W. E. SPPER FAMILY HISTORY
W. E. SPEER FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTER
Genealogical Information on the Family of Rev William Speer (1652-?)
W.E. Speer, Editor
34 Clear Creek RdMarion, NC 28752-9423
- email:
Volume 5September 1999
From the Editor
Welcome to this edition of the SPEER Family Newsletter. Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 5 (this one) cover my dad’s SPEER line; while Volume 4 covers my mom’s VASSEY line. The most exciting new information in this newsletter is the greatly expanded genealogy list for my half-great-great-great-great Uncle John Speer (half brother of William Speer, Sr.). John’s descendant list, which was first given in the December 1998 Newsletter (Vol. 1) with 700 names, now contains 1,050 names! This brings the total past and present related SPEER family members to over 2,400! There are over 800 allied family surnames (spouses and their ancestors). These SPEER relatives live/lived primarily in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. It is now obvious that the majority (but not all) of the long-established SPEER families in these states are related to us!
The 1989 SPEER Family History book and these newsletters document 350 years of our Speer family! The research continues to be exciting and new developments happen almost daily. Most recently the genealogy bulletin boards on the Internet (see SPEER Online below), have allowed me to find new family members and other genealogical researchers interested in our family. These contacts often result in new information about our family. In addition, many people are responding to the book and newsletters. To date 250 books and 150 newsletters have been distributed to family members. Approximately 50 interested family members will receive copies of this newsletter in the initial mailing.
Several interesting family stories and letters are published here for the first time. Don’t miss the SPEER Photo Salon with family photos not published before.
Are you related to this Speer family? If so you can get the book and newsletters free! All you have to do is send me your mailing address. People who have newsletters are encourged to share them with others by making copies. Do you have interesting family stories or photos to share? Send them in and they will be included in a future newsletter. Your originals will be returned to you.
In This Issue
2 SPEER Online
2 1999 Leo Cann Letter
3 1979 Sally Goldsmith Letter
4 Rebecca Speer Family
4 Alexander Speer Family Manuscript
5 1950 Governor Wade Speer Letter
6 Our Earliest Ancestors
7 SPEER Photo Salon
15 John Speer (1748-1842) Descendant List
SPEER Online
Genealogy information on the World Wide Web is expanding rapidly. If you have access to the Internet, the following Web Sites offer a chance for you to participate.
General Genealogy Sites:
America On Line Extensive coverage. Must be AOL member. Access through KEYWORD:"Roots" (the words "Genealogy", "Your Ancestors", or "Family
Life" also work as KEYWORD entries).
Cyndi’s List http://cyndislist.com Best links to all genealogy sites online.
RootsWeb http://www.rootsweb.com
US GENWEB Project http://www.usgenweb.org
LDS http://www.familysearch.org also http://www.familyhistory.com
Genealogy On Line http://genealogy.org
Genealogy.Com http://www.genealogy.com
SPEER Genealogy Sites:
SPEER FAMILY GENEALOGY FORUM Most active SPEER message board online. Check it out!! http://genforum.genealogy.com/speer/
SPEER "For Sale" Board Not much here except my book ad! http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~classifieds/genbbs.cgi/surnames/s/p/SPEER/forsale
SPEER Surname Board (LDS) http://www.familyhistory.com/messages/Messages.asp?id=42399
James Speer Family Tree http://www.essex1.com/people/speer/speerj.html
Robert Speer Family Tree http://www.essex1.com/people/speer/speerr.html
SPEAR Family http:/www.familytreemaker.com/ftm/s/p/e/Melvin-E-Spears/GENE3-0001.htm
Spears Family http://[email protected]
General Interest Sites:
The Ayrshire Page http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ayrshire/
Ayrshire Scotland Genealogy http://www.rootsweb.com/~sctayr/
United Kingdom Genealogy: Ireland http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/Scotland http://www.genuki.org/big/sct/
The Irish at Home & Abroad http://ihaonline.com/
Tartans of Scotland http://www.tartans.scotland.net/
1999 Leo Cann Letter
Leo Cann, grandson of Lillie Ola Speer (1880-1973) and Forrest Cann (see photo elsewhere in this newsletter) graciously wrote the following letter. In it, he recalls his grandmother’s stories about her experiences tending to her grandfather Elijah Hunt Speer (1828-1908), who suffered from leg wounds he received during the Civil War. Elijah was serving with the 7th SC Infantry Regiment when he was wounded and captured during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863; he spent the remainder of the war in a Federal prison in Delaware and was released on June 10, 1865. See Figure 12-2 in the William Speer book for Elijah in his Confederate Army uniform. Elijah is buried beside his wife in the cemetery mentioned in the letter.
Some Notes of Lillie Ola’s Early Life near Lowndesville that she Related to her Grandson, Leo Cann
Lillie Ola was born Nov. 9, 1880 very near the Old Rocky River Presbyterian Church. Her father, Lawrence Orr Speer (1856-1915) and her mother Georgia Caroline Baker Speer (1859-1926) lived in the home of Elijah Speer at her birth. She continued to live there until 1908 when she married Forrest F. Cann (1890-1948) and they moved to Antreville, S.C.
During her years at Elijah’s home she became very close to him for he was crippled from wounds received during the Civil War. She would bind his legs with linen to support the blood vessels and tissue which were damaged from cannon fire which Elijah called "grapeshot".
Lillie Ola mentioned Elijah’s brother, Dr. A.J. Speer attending his legs on some occasions. She also told of Elijah talking about a particular battle where the cannon fire had blown all the trees bare, and after the battle bodies covered the ground, Confederate and Union alike. He told her they stacked the bodies like cord wood.
