Gillespie Family Articles The article on this page, from memorabilia of the Robert Gillespie branch of the John Gillespie family, is believed to have been printed originally in 1957. George A. Gillespie, son of Civil War soldier Alexander Gillespie, served seven terms for the second district of Genesee County in the Michigan State House of Representatives. Born on March 20, 1883, George Gillespie died while in office in 1960. His brother, Alexander Garfield Gillespie, was a U.S. Army brigadier general who played football at West Point and retired in Washington, D.C., in 1947. SURPRISE MEETING - Standing in front of the Parliament building in Stormount, Ireland, are (from left) Albert E. Stantiford, Davison, Lord Brooksborough, prime minister of Northern Ireland and State Rep George A. Gillespie, Gaines. Stantiford and Gillespie, who met for the first time during a recent trip to Ireland, toured Parliament with the prime minister.

THEY LIVE 20 MILES APART Solon, Constituent Meet in Belfast Few legislators have to travel as far to meet a constituent as State Rep. George A. Gillespie, Gaines, last month. He was visiting Belfast, Ireland, when he met Albert E. Stantiford, Davison, one of the Genesee County voters who helped elect him. A friend of Gillespie here had told him that Stantiford and his wife were in Belfast and suggested the legislator contact them. "Albert was just about the most surprised man I've ever seen," Gillespie said. "We had a wonderful time together traveling in and around Belfast, even though I didn't know a single person there before I went." Gillespie flew to Belfast during the last week in September to visit the birthplace of his father, who was born near there in 1834. It was the first time Gillespie had been in Ireland. "It's a trip I've been wanting to make for years," he said. Highlights of Gillespie's first trip were a visit with the prime minister of Northern Ireland, Lord Brooksborough, and a motor trip through the "brilliant green countryside." Motoring with Stantiford, Gillespie saw a group of Irish farmers loading oats by hand. "We couldn't pass that by," Gillespie said, "so we got our cameras set up and took turns pitching oats." It was not the first trip to Ireland for the Stantifords. Although he was born in England, Stantiford and his parents moved to Ireland soon after. He spent his childhood and early youth there. In 1929, the Stantifords came to Flint and he started a job with Buick which lasted 31 years. He retired last year. The couple returned from Ireland last week after visiting relatives in Belfast for three months. "Seeing Rep. Gillespie over there was the biggest surprise I've ever had," Stantiford said. "It's not often you have to go 3,000 miles to meet a man who lives only 20 miles from your home."

Read next about Brig. General Alexander Garfield Gillespie. Please note that this web site is a work-in-progress, in its beginning stages. New pages will be added over time, and family sources will be credited. In the future, as time permits, we will supply an e-mail link for family wishing to contact us. 2004 - Diane Gillespie Stanislaw

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Mt. Hermon Cemetery

Pedigree Chart

General Gillespie

George Gillespie