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TRANSCRIPT
Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
John Edward “Ole Man” GillespieScouting was his life … Scoutmaster was his title.
_____________________________
Author
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Introducing: The Master
How do you begin a story about a man who influenced hundreds of boys, a Scouting
pioneer who brought each new Scouting innovation to Fort Worth, a master
psychologist who could instinctively determine what each Scout’s needs were. What
do you say about a simple man who rode a bike delivering messages at General
Dynamics (now Lockheed) but wielded tremendous influence to generations of boys. I
shall try to tell his story and the affect he had on hundreds of boys…including me.
The following is not so much a biography, but a testament of the magic of Scouting
and a man who was a master at it.
Man Of The House
When John Edward Gillespie was born on September 19, 1905, he was fortunate to have
both parents at home to tend to his needs. The family lived at 600 E. First Street close to
Downtown Fort Worth. John Jr. initially went to St. Ignatius School (next to St. Patrick’s
Cathedral) and then transferred to St. Mary’s during grade school years. Because of
modest family finances (and his fathers failing health at age 70), he never attended high
school. To help his family, he would trudge door to door selling vegetables for a local
grocer, and in doing so, met and learned of the circumstances of other families. He
developed an empathy towards boys who were experiencing the same struggle he had -
gnawing helplessness masked by the sad, forlorn face of inevitability. How could he
escape this? As he grew older, his eagerness and willingness to work led to better paying
jobs. His younger brother, Robert, also began to contribute by selling produce just as
John Jr. did at an earlier age.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
John Jr began to take an interest in the Knights of Columbus (KCs) by visiting the KC
Hall on 1004 Lamar Street in downtown Ft Worth. KC members had provided him odd
jobs, had been responsible for many kindnesses, and were majestic figures when the
Fourth Degree Knights wore the ceremonial robes like knights at a king’s court. They
were active at St. Patrick’s Church and seemed involved in every facet of the Catholic
community, from the upkeep of a church, to helping find homes for orphans or
conducting a monthly dinner for its membership…these were truly chivalrous men
who were beacons of light to a young man searching for role models.
1920’s era. Knights of Columbus Hall for Council 759 in downtown Ft Worth. Troop 32 was chartered here and met on a weekly basis.Reverend Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus order to provide a system for fraternal insurance that could apply to widows and orphans of members; to provide fellowship amongst its members; to aid the cause of religion; and to perform charitable, educational and patriotic works for the benefit of their fellow men and their nation.
Asthma, partial deafness, and arteriosclerosis were among frailties his father endured
from his Civil War years. John Edward recognized the acute difference between what his
father could do and what the other fathers could do. This insight allowed him to see his
mother’s diminishing health (see Appendix). She was 50 when he was 10. He grew
stronger as she got weaker. He had become a man of depth beyond his
years. The Civil War stories his father told now meant more to him. The pride and
compassion of his mother were traits his scouts were to see in him time and again. Strict
observance of Catholicism by the local priest offered lessons he cherished. Learning
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
adult secrets at a young age imparted in him a wisdom easily given as advice to boys who
would later see him as a second father. For a boy who never made it to high school,
fate was molding him for a destiny no one could anticipate.
Father Park, a priest at St. Mary’s church, had often asked John about becoming a
priest. He had wondered if this was his life’s mission or if God had intended
him for some other calling. Fate, however, seemed to intercede between him and the
“cloth.” The incontinence of his father and the meager wages from his Confederate
pension were circumstances presented to John Edward at an early age making him the
man of the house. Hard work as a chamber maid took a daily toll on his mother as he
would rub her sore back at the end of the day. These vivid memories would deeply affect
him as a young boy and caused him to push himself to assume responsibilities beyond his
years.
K C Council 759 was celebrating its 20th Anniversary when John Jr joined. That
association would expand his world beyond that of his family. It felt good for him, as a
Knight, to deliver gifts that improved life for others. The sparkle in an orphan’s eyes
when he brought the child a doll reflected the way he had felt as the recipient of
kindnesses. Although his life found new meaning, it was not enough to satisfy an inner
hunger. When he was not working full time or caring for his mother, he volunteered as a
Knight of Columbus (KC).
It was not until the 1922 Texas Knights of Columbus Convention had officially adopted
the Boy Scouts as its program for boys that he had honestly considered Scouting as a
viable concern. Eager to explore but untested as a new KC, Council 759 selected him
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
to be one of several members who would participate in a class called “Boy Guidance.”
“Boyology”, or “Boy Guidance,” was fundamental training of outdoor skills and the
Scouting method for interested adults who would create new Scout units. While Brother
Circa 1920’sBrother Barnabas, F.S.C, was appointedNational BSA Special Field Commissioner during 1924. He established “10 Day Camp Schools in Boy Leadership” at the University of Notre Dame (South Bend,IN), Columbia University (Portland, OR), Regis College (Denver, CO), Benedictine College (Savannah, GA), and St Edward’s University in Austin, Tx. He established a post graduate “Boyology” degree of 30 hours that was conducted at the University of Notre Dame. The first class of 18 graduated during 1926.
Barnabas F.S.C. was convalescing from a heart condition in Fort Worth while on
his way to establish a “Boyology” course at St. Edwards University in Austin, Tx.
Gillespie had a chance to meet him and develop an interest in his boy guidance work.
Partially supported by the K.C. State Convention and through K.C. Council 759, John Jr.
took part in a weekend course at Camp Shuman (northwest Fort Worth) and followed that
up with a 10 = day course at St. Edwards University during July 1927. What he didn’t
know was that his moment of truth was about to arrive. Just as the knights of old, his
quest for a knightly deed would be rewarded by a Scouting program which was then only
17 years old. The Chivalrous Knight and the Pied Piper of Scouting would soon join
forces to capture the imagination of young men.
The Pied Piper of Scouting
It was as if an orchestra leader were conducting the actions of each section until they
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
blend together as one sound. John Jr’s dedication to Scouting was the inevitable result of
many paths converging into one true trail: his mother, almost a widow; he almost an
orphan; a desperate life with only the necessities; his humble appreciation for the
Knights of Columbus; the patriotism of his father; the worldly injustices he would
see firsthand; the search to find his life’s avocation. Although each of these led him
slowly to Scouting, none on their own might have proven the deciding factor.
Circa 1930. John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie. He was known as the “Pied Piper” of Scouting as there were few boys who could resist his infectious enthusiasm. He was a second father to many. During the 1970’s, one of his troubled scouts ran away from home. No one knew where to find the boy but Gillespie knew. He and one of his Eagle Scouts drove out to Worth Ranch and began calling the boy’s name. After an hour of calling throughout the camp, the hungry boy walked out of the woods in his Scout uniform and Gillespie took him home.
What he experienced during a weekend “Boyology” course was enough for him to
explore further. The basic program outlined by a trained BSA professional would
invigorate his mind with the possibilities it might offer in Fort Worth. Cooking,
camping, and leadership skills were fodder for his active mind to dwell upon. Gillespie
compared notes with KC Charles Gomer and KC W.E.Cortty about how they could
introduce Scouting to the four Catholic parishes of Fort Worth.
Catholic Scout youth membership exploded as nothing before or since could match the
weekly meeting programs and the monthly camp-outs on land once traversed by
Comanche Indians. Each boy could advance through the Scout ranks according to his
own rate. Boys of little consequence were being introduced to skills they would have
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
never had the opportunity to experience if it were not for the doors opened by Scouting.
Adventures they had read about in Huckleberry Finn now became reality as the troop
would hike to Lake Worth and fish, swim or camp overnight in shelters at Camp
Shuman. They became masters of their own destiny as they learned to plan their own
adventures. Since John Jr had been deprived of much of his childhood, he found it very
fulfilling to relive it through the boys of Troops 19 and 32.
