CHAPTER 16

With Special Help From

George William Whitmire, Sr., Jacksonville, Florida

William Arthur Speer, Jr., Atlanta, Georgia

Portraits By Edward Shanon Wood, Asheville, North Carolina

Published By

Wade Edward Speer

Marion, North Carolina

1998

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NOTES FOR ONLINE BOOK VERSION

Original page numbers did not survive the file conversion to the Internet-ready html format.

Some editing of the original text has been done, such as correcting typos and eliminating unnecessary line spaces.

All images, including portraits, tombstone sketches, house sketches, and signature tracings have been omitted; however the text accompanying the images is retained.

The William Speer Descendent report (Chapter 1) has been omitted. A greatly updated version can be found at:

Alexander Middleton Speer³ (William¹, Alexander²) was a college graduate, lawyer, author, Georgia Supreme Court Judge, Confederate States Army Major, delegate to Georgia’s Secession Convention, State Senator and Representative, community leader, Mason, and family man.

He was born February 27, 1820 in Abbeville District, South Carolina to Alexander² and Elizabeth Speer (CHAPTER 6). Alexander Speer² was a plantation owner and prominent State politician until he moved his family to Culloden, Monroe County, Georgia in 1832 and became a Methodist minister.

An interesting story concerning Alexander Middleton Speer is told by Genealogical Researcher Leonardo Andera in an undated manuscript: William Speer’s "grandson, Alexander M. Speer, ex-associate Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, now living, remembers him {William Speer} well and conversed with him often about the revolution and on one occasion was shown by the old soldier the scars on his ankles, left by manacles worn while a prisoner in the British hulks in Charleston harbor"^A (see also CHAPTERS 2 and 3).

In 1840, he began his practice in Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia. That year he also published Forsyth’s first newspaper The Little Georgian^D. In 1843 he was a member of the Masons.

Mary Ann Battle Speer was described as a "noble Christian wife and mother, and an active member of the M.E. Church"^L. Alexander Middleton³ and Mary Ann had eight children (see Children section below). Mary Ann died May 24, 1878 and is buried in the Speer family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia (Figure 16-2).

In Memory of Mrs. Mary Battle Speer...

Calm in the bosom of her God

Fair spirit rest thee now

Even whilst with us thy footsteps trod

His seal was on thy brow

Dust to its narrow cell beneath

Soul to its place on high

Those who have seen thy look in death

No more need fear to die

Alexander Middleton³ was elected Senator from the 22nd District to the Georgia State Legislature on November 5, 1863. He served until resigning in 1865 to assume his duties as judge (see Judge section below).

Alexander Middleton³ served as Spalding County Representative to the State Legislature in 1875 and 1876. As Chairman of the Committee on Education, Alexander rejected the state’s efforts in 1875 to take over the religious schools in Georgia as being unconstitutional.

Following a split in the National Democratic Party Convention at Charleston, South Carolina on May 1, 1860 over the issue of secession, the Bibb County Democratic Party also split over this same issue on May 19 and sent two separate groups to the State Convention of Secession in Milledgeville, Georgia on

June 4th. Alexander Middleton³ was one of the five delegates from Macon elected on May 19th to support the position of secessionists at the State Convention^E.

Alexander Middleton³ was a signer of the "Citizens of Macon in favor of South against Lincoln’s Administration and of immediate secession by Georgia from an Abolitionist Union" at the December 14, 1860 Secession Meeting^E.

On March 17, 1862 Alexander Middleton³ was promoted to Major^F,G. On May 28, 1862 Major Speer wrote a letter to the Confederate Secretary of War asking that

May 28, 1862

Hon Secretary of War, Richmond, VA

Sir

I beg leave to ask the appointment of Francis A. Speer, a private in Co D, 2nd GA Battalion, now stationed at Wilmington, No. Ca, a Lieutenant in the army of the Confederate States. He has been in the service twelve months--is well ???? and well educated. If no vacancy exists, I would be glad this application be filled with a view to future action.

Very Respectively

Alex M. Speer

Major 46th Reg GA Inf

Major Alexander Middleton³ saw considerable battlefield action and was also stationed at Division Headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina for part of his military service. Numerous pay vouchers in his Compiled Service Records show that as Major he earned $150 per month and was generally paid every two months^G.

