Estate files more than 40 years old are moved out of court storage areas and transferred to the Archives of Ontario for preservation, but may be held off site. For records less than 40 years, the researcher must contact the local surrogate office. These records can be important to the genealogist, especially wills because they can help establish death dates, family relationships, guardianships, even current addresses of the parties involved, and in some cases, land ownership.
Until 1859, women could not own property in her own right and any that she owned at her marriage became the property of her husband. Thus, if she died before her husband did, there would be no need to deal with the Court since she owned no property. Only in the case of widows or unmarried women, who could own property in their own right, would a need arise to apply to a court. After this date, married women could own property but was severely restricted in needing her husband’s consent to bequeath that property. It was not until 1884 that a woman gained the same property rights as a man. If she died before her husband, her estate would be registered with the court. Wills were often filed with the Land Records Office to record the division of property among the heirs.
The following is part of an index by jurisdiction or country of some Gillespie court records 1859 to 1900 with file numbers included for reference:
Volume 14: Prescott & Russell Counties
George Gillespie, Tunbridge Wells, England, #27, 1865
Volume 7: Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Counties
Thomas Gillespie, Morrisburgh, #719, 1884
Volume 8: Frontenac County
Robert Gillespie, Wolfe Island, #1371, 1889
Volume 2: Hastings & Prince Edward Counties
George Gillespie, Tyendinaga, #578, 1879
John Gillespie, Thurlow, #1090. 1887
Vol 17: Peterborough County
Alexander Gillespie, Otonabee, #1130, 1892
James Gillespie, Otonabee, #1557, 1898
Jane Gillespie, Otonabee, #1435, 1896
John Gillespie, Otonabee, #1470, 1896
John Lyall Gillespie, Otonabee, #942, 1889
Katherine Gillespie, Douro, #1661, 1889
Louis Edward Gillespie, Turtle Cree, Pennsylvania, #1655, 1899
Peter Gillespie, Otonabee, #1241, 1892
Margaret Jane Gillespie, Peterborough, widow. WILL first signed in January 1927. Margaret died June 26, 1950 in Peterborough. Will probated Peterborough May 10, 1960, but notation on the side of the first page indicates it was also resealed May 10, 1964 in Edmonton, Alberta, leaving her estate to her sons: Bruce Brown Gillespie and James Bertram Gillespie ($1,000 each); daughter Jean Gillespie (rest & residue of estate). Jean was the Executrix.
James B Gillespie, woodworker, of Peterborough, Ontario, WILL, originally signed May 6, 1919, in Peterborough died Jan 5th, 1923 in City of Peterborough probated Feb 19, 1923 and resealed to Jean Gillespie May 4, 1964, Edmonton, Alberta. James left his entire estate to his wife, Margaret J Gillespie, who also was the Executrix.
Vol 4: Northumberland & Durham Counties
infants (G) Gillespie, Cartwright, #838, 1873
infants (G) Gillespie, Hamilton, #3852, 1896
Henry Gillespie, Manvers, #563, 1869
Peter Gillespie, Haldimand, #836, 1873
William Henry Gillespie, Haldimand, #3324, 1893
William Hilliard Gillespie, Hamilton, #3841, 1896
Vol 11: Ontario County
Dugald Gillespie, Thorah, #1328, 1880
Duncan Gillespie, Beaverton, #3225, 1899
Malcolm Gillespie, Bock, #2388, 1892
Vol 18: Dufferin County
George Gillespie, Orangeville, #268, 1890
Maria Adelaide Gillespie, Shelburne, #409, 1893
Sarah Emily Gillespie, Orangeville, #176, 1887
Vol 24: Wellington County
John Gillespie, yeoman, Minto Twp, #705, 1872
William Gillespie, farmer, Amaranth Twp, #1192, 1877
Grey County
Infants Gillespie (G) Holland Twp, #756, 1882
John Gillespie, Holland Twp, #755, 1882
John Gillespie, Melancthon Tp # 348, 1874
John Gillespie, Proton Tp, #2309, 1896
Bruce County
Christina Gillespie, Kincardine, #1084, 1888
Vol 25: Huron County
John Gillespie, Sr, farmer, E Wawanosh Tp, #1985, 1889
Rachel Agnes Gillespie, married woman, Exeter, #3477, 1898
Vol 13: Waterloo County
John Gillespie, North Dumfries, #708, 1872
Margaret Jane Gillespie Houston, WILL 1891 #GR 1105
Vol 20: Brant County
infants Gillespie (G), Burford, #387 (2) , 1872
Joseph Gillespie, Burford, #364, 1872
Vol 5: Lincoln & Welland Counties
Alexander Gillespie, Niagara Falls, #1286, 1887
Flora Gillespie, Thorold, #1882, 1895
Vol 12: Elgin County
Eliza Mahetable Gillespie, Malahide, #2019, 1892
Notes: Date March 3, 1892, executor Robert Barton Gillespie, Malahide, husband; executor Jehiel Mann Davis, Malahide; executor Eleanor Marshall, Alymer, married woman; son Seth A Beamer now residing in Quincy, Illinois
Vol 15: Lampton County
Joseph Gillespie, Petrolia, #1823, 1893
Vol 3: Kent & Essex Counties
Eliza Ann Gillespie, Dover E, #1809, 1895
John Gillespie, Howard, #842, 1886
Malcolm Gillespie, Howard, #1032, 1888
Total Records: 47