Scouting would become the tool to overcome many negative influences that were
becoming prevalent in a young man’s life. Joined with the fraternal mission of
the KCs, they complemented each other’s goal for future humanity. So on March
10, 1927, he became Scoutmaster of Troop 19 and on March 17, 1927, assistant
Scoutmaster of Troop 32. Despite the official registrations reflecting his role, in reality,
he served as Scoutmaster for both units. The first Scoutmaster of Troop 32, Charles
Gomer, had a bad leg and could not lead the troop on camp-outs. Officially, John Edward
Gillespie became the Scoutmaster of Troop 32 in 1929.
Worth Ranch“The Big Adventure”
One of the events that solidified the Scouting way in Troop 32 was the opening of
Worth Ranch in Palo Pinto County, 60 miles west of Fort Worth. During 1929, Dan
Beard, one of the BSA’s founders, visited Camp Shuman and pronounced it “too
civilized.” Longhorn Council Executives immediately began a search for new ground
that was as wild as they could get it. John Edward was part of the original expedition
visiting Worth Ranch property before it was purchased and constructed during 1930.
Rattlesnakes, remains of Indian mounds, and legends surrounding Kyle Mountain made it
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
“The Big Adventure.”
Circa 1931. Worth Ranch Summer Camp. Scouts of Troop 32 would line their encampment with rocks for walkways between tents, camp shelters and the latrine. Troop 32 Comanche Patrol members (L to R)R. Q. Harris, Emmet Cook, James Hagan, and Joe Milam.
Worth Ranch became the beloved camp of Troop 32. In fact, a fraternity was formed
(pre-cursor of the Order of the Arrow in Longhorn Council) among several units that
created special ceremonies, written minutes of meetings in “pig latin,” and annual
Thanksgiving camp-outs where huge feasts were prepared. It was called the “Cactus
Honor Fraternity” or “CHF.” Because cactus proved a frequent hazard at Worth Ranch,
the slogan “We Stick!” was appropriate as both a warning and a rallying cry. Inducted
Scouts would be sworn to secrecy and conduct activities separate from the troop. Each
CHF member was sworn to the survival of Troop 32 and bound by his word to glorify the
legend of Worth Ranch. Tradition has it that a wooden chest with Troop 32 memorabilia
was buried by the CHF in one of the old caves that can be found at Worth Ranch.
During the early 1930’s, when John Jr. was barely in his twenties, the boys were hiking at
Worth Ranch when he fell and hurt his leg. A crutch fashioned from a tree branch
let him continue the hike even though limping badly. From this event, the boys began
calling him “Ole Man” after a popular song of the era. Although just a few years older
than some of his Scouts, the nickname stuck. In fact, during the last years of his life,
most Scouters throughout the Longhorn Council only knew him as “Ole Man.”
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Circa 1930’s. Troop 32’s older scouts who were members of the CHF, with John Jr’s participation and approval, created initiations where each Scout would be given a new fraternal name. Seen here hiking at Worth Ranch and “emptying their boots of river water” are CHF members, L to R. James Gregg, Tip Crouch, Leo Phillips, unknown, Bill Patton.
As “Ole Man” and Robert E. Lee Gillespie, his brother, acquired better jobs, they were
able to purchase a gas station and permanently move their father out of the Confederate
Home in Austin back to Fort Worth. Times were good for the first several years they
became involved in Scouting. The Gillespie brothers bought and ran the first
three-pump gas station in Fort. Worth. Their father visited the station often and would
treat customers to stories of his Texas Ranger days or to his exploits in the Civil War as a
part of the Texas 6th Cavalry.
Veteran Scout leaders began to notice J. E. Gillespie’s ability to inspire Scouts from each
unit he led to achieve Eagle Scout in Troop 32, Outfit 32 (older scouts), Troop 19, and
Ship 19. Scouts were given the opportunity to create their own newsletter called the
Trek Cart (named after a cart used to carry food provisions at camp). Eagle
Scout Bill Davis gained notoriety by being included in a number of Star - Telegram
stories when BSA official Dan Beard visited Fort Worth, winning a bugle contest and
becoming one of the first staff members to work at Worth Ranch during its opening year,
1930. Troop 32 also won its share of council events in which units from around town
would compete in first aid, orienteering, or general Scout skills.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Scoutmaster of two troops, 16 Eagle Scouts in 16 years, and invaluable service to Scouting during the war years resulted in the selection of Gillespie for the Silver Beaver Award. A. L. Shuman presents the award during ceremonies conducted in 1944.
Note: As patriotic as he was, Gillespie was rejected from military service because he had flat feet. However, he volunteered at home in a “civil patrol” capacity since the Axis powers regarded Fort Worth as the No. 2 military target in America.
Throughout his storied career, Ole Man worked with approximately 1,400 boys of all
circumstances from 1927-1976. He wasn’t a “degreed” psychologist, he just became
one.
The Great Depression and War
Innovation was paramount in the early days of Scouting. During the Great Depression,
when money to buy gasoline was short, Gillespie once met with the Fort Worth
Sanitation Dept. to ask if Troop 32 Scouts could ride the garbage trucks down Jacksboro
Highway and walk the remainder of the way to Camp Shuman. This agreement allowed
Scouts of Ship 19 to sail the “high seas” on a 17 foot Lightning Class Sailboat on Lake
Worth almost every weekend.
Troop 19 consisted of boys from St. Mary’s while Troop 32 was from boys at St
Patrick’s. Since “Ole Man” Gillespie was Scoutmaster of both Troops, a merger
occurred in 1939 when Troop 19 Scouts were absorbed by Troop 32.
Although Fort Worth seemed to be shielded from many of the effects of the Great
Depression, few scouts were able to buy a full uniform. Scoutmaster Gillespie would
ask for donations at KC meetings and each Scout family would do its best to provide
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
what they could. Try as they might, the troop committee would always ask Gillespie how
much he spent on providing uniforms or equipment so they could reimburse him, but
they never received a bill. Scouts would show up with the essentials, go on camp-outs,
and begin to see Gillespie as a “second father” since he often had to cover some of their
food expenses. Early on, he began the practice of registering boys from St Theresa’s
Orphanage as members of the troop and ensuring they were able to go on camp-outs.
In 1934, word of a great new adventure trickled down to each Scout – a BSA National
Jamboree! “Ole Man” and several Scouts from the troop already had their train tickets
and were about to depart when the 1935 National Jamboree was cancelled due to a polio
epidemic. However, John Jr. attended the 1937 National Scout Jamboree in a larger-
than-life experience that featured a parade for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, visits to
Valley Forge, PA. and tours of Washington, D.C. This was the first of eight jamborees
In which he would be an official participant or visitor.
As America emerged from the Depression, the thrum of war drums sounded and World
War II began. Patriotic fervor flooded through Troop 32. Members of the troop
volunteered for the military, participated in scrap metal drives, and helped sell war bonds.
Several Scouts were recruited for “emergency mobilization” if a Nazi spy was successful
in bombing one of the military installations around Fort Worth.
“Ole Man” Gillespie helped obtain a place in history for a young troop member, Charles
Bush. Secrecy was paramount and Charles had shown he was patriotic through his
participation in the military emergency response effort. Charles was invited to serve on
staff at Worth Ranch but asked to come 2 weeks early. When he arrived, he learned it
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
was a secret military training exercise involving “water rescue” methods for downed
pilots in the Pacific Ocean. Hopefully, this top secret “train the trainer” exercise saved
many pilots.
World War II sea battles proved a driving force behind Sea Scout Ship 19 and another
leadership challenge for Gillespie. No one is sure how but he talked a local
restaurant owner into purchasing a 17-foot Lightning-Class sailboat for the Scouts to sail
every weekend on Lake Worth.
December 1946. Ship 19 Officer of the Deck Charles Bush (left) received the Quartermaster Award (Sea Scout equivalent to Eagle Scout) from Scouter Sam Collier.
