Gillespie (Peters)

The Gillespies have been living in this place for a very long time indeed. In fact, there was a very big clachan on this site back in the late 1700`s during the Rundale days. There is a Gillespie gravestone in the churchyard in Moneyconey which dates well back into the 1700s’ When the landlord decided to break up the clachans in the early 1800`s, these Gillespies  moved to farms all along the southern slopes of the Moyola valley from St. Patrick`s Church down to the Owenreagh march. It is said that there were 70 people living in the area from Tullybrick Road to Pat McEldowney`s house.  It is sad to say that there is not a Gillespie left in Sixtowns today.

The people who lived in this house below, were known as the` Peters`, after a forefather who first lived there. In 1832, there were four occupiers of the Gillespie name, Henry, John, Thomas and John. It is most likely that Thomas was of the Gillespie family which was  associated with this house. The name Thomas was prominent in this family down the years which is something which we find in a lot of our local family trees. In 1856 Thomas Gillespie is still in possession of this place. By 1901 James and Mary Gillespie are living there with their three sons, James, Peter and Michael as wel as their two daughters Lizzie and Mary Jane. By 1911, James and his wife Mary are still living there with their two daughters and son, Thomas who would eventually take over after he married Bridget McCullagh from Kildress some years later.