Lillie Ola said Elijah would walk to the Old Rocky River Presbyterian Church Cemetery which was about fifty yards from the house. He would sit by his wife’s grave, Sara C. Robinson (1835-1885), and stay until dusk. At dusk, or if there was a rain storm coming he would call out for Lillie Ola to come help him back to the house. She said he would call out "Oh Dump" until she heard him and came to help him up.
Lillie Ola received the nickname "Dump" from Elijah at a very early age. He started by calling her his "Dumpling". She lived to be 92 years old and family members called her "Dump", "Aunt Dump", and "Granny Dump". I was fortunate enough to know her as my dear grandmother for 34 years.
Leo N. Cann
8-3-99
1979 Sally Goldsmith Letter
Mrs. Sally Goldsmith wrote the following letter to Mrs. Samuella Brown in 1979. Mrs. Goldsmith was Sally Speer Signor, the daughter of Sally Dearing Speer5 (William1, Alexander2, Eustace3, Emory5) and Matt Howland Signor. She married Sheldon Goldsmith, Sr. Mrs. Brown was Samuella Gilliam Speer (1940-1989), the daughter of George Mason Speer, Sr.5 (William1, William2, George3, William4) and Mary Shaw Gilliam. Samuella married first John Anderson, and second Joe K. Brown. Samuella is mistakenly shown on the William Speer family descendant list (vol. 3 newsletter) as also having married Sheldon Goldsmith; instead, it was Sally who married Sheldon Goldsmith! I mistakenly mixed up these two ladies. Sally and Samuella were fourth cousins. They were both involved in collecting and preserving our SPEER family history and much of what we know about the family today can be credited to them.
The first half of this letter details the family of Judge Emory Speer (1848-1918). The second half gives notes from Marion Speer Heyward and contains some doubtful information on the more distant family members since the suggested connections to the prominent Thomas/John/Robert Speer family in Ireland are unproven.
407 Lora St. Neptune Beach, Fla Jan 17, 1979
Dear Samuella
It was kind of you to write me. My sister and I passed thru Abbyville & I was interested in knowing if any Speers were still there. We must be distant cousins. I have quite a lot of information about our branch as grandfather Emory Speer gave us a home in Macon for years after my father died. My sister is Miss Eugenia Signor. She lives here (Jax Beach) (Jacksonville Beach). Tho we have separate homes, I cook for her every day. She is much younger than I am. She retired from government and for awhile ??? ????????? with Soil Conservation Dep.
Grandpa Emory Speer had five daughters (numbered 1-5 below). His wife was Sally Dearing. I am named for her. Dearing, Jr. is named for him, but he lived in Athens and his home is now part of University.
1. His daughter Eugenia married Wm Arubry. Grandson John ???????? who bought Fla from Spain for U.S. President. Her granddaughter Jan(?) Bronton(?) lives in ??? ????? on ????? Drive.
2. Anne Middleton married Howard Burr and then later Eugene Anderson. She has a grandson teaching at Old Dominion College, Norfoth(?) named Henry Hackney(?).
3. Marion married Hassil Heyward of Charleston, had 4 sons: Emory, Andrew, Eustace, & Marion Heyward, all living in Ga.
4. Sally married Capt. M.H. Signor, USM; has two daughters, I’m oldest & Eugenia.
5. Lulie married Col. Sam Crecelius. He was engineer & helped build Boulder Dam. He has one son living, Col. Sam Crecelius in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Emory (Heyward) died; but his daughter Eleanora Murphy has lovely home at Chattsmont(?), Cal. She has three girls.
I married Sheldon Goldsmith and have one son, Jr., lives Neptune Beach. He has a daughter in Atlanta, Mrs. Wm. Boland; has two daughters Lisa & Angela Boland.
I have quite a lot history of Speer family, but none of your branch. I’m oldest of my generation. I was very fond of Cousin Will Speer in Atlanta, a fine man. Miss Ellcot I think was his niece.
Aunt Marion Speer Heyward’s record:
records in Lyon Office, Edenborough, Scotland
Speer Motto: Deus deriget degendat
Thomas died 1636--He spelled it Speere
John Speer was born 1623 in Tyron, Ireland
His son Robert born 1656, died 1743
1. His oldest son John Speer married Eleanor Carlton
2. William his son arrived in America 1772 from Ireland. m Margaret Huston. He settled in Philadelphia then moved to Charleston lived with Gen Pickens who married great aunt Marion Dearing. His record of fighting in Rev. is in Archives History in Columbia, SC. His son John was cousin Dan’s father, whose children were William, Morland, Spalding, (Uncle Alexander), George Speer & Arelia Bech--my grandpa’s cousins. William’s daughter Margaret married Judge Joseph Rucker Lamar. Her daughter Clarenda Pendleton was president of Colonial Dames.
3. Alexander married Eliza Elizabeth Middleton, granddaughter of Arthur Middleton of Ashley River records are all Middleton family in Historical Soc in Charleston. There were several Elizabeth Middletons-She was mother of all his children.
I would appreciate if you would return newspaper account. Maybe someday my children will thank me but now they feel like older families are like peanuts. The best part is under the ground.
Will Speer went to Tryon Co., Ireland & saw church & graves there. The Speers were Scotch Irish came from Cambell Clan. Some spelled it Spere. The court of arms are registered in Edenborough.
Kindest regards
Sally S. Goldsmith
Rebecca Speer Family
The following 4 people constitute the only known family of Rebecca Speer, who was a sister of John Speer (1748-1842) and a half sister of William Speer, Sr. (1745-1830; the focus of my 1989 SPEER Family History book). Her parents were John (William?) Speer (1723-1771) and Elinor Carlton (??-1833). Unfortunately, very little else is known about Rebecca or her family. She may have remained in Ireland; however her father, 4 brothers, and one half-brother immigrated to America. She was incorrectly listed on her brother Alexander Speer’s genealogy list in my newsletter vol. 2. Hopefully the rest of Rebecca’s family will become known in the future.