Disaster was narrowly averted when Mr Gillespie took the Troop on a sailing adventure using a Longhorn Council sailboat on a warm November day in the 1940’s. Scouts were dressed for warm weather whena “blue norther” arrived late afternoon. Charles skippered the sailboat while boys were huddled next to a stove. High winds, water was coming over the side and ice began accumulating. Unfortunately, the main mast split but respect for “Ole Man” ensured there were no lasting repercussions.
Gillespie and the Scouts of Ship 19 christened their sailboat…”The Santa Maria,” (the
‘Hail Mary’ to honor Christ’s mother). She was moored at Camp Shuman where naval
protocol was the order of the day. Scouts had to salute to board the sailboat, address the
captain as “Officer of the Deck,” and follow orders as they prepared to shove off. When
there was a new member, Mr. Gillespie or officer Charles Bush would visit the “brig” in
downtown Fort Worth. Since Sea Scout uniforms were very close to navy uniforms,
they often found throwaways in the brig from sailors who had gotten in a fight and torn
theirs up. With mothers wielding a needle and thread, the boys quickly had uniforms.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Circa 1940’s (left). Advisor Gillespie sporting a Sea Scout Leader uniform jacket.
Aviation Merit Badge flight from Meacham Field to Carter Field. Troop 32 Scouts returned by bus.
Emmet Cook, a Troop 32 Eagle Scout who became a U.S. Army Air Force pilot, was shot
down in Germany and sent to a concentration camp named Stalag 17. He helped
dig the “escape” tunnels portrayed in the movie, The Great Escape. Unfortunately, the
British pilots escaped but the American pilots missed their opportunity when the
Germans moved the American pilots a few weeks before the tunnels were ready.
Come To The Altar of God
Rev. James Dolan, from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was the creator of the Catholic
Scouting Emblem – Ad Altare Dei (Latin for “To the altar of God”). When the Ad
Altare Dei Award was approved by the National BSA, Scoutmaster Gillespie was one of
the first to promote it among the Scouts. In fact, Scouts of Troop 32 during the 1940s to
early 1960s would only be considered “Top Scouts” if boys earned their Eagle Scout, Ad
Altare Dei (or other denominations’ religious awards), achieve Order of the Arrow and
were voted in as members of the Cactus Honor Fraternity. Scouts of Troop 32 were the
first known awardees during ceremonies at St. Patrick’s Church in 1944.
As a part of the requirements, Scouts had to take a “pilgrimage” to a local religious site.
John would organize these trips. During one historic visit in the 1950’s, he was able
to arrange an airline “flight” from Fort Worth to Dallas where the Fort Worth Scouts
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
visited Jesuit High School. Trips to the seminary in San Antonio or visits to the
Carmelite nuns in Fort Worth (now in Arlington) were among pilgrimages arranged.
Circa 1944. Rev Tschoeppe presents the Ad Altare Dei Award to Troop 32 Scouts (L to R) Eugene Witkowski (future priest), Charles Bush, and Larry Jo Rich. Mr. Gillespie arranged for Rev Tschoeppe and other priests to drive the bus each summer when the troop would attend Worth Ranch. Troop 32 would stay two weeks for summer camp, families would visit during the “middle” weekend and Catholic Mass was said in the Worth Ranch Chapel. Rev. Tschoeppe later became bishop of the Diocese of Dallas.
Postwar Exploring & the Order of the Arrow
“Ole Man” was a pioneer in each new program the BSA would introduce. Outfit 32,
Ship 19, and Air Squadron 32 were postwar innovations that Ole Man would introduce to
local Scouts. As a result of the resurgence in the Exploring program, Gillespie led a
group of Scouts to Philmont Scout Ranch where they backpacked through the mountains.
Circa 1950’s. Tom Crider achieved the Silver Award in Air Squadron 32 during the 1950’s. The Silver Award in Air Scouts is equivalent to Eagle Scout.
Scoutmaster Gillespie counted on the older Scouts to run the troop so a reward for their service would be “trips of a lifetime” during the summer. Scouts earned the Shiloh Historic Trail Award (a Tennessee Civil War Battlefield) as an example of one summer program that was completed.
Robert Gillespie had become interested in movie cameras and taught young Frank
Donnelly the craft of shooting 16mm movies and still pictures with a 35 MM camera
during the 1950’s. Because of this, footage of President Eisenhower and Vice President
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Richard Nixon appears in troop archives when they visited the 1960 National Jamboree.
John Jr. led Scouts to the 1950 (Valley Forge), 1953 (Irvine Calif. Ranch), and 1957
(Valley Forge) National Jamborees. Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout award in
Troop 32, Silver Award in Air Squadron 32, and the Quartermaster Award in Sea Scouts
during the Ship 19 era.
One of the greatest tributes to the influence of John Edward Ole Man Gillespie came in
the simplest of acts. Troop 32 was growing and it needed its own facility. Never to be
undone by a perceived problem, he conducted a campaign to have a Scout hut
built on the property owned by KC Council 759 at the corner of 10th (Street) and Collier
near downtown Ft. Worth. With the help of a professional architect, a
construction supervisor overseeing the work, volunteers who built the structure,
and a city official ensured it passed inspection the final cost came to $150 (almost all
work and materials was donated). The Scout hut contained adequate chairs, a ping pong
table, and a pool table. It had its own air conditioning and a refrigerator. It was
dedicated by Monsignor Langenhorst on February 17, 1953, in ceremonies that also
honored 10 Ad Altare Dei recipients and one Eagle Scout. The structure was used on a
weekly basis until 1992 when Troop 32 moved to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in
Keller, Texas.
In 1952, the first Order of the Arrow Lodge came to Longhorn Council. John Edward
was among the charter members of Nishkin Lodge 489. Although the CHF had
similar foundations, it merged with the nationally-adopted OA organization.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Circa 1956. (L to R) Chief Wilson, O. P. Leonard and Albert O’Neal. Exploring Advisor Gillespie was an Order of the Arrow Lodge 489 Charter Member. Soon, Scouts of Post 32 would hold many of the OA Committee Chairman positions as well as the office of Lodge Chief. After having joined the Lodge 489 Dance Team and winning the national dance team competition during 1955, Troop 32 Eagle Scout Albert O’Neal was elected Lodge 489 Chief in 1956.
During 1958, John was appointed chairman of the Catholic Committee on
Scouting (CCS) in the Fort. Worth Deanery (part of Dallas Diocese at the time) to
organize the Scouting religious emblems process for Bishop Gorman. He was
instrumental in creating the annual Scouting religious emblem ceremonies, recruiting
members of each Catholic-sponsored unit to participate, and ensuring Fort. Worth had a
vibrant program. Whether it was fate or divine providence, two legends in Scouting met
during 1960 – J. E. Ole Man Gillespie and Bob Connelly. Bob, newly transferred
from Buffalo, NY, was interested in programs of the Catholic Committee within the Fort.
Worth area. Once established in his new home, Bob brought the idea of organizing an
annual Boy Scout retreat while J. E. Gillespie had the charisma to ensure virtually every
Catholic unit would support and attend it. Soon after, the first annual diocesan Boy Scout
retreat was announced and had members from every Longhorn Council Catholic-
sponsored unit as well as Scouts from around the area.
1975 Boy Scout Retreat “blessing of the Troop 32 Trailer.” Rev. Scantlin conducts a ceremonial blessing while attending the retreat. Ten of the 12 boys pictured here either were or became Eagle Scout within two years.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
When the Fort. Worth Deanery became a diocese during the 1970s, Catholic Scouting
arrived at its zenith. The new diocese boasted of vibrant Scout troops at almost every
large parish, there were dozens of boys receiving the Ad Altare Dei emblem, and the Boy
Scout retreat was heavily attended. It was with great joy that Ole Man saw a former
Troop 32 Eagle Scout and Ad Altare Dei recipient, Rev. Joe Scantlin, return to Scouting
as the official diocesan chaplain of the Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Circa 1950’s. Fr. Joe Scantlin celebrated his second mass as a priest with Troop 32 at Todd Campsite, Worth Ranch. “St. Todd” was the name coined by the Scouts since mass services were held there on occasion. Fr. Joe Scantlin, Fr. Eugene Witkowski, Fr. Joe Schumacher, Fr. Nichols, and Fr. Tim Thompson were Scouts who became priests during Mr. Gillespie’s tenure as Scoutmaster of Troop 32.
At the retreats, CCS Chairman Gillespie was instrumental in bringing Scouts of all
denominations into greater spiritual renewal because Baptist and Methodist ministers
would also attend the event and offer services for Scouts of these denominations on
Sunday morning. In fact, this practice led to several non-Catholic volunteers receiving the
highest Catholic Scouting honor for adults – the St George Award. In 1959, Bishop
Gorman presented Ole Man Gillespie with the St. George Award bestowed by the
National Catholic Committee on Scouting.
The 50th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America ushered in Scouting’s most
historic era. Although he was wary of serving as Cubmaster of Pack 32 because
Cub Scouts were not allowed to go camping during this era, he occupied the top position
of this unit for several years. There was now Pack 32, Post 32, and Troop 32 with large
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
memberships and Scouts achieving great deeds at every level. Highlight of the 50th
Anniversary for Troop 32 was the 1960 National Jamboree that saw Mr. Gillespie and
eight Scouts for Troop 32 attending.
1960 National Jamboree. Quartermaster Gillespie provided adult leadership for the official Longhorn Council Contingent Troop that traveled by train from Ft. Worth to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Eight scouts from Troop 32 attended: (L to R) standing;Jim Sawey, Bob Sawey, Ken Hartman, Bill Benthien, “Ole Man” GillespieKneeling; Frank Donnelly, Mike Perdue, Andy Perdue, Andrew Donnelly
For his selfless service to the OA, John was selected for Vigil Honor during 1961
and was given an Indian name, “Ma To,”meaning “Grizzly.” At this juncture, he had
been given the highest award in almost every category, his leadership had supported
exemplary units in every field, and his reputation throughout the council was second to
none. These factors led to a singular honor which has not been eclipsed within
Longhorn Council to this day, a campsite dedicated to a living Scouter.
40th Anniversary
A special relationship had grown between Kirk Henry, Longhorn Council Scout
Executive, and the “Ole Man.” Kirk Henry reveled in Mr. Gillespie’s stories about his
Texas Ranger father and his World War II Scouting experiences and the “can do” attitude
that he exhibited. When Mr. Henry heard that the troop was secretly planning on a 40th
Anniversary celebration that would also honor his unequaled devotion, he became a very
special part of it. A big supporter of dedicating a campsite to John Edward at
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Worth Ranch, Kirk also assembled a “book” that included all Gillespie’s unit
registrations since 1927 as a presentation at the event.
(Left), Jack Keeton Longhorn Council Executive, presents papers confirming Ole Man Campsite at Worth Ranch.
(Right) CCS Chaplain Rev Moran awards 40 Year Veteran pin.
Captain Frank Kidd, legendary Camp Ranger at Worth Ranch, was present and led a
song as well as Scoutmaster Benediction. Al Maday, Grand Knight Council 759,
presented a 40th Anniversary Veteran Flag.
Monsignor Langenhorst, along with the CCS Chaplain Rev. Moran, conducted the
invocation and presentation of the 40-year pin to Mr. Gillespie. Don Sullivan, Post 32
Advisor, conducted the Eagle Court of Honor while Post 32 President Noel Trudeau led
the Scout Court of Honor. A poignant moment came when Judge Crouch (1930 Troop
32 Eagle Scout) read several letters from Scouts overseas and across the country
congratulating him on a stellar career. The final and lasting tribute was the
announcement that a campsite would be dedicated at Worth Ranch in his name.
Construction of the campsite began in earnest following the 40th Anniversary Court of
Honor. Charles Bush, Troop 32 Eagle Scout and Quartermaster honoree of Ship 19, was
main architect of the fund raising, design, and overseer of work on the proposed
campsite.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Circa 1967. Troop 32 Eagle Scout Ken Haidusek, Post 32 Eagle Scout Noel Trudeau, and Pack 32 Cub Scout Peter Dunton presented the plaque which would be mounted on the altar at “Ole Man” Gillespie Campsite at Worth Ranch.
The most striking physical landmarks of Ole Man Campsite were also the heart and soul
of its presence at Worth Ranch. Post 32 Eagle Scout Noel Trudeau had worked in
masonry the summer before so he crafted the dedication ring with a great degree of skill.
Over approximately 40 foot by 60 foot area, he used native rock to construct a 12-inch
wall in the form of a universal Scout Badge or fleur di lis. The highest point of the
Scout Badge pointed north with the three points of the Scout Oath represented by
flagpoles for the U.S, Texas, and troop flag. At the southern end of the Scout Badge, an
altar of native rock and reinforced steel rose from the ground. A podium was constructed
out of the trunk of a mesquite tree and a clipboard was secured to it. The final piece was
the 40th anniversary plaque that was cemented to another Scout Badge constructed with
native rock and cement. This three-foot-by-three-foot Scout Badge leaned against the
altar. This dedication site may still be found on the southwest side of the campsite.
Campsite Dedication
The dedication of Ole Man Campsite was held on Sunday, June 30, 1968. Mass was
concelebrated by Monsignor Gene Witkowski and Father Joe Scantlin. Troop 32 was the
first unit to camp at the newly dedicated campsite. All visitors were greeted by a
gateway sign which read “Ole Man Gillespie Campsite.” A buffet lunch entertained the
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
100-plus visitors who attended the dedication as Scoutmater Gillespie greeted everyone
in his “office,” a plain summer camp wall tent with a few lawn chairs. The dedication
site was consecrated by two Catholic priests, a Jewish Rabbi and a Protestant minister
and has always been considered a sacred place similar to that of the Worth Ranch Chapel.
Hail stones have pockmarked the dedication plaque and there have been several
restorations since that day but the campsite has always had an almost spiritual meaning to
the alumni of Troop 32. For those who knew Scoutmaster Gillespie, it remains a fitting
tribute to a living legend and a testament to his devotion to scouts.
(Left) Patch commemorating dedication ceremonies.
(Right) Campsite Gateway as seen after 1994 restoration.
One might think that 40 years as Scoutmaster would be a moment to retire from Scouting.
However, he was ready for more challenges. Veteran Scouter Gillespie was instrumental
in registering the first co-ed Explorer into Longhorn Council Post 32 during “swearing
in” ceremonies in 1970. Pat Perdue became post president and helped steer Co-ed
Post 32 for almost a decade.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
(Left) 1970s. Troop 32 Christmas Party at the old Scout Hut near downtown Ft. Worth.
(Right) Recognized with Equitable Good Citizen Award.
During the 1970s, Mr. Gillespie retired from General Dynamics and volunteered full
time as Scoutmaster and Knight of Columbus (see Appendix C). He began to suffer
vision problems from cataracts that affected both eyes so some of his Scouts began to
chauffuer him between his home and Scout meetings. Mrs. Irene Herring, a registered
nurse (see picture below), and former Pack 32 Cubmaster, became Troop 32’s First Aid
merit badge counselor but was unique for her contribution to Scouting. She began to
drive Ole Man to various district and council meetings and so one day he filled out a Boy
Scout Adult Application for her. Since women were not allowed to register in Boy
Scouts at that time, he penciled in a new category on the application; “Scout Person.”
