Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-12-17
MRS. DIR. B. GILLESPIE
D|ESAF TER BRIEF ILLNESS
Expired Sunday Morning at Her
Hcme Here--Was Founder of
Tazewell Female Seminary
and Teacher of Note.

Mrs. Gillespie, wife of DR.. II. b.
Gillespie, died ut her home here last
Sunday morning, about o'clock, after
brief illness, of peritonitis. induced
by appendicitis. Her death cast n
gloom over the entire community 1t
was unexpected and great shock.
The funeral and burial took place
on Monday at III o'clock, from the
Christian church, of which she was a
member of long standing, coma lcted
by her pastor, Rev. w. S. Bullard.
The pall-bcarers were, active: w.
Archie Thompson, C. w. Jones. jeff
Ward, j. p. Williams, II. p. Britain,
John O'Keeire, II. w. Pobst. Honor
my. ). M. b C"u,'ing- r. w. Stras,
Dr. j.. R. Johncm Dc =. ID. John
ston, Dr. W. /. lJ.ntor, Dr.. Isaac
Pierce, Henry Preston, c. T. Pecry,
f. L. Witten and r. o. Crockett.
Flower bearers were the school teach
crs of the town, and even this num-
bcr were not sufficient to carry the
large quantity of flowers, which
crowded the cnsket.
WV" '''"e"huihB tiie WmIfy, ana
extremely unpropitious weather, n
large concoursc of people filed the
church, bearing testimony to their
appreciation OF oro whom they all
could claim as friend. Mr.. Bullard
road appropriate passages from the
B.bie, and made tender, appropriate
address, bearing The highest testimony
- one, he said, who mhu had known
and appreciated from her girlnood.
lntcrmcnt was made in Jefferson
Nc cemetery. Besides II husband,
ueschscd leaves u daughter, Mrs. A. G.
itn"aeli, and two sons Mcssrs. ilcrlS.
icy ;. and Victor Il. Gillespie, the lat
ter student at V. nj. L., and Mr..
iierklcy Gillespie, u rond contractor
IN Tennessee. An The cl..ltlrcn were
present at tho funeral.
Mrs ella Vernon Gillespie was n
daughter of Rev. Ccphaa Shclburn,.
and was born about 5S years ago nt
her fathers home in MONTGOMERY
county. The only surviving member
OF the family arc two brothers, Rev.
Gephaa Sheiburnc, now preaching in
IeXas, and Mr.. Silns Sholburno, to-
bacconlst Of Kentucky; one sister.
Mrs. Spindle, of Roanoke.
She was educacd in Montgomery
remn!c Institute, taught by Miss
i'oiioek, n famous school in that day.
After the school days, she taught
several years in different places. and
iinally accepted position as teacher
IN Mil!!gan College, Tennessee, in the
year 1880 or 1881. Here she met her
future husband, Reese B. Gillespie. of
ln2cwcll, student in the institution.
lhcy were married early in the year
1852, and mt the close of the session
thc young people came to Tazewell
ohe engngcd again in teaching and
ncr husband entered medical colege
to complete medical course. In
thc year 1886 she established tho
Tazcwcll Female Seminary, .lhich mt.
tracted large number of students.
not only from the community, but
from abroad. After Il successfui per-
iod OF seven years, tho seminary
burned in the spring OF 1886. AT that
time her brother, Rev. Cephns Shol-
burne, was associated with her. This
ended her work as teacher In tho
schools. Several unsuccessful attempts
were made TO re-esthblish tho semi
nary, and it was finally merged with
Iazewell College, taught by Rev. A.
a. Ferguson, whose first wife was
Mrs Gillespics sister.
Deceased paternal ancestors were
minister's for several genrations. Her
great-grandfather Rev. James SboI-
burne was Baptist minister, her
grandfather, Rev. Silas Shelburne.
and her father, were ministers of the
Christian church, all of them strong,
useful men in their day and genera
ton, of whom she was a worthy sue
cessor, and, like them, she sleeps in
an honored grave.