Rebecca Speer m. Mr. Croly; son Louis Croly m. Helen Trotter.
Alexander Speer Family Manuscript
The following manuscript covers the family of Rev. Alexander Speer (1790-1856), son of William Speer, Sr. (1745-1830). Alexander was South Carolina’s Comptroller General from 1826 until he resigned in 1830. He also served four terms in the state Legislature as Representative from Abbeville District. Apparently a bitter opponent to the state’s growing independence movement, he left South Carolina in 1832 and moved his family to Georgia, where he became a renowned Methodist minister. Alexander’s life is the subject of Chapter 6 of the SPEER Family History book.
The manuscript transcribed below is undated, but is signed by Mrs. T. E. Murphy, g-granddaughter of Alexander Speer . The original is type written and may have come from family records of Daniel Norwood Speer (1836-1893), but this is uncertain. My copy came from Mrs. Mildred DuCom, who has provided other family letters and manuscripts given in earlier newsletters.
GREAT GRANDFATHER AND HIS DESCENDANTS
Alexander Speer was born 1790 and was married by Elizabeth Middleton in 1812 by whom he had seven children, vis.—Eleanor, Algernon, Louisa, Alexander, Margaret, Eugene and Eustace. His wife dying in 1839, he married the following year to Mrs. Mary E. Grant of LaGrange, Ga. By whom he had two children: Eugenia and Albert. His second wife died in 1845 and he again married in 1847 to Miss Caroline Day of Upson County, Ga. Who survived him. He died at LaGrange in 1856.
Eleanor his oldest child was born 1814 and was married in 1833 to Dr. Dudley W. Hammond of Elbert Co., Ga., a physician of note at Macon. Six children were born of this marriage: Dudley, Elizabeth, Antoinette, Margaret, Louise, and Rosa.
Algernon was born in 1816 and was married to Christine Guin of Monroe Co., Ga. He removed to Orange Co., Fla in 1842 and died in 1856 leaving five children vis. Arthur, Mary, Algernon, and Ella by first marriage, and one, Lula by second marriage to Julia Hart of Jacksonville, Fla.
Louisa was born in 1818 and was married in 1835 to L.S. Persons of Culloden, Monroe Co., Ga. She died in 185? Leaving two children Alexander and Louisa.
Alexander was born in 1820 and was married in 1839 to Mary Battle of Monroe Co., Ga. And nine children were born of this marriage viz. Henry, Antoinette, Eugene, Isabel, Walter, Mary Louisa, Alice, Charles and Arthur.
Margaret was born in 1822 and was married to M.P. Stovall of Augusta in 1842. Six children were born to these parents viz- Frank, Rosa, Blanche, Eustace, Alice and Maude.
Eugene, the 6th child was born 1826 and died in infancy.
Eustace was born in 1826 and was married in 1843 to Anne King of Monroe County. Three children were born of this marriage viz- Emory, Louisa and Laura.
Eugenia was born in 1840 and was married to George Winship, Esq. of Atlanta. Two children were born viz- Fanny and Cora Eugenia. Died in 1870 or 71.
Albert the youngest child was born 1842 and died at Richmond, Virginia in 1863.
I copied this from the family record compiled by Dan Speer.
Signed: Mrs. T.E. Murphy
1950 Governor Wade Speer Letter
Governor Wade Speer, Sr. (1876-1951) wrote the following letter to his two sons that did not live near him, Governor Wade, Jr. and Clarence Gordon. His third son, Robert Lee, Sr. lived nearby. Governor, Sr. was the son of Andrew Jackson Speer3 (William1, William2) and he lived in Gaffney, South Carolina where he was an attorney. This letter concerns the sale of his farm and the distribution of the proceeds. The buyer of the farm was Martin Duncan, an Uncle of Estelle Vassey, who was the wife of Governor’s youngest son Clarence. Other family members mentioned in the letter are Emma French McKown, wife of Governor Wade Speer, Jr.; Robert (Rob) Lee Speer, Sr., middle son of Governor Wade, Sr.; and Meatrice Hicks, wife of Robert Lee, Sr. The proposed trip to Atlanta was probably to visit William Mark Speer (1868-1966), brother of Andrew Jackson Speer. The baby was Meatrice Medora Speer, born about a month earlier on February 19.
G.W. SPEER
ATTORNEY AT LAW
GAFFNEY, S.C.
March 23rd, 1950
Dear Wade and Clarence
I have bought you three (sons) five hundren dollar bonds and five one hundren dollar bonds, for each of you, payable to you or French and or Estelle, and put them in your wallet in my safe. I have given Rob and Meatrice the same amount.
I sold our farm to Martin Duncan last week , 85 acres at $75.00 per acre, $6,375.00. I paid $20.15 for stamps to go on the deed, and I have $1,854.85 left, and I will keep it as I will have to pay something like four or five hundred dollars income tax next winter. I owe some on my life insurance policies and I am going to pay it off and save six per cent interest on it. I will then have $2,500.00 life insurance and $100.00 Woodman monument, these payable to you three boys.
Court adjourned last evening, had a few cases continued, the judge was a little sick, had flu. I am helping the Solicitor in the Mason case, where he came up here from Jonesville and killed Parks, he and Mason’s wife were sitting in a car out near Musgrove. I am also helping in another case where a man was killed over fifty cents; he went and got a pistol and came back and shot him and kicked him a few times. These cases will come up at July Court.
Been cold, cloudy and rainy here for some time, clear and cold today.
I’m going down to Moncks Corner (to visit Governor, Jr & family) in early April, and stay a few days. Will go over to Atlanta some Saturday soon, when Clarence and family can meet me there and spend Sunday.
All well, Meatrice and baby doing fine.