Circa 1970’s. Troop 32 Scouts Tom Smith and Tom Perdue administer First Aid to Assistant Scoutperson Irene Herring during Scout Show. Mrs. Herring went on to become the first Longhorn Council “Scoutperson” to complete Woodbadge, serve on Wood Badge Staff, conduct the Boy Scout Retreat as Retreatmaster, be elected to the Diocesan CCS Chairmanship, selected for National Jamboree and World Jamboree Staff, and assist with revisions of training materials for the NCCS.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
She became the first officially registered woman serving in troop leadership in Longhorn
Council. From a culture which had previously shunned the registrations of women in a
Boy Scout troop to a pioneer Scouter who famously broke down all Scouting
barriers...she became the first woman to receive the Silver Beaver Award (highest award
a council can bestow on a volunteer). If it were not done by Mr. Gillespie, it could not
have been done by anyone else for several more years.
Twilight of a Legend
It was not unusual for Scouts from other troops to approach Troop 32 Scouts and ask
about Ole Man Gillespie. They would ask to meet him, say hello and walk away with a
feeling they had just met a legend. He had been a participant in every innovation since
the birth of Scouting … but he found time to add a new one – Scouting for the Deaf!
The Knights of Columbus in Texas pioneered deaf sign language classes for the
hearing impaired. This enabled greater participation of deaf families in society. Ole
Man, George Perdue, and William Harmuth championed another feat – the first deaf
Scout troop in the country. Deaf Scout Troop 432, chartered during 1973, met on deaf
language class nights and existed for a decade under the leadership of Scoutmaster
George Perdue with support from Mr. Gillespie. However, with the failing health of
both men, the unit eventually became inactive.
Troop 32’s 45th Anniversary stood out as a special occasion; with it came a court of
honor which included nine Eagle Scout awards, a special issue 45th Anniversary Patch,
and numerous newspaper articles about Scoutmaster J. E. Gillespie.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
He willingly took on many tasks that the Longhorn Council asked of him. One was
trying to organize a new troop on the south side of Ft Worth. To do this, he gathered
Troop 32 early one Saturday morning with all the noise makers they could
bring and he led a parade through several neighborhoods in that part of town. Curious
prospective Scouts were told to meet at the local church. Presto, that morning, a new
troop took shape.
Ole Man led four scouts from his troop on what would be his last national jamboree. It
was held at Farrugut State Park in Idaho. Bob Hope flew in by helicopter to the 40,000
Scout arena show and Burl Ives closed it with a lively song. Troop 32 Scouts were
members of the official Longhorn Council contingent which traveled by chartered bus.
(Left ) Departing for 1973 National Jamboree as SubCamp 13 Cook Staff.
(Right) Troop 32 Scouts pose with Ole Man at Lake Pend Oreille.
On the return trip, the group visited Philmont Scout Ranch and witnessed a sunset of
“purple mountain majesty” as sung in the Philmont Hymn. This brief visit later inspired
Troop 32 to conduct a 25 plus year annual tradition of Scouts participating in an
expedition, horse trek, or winter Philmont experience.
Mr. Gillespie underwent a cataract operation immediately following the 1973 National
Jamboree. For a long time, he could not see well enough to cook on his stove to ensure a
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
diet when his Scouts were not around. Meals-on-Wheels assisted during this time and his
Scouts helped just about every weekend. He used to say, “I’m blind in one eye and can’t
see out of the other!” to put a happy face on his predicament.
Troop 32 grew like Texas cactus and so did the equipment needed to support it. Since the
troop had always purchased tents for everyone to use, storage became an issue. After the
purchase of new tents, John successfully lobbied for the construction of a new Troop
32 trailer. Diocesan CCS Chaplain Fr. Joe Scantlin blessed the trailer during the 1975
Boy Scout Retreat. It served the troop well for almost 20 years.
It was as if a “father” was seeing his work for the last time when Scoutmaster Gillespie
attended the 1975 15th Anniversary Boy Scout Retreat at Camp Leonard near
Granbury, Tx. Former Scouts were leading troops of their own, a former Scout was
diocesan chaplain, and a current Scout was about to pursue his vocation of becoming a
priest (Rev. Tim Thompson). This retreat was an unusually festive occasion because
many of the original Scoutmasters who supported the early Catholic Scouting movement
were still attending.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Unfortunately, following this event, “Ole Man” was diagnosed with cancer and passed
away on January 16, 1976. A man who had dedicated his life to others left behind
hundreds of bereaved Scouters, parents, and his greatest treasures – the boys of Troop 32.
Although his modest job was delivering messages at General Dynamics (now
Lockheed Martin) by bike. he had become a legend in every facet of Scouting for the 49
years he walked the trails of Scouting. His funeral testified to his quiet dedication as the
Fort Worth Police Chief, city, military, and Longhorn Council dignitaries attended the
Catholic mass as well as burial ceremonies in the bitter cold winds of January.
The aftermath of his funeral saw memorials in Longhorn Council that have not been
surpassed even now; the 1976 Boy Scout Retreat and patch were dedicated to him, the
1976 Lodge 489 Conclave was named after him, the 1976 Eagle Scout Dinner bore his
name, and accolades lasted throughout the year.
His Legacy
Through the annals of time, men may be measured by the influence they have had on
others and the lasting tributes afforded them. Although he had no inclination or
aspirations toward higher position or accolade, the manner in which he carried himself
26
Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
brought to him a great deal of fraternal love and popularity amongst his peers. To scores
of youth, he gave what they needed him to be in their most impressionable time of life.
Mr. Gillespie didn’t set out to be anything other than a man who helped mold young men.
He never was given to bragging or putting himself above any other. His sole interest was
in the boy, any boy….because he welcomed the orphans, the rich, the poor, and the
troubled. The adult who came forward with the plans for constructing Ole Man Campsite
was one of his Scouts from the 1940s who was an orphan that loved him like a father.
Because he was a father to many who needed him to be. Scouts from St. Theresa’s
Orphanage in Fort Worth, the Lena Pope Home in Fort Worth, and poor scouts from the
North Side were welcomed. No one will ever know how much of his own money he
spent on outfitting Scouts who only had a few changes of clothes, or in obtaining
equipment they couldn’t afford, and lend his own blankets during campouts that
turned cold. This was not what he became, this is what he was from the very beginning.
Through my research of official Troop 32 registrations dating back to the 1920’s, dozens
of scouts with different last names had the same address …. St Theresa’s Orphanage,
temporary homes, etc.
Ole Man’s influence on Troop 32 produced five catholic priests, two Baptist Ministers,
three judges, two lawyers, five former Scouts who became Scoutmasters, nine Scouters
who became Grand Knights of Council 759, four former Scouters who became
chairmen of the Catholic Committee on Scouting. He also helped form over 90 Eagle
Scouts and over 70 Ad Altare Dei awardees. He gave his nickname to a campsite on a
wooded knoll on the way up to Kyle Mountain at Worth Ranch where new generations of
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
boys may appreciate a legacy hard to live up to when they say…”I’m camping at Ole
Man Campsite.”
Troop 32 50th Anniversary (1977)
Ole Man must have been smiling when March 1977 ushered in the 50th Anniversary
celebration of Troop 32. There was great joy and storytelling as the man who brought
us all together was never far from our thoughts. Bishop Tschoeppe of Dallas, Bishop
Cassata from Ft Worth, the K.C. State Deputy Sonny Spaniel, Monsignor Langenhorst,
Longhorn Council Executive Jack Keeton, and a host of notables from far and wide
attended this landmark event in the history of Longhorn Council. Scouts from all units
Gillespie had led joined in the court of honor, a charter bus transported many to the
Catholic mass in the Worth Ranch Chapel the next day and the closing campfire in the
Worth Ranch Campfire ring that evening.
