receive 1,000 acres of land for their service in the American Revolution. Thomas received Grants of 4,000 and 1,000 acres of land on Flat Creek, Duck River for his Revolutionary War services. This land was originally located in North Carolina and became part of Tennessee on June 1, 1796, and part of Williamson County, Tennessee in 1799. This land was inherited by his male children through his will. The initial application for this grant was on October 27, 1783. This grant, No. 80, was entered on pages 216 and 217 of Book A. The land was survey on February 21, 1785, by H. Rutherford. The grant was given on April 25, 1807, to David and Isaac Gillespie, after their father's death.

Thomas also received bounty land for his service in 1786 (Grant No. 676) and 1787 (Grants Nos. 798, 802, and 809 in the State of Franklin, which later became Washington County, Tennessee. His son, George, also received bounty land in Sumner County, Tennessee for his service in the war.

County!!Entered!!Issued!!Grant!!Book!!Page!!Acres!!Description Washington County, North Carolina 1778 1782 97 (Warrant 498) 47 47 83 south side of Nolachucky River (sic) Greene County, Tennessee 1784 1786 76 Warrant 1412, Grant 76 58 437 100 beginning at a stake on Dumplin Creek Greene County, Tennessee 1783 1786 45 (Warrant 371) 59 406 200 upon Nolachuckie River (sic) Greene County, Tennessee 1778 1786 24 Warrant 456 59 385 100 upon Dumplin Creek Greene County, Tennessee 1783 1786 23 Warrant 469 59 384 200 upon Dumplin Creek Washington County, North Carolina 1780 1787 798 Warrant 2668, Grant 798 64 151 150 on Rock House branch Washington County, North Carolina 1781 1787 805 Warrant 2788 64 154 100 joining said Gillespies Survey of one hundred and fifty acres on the Rock House Branch Washington County, North Carolina 1778 1787 794 Warrant 756 64 150 150 on Rock House Branch Greene County, Tennessee 1778 1788 (Warrant 92) 200 lying on its North side of Clinch River in its upper end of its first bend Middle District, Tennessee

An obituary appeared shortly after his death in the North Carolina Journal on January 9, 1797. It is quoted in a book by Lingle about the history of the Thyatira Church. It read as follows: