Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

his manifest mastery of the subjects he chose for
exposition. . . . Yet it may be remarked as
another tribute to the rare versatility of his men-
tal endowments, that his writing ability was less
the possession of the distinctive literary temperament,
inherited or acquired, than it was a demon-
stration of that extraordinary all-round capability
which could, so to speak, do anything that he at-
tempted, and do it well, whether the work was in
the domain of mechanical or of literary craftsmanship.
But he possessed the poetic and imaginative
faculties in a marked measure. Without
these, indeed, he could scarcely have used verse
so frequently, and certainly not with such impressive
effect, in so many of his speeches and
addresses.
Mr. Gillespie was much sought after
as a speaker for all manner of public oc-
casions such as Memorial Day, Christmas,
etc. He often delivered formal addresses
on anniversary and other important occasions
before the fraternal bodies with
which he was affiliated, and his lectures
on scientific and literary topics and travel
were largely attended and highly appre-
ciated for their educational and inspira-
tional value. He was a ready and witty
speaker, whose happy manner of phrasing
sentiments, and whose keen and hearty
sympathies, won his audiences. He made
the first speech delivered in the old Stam-
ford town hall when he introduced the
famous John B. Gough, and he made the
last public address in the building at a
meeting of the Board of Trade, a few days
before the hall was destroyed by fire.
After his arrival in Guelph, Canada,
young Gillespie worked for about two
years in the store of his elder brother.
But he was ambitious to become identi-
fied with the printing and publishing
business, and when the opportunity of-
fered he became an apprentice in the
office of a small weekly paper published
in Fergus, Ontario, Canada. In less than
a year he had learned all that was possible
there, and accordingly he sought
larger opportunities in New York City.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
348
That was in 1859. Though he had served
but a year at the printer's trade, he went
to work as a journeyman for Baker &
Godwin, and by dint of his native inge-
nuity and adaptability he overcame the
handicaps of his inexperience and met all
the demands made upon him. After a
short period in another print-shop, he removed,
in i860, to Stamford, Connecticut,
and entered the employ of William S.
Campbell, proprietor of the "Weekly Ad-
vocate," as foreman. It has been said of
him in this connection
There was no detail which his ready adaptabil-
ity, his alert, inventive mind, and his tireless
industry did not touch with an efficient and help-
ful hand. He made up to a large extent for the
scant mechanical resources of the place by his
extraordinary capacity for getting results out of
the most unpromising material. He found valu-
able use for things that had been lying for years
among discarded odds and ends, and the little
establishment began to attract new attention for
the brightness and taste of the work it turned
out, and for the new and original ideas which
began to broaden and lighten up the narrow,
stale, conventional and stereotyped aspects of the
country printing office.
And he soon added to his duties the
work of a reporter and editor. It would
seem that these arduous activities would
consume the energy of the man, but such
was not the case, and as illustrative of the
versatility of his talents it is noted that
in his evenings he busied himself in constructing
things for his new home, for he
had been married soon after his removal
to Stamford. The most notable product
of his mechanical skill at this period was
a pipe organ, which he designed and con-
structed without the aid of anyone else,
and which he was able to play to the
delight of his friends, if not entirely to his
own satisfaction. While his native modesty
made any pretense to musicianship
impossible, he possessed no mean talent.
When the Civil War overwhelmed the
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