DEDICATION  

This is my Dad, Sam Gillespie Sr (1875 – 1954). He died the April after this photo was taken,  and I miss him to this day. This website is dedicated to his memory.

Go to end of notes for latest additions

VISION

The development of this collection of records for Gillespies world-wide,  has given me some of the happiest moments of my life. I had searched for my own personal roots, all while living and working in Canada. Although I had travelled, I missed those opportunities to film tombstones in far way places. Now I wish I could pick up and do so. It remains a personal focus,  as the days slip away and the winds of time pass over those graves, often erasing information. Thank you to those who are recording tombstones around the world.

My vision for this website is three-fold: to offer easy, free access to records to help folk find their ancestors, and to preserve memories. Thirdly, to offer challenges to come up higher in our daily walk in an increasingly, dangerous world.  I need them, too. So much attention is focused on the physical body, without promoting healing for the mind and emotions. What about our inner spirit?  I add a spiritual element because when the end comes, we won’t be thinking about the rest. In the meantime, it is themes like forgiveness, loving others and trusting God, that is at the heart of my own journey.

A Family Celebration CALENDAR 2023 – for the 16 Gillespie relatives in my life, sharing photos and marking  important dates for birthdays and anniversaries. Introducing family history notes of our  roots at end of calendar,  to ensure everyone knows the story of those who came before us.  A lifetime of research in a few short pages, but deeply satisfying.

NEW RECORDS

New entries are added to country sections, so recheck them if interested. Read further down for more recent work for other things.

CANADA – 473

Obituaries:   465

• Alberta                        9
• British Columbia 20
• Manitoba                 20
• New Brunswick      2
• Newfoundland        1
• Nova Scotia               6
• Nunavit                        1
• Ontario                  399 – added tombstone photos from Woodlawn Cemetery, Guelph. Thanks to helpful staff in office.
• Prince Ed. Island     5
• Saskatchewan          4
• Quebec                      10
• Yukon                            2

Marriages:  8     Ontario

USA – 392

Obituaries:  54

• Alabama               1
• Arkansas              1
• California             1
• Florida                    1
• Kentucky               2
• Hawaii                     9 – one born Islay, Scotland
• Idaho                        1
• Illinois                      2
• Indiana                    1
• Michigan                2
• Minnesota             2
• Missouri                  1
• New Hampshire  1
• New Jersey            1
• New Mexico          3
• New York                1
• North Carolina     3
• Ohio                            5
• Oklahoma                1
• Pennsylvania          3
• South Dakota         1
• Tennessee                 2
• Utah                             7
• Virginia                      2

USA Marriages:  322

• Florida                  36
• Georgia                10
• Hawaii                      1
• Iowa                        12
• Maryland                8
• Missouri             115
• Ohio                         30
• Pennsylvania       49
• Washington          28
• West Virginia       33

Census:  1860 Baltimore, Maryland – 16

IRELAND – 78

Obituaries:   45

• Co Antrim:             11
• Co Armagh:           18
• Belfast                       14
• Co Donegal:               3
• Co Down:                  15
• Co Londonderry:   12
• Co Mayo:                       1
• Co Monaghan:            2
• Co Tyrone:                     2

SCOTLAND – 46

Births:                                    3

Obituaries:  

• Ayrshire:                          2
• Dunbartonshire:         4
• Glasgow:                       22
• Kirkcudbrightshire      1
• Lanarkshire:                     2
• Midlothian:                       1
• Perthshire:                        1
• Renfrewshire:                  6
• Stirlingshire:                     1

Isle of Islay:  Added two photos of the Kilnave Cemetery on Islay and corrected the source of these photos and cemetery records as from Richard Sheil of New York.  Also, see Hawaii for an Islay Scot.

Found another Islay Gillespie Scot in Ontario, buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound, Grey County .  See Margaret Gillespie, her husband Archibald BROWN and their many children. Listed under Ontario Deaths: Halton to Essex County. Click on name or photo to see a larger one.

AUSTRALIA – 116

Obituaries: 

An alert to Aboriginal people: This website and its pages contains records and photos of deceased persons.

• Australia Capital          5
• New South Wales:    18
• Northern Territory:     1
• Queensland:                     6
• Southern A                         5
• Western Australia:     22
• Victoria:                             58

The last people born in the 1930s are disappearing, aged 90s. Most are now gone. Those born in 1940 turned 80 in 2020,  with that generation now in their 70s, and the last World War II babies. That war ended September 2, 1945. It is interesting to see where the majority of these seniors were living in each country,  from the obituaries above.

