James Gillespie (U.S. politician)

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James Gillespie (1747 – January 10, 1805) was an American lawyer, politician, and Revolutionary War veteran from North Carolina. He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1793 and died in office on January 10, 1805. Prior to serving in the U.S. Congress, Gillespie was a member of the North Carolina House of Commons, the North Carolina Senate, the North Carolina Council of State, and held various other positions in the state government. An ardent Anti-Federalist, he voted twice against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and advocated for a Bill of Rights.

Biography

Early life

The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress incorrectly gives his birthplace as Kenansville, North Carolina, which did not exist at the time of his birth.<ref name=BiographicalDirectory/> Several sources, including William S. Powell's Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, family sources, the National Archives and Records Administration, and North Carolina state publications mention he was born in Ireland<ref name=Bladen>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=toMadison1/><ref name=DNCR>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in County Monaghan.<ref name=NC1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=UNC/> James Gillespie was one of five children born to David Gillespie and Mrs. (née Brison) Gillespie.<ref name=Allen>Template:Cite book</ref> He pursued classical studies<ref name=BiographicalDirectory/> at the University of Dublin<ref name=Allen/> and immigrated to New Bern, North Carolina, from Ireland with two of his brothers, Archibald and Borthick Gillespie. Borthick would later return to Ireland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His brother Archibald was a prominent citizen of Onslow County and was issued a commission of the peace and dedimus by the governor in 1777.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Some allegations of misconduct were placed against Archibald when he was a Justice of the Peace of Onslow County, but they were found to be groundless.Template:Refn

James Gillespie purchased a plantation known as "Golden Grove" located one mile east of Kenansville before the start of the Revolutionary War.<ref name=NCpedia>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The area in which he lived was known as the village of Grove and he was a member of the Grove Presbyterian Church which still maintains an active congregation.<ref name=Bladen/>

Revolutionary War and political career

Around the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, James Gillespie was a lieutenant of captain Abraham Moulton, who participated at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> under colonel James Kenan<ref name=Moss>Template:Cite book</ref> and was the father of politicians John Moulton and Michael Moulton.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Gillespie is believed to have participated in the battle.<ref name=Moss/> After the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, Gillespie was a captain of a company of Duplin County volunteers and joined Abraham Sheppard on a tour of duty in South Carolina.<ref name=WDickson>Template:Cite book</ref>

He was a delegate to the 5th North Carolina Provincial Congress in Halifax that drafted the state constitution.<ref name=DNCR/>

Gillespie was appointed as captain of the 1st Battalion of Volunteers and the Duplin County Regiment of the North Carolina militia.<ref name=NCpedia/> Gillespie also served in the North Carolina House of Commons (1779–1783) from Duplin County, then in the North Carolina Senate (1784–1786, 1789, 1792). He fought and was a participant in the battles of Heron's Bridge, Rockfish Creek, and Elizabethtown as a member of the militia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the war, his home was burnt down by Tories<ref name=NCpedia/> led by Major James Henry Craig.<ref name=NC1/> He advanced to the rank of colonel in the militia.<ref name=DNCR/> In 1785, Gillespie was appointed as a trustee of Grove Academy by the legislature.<ref name=WDickson/>

He voted against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution at the first convention in Hillsborough on August 1, 1788. He attended the second convention in Fayetteville in November 1789, elected as a delegate from Duplin County. He voted against the successful ratification on the second vote on November 21, 1789,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> advocating with others for a Bill of Rights.<ref name=NC1/>

Gillespie held various positions in the state government of North Carolina, serving as commissioner of confiscated property, secretary to the governor, superintendent of the press, and on the Council of State. He defeated James Kenan in a North Carolina Senate election in 1791. Gillespie was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 1793. He opposed the Jay Treaty signed in 1794 by George Washington with Great Britain. In 1800, Gillespie broke his hip while in Washington, D.C.<ref name=NC1/> He died while in office serving as a U.S. congressman on January 10, 1805.<ref>House Document No. 108-153 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–1949 p. 81 Template:US government sources</ref> He was buried at the Presbyterian Burying Ground in Georgetown, D.C.<ref name="ToBeRemoved">Template:Cite news</ref> By an act of Congress, his remains were removed to the Congressional Cemetery in April 1892.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A cenotaph at the cemetery is located at Range 31 Site 58; his ashes were transferred to the cemetery and now lie under the marble monument.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Political and social views

The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress mentions that Gillespie was elected as a candidate to the 3rd U.S. Congress (March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795) and represented the Anti-Administration party. He later became a Democratic-Republican before being elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 4th and 5th U.S. Congresses (March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799) and later to the 8th U.S. Congress (March 4, 1803 – January 10, 1805).<ref name=BiographicalDirectory>United States Congress. "James Gillespie (id:G000196)" Biographical Directory of the United States Congress</ref>

Powell's Dictionary of North Carolina Biography mentions Gillespie was a Federalist during his time as congressman.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Gillespie was a slave owner. In the 1790 census he is listed as owning over 2,000 acres and 30 slaves.<ref name=NCpedia/> His family owned a large amount of land in the lower Cape Fear region of North Carolina in Duplin County.<ref name=UNC>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

James Gillespie married Dorcas Mumford of Onslow County, and they had at least 7 children. His son David fought in the War of 1812, was a member of the House of Commons from Bladen County, and was also a councilor of state.<ref name=UNC/><ref name=NCpedia/> David was the first person to receive a document in the form of a diploma by the University of North Carolina before he assisted Andrew Ellicott as a surveyor for the United States boundary commission.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

On April 24, 1788, James Gillespie, along with James Kenan, and Joseph Dickson, were appointed guardians of the orphaned children of James Love. Kenan Love, the oldest orphan, was allowed to choose his own guardian and chose George Morrisay. James Love commanded a company of patriots from Duplin County in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. He and a group of patriots were "taken by surprise and brutally murdered by the British at Alexander Rouse's tavern near the little bridge a few miles above Wilmington."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Legacy

Two letters from Gillespie to the Governor Richard Caswell have been published as part of the digital publishing initiative Documenting the American South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The earlier letter dates to the Revolutionary War in 1777, when Gillespie wrote to the Governor requesting for a William Gillespie to be freed from his confinement at Cross Creek in present-day Fayetteville.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Two additional letters written by Gillespie to James Madison during Madison's term as the 5th U.S. Secretary of State have been published on the National Archives and Records Administration website.Template:Refn

Gillespie took part in the meetings to merge Cross Creek and Campbellton into Fayetteville, which named a street, Gillespie Street, in his honor.<ref name=DNCR/>

A historical marker in Kenansville was dedicated to Gillespie on July 6, 2018, in an event titled "Honoring the Life of a Noteworthy Patriot", organized by his descendants, the Duplin County Historical Society, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The historical marker is located next to the Routledge Cemetery in Kenansville.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1790–1899)