James and Margaret Jane Henry Gillaspie
My great-grandparents, James "Jimmie" & Margaret Jane "Maggie Jane" Henry Gillespie,
were born in (and raised their families in) Smith County. They sharecropped a number
of different Smith County farms until the mid-1930's, when their son bought them a
small cabin near Bethpage. They are buried in the "lower cemetery" in Bethpage.
Everyone,regardless of the generation, referred to them as "Mama" and "Papa". I
remember them well, even though I was young when they died. They were lovely people.
Picture made late 1950's -1960.
The following is a list of family members some not shown in next picture:
James A. Gillespie; January 10, 1884 - March 3, 1966
Margaret Jane "Maggie Jane" Henry; October 5, 1886 - November 5, 1960
William Benton Gibbs; April 15, 1906 - June 14, 1964
(Benton was Maggie's by her first husband, Herschel Gibbs, from whom she was divorced.
He was raised, like one of their own, with Jimmie and Maggie's children.)
Lucius Gillespie (not shown); February 1909 - 1911
(Died of "worms in the bowel".)
Columbus Edward "Lum" Gillespie; December 23, 1910 - August 6, 1988
(He married Lovie Elvira Burgess.)
Elisha Newton "Tad" Gillespie; February 15, 1913 - March 7, 1979
(He married Mary Pearl Hensley.)
Mary Henrietta "Henrietta" Gillespie; October 25, 1915 - May 9, 1995
(She married Nig Burgess, the twin brother of her brother's wife, Lovie.)
Ethel Geraldine "Jerri" Gillespie; October 14, 1916 - Aug. 3, 2004
(She married H.C. Chaffin.)
Vernice Loftin Gillespie; May 10, 1920 - March 9, 1994
(He married Louise Givens and Hazel ?.)
George Washington "GW" Gillespie; (not shown)1923 - c. 1931
(He died of complications of scarlet fever. He is buried in the Sampson
Cemetery, although his name does not appear on the listings.)
Fleta Lucille "Lucille" Gillespie; February 9, 1926 - February 1, 2002
(She married Augusta McKinney.)
James Denver "JD" Gillespie; March 1, 1928 - December 30, 1977
(Born in Myers Bottom. He married Anna Margareta Elfriede Wacker, a
German girl whom he met during his World War II service in Germany.)
Family Photo
Papa's family had been in Smith County until as far back as his grandfather,
William P. Gillaspie (b: 1808). We don't know anything about William's family.
Papa's father's Civil War Pension Application is online at this site.
Also William P. Gillaspie fought in the Mexican war and various documents
about his service can be seen on this website:
Papa was small of frame but very strong, never raised his voice but always spoke
with authority, always wore bib overalls and was clean-shaven, had a dog named
"Bounce", listened to the Grand Ole Opry every Saturday night on a radio run by
a 6-volt battery, was the only one who was allowed to wind the mantel clock on
Sundays, took a bath every Saturday, and was in bed by 5:30-6:30pm every day of
his life. He also had an unusual ability to lock his ankles behind his neck and
roll around, which always delighted the children.
Mama came from the Henry family in Putnam County. She was a hard-working wife and
mother who took in other people's laundry for pay and grew a row of cotton every
year so that they could make their own quilt batting. She was short and plump, did
snuff, had green eyes and hair that turned white while she was in her teens, was a
popular midwife, always had a biscuit or similar snack in her apron pocket, and died
in a diabetic coma. According to many, she made the best Fried Pies, and she always
had 50 or more ready on Sunday (just in case someone dropped by).
The cabin I remember well. I was raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but spent 3-4 months each
year with various Tennessee relatives. What does a "city" girl remember about her
great-grandparents' farm in Tennessee? The "things" in the outhouse, no electricity
or running water, never having to wear shoes, the outhouse on a cold winter's night,
a pig named "Susie" that was as big as the state of Texas, eating snake on a saltine
cracker, the outhouse, snow coming in through the cracks of the walls during the winter
until you were covered in the morning (my grandmother said that it kept you warm), the
taste of white beans, eating salted ham that had to be cut with a hacksaw, biscuits a
foot tall, the biggest and scariest donkey that ever lived, and the outhouse. We left
Ohio in early June every year with shoes that fit and the ability to pronounce one-
syllable words. For the first couple of weeks, our feet hurt when walking barefooted,
and everyone knew immediately that we were from "up north". By the time we left in
early September, our shoes were too narrow (from walking around so much without them),
and everyone could understand us when we spoke (okay, nearly everyone). When we arrived
home, we cried that our shoes hurt and had to relearn our long vowels. Half Tennessee,
half Ohio . . . it was never dull . . .