Australia Marriages:  2

Norma’s Kitchen

Food hints,  and  printout of A Cookbook For My Daughter. The battle of the bulge, Keto, and food experiences from travels abroad.

AFRICA – 54

3 obituaries; ship wreck with Gillespie in charge 1895 – see South Africa for latter. 50 deaths given mainly birthdates, South Africa

IMMIGRATION & PASSENGER LISTS – 2

1851 David Gillespie’s passport read in Hawaii

1860 – Mr Gillespie from Africa to Plymouth.

INDIA – 14

Added additional notes on many records.

• Births:               7
• Marriages       7

ENGLAND – 27

• Births                    1
• Deaths               26

NEW ZEALAND – 17

• Deaths

WALES – 12

• Deaths

LIBRARY & ARCHIVES

Added link for web family history of Donald Gillespie & Catherine McDonald from Islay, Scotland, buried in Norland, Ontario

Coe Hill Death Records – 587

Another 35 from St Andrew’s United Cemetery burials added to list, and reset the database chart – my home town. Two more for St Michael’s Cemetery. More tombstone photos added. New obituaries added since March 2023, any date:

• Ted McCaw, Apsley – we were classmates at Coe Hill Public School up to Grade 8
• Faye Campbell, nee MARSHALL
• Frank Sprackett
• George Irish
• David Hamm
• Oswald O’Hara
• Charles Ash Iris
• Andrew Bird
• Willet W Masters
• Rosa Reid
• Clarke Rollins, MP
• Sylvester Campbell
• Mary Hilts
• Dr John Hardinge
• Charles Tivy
• Ethel Pearl Gilroy
• A. E. Gunter
• Janet Ellenberger, wife of Henry, The Ridge
• Darwin Campbell
• James Bainford
• Madeline Grant
• Mark Watling
• Murry Hilts
• Elgin  Danford
• Vesta Gratton

Coe Hill Families:  My Home Town

NEW: Early Hastings County Marriages linked to Wollaston Twp; 1911 Census Wollaston Twp; Coe Hill Telephone Book 1950s. Trying to Identify those who who served in the Great Wars (highlighted in red). I knew some of these people, and others by name. Adding family histories notes from  Coe Hill & Wollaston Township Message Boards  by other researchers.

COE HILL SOLDIERS & VETERANS 

Adding photos and details of more soldiers from the Great Wars.

Read The Bible In A Year Chart

Added to bottom of Lessons From The Past – for inner strengthening. Never let the voices of others determine who you are. God loves you, and that matters above all else. Seek Him personally.

A MILESTONE:

It has taken six years and almost 3 months, but today, February 6,  2023,  I typed the 46,000th Gillespie record on this website, an early marriage for Georgia.

Gardening & Birding

A new column,  but not a new subject as you can read back the last few years for successes and failures in my  new gardening efforts on a city balcony. I have gardened a lot over the years for myself and for others, miss my greenhouse so much.  In retirement, gardening equals genealogy for my main activities.  Don’t forget the birds as I introduce bird songs and identification information.

Planning A Family History Vacation

I just posted what I have been doing myself,  as we all need vacations in our lives. What if the focus of the vacation doesn’t appeal to your partner?  One hint I make that really helped our family.

NEWS FOR CANADA:  The 1931 census will be released to the public on June 1st, 2023.  This census is 92 years ago. It will be searchable online by district and subdistrict from the Library & Archives Canada. I am eager to see my father’s record (b 1875) with those living with him. Mom (age 16), and her sister were in another part of the City of Toronto at home with her father, a policeman,  and a stepmother, (his third marriage), who raised the girls.  Lots of others to search as well. Exciting news,  as census gives us a snapshot in the lives of our ancestors.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST:

Updating new archaeology discoveries, and how they can relate to our life. Prophesy about Damascus, Syria. How should I respond when life seem unfair. I’m old. What can I do?

What’s Cooking?  

Oh, Oh. No milk, butter or baking powder.  Just created a new recipe. See Norma’s Kitchen for:

     Blueberry, Banana & Walnut Muffins.

Making A Wreath For Mom’s Tombstone

• -How to do it!  How Colour Affects Our Lives

 

Date                  New Records                           Total Records

January    Balance forwarded                          45, 351

January                 512                                                45, 863

February                350                                               46, 213

March                      363                                               46, 576

May                                 7                                                 46,583

 

 

 

Link to Work of Previous Years