From the book Pearl River Highway to Glory Land

by S.G. Thigpen

1965 Library of Congress Card Number: 64-8190

pp 141-143

The Davy Crockett of Pearl River

"John Spiers, hunter, woodsman and trapper, is a legendary character in the early history of what is now Pearl River County. He is said to have once killed a bear with his pocket knife as his only weapon.

He had picked up a young bear cub and was carrying it in his arms in a thickly wooded area. Suddenly, without any warning, the big mama bear burst through the underbrush straight at him. She was only a few feet away when he first saw her.

Nothing is more dangerous than a mama bear whose young cub has been molested. John Spiers took in the situation at a glance, quickly dropped the cub while reaching for his knife. There was no room to run, no room to dodge the fast moving bear--there was only one thing to do and he did it. Instead of trying to back up or get away, he lunged with all his speed and might, straight into the face of the big bear, meeting her head on, while striking for her heart with his knife. He was strong, fast moving and had muscles like steel.

He instictively knew that his first thrust with his knife must puncture the heart of the bear. If he failed there would be no second try, as the bear would tear him to shreds in an instant. The bear and the man met with terrific force in mid-air. The right paw of the bear struck him across the shoulder, tearing his flesh for several inches. The mouth of the bear reached for his throat but now the blade of the knife was in her heart. Before she could clamp down with her powerful jaws to break his neck he felt her relax her hold and then saw her drop away to the ground.

He had a deep wound in his shoulder and he was bleeding profusely around his throat. The throat wound was not serious but his shoulder was severely torn. He made his way home where his family took care of his wounds--no doctors and hospitals back then.

John Spiers killed hundreds of bears over a period of years and was almost soley responsible for ridding the area of wolves. If he treed a bear, rather than shoot it, he would tie his knife to a pole and stab it to death. Ammunition was expensive and hard to get. Besides that each load had to be put into the rifle by hand. There were no loaded shells and cartridges such as we have today. All rifles back then were what were called cap and ball rifles. It took several minutes to reload one. An old timer had to be a good shot--if he missed the first time he did not get another chance.

John Spiers lived in the times that produced such storied figures of which Davy Crockett was a typical example. The deeds of John Spiers, while not so widely known, were just as bold and courageous as those of Davy Crockett.

He was born in the state of Georgia in 1799. He grew up in the great forest section of western Georgia where few people lived, except Indians. He learned well the ways of wild things and of Indians as he grew up.

John Spiers came to what is now Pearl River County while in his teens and settled on a farm in the Henleyfield Community--just where , I do not know. He is the fore-father of all the many Spiers now living in this general area.

According to the old stories John Spiers went across Pearl River into Louisiana to court Louraney Perry. She lived near Pool's Bluff just south of where Bogalusa now stands. He rode his horse to Pool's Bluff and then swam the horse across the river when he went a courting.

He was a bold and courageous young man in his courting as well as in other ways. He made only a few trips across the river before he brought back with him his bride to his home at Henleyfield. When he and his wife reached Pearl River on their way home after the wedding, both of them on the same horse, she rode across the river on the swimming horse, while he swam the wide stream and met her on the Mississippi side.

The story of John Spiers was a legend when I first came to Pearl River County 53 years ago. He was a kindly, fun loving man, while at the same time brave and fearless. He was liked and respected by everybody. He was noted for his hospitality. He liked to serve his fellow man and was a good neighbor in every sense of the word. He was always ready to help in any way that he could.

Later on he moved over into what is now the Mill Creek Community and lived on a place that is now a part of the Morrison Tung grove, formerly the Rowlands tung grove."