Col. Hamilton S. Gillespie
Col. Hamilton S. Gillespie was born in Warren County in the year 1835. When three years of age he was brought by his parents to Washington Township. He is a son of Wm. Gillespie, who is spoken of elsewhere in this work. Hamilton grew to manhood in this township. At the age of eighteen years he commenced teaching school, which he followed four years, then engaged in the mercantile trade in Lockington, but remained in the business only one year; then engaged in buying and shipping grain at Lockington with his brother D. K., which he followed until 1862. In August, 1862, he received an order from Gov. Tod to recruit a company of volunteers, which he did, recruiting one hundred and one men all from his own county, and principally from his own neighborhood. This company were all first-class men, sons of farmers, and all respectable men of standing in the county, and when mustered into the service made as fine an appearance as any company in the regiment. At the time his company was completed, Capt. Gillespie was offered five hundred dollars each by two other parties from other counties for the appointment of the first and second lieutenants’ position, which he promptly refused, and let his company elect their own officers. He took his company to Camp Dennison in Sept. 1862, and was assigned to the 50th O. V. I. A history of this regiment will be found elsewhere in this work. Capt. Gillespie had the command of this company until July 1863, When he was promoted to major of the regiment, and again promoted to Lieut.-Colonel in August, 1864, and had command of the regiment until the time of its consolidation with the 99th O. V. I. in 1865. After the consolidation of the two regiments Col. Gillespie was mustered out of the service and came home a couple of months before the close of the war. He then again engaged in buying grain, at which he has continued the most of the time since that date. In 1865 he was married to Miss Mary M. McKnight. They have had born to them six children, viz., George H., Robert W., John H. B., Hamilton S., Roy E., and David K.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883