"A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of the City of
Seattle and County of King, Washington." New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing
Co., 1903.  p. 158.
 
SHERWOOD GILLESPY

     Sherwood Gillespy, the general agent of the Mutual Life Insurance Company
of New York, came to Seattle in his present capacity in 1896 and has since had
jurisdiction over the territory of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia
and Alaska. He is a man of excellent business and executive ability and the
company which he represents finds him a valued factor in the control of their
business in the northwest.
     Mr. Gillespy was born in Saugerties, New York, on the 4th of November,
1853, and is of Scotch lineage, although at an early day in the history of
Ulster county, New York, the family was established in Saugerties. The
great-grandfather, John I. Gillespy, the grandfather, John Gillespy, and the
father, Peter Gillespy, as well as the subject of this review, were all born on
the old family homestead there, and there Peter Gillespy is still
living in the ninety-third year of his age. This property has been in possession
of the family for two hundred and fifty years. John I. Gillespy,
the great-grandfather, joined the American army at the time of the Revolutionary
war and served with the rank of captain in the struggle for independence, while
John Gillespy, the grandfather, was a soldier in the war of 1812. Peter Gillespy
was for many years engaged in merchandising in New York city, and later turned
his attention to the banking business, but is now living a retired life.  He
married Miss Caroline Nering, of Catskill, New York. They were valued members of
the Dutch Reformed Presbyterian church and very prominent people in Saugerties.
In their family were four sons and a daughter, of whom three are still living.
     Mr. Gillespy of this review is the only one on the Pacific coast. He was
educated in the public schools of his native town, after which he was engaged in
the dry goods business in Albany, New York, for five years, with John G. Meyers.
He then turned his attention to the life insurance business, becoming connected
with the Northwestern Life Insurance Company, of Milwaukee, with which he was
connected for five years. Since that time he has been with the Mutual Life
Insurance Company, of New York, covering twenty years.  As their general agent
he came to Seattle in 1896, taking charge of their extensive business in the
northwest, with headquarters at Seattle, and has met with very gratifying
success here, his service being highly satisfactory to the company and
profitable to both the company and himself. When he came to Seattle he purchased
for the company the Mutual Life Building, which he had remodeled and fitted up
with all the latest improvements, making it one of the most elegantly equipped
office buildings in the northwest. He recently purchased the adjoining property
for fifty thousand dollars and will erect a seventy-thousand-dollar building. It
has proved for the company a paying investment. Mr. Gillespy is regarded by the
company as one of its best and most capable general agents and he also enjoys
the confidence, good will and esteem of the business public of Seattle.
     In 1885 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Gillespy and Miss Maria Z.
Simpson, a native of New York city and a daughter of Wilson Simpson, of that
place. They now have three children: Ella L., Robert S. and Carrie N. He and his
family are members of the Episcopalian church and are people of prominence in
the community, the hospitality of many of the best homes of Seattle being
extended to them. Mr. Gillespy has become deeply interested in Seattle and its
welfare since becoming identified with the city and has contributed to its
upbuilding.  He was one of the organizers of the Independent Telephone Company,
a long-distance line of this city, and is found as the champion of many
movements for the general good.
 
 
Transcriber's additional notes:
 
Census Indexing  (by Head of household)
1860  -  GILLESPY  PETER M  43  M  W  NY  NY  ULSTER  SAUGERTIES  (Sherwood, age
6)
1870  -  GILLESPY  PETER M  53  M  W  NY  NY  ULSTER  SAUGERTIES  (Sherwood, age
16)
1900  -  GILLESPY  SHERWOOD G  46  M  W  NY  WA  KING  4-WD SEATTLE  
1910  -  GILLESPY  SHERWOOD  57  M  W  NY  WA  KING  7-WD SEATTLE 


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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in November 2007 by Diana
Smith.  Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family
mentioned above.