GILLESPIE, (Rev.) William, minister of Kells in Galloway.
Biographical note taken from Chamber's Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen, 1835.
GILLESPIE, (Rev.) William, minister of Kells in Galloway, was the eldest son of the Rev. John Gillespie, who preceded him in that charge; and was born in the manse of the parish, February 18, 1776. After receiving the rudiments of education at the parish school, he entered the university of Edinburgh, in 1792, and was appointed tutor to Mr Don, afterwards Sir Alexander Don, Bart., in whose company he was introduced to the most cultivated society.
While acting in this capacity, and at the same time prosecuting his theological studies, he amused himself by writing verses, and at this time commenced his poem entitled the "Progress of Refinement," which was not completed or published till some years afterwards. Among other clubs and societies of which he was a member, may be instanced the Academy of Physics, which comprehended Brougham, Jeffrey, and other young men of the highest abilities, and of which an account has already been given in our article, Dr Thomas Brown.1
In 1801, having for some time completed his studies, and obtained a license as a preacher, he was ordained helper and surcessor to his father, with the unanimous approbation of the parish. Soon after, he was invited by his former pupil, Mr Don, to accompany him in making the tour of Europe; and he had actually left home for the purpose, when the project was stopped by intelligence of the renewal of the war with France. In 1805, Mr Gillespie published "the Progress of Refinement, an allegorical poem," intended to describe the advance of society in Britain, from its infancy to maturity, but which met with little success. It was generally confessed that, though Mr Gillespie treated every subject in poetry with much taste and no little feeling, he had not a sufficient draught of inspiration, or that vivid fervour of thought which is so called, to reach the highest rank as a versifier.
In 1806, by the death of his father, he succeeded to the full charge of the parish of Kells. For some years afterwards, he seems to have contented himself in a great measure with discharging his duties as a clergyman, only making occasional contributions to periodical works, or communicating information to the Highland Society, of which he was a zealous and useful member.
At length, in 1815, he published, in an octavo volume, "Consolation and other Poems," which, however, received only the same limited measure of applause which had already been bestowed upon his Progress of Refinement. Mr Gillespie, in July 1825, married Miss Charlotte Hoggan ; but being almost immediately after seized with erysipelas, which ended in general inflammation, he died, October 15, in the fiftieth year of his age. As the character of this accomplished person had been of the most amiable kind, his death was very generally and very sincerely mourned: his biographer, Mr Murray, in his Literary History of Galloway, states the remarkable fact, that, amidst the many wet eyes which surrounded his grave, "even the sexton — a character not in general noted for soft feelings — when covering the remains of his beloved pastor, sobbed and wept to such a degree that he was hardly able to proceed with his trying duty."
This further note is taken from the Dictionary of National Biography
GILLESPIE, WILLIAM (1776-1825), poet, was the eldest son of the Rev. John Gillespie (1730-1806), minister of Kells in Galloway. He was baptised 18 Feb. 1776. He attended the parish school, and also received private instruction from the schoolmaster, who lived in the manse. In 1792 he entered Edinburgh University,where he studied theology and also, as a secondary subject, medicine. From early years he had been devoted to painting, poetry, and music. A common print of a view of Kenmure Castle was executed from a drawing made by him when about fourteen years of age. While at Edinburgh he wrote a poem entitled ‘The Progress of Refinement,' which was not, however, published till some years later. He found subjects for some of the poems (which were published along with it) in a tour through the western highlands, which he took with Alexander Don, to whom he was tutor.
At the end of his university course he was licensed as preacher by the presbytery of Kirkcudbright (1 Aug. 1798), and on 7 Aug. 1800 was ordained assistant and successor to his father. On 29 April 1806 his father died, after having been minister of Kells for forty-two years, and he became sole minister. In 1820 he was chaplain to the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright yeomanry cavalry, and the commandant wrote to him, asking whether in his service before the force he would pray for the queen. He returned an evasive answer, but in the prayer for the royal family he inserted the words, 'Bless also the queen.' On this the commandant ordered him to consider himself under arrest, that is to say, as was subsequently explained, not at liberty to go out of the county (30 July). Gillespie then published the sermon which he had preached before the yeomanry, with a preface and appendices explaining the circumstances, and proving the illegality of his arrest.
On 26 July 1825 he married Charlotte Hoggan; but while on his wedding tour he was attacked by erysipelas, and died on 15 Oct. in the fiftieth year of his age. He was long remembered "in his parish for the refinement of his tastes, his hospitality, and his kindness to students.
Besides contributions to the 'Scots Magazine' and other periodicals, his works were: a life of John Lowe, author of 'Mary's Dream,' in Cromek's 'Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song,' pp. 342-60, The Progress of Refinement, an allegorical poem, with other poems,' Edinburgh, 1805, 8vo; 'Consolation, with other poems,' Edinburgh, 1815, 8vo; 'The Rebellion of Absalom: a discourse preached at Kirkcudbright on the 30th July last,' Dumfries, 1820, 8vo.
[Thomas Murray's Literary Hist, of Galloway, 2nd ed. pp. 275-82; private information; Brit. Mus. and Bodleian Library Catalogues; Hew Scott's Fasti, ii. 716.]
External Links