Love to all of you. Daddy Signed: GW Speer
Our Earliest Ancestors
This remarkable table, presented in earlier newsletters,
is updated and reproduced again here. Much of this information is taken from other researchers and none has been verified by original sources; however there are no reasons to doubt the information. William Speer, Sr. and his four half brothers and one half sister are fourth generation on this table.Note that the 1979 Sally Speer Signor Goldsmith letter (in WE Speer Family History Newsletter, vol. 2 Jul 1999), suggests the father and mother of the oldest man on this table, Rev. William Speer (1652-??), were John Speer (1595-??) and Miss ?? Maxwell. They married in 1614 and apparently followed her father from Scotland to County Tyrone, Ireland in 1614. However, this info is still too uncertain to add to the table below.
DESCENDANTS OF REV. WILLIAM SPEER (1652-??)
Five Generations of Our Earliest Ancestors1-Rev. William Speer (1652-??) 347 years ago!!
b Aryshire, Scotland; one child:2-John Speer (1693-1764) b Ireland; m Mary (surname unknown); several conflicting sets of b & d dates; one child:
3-John (William?) Speer (1723-1771) name sometimes given as John, sometimes as William; b Ireland, m1 1744 Margaret Houston
(1725-1745) {she may be related to Gen Sam Houston?; died at birth of William Speer, Sr (1745-1830)}; went to Canada &
then settled in GA, USA where he died. John (William?)Speer & Margaret Houston had one child: (see children of 2nd
marriage below).
4-William Speer, Sr. (1745-1830) b Strabane, County Antrim, Ireland; at death of his mother, he remained in Houston
household & was raised by his grandfather William Houston; came to America in 1772, first to PA & then settled in
Abbeville Co, SC; fought in American Revolution as Aid to Gen Andrew Pickens; m1 1784 Eleanor Little Norris (1749-
1795)(widow of Mr. ?? Norris); both buried Old Rocky River Cemetery, Abbeville Co, SC; m2 1799 Martha McBride (c1753-
1834) (widow of William McBride). The William Speer, Sr. genealogy list (in WE Speer Family History Newsletter, vol.
3, Aug 1999) contains 1,300 descendants and spouses, primarily in SC, GA, AL, & FL. William Speer, Sr. & Eleanor had
4 children:
5-John Speer (1784-1866) b Abbeville Co, SC; m1 1807 Elizabeth Ann Harris Caldwell (c1789-1851); m2 c1855? Mary
L.(unknown surname) (c1798-??); John & Elizabeth had 9 children.
5-William Speer, Jr. (1788-1877) b Abbeville Co, SC; m 1811 Mary Sue Gill (1793-1879); 13 children.
5-Alexander Speer (1790-1856) b Abbeville Co, SC; m1 1813 Elizabeth Middleton (??-1838); m2 1839 Mary Baird
Grant (??-1846); m3 1848 Caroline G. Day (1822-1860); Alexander & Elizabeth had 6 children. Alexander &
Mary had 2 children.
5-Margaret Houston Speer (1792-1864) b Abbeville Co, SC; m 1812 Joseph Rucker (1788-1864); 9 children.
Before leaving Ireland, John (William?) Speer m2 Elinor Carlton (??-1833) & had 5 more children:
4-John Speer (1748-1842) b Strabane, County Antrim, Ireland; m Mercy Harris (d 6 May 1834); came to America in 1785 or
1786 & settled in Jasper Co, GA; Methodist; m2 Mrs. Cates or Kates. The John Speer genealogy list (in WE Speer Family
History Newsletter, vol. 5 Sep 1999) contains 1,045 descendants and spouses, primarily in GA, TX & AL. John & Mercy
had 10 children:
5-Rachael Speer
5-Margaret Speer
5-Jennie Speer
5-Simeon Fletcher Speer
5-Elizabeth Speer
5-Joseph Speer (1796-1867) m Elizabeth Ann Riggans (1803-1868); 15 children.
5-Thomas William Speer (1804-1852) twin to James Murphy (Madison?) Speer; Monroe & Henry Cos, GA; m Nancy
Edwards; 7 children.
5-James Murphy (Madison?) Speer (1804-1852) twin to Thomas William Speer; GA, AL & TX; m 1827 Margaret Beaver
Everitt (1811-1847); 6 children; m2 1847 Sarah Wyche; 2 children.
5-William Speer
5-John Speer 6 children.
4-Rev. Alexander Speer b Ireland; went to Canada and m1 Jane Fletcher (??-1852); The Alexander Speer genealogy list in
WE Speer Family History Newsletter, vol. 2, Jul 1999 contains 76 descendants and spouses. Alexander & Jane had
4 children:
5-John Wesley Speer (1843-??) d St. Joseph, MO; 5 children.
5-Edward Fletcher Speer (1845-??) d Belleville, Canada.
5-Thomas Speer (1847-??) 2 children.
5-Sarah Anne Speer (1849-1936) d Port Carling, Canada.
Rev. Alexander Speer went to GA, USA and became a Methodist Circuit Minister; m2 Elizabeth (or Rebecca) Wilson & had 9
more children:
5-Alexander H. Speer (1857-??) 1 child.
5-William Wilson Speer (1853-1927) 6 children.
5-Jane Speer (1855-1893)
5-Elizabeth Speer (1858-??)
5-Fannie M. Speer (1860-??)
5-Rebecca Speer (1863-1914) 1 child.
5-Mary A. Speer (1865-1910) 1 child.
5-Martha Speer (1868-1906)
5-Margaret M. Speer (1872-??)
4-Joseph Speer b Ireland; went to Canada, then settled in GA; James C. Speer may have been his son; no additional info.
4-James Speer b Ireland; went to Canada, then settled in GA; James C. Speer may have been his son; no additional info.
4-Rebecca Speer b Ireland; m Mr. ?? Croly; 1 child:
5-Louis Croly.