All of the men or women listed here started their Scouting in Troop 32 but later led other
Scouting units or organizations: Jim Sawey (Scoutmaster; chairman CCS), Charles Bush
(Double Eagle; AAD; architect of Ole Man Campsite), Ted Duncan (Scoutmaster),
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Fr. Scantlin (priest; diocesan chaplain, Eagle, AAD), Msgr. Witkowski (priest, Eagle,
AAD), Rev. Frank Walker (Eagle, Protestant minister), Doyle Lovelace (Post 32
Advisor), George Perdue (Scoutmaster; Cubmaster; chairman CCS), A. L. Crouch
(Eagle, Scoutmaster; judge), Fr. Thompson (Eagle; priest), Bill Felknor (Eagle;
professional Scouter), Irene Herring (chairman CCS), Msgr. Joe Schumacher (Eagle;
priest) Albert O’Neal (Eagle; Lodge Chief; post advisor; dance team advisor), Ken
Haidusek (Eagle; AAD, post advisor, Grand Knight), John Ryan (Eagle; AAD; post
advisor), Dick Meisch (Scoutmaster) and Rev. Charlie Jennings (Eagle; Protestant
Minister) were all Scouts or Scouters of John Edward Gillespie who continued his legacy
through the gift’s of their leadership to Scouting or the church.
Circa 1930. Members of the CHF from atop Kyle Mountain at Worth Ranch. This classic picture captures the Brazos River, distant mountain ranges, and the terrain just as it is today … a picture found in almost every Scout’s memory book after having camped at Worth Ranch.
Circa 1967. KC Max O’Neal, father of Eagle Scout and Lodge Chief Albert O’Neal, presents Gillespie with the sum total of all registrations for every unit he led, supported or created from 1927 to 1967. Unfortunately, many of these early records reflect handwritten registrations, missing pages for adult leadership, crossed out names, misspellings, etc. These registrations certify that Troop 32 may be the longest continuously registered Scout unit within the history of Longhorn Council. There are no “inactive” or interrupted years of service to date.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Awards and Tenure
Boy Scouts of America
Troop 32 1927-1976 ScoutmasterTroop 19 1927 -39 ScoutmasterTroop 432 1973- 76 Assistant ScoutmasterOutfit 32 1948- 52 AdvisorShip 19 1944- 48 Associate AdvisorAir Squadron 32 1957- 62 Associate AdvisorPack 32 1966- 67 CubmasterPost 32 1952- 57 Associate Advisor
Scouter’s Key 1934Silver Beaver 1942Philmont Trek 1951St. George Award 1959Vigil Honor 1961
Charter Member Order of the ArrowLodge 489 1952
Committee ChairmanCatholic Comm. on Scouting 1958
Co-founder of Boy Scout Retreat 1961
Only campsite dedicated to a living Scouter in his honorwithin Longhorn Council history 1968
95 Eagle Scouts 197671 Ad Altare Dei Awardees 1976
First OA Lodge 489 Conclavededicated to Scouter 1976
Only diocesan Boy Scout retreatdedicated to Scouter 1976
Participant or visitor to every national jamboree 1937-73
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Appendix A
Biography of Ole Man’s FatherJohn Ellison Gillespie
“A boy’s first hero is his father…”
But when your father who served in the Civil War and rode the plains as a
Texas Ranger, he forms almost a mythic ideal of him. A mythic ideal because his sons
only knew their father as an older man and an invalid in a Confederate Soldiers Home in
Austin, Texas. Although their dad was debilitated, his sons, John Jr. and Robert, had
plenty of evidence that their father was more than John Wayne on the big screen or the
Lone Ranger in comic books. John Ellison Gillespie was a patriot, a law enforcement
officer, and a symbol of an age where honor was paramount.
“Ole Man’s” father was born in 1844 when Sam Houston was president of the
Republic of Texas. Although born in Louisiana, his family moved to Texas during
the 1880’s when the Republic had recently become the 28th State. Opportunity,
adventure, and a great deal of unclaimed land beckoned those who would brave the
hardships of the pioneer life. Life was not without incident as neighbors and
friends were plagued by illness, killed by renegade Indians, or lost to the Civil War to
come. Stories of the Alamo, Davy Crockett, and Sam Houston were all part of their
schooling. He knew peaceful Indians and was curious of their ways as any young child.
Statehood brought a great influx of pioneers that challenged the ability of the Texas
Rangers to make the frontier safe. Feats of bravery became stories played out by John
and his brothers during those lonely days on the family farm in Central Texas.
“No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that’s in the right and keeps on a
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Comin” were words that had become the Texas Ranger creed. Farming was no life for
John as he took advantage of an opportunity to become a volunteer Ranger. Captain
Lawrence “Sul” Ross of the Frontier Regiment of Rangers selected John as a hardy
young individual despite the suspicion he had lied about his age. John protected the
frontier on the back of his own horse but did not have a uniform or standard badge. He
knew his duty as he courageously followed the righteousness of the law.
John Ellison Gillespie’s greatest claim to fame was his participation in the Battle of Pease
River which liberated famous Comanche captive, Cynthia Ann Parker. He had suddenly
become what he had imitated as a boy, a Texas Ranger linked with history.
Before the outset of the Civil War, independent thinkers from many southern states
helped turn sentiments to the Rebel Flag. War drums beat across the land as tensions
mounted. Ironically, the Civil War broke out just as John came of legal age to join the
Texas Cavalry.
So Private John Ellison Gillespie enlisted in the Confederate States of America (CSA)
cavalry on September 7, 1861 in Dallas, Texas. He was a member of Company G (also
known as “Dead Shot Rangers”) 6th Regiment of the CSA Texas Cavalry. Each
company consisted of 100 men and a regiment, 1,500. His “mustering” officer,
Colonel R. M. White, noted that Gillespie’s discipline, arms, and accoutrements were
good. He also mentioned that although his military appearance was respectable, he was
“almost without clothes.” As a member of Company G, John participated in training
exercises … alongside Sul Ross (future governor of Texas). Pete Ross, Sul’s brother,
(served as Company G Commander), while Legislator
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
J W Throckmorton (another future governor of Texas), served as captain of Company K.
John enjoyed the camaraderie of these legendary Texans. Although the 6th Texas
Cavalry was first mustered during 1861, it eventually came under the command of
“Sul” Ross on May 14, 1862. As part of the 6th Texas Cavalry, John was ordered to Fort
Smith, Arkansas, in late November 1861 where he participated in three engagements.
During March 1862, the 6th Cavalry was transferred east of the Mississippi River where
it took part in more than 82 various types of skirmishes, engagements, battles, etc.,
occurring in the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia. The bravery of Colonel
“Sul” Ross and the Texas Cavalry was heralded throughout the south. John was the
typical cavalryman who took part in military engagements and foraging for food near the
end of the war. On May 4, 1865, the 6th Texas Cavalry surrendered to U.S. Army Maj.
Gen. Canby and all members were subsequently paroled on May 13, 1865.
Later in life, John Ellison Gillespie would be overtaken by four major maladies as a result
of the war and he had to be admitted to the Confederate Home in Austin, Tx for invalid
veterans. A broken-hearted man began the twilight of his life miles from his family but
with the fellowship of men of the same consequences.
During the Texas Centennial State Fair in 1936, he was to be honored by the Texas
Governor as the last surviving member of the Quanah Parker Raid. A Hollywood movie
was about to premiere covering the Texas Rangers but John finally succumbed to his war
wounds one week before.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Appendix B
Sarah Gillespie“Pillar of Strength”
Sarah Gillespie (John Jr.’s. mother) arrived in Fort Worth, Texas, during November
1902. Sarah first worked as a chamber maid. She made new friends in the Ladies Club
at St. Patrick’s Church. Though of Irish descent, she was American born. Her Irish
devotion to the Catholic church and her American pioneer spirit were traits one would
later find in her two children. It was while Sarah was visiting a church social that she
became enamoured with a distinguished gentleman, John Gillespie.
