From the handbook of Texas online, a brief biography of James Gillaspie, a heroic Texas patriot who was always ready to answer the call to war and fight for Texas: (
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"GILLASPIE, JAMES (1805–1867). James Gillaspie, prison superintendent and army officer in the Texas Revolution, the Mexican War, and the Civil War, son of William and Elizabeth Gillaspie, was born in Virginia on January 5, 1805. He traveled to Texas in 1835 and on January 14, 1836, enlisted in the volunteer auxiliary corps for the Texas army at Nacogdoches. On February 1 he was elected first lieutenant in Joseph L. Bennett's volunteer company. On April 8 Gillaspie became captain of the Sixth Company, Second Regiment of Texas Volunteers, which he commanded in the battle of San Jacinto. He was discharged from the army on May 29, 1836. Gillaspie married Susan Faris of Walker County; they had seven children. During the Mexican War he raised a company for the First Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers, for service under John C. (Jack) Hays. With the outbreak of the Civil War Gillaspie again raised a Walker County company for the Fifth Regiment, Texas Infantry Volunteers, and was stationed on Galveston Island. Gillaspie was superintendent of the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville from 1850 to 1858 and again from May 1867 until his death, on October 3, 1867. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Huntsville. The monument at his grave lists the personnel of the various units that he commanded during three wars." [end]
A longer bio (which we edited to remove the muster rolls of his commands) is found online from the San Jacinto Museum: (
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"GILLASPIE, JAMES
Born in Virginia, January 5, 1805, a son of William and Elizabeth Gillaspie. His parents moved to Tennessee in 1810. James Gillaspie came to Texas in 1835, as is stated in Headright Certificate No. 12 for one-third of a league of land by the Board of Commissioners for Montgomery County in 1838.
A volunteer company was organized in that part of old Washington Municipality now embraced in Montgomery and Walker Counties, February, 1836 of which Joseph L. Bennett was elected Captain and Mr. Gillaspie was elected First Lieutenant. On April 8th at the reorganization of the army Captain Bennett was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Regiment of Texas Volunteers and Gillaspie was chosen to succeed him as Captain of the Sixth Company of the Second Regiment. In Comptroller's Military Service Record No. 6575 it is certified that Captain Gillaspie was discharged May 29, 1836. He was issued Donation Certificate No. 1062 August 21, 1840 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the Battle of San Jacinto.
Captain Gillaspie commanded, at different times, two companies in the United States Army in the Mexican War. From June 9 to October 2, 1846 he was Captain of a company in the First Regiment of Texas Mounted Riflemen under Colonel John C. Hays, participating in the Battle of Monterrey, September 21-23. He next commanded a company from April 25 to June 4, 1847 of the same regiment.
In 1850 Captain Gillaspie was appointed Superintendent of the Texas Penitentiary at Huntsville by Governor Peter H. Bell, serving as such until 1858. He was reappointed Superintendent in May 1867 and held that position until his death, October 3, 1867.
Captain Gillaspie raised a Company for the Confederate Army in Walker County in 1861 and was stationed in Galveston.
He was married in Walker County to Susan Farris, daughter of Hezekiah Faris who was a member of Captain Gillaspie's Company at San Jacinto. Susan Faris Gillaspie was born in Tennessee, July 18, 1829 and died in Huntsville, Texas October 27, 1867. The couple are buried in marked graves in Oakwood Cemetery, Huntsville, Texas." [end]