SPEER Photo Salon
Check out these interesting family photos. Some are historic photos of desceased family members, while others are general interest photos of living family members. If you have similar photos that you would like to share with the rest of our family, send them to me. I will scan them for a future newsletter and return the originals to you.
NOTE:
All photos have been omitted from this online version. These photos can be seen online at the following Web Site:1) SPEER R US http://www.MyFamily.com
l. to r. Forest F. Cann (1890-1948); grandson Jesse Cann; grandson Edwin Cann;
Lillie Ola Speer Cann (1880-1973)
George Washington Speer (1835-1915)
Abbeville Co., SC
December 25, 1950 April 23, 1999
Pleasant Gardens, McDowell Co., NC Appalachian Trail, VA
Wade Edward Speer (1947)
1884 or 1885 Gaffney
Lowndesville Cherokee Co., SC
Abbeville Co., SC
Governor Wade Speer, Sr. (1876-1951)
The following typed message was found on the back of the first picture.
This photo was made in May, 1928, from a tin type which was made in the early fall of 1884 or 1885, at Lowndesville. I remember climbing up in a wagon out in the street near where the old parsonage use to be. My oldest sister, Johnnie, and two or three daughters of Rev. M. L. Banks, were with me. If you will look close you can see the warts on my hands and legs, common in those days amongst barefooted boys.
The scratches across my fine, white body is on the tin type and shows up on this. I was seven or eight years old when the tin type was made, having been born December 12th, 1876. My baby boy, Clarence Gordon, looks very much like this picture.
Governor Wade Speer, Gaffney, S.C.
1946 Gaffney, Cherokee Co., SC
l. to r. Robert Lee Speer, Sr. (1913); Emma French McKown Speer (1914-1990); Mary Julia (Pop) Speer Williams (1936); Governor Wade Speer, Jr. (1908-1999); Elizabeth Jane Speer Williams (1941); Governor Wade Speer, Sr. (1876-1951)
August, 1998 Boiling Springs, Cherokee Co., SC
sitting l. to r.: Robert Lee Speer, Jr. (1953); Robert Lee Speer, Sr. (1913);
Meatrice Medora Speer Bevelle (1950)
Standing l. to r.: Wade Speer (1986); David Wade Bevelle (1984); Mary Julie Bevelle (1982);
Laura Stephanie Bevelle (1891); Tori Speer (1988)
Easter, 1949
Edisto Gardens, SC
Clarence Gordon Speer (1920-1987)
Larry Scott Speer (1944)
Wade Edward Speer (1947)
Clarissa Ann Speer (1948)
1956
Pleasant Gardens, McDowell Co., NC
Clarence Gordon Speer (1920-1987)
Larry Scott Speer (1944)
Wade Edward Speer (1947)
1955
Pleasant Gardens, McDowell Co., NC
Larry Scott Speer (1944)
Wade Edward Speer (1947)
Clarissa Ann Speer (1948)
Christmas, 1988?? Fayetteville, NC
Kneeling l. to r.: Julie Dare Stallings Speer (1950); Melissa Gail DiCataldo Speer (1966)
Sitting l. to r.: Clarissa Ann Speer (1948); Jessica Scott Speer (1982); Christopher Scott Speer (1966);
Emily Scott Speer (1992); Whitman Caswell Brown, Jr. (1966); Jill Scott Speer Brown (1969)
Standing l. to r.: Wade Edwad Speer (1947); Larry Scott Speer (1944); Edward Shanon Wood (1968);
Estelle Vassey Speer (1921).
July 26, 1997 Meredith College, Raleigh, NC
Estelle Vassey Speer (1921)
Melissa Gail DiCataldo Speer (1966)
Emily Scott Speer (1992);
1989 Alabama
Christopher Scott Speer (1966) w/ hat; Estelle Vassey Speer (1921); Larry Scott Speer (1944)
1997 Winterville, NC
l. to r. Clarissa Ann Speer (1948); Jill Scott Speer Brown (1969); Patrick Telly Brown (1997); Whitman Caswell Brown, Jr. (1966); Estelle Vassey Speer (1921); Sherry Ann Speer Crocker (1974)
August 30, 1997 Madison Co., NC
l. to r. Sarah Taylor Wood; Edward Shanon Wood (1968); Clarissa Ann Speer (1948); Sherry Ann Hall Crocker (1974); James Scott Crocker (1972).
John Speer (1748-1842) Descendant List (omitted from this onlilne version)
The following genealogy list contains 1,045 descendants (and spouses of descendants) of John Speer. John was a half brother of William Speer, Sr. (who was the focus of my 1989 SPEER Family History book). John immigrated to America and settled in Georgia. Presumably he was induced to immigrate here by letters from his half brother, who had already settled in nearby South Carolina. John’s three brothers and his father also immigrated to Georgia. Many other people are actively researching this large family and the genealogical information has come to me through the Internet. This list is growing fast (over 300 new names in the last six months!). All of John’s descendants are ‘half-relatives’ of William’s descendants since John and William had the same father but different mothers. John was my half-fourth-great Uncle!
NOTE:
All genealogy lists originally included in this newsletter have been significantly updated and therefore have been omitted from this online version. The latest genealogy list for our family can be found in the latest hardcopy of the newsletters, or can be accessed online at one of the following Web Sites:- http://www.MyFamily.com See photos here too!
- http://www.familytreemaker.com/ftm/s/p/e/Wade-E-Speer/index.html
- http://hometown.aol.com/wspeer1161/myhomepage/heritage.html
SPEER FAMILY HISTORY BOOK & NEWSLETTERS!
