James Gillespie (U.S. politician)

James Gillespie (1747 – January 10, 1805) was an American lawyer, politician, and Revolutionary War veteran from North Carolina. He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1793 and died in office on January 10, 1805. Prior to serving in the U.S. Congress, Gillespie was a member of the North Carolina House of Commons, the North Carolina Senate, the North Carolina Council of State, and held various other positions in the state government. An ardent Anti-Federalist, he voted twice against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Early life
The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress incorrectly gives his birthplace as Kenansville, North Carolina, which did not exist at the time of his birth. Several sources, including William S. Powell's Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, family sources, the National Archives and Records Administration, and North Carolina state publications mention he was born in Ireland in County Monaghan. James Gillespie was one of five children born to David Gillespie and Mrs. (née Brison) Gillespie. He was educated at the University of Dublin and immigrated to New Bern, North Carolina, from Ireland with two of his brothers, Archibald and Borthick Gillespie. Borthick would later return to Ireland. His brother Archibald was a prominent citizen of Onslow County and was issued a commission of the peace and dedimus by the governor in 1777. Some allegations of misconduct were placed against Archibald when he was a Justice of the Peace of Onslow County, but they were found to be groundless.

James Gillespie purchased a plantation known as "Golden Grove" located one mile east of Kenansville before the start of the Revolutionary War. The area in which he lived was known as the village of Grove and he was a member of the Grove Presbyterian Church which still maintains an active congregation.

Revolutionary War and political career
He was a member of the 5th North Carolina Provincial Congress in Halifax that drafted the state constitution.

Gillespie was appointed as captain of the 1st Battalion of Volunteers and the Duplin County Regiment of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War. The State Records of North Carolina, published in 1907, lists him as the rank of private and sergeant on a list of North Carolina Revolutionary Pensioners. Gillespie also served in the North Carolina House of Commons (1779–1783) from Duplin County, then in the North Carolina Senate (1784–1786, 1789, 1792). He fought and was a participant in the Battles of Heron's Bridge, Rockfish Creek, and Elizabethtown as a member of the militia. During the war, his home was burned down by Tories led by Major James Henry Craig. He advanced to the rank of colonel in the militia.

He voted against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution at the first convention on August 1, 1788. He attended the second convention in Fayetteville in November 1789, elected as a representative of Duplin County. He voted against the successful ratification on the second vote on November 21, 1789, advocating with others for a Bill of Rights.

Gillespie held various positions in the state government of North Carolina, serving as commissioner of confiscated property, secretary to the governor, superintendent of the press, and on the Council of State. He defeated James Kenan in a North Carolina Senate election in 1791. Gillespie was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 1793. He opposed the Jay Treaty signed in 1794 by George Washington with Great Britain. In 1800, Gillespie broke his hip while in Washington, D.C. He died while in office serving as a U.S. congressman on January 10, 1805. He was buried at the Presbyterian Burying Ground in Georgetown, D.C. By an act of Congress, his remains were removed to Congressional Cemetery on April 1892. A cenotaph at the cemetery is located at Range 31 Site 58; his ashes were transferred to the cemetery and now lie under the marble monument.

Political and social views
The Biographical Directory of the United States Congress mentions that Gillespie was elected as a candidate to the 3rd U.S. Congress (March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795) and represented the Anti-Administration party. He later became a Democratic-Republican before being elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 4th and 5th U.S. Congresses (March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799) and later to the 8th U.S. Congress (March 4, 1803 – January 10, 1805).

Powell's Dictionary of North Carolina Biography mentions Gillespie was a Federalist during his time as congressman.

Gillespie was a slave owner. In the 1790 census he is listed as owning over 2,000 acres and 30 slaves. His family owned a large amount of land in the lower Cape Fear region of North Carolina in Duplin County.

Personal life
James Gillespie married Dorcas Mumford of Onslow County, and they had at least 7 children. His son David fought in the War of 1812 and was a member of the House of Commons from Bladen County.

Legacy
Two letters from Gillespie to the Governor Richard Caswell have been published as part of the digital publishing initiative Documenting the American South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries. The earlier letter dates to the Revolutionary War in 1777, when Gillespie wrote to the Governor requesting for a William Gillespie to be freed from his confinement at Cross Creek in present-day Fayetteville.

Two additional letters written by Gillespie to James Madison during Madison's term as the 5th U.S. Secretary of State have been published on the National Archives and Records Administration website.

Gillespie took part in the meetings to merge Cross Creek and Campbellton into Fayetteville, which named a street, Gillespie Street, in his honor.

A historical marker in Kenansville was dedicated to Gillespie on July 6, 2018, in an event titled "Honoring the Life of a Noteworthy Patriot", organized by his descendants, the Duplin County Historical Society, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.