Source: HISTORY OF THE PAN-HANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA 1879
Page 358

     JOHN GELSTHORPE was born at Whatton, Nottinghamshire, England August 10, 1819. He was married about 1838 to Miss Mary Scarborough, buy which marriage he raised three children, Elizabeth, Alice and James. In 1850 he emigrated to the United States, arriving in New York about the 21st of November and got to Wellsburg, where his brother James lived, about the middle of the month. After remaining at Wellsburg a short time he removed to Bethany, where he lived five or six years. While living at this latter place, he married for a second wife, Miss Margaret Rogers. He afterwards removed to Wellsburg, and bought the flouring mill which he carried on for a few years, and then sold out and removed over the river to Lagrange, Ohio. While here, the war broke out, and he volunteered in the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth regiment Ohio, volunteer infantry, commanded by Colonel Smith, company D Captain Paisley. He enlisted August 20th 1802 as a private, was promoted to sergeant, served nearly a year, and was discharged for disability, from disease contracted in the service. After his return from the army, he leased the Virginia House in Wellsburg, and in 1871 he bought the Granite House, where he carried on a hotel until his death, January 22, 1879. While Mr. Gelsthorpe's kind and genial disposition made him popular in any business, it seemed to specially quality him for a genial landlord. By his second marriage he raised six children, three sons and three daughters, named Carrie, William, Francis, Emma. Ida and John. Mrs. Gelsthorpe and her sons continue the hotel which retains its popularity. Mr. Gelsthorpe, by honest dealing and industry acquired a comfortable property. The following notice of his death by the Wheeling Register of January 24, 1879, briefly gives the traits of this estimable gentleman's character. "Wellsburg lost another one of her old and highly esteemed citizens in the death of Mr. John Gelsthorpe, of heart disease, which occurred on Wednesday morning. He had been quite sick for some time past, and his death was not unexpected. The funeral took place on Thursday afternoon. Professor C L Loos of Bethany college, conducted the services in a solemn, and impressive manner. A large number of people gathered at the house to take a last look at him, whose friends were many and whose enemies were few. "Uncle John" as he was familiarly called by all who knew him, came direct to Wellsburg from Nottinghamshire, England, in 1850, and was engaged ever since his arrival at various occupations. He kept a store, owned and operated a grist mill, was in the union army during the war, after which he commences hotel keeping for which he was especially adapted, and at his death was proprietor of the Granite House. He was a man of warm impulses genial nature and of such an amiable disposition that to know him was to like him. His liberality was well known, and those who were needy always found him ready to give. He leaves a wife and eight children, which whom the entire community sympathize in their sad bereavement."