2,400 Related SPEER Family Members
Primarily in GA, SC, AL, FL, & TX830 Allied Family Surnames (Spouses and their Ancestors)
BOOK:
WILLIAM SPEER (1747-1830)
ABBEVILLE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINAHIS LIFE, FAMILY AND DESCENDANTS
by WADE EDWARD SPEER
5 Years in Preparation 510 pages 19 Chapters 4 Appendices 2,500 Individuals 600 Surnames 370 Speer Families Fully Referenced and Cross Indexed 42 Signatures 118 Tombstone Sketches 33 Pen & Ink Portraits
3 House Sketches 6 Monument Sketches Hard Back
225 Years of Speer Family History in America
Thoroughly Researched and Documented
$50 plus $10 shipping
BOOK FEATURES:
William Speer, Sr. 1781 Signature on Revolutionary War IOU for Militia wagesWilliam Speer, Jr. Family Bible entries from 1788 to 1910Margaret Houston Speer Married Georgia's First Millionaire in 1812Judge John Speer 1817 Signature
William Speer, Sr. 1826 Will
Alexander Speer introduced the Railroad to SC in 1830
Alexander Speer 1832 Signature & Letter to President Andrew Jackson
South Carolina's Comptroller General Alexander Speer resigned in 1832
Dr. Algernon Sidney Speer 1843 Signature on Florida Homestead Application
First Orange Grove Planted in Florida in 1844 by Dr. Algernon Sidney Speer
Orlando, Florida named by Judge James Gamble Speer in 1856
1861 Will of Joseph Rucker, Husband of Margaret Houston Speer
Portraits of Elijah Hunt Speer and George Washington Speer in Civil War Uniforms
8 Grandsons and 15 Great Grandsons served in Confederate Army during Civil War
Elijah Hunt Speer 1865 Signature on Civil War POW Oath of Allegiance
John Speer 1865 Will
William Speer, Jr. 1869 Family History Letter
William Speer, Jr. 1874 Family History Manuscript
Judge Emory Speer 1890 Ulysses S. Grant Address
Eustace Willhouby Speer 1899 Newspaper Obituary with Extensive Family History
Great Grandson Joseph Rucker Lamar appointed to US Supreme Court in 1902
Cemetery List with 182 Speer Family Graves in SC, GA, FL & AL
William Speer, Sr. c1747-1830; m1 1784 Eleanor Little c1749-1795; m2 1799 Martha McBride c1752-1834. Wm was born in County Antrim, Ireland; immigrated to America in 1772; lived in PA and Charleston, SC before moving to Abbeville Co, SC where he settled on bounty land received for his Revolutionary War services. Wm and Eleanor built their homestead on an island in the Savannah River and raised 4 children:
- John Speer 1784-1866; m1 1807 Elizabeth Ann Harris Caldwell c1789-1851; m2 Mary L. ?? c1798-?; John and
Elizabeth had 9 children.2. William Speer, Jr. 1788-1877; m 1811 Mary Sue Gill 1793-1879; they had 13 children.
3. Alexander Speer 1790-1856; m1 1813 Elizabeth Middleton ?-1838; m2 1839 Mary Baird Grant ?-1846; m3 1848
Caroline G. Day 1822-1860; Alexander and Elizabeth had 6 children; Alexander and Mary had 2 children.4. Margaret Houston Speer 1792-1864; m 1812 Joseph Rucker 1788-1864; they had 9 children.
W E SPEER FAMILY HISTORY NEWSLETTERS:
Here is where you can find more information on our family. Lots of information never made it into the book, while research continues to uncover even more. The most exciting new information relates to our oldest generations and connections with other Speer lines! The book and newsletters now cover 2,400 past and present related SPEER family members and 830 allied family surnames (spouses and their ancestors)! See 350 years of our SPEER family history!Family members can get free book and newsletters! Non-family members can purchase the William Speer book and will get on free mailing list for all newsletters.
Vol. 1 DECEMBER 1998 30 pages features:
Speer Book Completed (July 1999)
200 Speer Books Distributed (to family members)
Speer Books Donated (21 donated to libraries)
Praise for Speer Book (everyone loves it!)
Living Family Patriot (Martha Lola Speer Marjenhoff was 98 years old in Oct!)
New Irish & Scottish Connections (Wm Speer, Sr.'s father, g-father & g-grandfather!)
John Speer Family (half-brother of Wm Speer, Sr.; genealogy list of 700 descendants!)
William Speer Signature (1794!)
Portrait Found (Medora Lipscomb Scott--Mrs. Governor Wade Speer; 1883-1941)
Calendar of Birthdays (who else was born on your birthday?)
Vol. 2 JULY 1999 15 pages features:
1942 Rollo C. Speer Report (Genealogy of our family, 399 individuals!)
Our Earliest Ancestors (Descendants of Rev. William Speer (1652-??) Five Generations of Our Earliest Ancestors, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, USA)
1942 Doris West Manuscript (Family of James Murphy Speer, GA, AL, LA, TX)
1979 Goldsmith Letter To DuCom (Family of Emory Speer, GA)
1979 Goldsmith Letter To Speer (Ireland & Scotland Ancestors)
Wm Speer Sr.'s Year of Birth 1745 or 1747? (Still uncertain)
1984 George W. Whitmire Manuscript (Family of George Leard Speer, AL)
Descendants of Alexander Speer (Half Brother of Wm Speer, Sr.; 49 direct descendants!)
Descendants of James Murphy Speer (Son of Half Brother John Speer; 30 descendants!)
Vol. 3 AUGUST 1999 42 pages features:
Irish and Scottish Research (Spellings changed)
Origins of SPEER Surname (Believe it or not!)
1945 Foster Pierce Speer Letter (Andrew Jackson Speer family, SC)
1964 Foster Pierce Speer Letters (Andrew Jackson Speer family, SC)
1986 John Fleetwood Speer Letter (William Speer family, SC)
1992 Carey Speer Manuscript (George Leard Speer family, AL)
Speer Family Coat of Arms-Be Careful (Don't buy an illegal one!)
