TO GILLESPIE LIST >From Helen Austin, [email protected] Recently there was a list of soldiers of the War of 1812 named GILLESPIE. Does anyone know about these two soldiers? I am especially interested in knowing which John is the one mentioned. James GILLESPIE, War of 1812 Veteran Was in Major J. P. H. Porter's Cavalry Squadron of East TN Militia. He enlisted in Blount Co, TN, Maryville Sep 23 1813- discharged Dec 23, 1813 at Maryville.; His service was as a Pvt. in Capt. Cowan't Co, of TN Militia. He had dark hair, and eyes, and weighed about 125 lb. According to his wife's application for bounty land he was only married once. He died Oct 7, 1849. I noticed on a list of veterans that another GILLESPIE, a John was also in the same unit. Would you happen to know which John this was? I am wondering if it is the same John that was a co-executor with James on the probate records of Robert Gillespie of Morgan Co, AL? Do you know if there was a minimum age for enlistment in the service for that war? By legend, James saw the Forest and mountain areas of Lawrence and Morgan Co, AL and was so pleased with the way that the territory and hunting property looked in the TN Valley of N. AL, that he vowed to return. By testimony it is said, He also knew how to search for minerals and mined his own lead from the Bankhead Forest where he lived at Indian Tomb Hollow when he first went to Lawrence Co. He fought the Creek Indians there and knew all their hunting places and choice lands. It is known that some of his descendants married Indian women of the forest (SPARKS and OWL) Some of the descendants today still hunt in the forest, can make arrowheads and have kept the oral history alive. My husband's uncle (by marriage) Houston Gillespie, son of George, son of John, son of JAMES had a large collection of indian artifacts that he had gathered from the area. After the widow Lucy Johnson GILLESPIE who had married JAMES in Sep 1818, got the Govt Bounty Land Grant near Moulton, the family moved out of the forest to the valley farming land. They live near Morris Chapel Cemetery where many Gillespie's are enterred. Please reply about the JOHN. I am trying to find which family in Blount Co. or eastern TN, that James belongs to. Helen