His stature as a former Texas Ranger and veteran of the Civil War would have impressed
a new arrival in Texas. Since Sarah would have been familiar with the traditional
practice of Irish men marrying late in life, along with the forgiving allure of
romance, she looked past the physical debilities of her aging escort. He appeared as a
man straight out of history and the excitement of the old West. They were married
November 1904, barely two years after she first called Texas home. They made their
home in Fort Worth. John began working as an electrician while Sarah was busied
herself making a home. The happy couple were enjoying day-to-day wedded bliss when
they were blessed wth wonderful news, a child was on its way. Soon afterward, a second
son arrived to complete the family.
In their youth, each boy could not realize the barely perceptible encroachment of
physical debilities of their father. He suffered from four major maladies: arterio-
sclerosis, asthma, incontinence, and partial deafness. John Jr. was only nine years old
when the realities of his father’s old age came to their home at 1109 E Annie, Fort Worth.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
On November 14, 1914, John Ellison Gillespie filed for admission to the Texas
Confederate in Austin, Tx. Home for Men and was approved, examined, and admitted on
March 5, 1918. It was a Sorrow-filled day when John left his family and traveled to
Austin where he could have lived until his death. It had been too much for Sarah to care
for two boys as well as the chronic illnesses of her husband. Her husband’s move to
Austin would lighten her load.
Sarah Gillespie would become the pillar of motherly strength to her sons. Because of
their father’s infirmity, they became very devoted to their mother. But money
problems began to add up and it became apparent that something had to be done to
alleviate the problem. Although she did not want to burden her ailing husband, he
realized the dire need for his help and discharged himself from the Home on February 1,
1917. He traveled to Fort. Worth where he began work as an electrician. It was just
over a year later that he re-applied for the Texas Confederate Home because of the
suffering caused by the accumulation of chronic infirmities. He could not hold a job as
he was ill more than he was well and he had become too much for the family to care for.
Family finances soon warranted moving Sarah and the boys to a flat above the pastor’s
home at St. Mary’s Church. Sarah made ends meet by working as a housekeeper for
pastor Father Park. The family often became beneficiaries of many kindnesses from
families of the church and the Knights of Columbus Council 759. As John Jr. came of
age, he began helping by going door to door selling fresh produce from the local grocery
to the neighbors. As a boy, George Perdue remembers John Jr. selling vegetables in the
den of their house. These hard lessons John Jr. learned were reflected in his marvelous
dedication to boys. The grim reality of hunger, keeping a roof over their heads, and
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
money for necessities found John Jr. rising to the occasion of the family’s plight.
Appendix CKnight of Columbus
“Ole Man” was as influential in the Knights of Columbus as he was in Scouting. Nine
Scouts or adults who participated in Troop 32 would later become Grand Knight (head of
a council). Ole Man’s and Troop 32’s historic legacy paid great dividends to its
perennial sponsor. Never was this as true as the early 1990s when K.C. 759 membership
dwindled and its very proud existence was in question. It was then, during its weakest
hour, that past and present members of Troop 32 led the effort to transfer K.C. 759 from
downtown Fort. Worth to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Keller, Tx. Virtually the
entire leadership of K.C. 759 involved in this transfer had been members that Ole Man
had mentored in Troop 32, recruited to join K.C. 759 and who would ensure K.C. roots
were secure at St. Elizabeth. Today, K.C. 759 has its own meeting hall, boasts of one of
the largest KC memberships in the entire area, and its members provide leadership to
district and 4th Degree K.C. organizations throughout the area.
Circa 1955. Grand Knight John Schriever recognizes Scoutmaster Gillespie with Knights of Columbus Council 759 Knight of the Year Award. J. E. Gillespie was an active recruiter for the Knights of Columbus as nine Scouts who grew up in Troop 32 or their parents (who became associated with the troop) later became Grand Knights of Council 759. Note: The Grand Knight is the highest officer for each KC Council.
Although Ole Man was the perennial K.C. Outside Guard, an entry-level elected position
within the KCs, his unique stature reached legendary proportions one evening. Without
any prior warning, Ole Man was nominated for Grand Knight against a fellow knight
who was the incumbent and favored to win without a contest. The vote was so close that
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
a recount had to be taken. The incumbent won but it was a testament to the high regard
that Ole Man was given by his fellow knights.
Appendix D
Brother Barnabas F.S.C.
Editor’s Note: The following research on Brother Barnabas is included in this Biography because I believe it relevant to know the person responsible for planting the seed for the Catholic Scouting effort in Fort Worth. While reading some correspondence forwarded by Christian Brothers Center in New York City, a speech given by him to potential volunteers at St. Edward’s and accounts from his faithful supporters upon his death, I thought it appropriate to include because this man literally drove himself into a heart condition for the vocation of Scouting. From New York to California, from the University of Notre Dame to St Edwards University and from Toronto, Canada to Fort Worth, Texas, he was clearly a “mover and shaker” generating thousands of volunteers to support hundreds of Scout troops.
The following are excerpts from a speech delivered at St. Edward’s University on April 23, 1926. With a few changes, it could easily be given today:
“ Our method of living has changed enormously during the past 50 years and is almost totally different from what it was 300 years ago. When I hear a man say that we didn’t have this or that thing, or didn’t do this or that, when he was a boy, I lose patience with him. Factors that once influenced the boy’s life have disappeared and we must supply new ones.
The necessity for trained leaders for boys arises from the fact that the home and the school no longer have the boys under their care during the whole day. Boys now have about 8 hours every day during which they are under no one’s supervision. Before our present era, when things to eat and wear were made in the home and stores were all small, the father and mother were at home all day and the children worked with them, and the parents played with the children. In the evening, the family gathered together for their pastimes…But that has all changed. The father and mother are no longer in the home 24 hours of the day; the boy no longer has his father for a companion. And so when he gets out of school, he seeks his companionship and amusements in the streets and the alleys, and you know what influence he finds there.”
(Historic Note: The speaker told how during the Middle Ages, the church and the home were the two agencies molding the boys character, and how about 300 years ago, when factories began appearing in Europe, it became apparent that something was lacking. To fill this need, there arose schools, schools conducted by religious men who carried
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
religion into the class room and added their good influences to those of the church and the home.)
“The teachers were men, but within the past fifty years, men have practically gone out of the teaching profession as far as teaching young boys is concerned, because the pay was so poor. And so it came about that boys have women teachers. But boys seek the leadership of men, and if they do not have such leadership in the school and in the home, they find it elsewhere.
Every boy has an ideal, that is, he wants to be like some man. If there is no fine clean man in his life for him to idealize, he makes an ideal of some one he finds in the back alley, and then he thinks that to be a real man he must be tough.
It is a disgrace to our civilization that we pay more to doctors and lawyers and surveyors than we do to teachers. We pay more to the man who attends to our ills or puts up our buildings than we do the man who trains one of the most precious things in life – the boy. And so we have no men teachers. The training of boys should be the most honorable and best paid profession that we have.
Boys instinctively seek male leaders, and an honest, clean he-man is the best influence that can come into a boy’s life. When I see boys flocking around a man, I know that there is something to that man. I never saw bees trying to gather honey from a cabbage head.
There are too many “don’ts” for boys. It is don’t do this and don’t do that. In the city of New York, there is hardly anything left that a boy can do. If we would give our lawmaking bodies a rest for ten years, we might catch up with the laws we now have. The only thing that a boy in New York can do is to go out in the back alley and wiggle his toe, and then he would be violating a health ordinance.
Characters cannot be formed properly by that method. Boys must be led. They can be reasoned with and shown that this or that thing that they do is unfair to the other fellow. Not one boy in a hundred is vicious or deliberately bad, and 75% of the delinquent boys can be rehabilitated and induced to be clean-living, upright and useful citizens.
