Queer Places:
El Fureidis, 631 Parra Grande Lane, Montecito, CA 93108
Green-Wood Cemetery, Greenwood Heights, Kings County, New York, USA

James Waldron Gillespie (February 11, 1865 - April 27, 1954) was a widely traveled and scholarly country gentleman whose life was shaped by intellectual pursuits, global exploration, and magnificent architecture.

Born in New York City, he was the only child of James and Amelia Waldron Gillespie. His father served as a professor of mathematics at Union College and authored a textbook on surveying that was widely used in schools and colleges a century prior, while his mother was a descendant of a prominent Dutch family in New York dating back to the time of Peter Stuyvesant.

Gillespie's connection to Middle Granville began while he was a student at North Granville Military Academy in 1886, leading him to purchase the farm estate near Middle Granville at the age of 21 after coming into his inheritance. He returned there to spend a part of each year for the rest of his life. Reflecting his global lifestyle, he also maintained homes in California and Cuba, dividing his time among them. Among these was the famous El Fureidis estate in Montecito, California, commissioned in 1899 and designed with architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, which reflected his deep interest in architecture alongside his extensive collections of rare palm trees.

Spending much of his time in scholarly pursuits with architecture as a chief interest, Gillespie never married, leaving only distant cousins as survivors. Despite a somewhat solitary way of life, his home was frequently filled with guests, earning him a considerable reputation as a host. Gillespie passed away at the age of 89 at his Middle Granville estate. Following funeral services conducted by the Rev. Stuart G. Ruth at the McHenry and Roberts Funeral Home in Granville, his body was taken to the Gardner Earl Memorial in Troy for cremation, with final interment in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn.

References:

• Obituary: "James W. Gillespie, 89, Dies at Middle Granville," newspaper obituary detailing his life, family background, education at North Granville Military Academy, properties, and funeral arrangements.
• Newspaper Report & Biographical Record: Middle Granville, N.Y. news dispatch (April 27) regarding his passing at Merevale, his lineage linking to Union College, his worldwide travels, and his three primary estates (El Fureidis, Monte Verde, and Merevale).
• Genealogical Records: Birth and death data citing his birth on February 11, 1865, in New York, his parents William Mitchell Gillespie and Harriet E. Gillespie (or Amelia Waldron Gillespie), and his passing in 1954 in Middle Granville, Washington, New York.
• Architectural & Historical Archives: Documentation concerning the commissioning and history of the Montecito estate El Fureidis, designed in collaboration with architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue.

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