Alexander Middleton³ was elected a Georgia State Senator on November 5, 1863 and resigned his military commission on May 19, 1864 in order to assume his new duties. Alexander Middleton’s hand-written resignation letter is transcribed below^G:

Camp 46th Geo. Vols near Dalton, GA

Gist’s Brigade, Walkers Division

Jany 15th, 1864

Hon. James A. Seddon{?}

Secty of War

Sir

Having been chosen a Senator of the General Assembly of Georgia (the evidence of which is herewith enclosed) I beg leave to resign my position as Major of the 46th Regt Geo Vols now composing a part of the above Brigade and Division of the Army of Tennessee. I would respectfully ask that you would send me through Mr. Trippe (who will hand you this) a notification that my resignation has been accepted.

I oblige your obt{obedient} sert{servant}

Alex. M. Speer

Major 46th Reg Ga Vols

The following hand-written note accompanied Alexander Middleton’s letter:

I certify that the within named person is a Senator of Georgia.

Millegeville, GA Dec 9, 1863

A.R. Msight{?} L.H. Kenass{?}

Provost of the Senate Secty Senate

See Figure 16-1 for Alexander Middleton’s signature on this 1864 document.

Tracing of 1864 signature of Alexander Middleton Speer³ (1820-1897).

Several unofficial references insinuate that Alexander Middleton was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel before ending his military

On January 16, 1865 Alexander Middleton served as minister and married George Clark and Sarah E. Casten.

From November 29, 1880 until he resigned in 1882 due to poor health, Alexander Middleton served as Associate Justice to the Georgia Supreme Court.

On June 5, 1894, Alexander Middleton³ was living in Madison, Morgan County, Georgia when his grand-daughter Eugenia was married. In 1895 he was an officer in the Masonic Lodge. On May 16, 1896 he gave the keynote speech at the laying of the cornerstone of the Forsyth County Courthouse in Monroe^D. In 1896 he was a Mason in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia.

was the daughter of John A. Brockton. She had earlier married a Mr. Sanders^B,L. Alexander and Celesta had no children.

Tombstones of Alexander Middleton Speer³ (1820-1897) and Mary Ann Battle Speer (1822- 1878). Old Section, Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia.

Born Died

1) Mary L. Speer⁴ unknown After 1890

2) Henry A. Speer⁴ 28 Jul 1841 25 Jul 1864

3) Eugene P. Speer⁴ c1845 After 1887

4) Isabella J. Speer⁴ 1848 1894

5) Walter R. Speer⁴ Dec 1849 20 May 1856

6) Charles Carroll Speer⁴ 18 Nov 1855 1 Aug 1873

7) Alice M. Speer⁴ 31 Oct 1857 16 Aug 1871

8) Author Middleton Speer⁴ 22 Oct 1862 23 Jun 1931

I have been associated with Henry A. Speer in the company which I now command since his enlistment and can certify that his health is quite delicate and he has been unfit for duty a great portion of the time. I therefore recommend his discharge.

Geo. S. Jones, Capt. Co B, 2nd Battalion GA Volunteers

Henry A⁴ died July 25, 1864 just three days short of his twenty-third birthday. He is buried in his father’s Speer family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin (Figure 16-3). "Dr." appears on his tombstone.

3) Eugene P. Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³) was born about 1845 and married a woman with the surname of Rogers. He was a journalist in Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. On May 30, 1862, at the age of 17, he joined the Talbot Volunteers which were mustered into the Confederate States Army as Company I, 46th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee^J,G. He enlisted as a Private in Talbottom, Talbot County, Georgia. Eugene P.⁴ served as Orderly

Tombstone of Henry A. Speer⁴ (1841-1864). Old Section, Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia.

to Colonel Peyton H. Colquit and was paid an extra $50 every two months. His usual Private pay was $11 per month. In 1863 he missed his unit’s June muster (roll call) since he was in General Hospital Ross in Mobile, Alabama. By September, he was back with his unit. By November he was a clerk in the Adjutant General’s Department. Eugene was wounded at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864^J,G. He was absent for the rest of the war due to his wounds. His unit was surrounded and he was paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina on May 1, 1865.

