AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: maharsb on May 05, 2025, 04:36:58 AM

Title: Gillespie Rifle Been in family since made.
Post by: maharsb on May 05, 2025, 04:36:58 AM
Ever since I was a kid I always heard about the Gillespie Rifle that has belonged to my ancestors. No one ever knew who in the family had it. It just happened to make an appearance at the last family reunion last September.  I was able to get some pictures of it. They are not the greatest, but it was rushed. Just glad I got to see it. It is marked HG. My guess is that it was made by Harvey Gillespie.
(https://i.ibb.co/pjDJfJcc/IMG-0103.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ch5D6D00)

(https://i.ibb.co/rK3R2tkk/IMG-0104.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XfDrx4XX)

(https://i.ibb.co/S4ggSpz1/IMG-0105.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dwvvZyR3)

(https://i.ibb.co/PZgYWcbs/IMG-0106.jpg) (https://ibb.co/N6K3N9kg)

(https://i.ibb.co/SDF64MTL/IMG-0107.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9mQpk1XM)

(https://i.ibb.co/DHy1BPHZ/IMG-0108.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZpPfQRp0)

(https://i.ibb.co/j91K4G0s/IMG-0109.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wZxH6CGj)

(https://i.ibb.co/9HvnC4Ws/IMG-0110.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SwxN9mBR)

(https://i.ibb.co/Ld9FxRgJ/IMG-0111.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KxVP2hsL)

(https://i.ibb.co/04pPNt5/IMG-0112.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mZrQs8p)
Title: Re: Gillespie Rifle Been in family since made.
Post by: Cades Cove Fiddler on May 05, 2025, 05:19:19 AM
 :o :o.. wow... Lucky you...!!! .. I live about 15 miles from the place where the Gillespies made their rifles near  Hendersonville NC... it is always good to see one come out of hiding... did your family stay in the Mills  River, Henderson/Transylvania county area,..? .. the Gillespies made some of the best  rifles  in this region of the mountains... Dennis Glazener, a descendant, has published a great book on the history of the Gillespie Family and their guns... thanx for posting this... great family heirloom... !!! ... regards,... Cades Cove Fiddler   
Title: Re: Gillespie Rifle Been in family since made.
Post by: AZshot on May 05, 2025, 04:29:06 PM
I second the Wow!  Gillespies were some of the better known and prolific long rifle gunsmiths with 5 or 6 of the sons and fathers making rifles over a fairly long period, in the sounthern Appalachian mountains. 

I'm also related to the Gillespies of Mills River, and have been doing a lot of geneology on them as well as my affiliated family.  I'm related to one of the Harvy Gillespies, and have relatives burried in the Sitton-Gillespie cemetary in NC. Also related to Phillip Sitton, who had the forge that Phillip Gillespie eventurally acquired.  Many Gillespie barrels were made from Sitton forged iron.

Would be happy to talk about what I know. 

Title: Re: Gillespie Rifle Been in family since made.
Post by: maharsb on May 06, 2025, 12:21:48 AM
My family is in the western part of Transylvania county. I am descended from on of the long hunters that originally settled the area Jim Fisher. When I was a kid my preacher was a Sitton. He used to talk about his family’s role in the Gillespie rifles. I am hoping that one day I will be lucky enough to be the caretaker of on of these Gillespie rifles. It was great just being able to hold the one that has been in the family for so long.