Person Record

Metadata

Name

Gillespie, George W., 1905-1985

Born

Aug. 12, 1905

Birthplace

Portsmouth, NH

Deceased

May 16, 1985

Deceased where

Portsmouth, NH (?)

Places of residence

1 Prospect Street, Portsmouth, NH [1910]
Pray Street, Portsmouth, NH [1920]
633 Dennett Street, Portsmouth, NH [1940]
337 Aldrich Road, Portsmouth, NH [1954]
529 Union Street, Portsmouth, NH [1970]

Occupation

Telegram carrier at age 14 [1920 census] and later a telegrapher for the Western Union Telegraph Company; associated as the chief chef at the Thorner Oyster House on Daniel Street; on April 1, 1936, he was appointed as a patrolman for the North End beat for the Portsmouth Police Department, and he retired as sergeant (appointed in 1952) on May 31, 1968; in 1970, he was appointed truant officer for the school department, succeeding Martin O. Betz.

Father

Nathaniel M. Gillespie, 1882-1958

Mother

Mildred Estelle Winn (later McPheters), 1882-1950

Spouse

Avis Mae Kneeland (1912-1991)

Children

George W. Gillespie Jr., 1932-1942
Bette Jean Gillespie Massey
David S. Gillespie
Brenda Susan Gillespie Ricker Ripley Miller, 1949-1994

Notes

Buried in South Street Cemetery in Portsmouth, NH.

In a June 1, 1968 Portsmouth Herald article, Capt. John Condon was quoted as saying, "How can you thank a guy for a million laughs? He's been a great morale builder, always cheerful, and he's kept us going when the going was rough."

During WWII, he pioneered fingerprinting students for identification in case of bombing.