James Gillespie

GEDCOM Note

James is listed as an operative (loom operator) on the 1860 census. He enlisted in the 23rd PA Inf, Co G on 2 Aug 1861 and was discharged 25 Mar 1862 for disability after a training injury aggravated a childhood injury. He enlisted in the Volunteer Reserve Corps 26 June 1863 and was discharged 21 Mar 1864 for disability.

In his affadavit for his Civil War pension he states that he was born 11 April 1843 in Norristown, PA. He states that they moved to Manayunk in 1845 and he lived there until he enlisted. He then states that after he left the service the family lived in West Conshohocken for 5 years and then moved back to Manayunk. He also states that he worked as a twister before his service and was unable to work for 3 years after he was discharged, due to the abcess that formed on his back after his injury and subsequent illness. He then returned to work as a twister, an occupation he was able to perform because the twister is usually seated, but often had to take months off from work at a time.

He applied for a pension but was rejected repeatedly because he could not prove that his disability resulted from his service. In 1890 he became eligible when the pension act of that year changed the requirements and the applicant only had to prove service and disability, not a relationship between the two.

• Residence: 21st Ward Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States - 1860
• Residence: Pennsylvania, United States - 1870
• Residence: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States - 1880
• Residence: Philadelphia city Ward 21, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States - 1900
  • Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 31 2019, 18:56:05 UTC