In 1877, Eugene P.⁴ was elected Spalding County Representative to the Georgia Legislature. He died sometime after applying for a pension on June 26, 1897. His burial site is not known.

Eugene P. Speer⁴ and his wife had three children:

Born Died

3-A) Charles R. Speer⁵ 31 Mar 1877 15 Oct 1882

3-B) Eugenia Speer⁵ unknown unknown

3-C) Annie Speer⁵ 2 Aug 1883? 2 Aug 1883

3-A) Charles R. Speer⁵ and 3-C) Annie Speer⁵ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³, Eugene⁴) are buried in Alexander Middleton Speer’s family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia (Figure 16-4).

Tombstones of Charles R. Speer⁵ (1877-1882) and Annie Speer⁵ (1883?-1883) Old Section, Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia.

3-B) Eugenia Speer⁵ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³, Eugene⁴) married A. J. Burr on June 5, 1894 in her grand-father’s house in Madison, Morgan County, Georgia. Nothing else is known about her.

4) Isabella J. Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³) was born in 1848. In 1867 she married Joseph Steel Wright (1847-dec) and they had one daughter named Mary Wright⁵ who was born in Whitefield County, Georgia and married William Harry West. Isabella died in 1894 at the age of 46.

5) Walter R. Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³) was born about December 1849 and died May 20, 1856 in Macon at the age of six. He is buried in a city cemetery in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia.

6) Charles Carroll Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³) was born November 18, 1855 and died August 1, 1873 at the age of 17. Hi is buried in Alexander Middleton Speer’s family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia (Figure 16-5).

7) Alice M. Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³) was born October 31, 1857 and died in Whitefield County, Georgia on August 16, 1871 at the age of 13. She is buried in Alexander Middleton Speer’s family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia (Figure 16-5).

Tombstones of Charles Carroll Speer⁴ (1855-1873) and Alice M. Speer⁴ (1857-1871). Old Section, Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia.

8) Author Middleton Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³) was born October 22, 1862 in Griffin. The actual spelling of his first name is uncertain, but ‘AUTHOR’ appears on his tombstone and is used herein. He entered the University of Georgia in 1879 and may have graduated that same year with an AB Degree. He studied medicine under Dr. James Knott in Atlanta and may have received an MD Degree from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York City in 1882 at the age of 19. Author Middleton⁴ probably received his MD Degree in 1884 from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. From 1882 until 1886, he was a physician in Liberty Hill, Pike County, Georgia.

Author Middleton⁴ specialized in diseases of women and practiced medicine from 1886 until 1870? in Grantville, Coweta County, Georgia. In 1886, he was also part owner of a drug store in Grantville^K.

In October 1886, Author Middleton⁴ married Trent Farley. Trent was born October 24, 1865 in Monroe County, Georgia to Matthew and Parmella Farley (1817-1892). Trent died July 8, 1904 in Milner, Georgia and is buried in Alexander Middleton Speer’s family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia (Figure 16-6).

From about 1901 until 1931, Author Middleton⁴ lived in an apartment above a restaurant at Third and Mulberry Streets in Macon. These years were extremely hard for Author and he seldom practiced medicine since he had lost his license and was battling drug addiction^K. He resorted to selling newspapers on the street for income. He was twice sent to the Federal Penitentiary for violation of drug laws^K. On June 12, 1914 he was fined $40 for selling cocaine in Macon. Since he was destitute at the time, the judge assigned the low fine^K.

Author Middleton⁴ died June 23, 1931 in Macon and was described as recently living as a virtual recluse with declining health. He is buried in Alexander Middleton Speer’s family plot in the Old Section of the Oak Hill Cemetery in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia (Figure 16-6).

Author Middleton⁴ and Trent Speer had a son named Alexander M. Speer⁵ (William¹, Alexander², Alexander³, Arthur⁴) who was born about 1900. In 1931, Alexander M. Speer⁵ lived in Bostwick, Morgan County, Georgia.

Tombstones of Author Middleton Speer⁴ (1862-1931) and Trent Farley (1865-1904). Old Section, Oak Hill Cemetery, Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia.