Biographies
EDWARD GILLESPIE, SR.
About one-half century of identification
with the material upbuilding of the city and county
of Sacramento gave to Mr. Gillespie an intimate knowledge of local resources
and possibilities and also brought to him the warm regard of other pioneers,
who, with himself, were truly loyal to the locality of their adoption. In his
character no phase stood out more prominently than his affectionate devotion to
the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, in which faith he had been reared
at the old Irish home. Never for a moment of his long life did he swerve from
his allegiance to the religion of his choice and for more than forty years he
rented a pew in the Sacramento house of worship. From this place he was seldom
absent on occasions when services were held and his presence was expected. When
finally in July of 1907 his life on earth came to an end he was consoled in his
last moments by the prayers of the church and he entered into everlasting rest
with the Christian's bright hope of happiness.
Descended from a long line of Celtic
ancestry, humble in station but honorable in character, Edward Gillespie was
born in county Donegal, Ireland, in 1829, and had such meager schooling as was
possible in that locality and at that time. Hoping to find in the new world
greater opportunities than awaited him in his native land, he crossed the ocean
at an early age and secured employment in the mines of Pennsylvania. Some years
after the discovery of gold he followed the tide of emigration to the Pacific
coast and secured employment as a miner, but later settled in Sacramento county
and here resided for fifty years or more, until the close of his industrious
and useful life. For thirty-five years he remained in the employ of the
Southern Pacific Railroad and was a trustworthy, intelligent and honored
assistant of that company. Fond of his work, his home and his church, the
latter part of his life reflected in results the wise training and the sterling
principles implanted in his heart during the boyhood days in Ireland.
During 1895 Edward Gillespie was united in
marriage with Mrs. Margaret (Dugan) Monson, a native of Ireland, and the
daughter of parents who were lifelong residents of the Emerald Isle. When still
a very young girl she became the wife of John Monson, a native of Germany, but
a pioneer of California, where he died in San Francisco prior to 1890.
Surviving him, besides the widow, there were two children. The daughter, Viola
Monson, is now the wife of Joseph Davy and lives in Sacramento. The son, John
Monson, Jr., who received a thorough education, entered the government service
during young manhood and was stationed in China for three years, but since 1908
he has been engaged as a vice-consul in India. The only child of the second
marriage, Edward Gillespie, Jr., born in 1896, is now a student in the
Christian Brothers College at Sacramento, where he is receiving a thorough
training for the future responsibilities of business affairs.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 950-951. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.