Colonel John Hamilton Gillespie (14 October 1852 – 7 September 1923) was a Scottish-American soldier, land developer, businessman and politician, who settled in Sarasota, Florida, becoming Sarasota's first mayor.[1][2]
Gillespie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.[3] As a boy he lived with his family at 53 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh and was educated at the nearby Edinburgh Academy and subsequently at the University of St Andrews.[4] Like his father, he was a member of the Royal Company of Archers.[4] (a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland). He was admitted to The Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet in 1875 and also served as a captain in the Midlothian Coast Artillery Volunteers.[3] Upon his return from colonial service in Australia, his father, Sir John Gillespie, sent him to Sarasota, Florida in 1886 to work for the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company.[3]
Gillespie found his father's company in poor condition and began improving the community in Sarasota and soon business was booming. In May 1886 he laid out two golf holes on his property. This was the first golf course in Florida and the second in the United States. An avid golfer, Gillespie learned the game at St. Andrews. Andrew became a naturalized US citizen in 1896. Sometime after he became a citizen, he would join the American and Florida Bar Association.[5] In 1905 he built a nine-hole course on property now which is now the site of the Sarasota County Courthouse, Florida. Between 1896 and 1905, he laid out courses for Henry Plant at his hotels in Belleair, Tampa, Winter Park and Havana, Cuba. Sarasota was incorporated as a town on 14 October 1902, coincidentally Gillespie's 50th birthday, and he went on to serve as the Town's first Mayor. He was subsequently elected to five additional one-year terms.[6] During World War I, he would serve in the Volunteer Force as a Cadet Captain in the British military losing his citizenship briefly before regaining it.[5]
Grave of John Hamilton Gillespie in the Rosemary Cemetery, Sarasota, Fl
Gillespie was instrumental in founding the Episcopal Church in Sarasota. He was ordained as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church and is acknowledged as the founder of The Church of the Redeemer Sarasota.[8] Gillespie was a mason being affiliated with the Knight Templar. He was part of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was a member of Kiwanis.[5]
Gillespie died on a golf course near his house on September 7, 1923, and would be buried, alongside Blanche McDaniel Gillespie (his second wife), in the historic Rosemary Cemetery, Sarasota.[5]
Referencesedit
^Profile, sarasotahistoryalive.com; accessed 26 April 2014.
^Profile, heraldtribune.com; accessed 26 April 2014.
^ abcMakers of America: An Historical and Biographical Work by an Able Corps of Writers, Florida historical society (Jacksonville, Fla.). A. B. Caldwell. 1909.
^ abEdinburgh Academy Register: A Record of All Those Who Have Entered the School Since Its Foundation in 1824. Edinburgh, Printed by T. & A. Constable for the Edinburgh Academical Club. 1914.
^ abcd"John Hamilton Gillespie". Sarasota History Alive!. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
^. The City of Sarasota. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
^"British War Office Again Honors Col. Gillespie". The Sarasota Times. Vol. 21, no. 30. 25 December 1919.
^Profile, sarasotahistoryalive.com; accessed 26 April 2014.
This article about a mayor in Florida is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
john, hamilton, gillespie, colonel, october, 1852, september, 1923, scottish, american, soldier, land, developer, businessman, politician, settled, sarasota, florida, becoming, sarasota, first, mayor, born14, october, 1852edinburgh, scotlanddiedseptember, 1923. Colonel John Hamilton Gillespie 14 October 1852 7 September 1923 was a Scottish American soldier land developer businessman and politician who settled in Sarasota Florida becoming Sarasota s first mayor 1 2 John Hamilton GillespieBorn14 October 1852Edinburgh ScotlandDiedSeptember 7 1923 1923 09 07 aged 70 Sarasota FloridaNationalityScottish AmericanAlma materEdinburgh AcademyUniversity of St AndrewsOccupation s soldierland developerbusinessman politicianSpouseBlanche McDaniel GillespieBiography edit nbsp 53 Northumberland Street EdinburghGillespie was born in Edinburgh Scotland 3 As a boy he lived with his family at 53 Northumberland Street Edinburgh and was educated at the nearby Edinburgh Academy and subsequently at the University of St Andrews 4 Like his father he was a member of the Royal Company of Archers 4 a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign s Bodyguard in Scotland He was admitted to The Society of Writers to Her Majesty s Signet in 1875 and also served as a captain in the Midlothian Coast Artillery Volunteers 3 Upon his return from colonial service in Australia his father Sir John Gillespie sent him to Sarasota Florida in 1886 to work for the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company 3 Gillespie found his father s company in poor condition and began improving the community in Sarasota and soon business was booming In May 1886 he laid out two golf holes on his property This was the first golf course in Florida and the second in the United States An avid golfer Gillespie learned the game at St Andrews Andrew became a naturalized US citizen in 1896 Sometime after he became a citizen he would join the American and Florida Bar Association 5 In 1905 he built a nine hole course on property now which is now the site of the Sarasota County Courthouse Florida Between 1896 and 1905 he laid out courses for Henry Plant at his hotels in Belleair Tampa Winter Park and Havana Cuba Sarasota was incorporated as a town on 14 October 1902 coincidentally Gillespie s 50th birthday and he went on to serve as the Town s first Mayor He was subsequently elected to five additional one year terms 6 During World War I he would serve in the Volunteer Force as a Cadet Captain in the British military losing his citizenship briefly before regaining it 5 nbsp Grave of John Hamilton Gillespie in the Rosemary Cemetery Sarasota Fl 7 Gillespie was instrumental in founding the Episcopal Church in Sarasota He was ordained as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church and is acknowledged as the founder of The Church of the Redeemer Sarasota 8 Gillespie was a mason being affiliated with the Knight Templar He was part of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was a member of Kiwanis 5 Gillespie died on a golf course near his house on September 7 1923 and would be buried alongside Blanche McDaniel Gillespie his second wife in the historic Rosemary Cemetery Sarasota 5 References edit Profile sarasotahistoryalive com accessed 26 April 2014 Profile heraldtribune com accessed 26 April 2014 a b c Makers of America An Historical and Biographical Work by an Able Corps of Writers Florida historical society Jacksonville Fla A B Caldwell 1909 a b Edinburgh Academy Register A Record of All Those Who Have Entered the School Since Its Foundation in 1824 Edinburgh Printed by T amp A Constable for the Edinburgh Academical Club 1914 a b c d John Hamilton Gillespie Sarasota History Alive Retrieved 10 May 2021 The City of Sarasota Florida Website The City of Sarasota Archived from the original on 21 November 2008 Retrieved 2 June 2015 British War Office Again Honors Col Gillespie The Sarasota Times Vol 21 no 30 25 December 1919 Profile sarasotahistoryalive com accessed 26 April 2014 nbsp nbsp This article about a mayor in Florida is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Hamilton Gillespie amp oldid 1191969865, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