We should stop telling boys what they must do and lead them to do what is right by showing them the good example. What good does it do to tell boys they musn’t do certain things unless we refrain from doing those things ourselves! Boys are pretty keen, they are observing. Let them have the example of the clean-living man who at the same time will pal with them, who can become their ideal of a he-man, and our boy problem will no longer worry us.”
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Memorial
My hero is not someone who I can call my own. But to me and the hundreds of
contemporaries, he was what we needed him to be at our stage of life. Although the
travails of youth were a journey each of us walked on our own, we were guided by “Ole
Man’s” example. His “children” grew to be priests, doctors, judges, ministers, and
a myriad of respectable professions. Orphans and all races and creeds were welcomed
into the crucible of his molding influence. Those who joined us in the fraternity of his
founding called him many things: father, teacher, mentor, friend, and inspiration. Our
thoughts often travel back to him, to those moments when we teenagers were never far
from disaster or exultation.
It has been over three decades that he has gone before us to what we will ultimately
find ahead. Even in death, a heroic effort yielded to a cancer that would not be denied.
However, his heroism lives in us every day that we live the code that was given us.
Scouting was his life … Scoutmaster was his title.
John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie,
a hero for the ages
found in the hearts of those
privileged
to have known him.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
IndexAd Altare Dei Award - 14, 27Air Squadron 32 – 14, 15, 30Barnabas, Brother FSC – 5, 37-38Beard, Dan - 7Bishop Gorman – 16, 18Bishop Cassata - 28Bishop Vann - 42Boy Guidance (Boyology Courses) – 5Boy Scout Retreat – 16, 17, 25, 26Bush, Charles – 20, 28Cactus Honor Fraternity (CHF) – 8, 13, 15, 29Camp Leonard (LSR) - 25Camp Shuman – 5, 7, 10, 12Civil War – 3, 9, 14,31-34Confederate Home (Austin, Tx) – 9, 34-35Connelly, Bob - 16Cook, Emmet – 8, 13Corty, W E - 6Crouch, Judge A L – 19, 29Davis, Bill - 9Dolan, Rev James – 13Donnelly, Frank – 15, 18Duncan, Ted - 28Dunton, Peter - 20Felknor, Bill - 29Ft Worth Deanery – 16, 17Gillespie, John Edward “Ole Man’ (every page)Gillespie, John Ellison (Father) – 31-34Gillespie, Robert E Lee (Brother) – 2, 9, 14Gillespie, Sarah (Mother) – 34, 35Gomer, Charles – 6, 7Great Escape - 13Haidusek, Ken – 20, 29Harmuth, William - 23Henry, Kirk - 19Herring, Mrs Irene – 22, 29Jennings, Charlie - 29Keeton, Jack – 19, 28Kidd, “Captain” Frank – 19Knights of Columbus (759) – 3, 4, 15, 23, 27, 35, 36Kyle Mountain – 8, 27, 29Lake Worth – 7, 8, 12Langenhorst, Msgr – 15, 19, 28Lena Pope Home - 27Lodge 489 – 15, 16, 26, 30
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Longhorn Council – 7, almost every pageLovelace, Doyle - 29Maday, Al - 19Meisch, Dick - 29Moran, Rev – 19National Jamboree – 11, 15, 18, 22Nichols, David - 17“Ole Man” Gillespie Campsite – 20, 21, 27, 28O’Neal, Albert – 16, 29Order of the Arrow – 3, 13-16Outfit 32 – 9, 14, 27Park, Rev – 4, 35Perdue, George – 23, 29, 35Perdue, Pat – 21Quartermaster Award – 12, 15Pack 32 – 18, 20, 22Philmont Scout Ranch – 14, 24, 30Post 32 – 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 30Santa Maria (Ship) - 12Sawey, James – 18, 28Scantlin, Rev Joe – 17, 21, 25, 28Schumacher, Rev Joe – 17, 29Sea Scouts Ship 19 – 10, 12, 14, 15, 20, 30Shiloh Historic Trail - 14Silver Award – 14, 15, 23Spaniel, Sonny - 28Stalag 17 - 13St Edwards University – 5, 37St Elizabeth Ann Seton – 15, 36St Ignatius - 2St Mary’s – 2, 4, 10, 35St Patricks – 2, 3, 13, 34St Theresa’s Orphanage – 11, 27Sullivan, Dan - 19Texas 6th Cavalry – 9, 32, 33Texas Rangers – 31-33Thompson, Rev Tim – 17, 25, 29Trek Cart - 9Troop 19 -7, 10, 30Troop 32 – 7-11, 15, 18, 20-23, 25, 27, 30, 36Troop 432 – 23, 30Trudeau, Noel – 19, 20Tschoeppe, Rev – 14, 28Walker, Frank - 29Witkowski, Gene – 14, 17, 21, 29Worth Ranch – 7-12, 14, 16, 17, 19-21, 27, 28
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
About the Author – John Ryan
As I walked toward the door of a red brick structure called “Scout Hut,” little did I know that my life would be transformed forever. A dull roar could be heard coming from the building as my father opened the door. I stood alone mesmerized. Amidst the beehive of activity sat a towering man with a whimsical expression. Ole Man approached me and said, “How ya doing Johnnie Ryan?” I was unaware that this brief meeting would begin the defining moment of my childhood and that hundreds of boys had gone before me who could speak the same words.
As a Scout, John achieved the Ad Altare Dei Award, Gold Quill Award, Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor. He attended two national jamborees, Order of the Arrow Area Conclaves, conducted Order of the Arrow tap-outs, and was a Scout delegate who met Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe in a Report to the State.
As an adult, John attended Woodbadge SC 136, assisted in the reactivation of Troop 7, became Post 253 and 32 Advisor, coordinated 10 Philmont Treks. He served as Roadrunner Roundtable Chairman, Diocesan Catholic Cub Scout Retreat chairman, Catholic Committee on Scouting vice chairman, and CCS Webmaster. For his dedication, he was awarded the Bronze Pelican, District Award of Merit, and the St George Award.
Circa 2006. (L to R) Diocese of Ft. Worth Bishop Kevin Vann and Diocesan Appointee John Ryan. John led the 2007 Ad Altare Dei Tour and pilgrimage to San Miguel Mission, Loretto’s Chapel, St. Francis Cathedral, Church at Chimayo, Philmont Scout Ranch, Bandolier Monument, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The unprecedented pilgrimage doubled the number of AAD awardees, generated 15 New AAD Counselors, introduced 10 troops and 47 Scouts to a Catholic Scouting activity who had not participated before. Unequivocally, after several decades of Scout service, “the best thing he’s ever done in Scouting.”
Special ThanksImmeasurable thanks go to Charles Bush Sr, Irene Herring, Lee Reese, John Mark Reese, Dink Starnes, Joe Cosgrove, Bill Creed, Mrs. Jackie Berry, Ernie Doclar, Scott O’Neal, Albert O’Neal, Carl King Jr., Tom Lovelace, Emmet Cook, Jim Sawey, George Perdue, Martha Perdue, Austin Lee Crouch, Joe St John, Bob Connelly, Maurice Lambert, John Byrne, and David Blaschke Sr.
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
Scouting And
Recycling Opportunities
The Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) program introduced by the BSA during the 1970’s opened my eyes to
our amazing capacity to recycle what we use. Troop 32 participated by recycling paper and aluminum cans which
helped the environment and provided funds for the troop to operate. If you’re troop or organization is interested in
obtaining more information about how and where to begin this practice. Please contact me by email …
Although the rate for recycled aluminum cans fluctuates on a monthly basis,
you will receive an average of 70 + cents
for every pound of aluminum cans.
Could your organization use a few more dollars?
There is no limitto the amount
of timesaluminum cans
can berecycled
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Biography of John Edward “Ole Man” Gillespie
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