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 [? 1773], 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 [seven, five now living] 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.