William M. Gillespie, farmer; P. O. Piqua; born in Warren Co., Ohio, Nov. 16, 1828 is the son of William and Mary (Miskimmers) Gillespie. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, born June 5, 1782, and his mother was born March 5, 1798. The grandfather, George Gillespie, was born in Ireland, and came over to this country at an early day, about the close of the Revolutionary war. William and Mary, the parents, were united in marriage Dec. 11, 1817, and had eleven children, viz., Jane, born Oct 5, 1818, and died Oct. 10, 1844; John., born March 30, 1820, and died Aug. 17, 1849; David K., born Nov. 29, 1821 Martha born Dec. 24, 1823; Mary P., born Jan. 6, 1827, and died Jan. 22, 1833; James, born Nov. 13, 1830, and died Nov. 10, 1865 ; George A., born April 20, 1833, and died Dec. 5, 1865 ; Hamilton S., born Oct. 13, 1835; Minerva E., born Jan. 2, 1838, and died Sept. 13, 1849, and Margaret M., born Nov. 30, 1841. William, the father, died, March 5, 1862, and Mary, the mother, died Oct. 3, 1872. Mr. Gillespie, the father, came with his parents to Ohio about 1795 and located first near Cincinnati, where they lived several years, thence to Warren Co.. where the parents lived and died. William, the father, lived in Warren Co. till 1838, when he moved to Shelby Co., where he lived and died; was a soldier under Gen. Harrison in the war of 1812, served through the campaign and was at the treaty of peace at Greenville, under the auspices of Gens. Wayne and Harrison; as a reward for special services rendered, was presented with a land warrant for 160 acres of land. Mr. Gillespie, the subject of our sketch, was united in marriage with Sallie E. Patterson, daughter of James and Martha (McKnight) Patterson, Nov. 19, 1863; they have had born to them six children; Martha Dell, born Jan. 27, 1865; James H., born Feb. 10, 1867, now deceased William L., born July 6,1869; Mary M., born Dec. 19,1871; Maggie L., born July 16, 1874, also Allen H., born April 5, 1880. Mr. Gillespie lived with his father till his death, and has followed farming all his life, with the exception of about four years, during which he was in the grain business at Pontiac, Shelby Co. He came to the farm where he now resides in 1871; he has 350 acres, of which about 250 acres are in cultivation, Mr. Gillespie is politically a stanch Republican, and is a member of tie United Presbyterian Church, of some thirty years standing.