Civil War Descendants of John Speer (half brother of Wm Speer, Sr.) (9 who served in CSA)
1898 Dr. Henry M. Holmes Civil War Manuscript (Surgeon in 6th FL Regiment)
Relationship Chart (How to determine your relationship to other family members)
Our Earliest Ancestors (Descendants of Rev. William Speer (1652-??) Five Generations of Our Earliest Ancestors, Scotland,
Ireland, Canada, USA) updated
Descendants of William Speer, Sr. (Updated list w/ 439 families and 1,300 individuals!)
Vol. 4 AUGUST 1999 VASSEY Family
Vol. 5 SEPTEMBER 1999 41 pages features:
SPEER Online (Web Sites for Genealogy & Speer Info)
1999 Leo Cann Letter (Lillie Ola Speer & her grandfather Elijah Hunt Speer)
1979 Sally Goldsmith Letter (Judge Emory Speer Family)
Rebecca Speer Family (Half Sister of William Speer, Sr.)
Alexander Speer Family Manuscript (Son of William Speer, Sr.)
1950 Governor Wade Speer Letter (Sale of farm)
Our Earliest Ancestors (Descendants of Rev. William Speer (1652-??) Five Generations of Our Earliest Ancestors, Scotland,
Ireland, Canada, USA) updated
SPEER Photo Salon (family pics)
John Speer (1748-1842) Descendant List (Half Brother of William Speer, Sr.; 1.045 names)
830 Allied Family Surnames in WILLIAM SPEER Book and Newsletters
Abernathy, Acker, Adams, Alberts, Alewine, Alexander, Alff, Allen, Alley, Alloway, Almon, Ammons, Amos, Amoss, Andera, Anderson, Arnold, Arthur, Asbury, Ashford, Ashley, Atkinson, Aubrey, Autry, Bach, Bagwell, Bain, Baird, Baker, Baldwin, Ball, Ballard, Bangle, Banks, Bankston, Bardite, Barnes, Barnett, Barr, Barret, Barrett, Barrow, Barton, Baskiss, Bass, Basten, Battle, Baxter, Beber, Beck, Beckett, Bell, Belt, Beman, Benard, Benet, Benjamin, Bennett, Benson, Betts, Bevelle, Bienaime, Biggs, Bigham, Bird, Birdsey, Bivins, Bize, Black, Blacklock, Blackwell, Blanchard, Bloodworth, Boltin, Bone, Bonham, Bonneau, Bonner, Boomer, Boroughs, Bowie, Bowles, Bowman, Boyd, Boylston, Bradberry, Bradford, Bradshaw, Brady, Brandon, Brantley, Breazeale, Brewer, Brewer, Briggs, Britt, Brock, Brockton, Brooks, Brouse, Brown, Broyles, Bruce, Buchanon, Buford, Burgin, Burr, Burris, Burriss, Burt, Burton, Busby, Bush, Butler, Button, Butts, Buzhart, Byrd, Byron, Cagle, Cain, Caldwell, Calemond, Calhoun, Callaham, Campbell, Cann, Cannon, Carey, Carlisle, Carlson, Carlton, Carmichael, Carmichel, Carrington, Carroll, Carruthers, Carson, Cason, Casten, Casy, Cater, Cates, Cather, Caudle, Cauthen, Cecil, Chaffin, Chandler, Chapin, Chapman, Chappelear, Chastain, Cheatham, Cheyne, Choiniere, Christie, Clark, Clarke, Clay, Clemetsen, Clemmer, Cleveland, Clinkscales, Clinton, Cobb, Cockrell, Codding, Cofer, Coleman, Collier, Colquit, Conner, Cook, Cooksey, Cooley, Cooper, Corder, Cornwallis, Couch, Courey, Coutre, Cowan, Cowles, Cox, Crabtree, Craft, Craig, Crawford, Creasy, Crecelius, Crews, Crocker, Croly, Crosby, Cross, Crowell, Crowson, Cruger, Crull, Cudney, Cundieff, Cunningham, Curry, Cushman, Dales, Daub, David, Davidson, Davis, Day, Dean, Dearing, Deatherage, Delany, Demange, Denby, Denmark, Deramus, DiCataldo, Dickens, Dickson, DiGiorgio, Dillard, Dillingham, Dobler, Dodson, Dooly, Dorris, Doubty, Dove, Downs, Doyle, Drake, Drayton, Drennan, Dukes, Duncan, Dunlap, DuPre, Duren, Durham, Durrett, Durst, Dye, Dykes, Eady, Earl, Eaton, Eberdt, Edison, Edmundson, Edwards, Elgin, Elington, Eliopolo, Ellenburg, Ellicott, Ellington, Ellis, Elmore, Elrod, Emerson, Emmons, Erickson, Erskine, Erwin, Evans, Everitt, Everlett, Farley, Farr, Farrell, Felton, Fennell, Fielding, Finley, Finn, Fisher, Flanagan, Fleming, Flemming, Fletcher, Flournoy, Folkenberry, Forbes, Ford, Foster, Foy, Fraser, Gabbert, Gains, Galloway, Gambrell, Gardner, Garner, Garrett, Garrison, Gary, Gatewood, Gauntt, Gee, Geer, Geoke, George, Giacosa, Gibbs, Gibert, Gilchrist, Giles, Gill, Gillespie, Gilliam, Ginn, Gladden, Gladman, Glenn, Gobert, Godly, Goforth, Goldsmith, Goodman, Goss, Graham, Grahan, Graner, Grant, Graves, Greene, Greenwood, Greer, Grey, Groce, Grogan, Groom, Grossett, Guffin, Hackett, Halford, Hall, Hambright, Hamill, Hamilton, Hammond, Hamon, Hanna, Hannon, Hanson, Hardeman, Hardy, Harmon, Harper, Harrell, Harris, Harrison, Hart, Haslet, Hatton, Hause, Hawk, Hawkins, Haynie, Heflin, Henderson, Herbert, Herdon, Hess, Heyward, Hickam, Hicks, Hill, Hines, Hinkle, Hinson, Hinton, Holcombe, Holloway, Holmes, Holns, Holt, Homer, Hooten, Hopkin, Houston, Howard, Howell, Hoyt, Hubert, Huckabee, Hudgens, Hudson, Hughes, Hughey, Hull, Humphreys, Humphries, Hunt, Hunter, Hurt, Hutch, Hutchings, Hutchinson, Hutton, Ingram, Irwin, Ives, Ivey, Jablonowski, Jackson, James, Jarigan, Jasperson, Jefferson, Jennings, Jensen, Johns, Johnson, Jones, Jonson, Jordan, Kaminer, Karl, Kastrenakes, Kay, Kehrt, Keith, Kelley, Kelly, Kenass, Kendrick, Kennedy, Kern, Kilgore, Kinard, Kincaid, King, Kinsley, Kirk, Kirkpatrick, Knight, Knott, Kuykendall, LaBoone, LaFayette, Lafgren, Lamar, Lane, Langdon, Lanier, Lasater, Latimer, Laurens, Lawrence, Lawson, Lawton, Lee, Leek, Lewis, Liddle, Ligon, Liles, Lincoln, Lindeman, Lipscomb, Lipsey, Little, Loard, Lockhart, Lofton, Loveless, Low, Lowe, Loyd, Luck, Luckie, Lundquist, Lyle, Lyndon, Lyon, Mack, Mackgehee, Mall, Mally, Malone, Marjenhoff, Marshall, Martin, Mason, Massey, Mathews, Mauldin, Maxey, McAdams, McAlpin, McArthur, McBride, McCall, McCalla, McCaslen, Mccauley, McClendon, McCloud, McClusky, McCord, Mccormick, McCoy, McCurry, McDonald, McDuffie, McEachern, McElrath, McFarlane, McGowan, McIntosh, McIntyre, McKay, McKenzie, McKibbin, McKinley, McKown, McMahan, McNicoll, Mcrae, Meacham, Mears, Medina, Medley, Merkel, Meyer, Middleton, Mikell, Miles, Miller, Milner, Minter, Minton, Mitchell, Moon, Moore, Moran, Moreland, Morgan, Morris, Morrison, Moseley, Mosley, Moultrie, Msight, Mueller, Mullalley, Mullins, Mundy, Murchison, Murphy, Musson, Nash, Nations, Nelson, Newcomer, Newsome, Nicholas, Nickelson, Niven, Noble, Norris, Norwood, Nunnally, Oglethorpe, O'Heir, O'Kelly, Olmsted, Olson, O'Rourke, Orum, Osborne, Osbourne, Overholt, Owens, Pace, Padgett, Pajari, Pardee, Park, Parker, Parkins, Parks, Parmelton, Paschall, Patterson, Payne, Pearis, Pearson, Pendleton, Pennell, Perkins, Perreault, Persons, Petersen, Pettigrew, Phelps, Phillips, Philo, Phinizy, Pickens, Pierce, Pinckney, Plant, Pooser, Pope, Posey, Potter, Powell, Power, Prather, Pratt, Prevost, Price, Printup, Propst, Puckett, Pursley, Quimby, Ramirez, Ramsey, Rankin, Ratcliff, Rawdon, Ray, Reddick, Redding, Reece, Reed, Reynolds, Rice, Richardson, Rider, Ridge, Ried, Riggans, Roach, Roberts, Robertson, Robins, Robinson, Robison, Rogers, Rogers, Roosevelt, Roper, Roseman, Rosprim, Ross, Rubel, Rucker, Ruffin, Russ, Russell, Rutherford, Rutledge, Ryan, Sanders, Sarubbi, Sasnett, Sawyer, Saylors, Scattergood, Schaeffer, Schwartz, Scott, Seddon, Seel, Sexton, Shanklin, Sharpton, Shaw, Sheperd, Sheriff, Sherman, Sheve, Shillinglaw, Shirley, Shuford, Sibley, Sigmon, Signor, Silvey, Simmons, Simpson, Sims, Slaughter, Small, Smith, Snead, Solomon, Soule, Sparks, Spaulding, Spear, Spears, Speed, Speer, Speere, Speers, Speir, Spier, Sprayberry, Spruiell, Stager, Stallings, Stavrakis, Steckel, Steed, Stephens, Stephenson, Stetson, Stevens, Stewart, Stillwell, Stoudenmire, Stovall, Strickland, Striker, Strong, Strother, Stuart, Sturkey, Sturkie, Stutts, Sumit, Sumter, Suttles, Swain, Swan, Swann, Swanson, Tait, Talley, Taylor, Teague, Teares, Tennent, Terrell, Terry, Thiot, Thomas, Thompson, Thomson, Thorne, Thornton, Thumb, Timmerman, Tinsley, Todd, Toombs, Treadwell, Trimble, Trippe, Trotter, Tucker, Turk, Unruh, Upchurch, Valentine, Vann, Varner, Vassey, Verdel, Verdell, Verhalen, Vickery, Vincent, Vinson, Waddel, Waddell, Wade, Waldon, Walker, Wall, Ward, Wardlaw, Ware, Washington, Waters, Watkins, Watley, Watson, Watters, Weaver, Webb, Webster, Weems, Welborn, Welden, Wells, Wencel, Wesson, West, Wheatley, Wheeler, Whisenant, Whitaker, White, Whitlock, Whitmire, Whitner, Whyte, Wilcox, Williams, Williamson, Willis, Wilson, Winship, Wisdom, Witter, Wolfe, Wood, Woodruff, Woods, Woodward, Worthington, Wright, Wyche, Wynn, Yackle, Yancey, Yeargin, York, Young, Younger.
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