This issue contains significant new genealogical information on our family. Updates on our oldest ancestors are included, as well as several family history letters and manuscripts, and a helpful new genealogical report that have never been published before. Here you will find for the first time the family of Alexander Speer, another one of the half brothers of William Speer, Sr.! Half sister Rebecca is reported here for the first time!

Family members who have seen the William Speer book have been sending me additions and corrections, while information from other Speer researchers continues to come in at a surprizing rate. In addition, I have only recently begun to utilized the World Wide Web Internet and have made contact with many other people who have shared information about our family. The next newsletter should have a greatly expanded list of the genealogy of William Speer, Sr.; it may be out this year!

An unexpected genealogical report on our Speer family by the famous researcher Rollo C. Speer has been found! Rollo Speer is well known as the author of several Speer family books, most notably: THE GENERATIONS OF GEORGE SPEER 1642-1942 THREE GENERATIONS OF AMERICAN LIFE. This large volume was published in 1993 and is already a classic. However, this Speer family is apparently not related to our William Speer, Sr. family. Although the book contains a wealth of Speer information, it contains nothing on our family. Rollo Speer, now deceased, lived in Idaho and must have spent a life time collecting the data in his book. It was not known that he compiled data on our William Speer, Sr. family until the following 1942 report was sent to me by another Speer researcher.

The report is titled: AN ACCOUNT OF THE FAMILY OF WILLIAM SPEER AND MARGARET, HIS WIFE, COUNTY ANTRIM, IRELAND TO AMERICA IN 1772 Various branches correlated Compiled by Rollo C. Speer D.D Pocatello, Idaho, 1942.

Apparently, Rollo, who was a professional genealogist, prepared this report for an unknown client. Perhaps that client was the late Samuella Gilliam Speer⁶ (William¹, William², George³, William⁴, George⁵) who compiled much of our family genealogy and who sent the report to Mrs. Mildred DuCom of Sumter, SC in 1975. The 21-page typed report is well indexed and includes 399 individuals, including 177 direct Speer descendants in 8 generations! An additional 56 individuals of the Thomas Speer family of Henry Co., GA are listed as a possibly related family. Since there is lots of new information in this report, it will take some time to digest it; but it is a highly treasured document and contains descendants not on my list, perhaps as many a 150 new names!

However, of special interest is the listing of 13 children of William Speer, Sr.’s half brother Alexander, who settled first in Canada and later in Georgia, where he became a Methodist Circuit rider minister. This is the first information on Alexander’s family I’ve seen and it connects us to more Speer families in Georgia and Canada! Alexander’s family genealogy list is presented at the end of this newsletter.

Several new genealogical reports and letters have recently been found and together they add significantly to the knowledge of our earliest ancestors; their story is really beginning to come together. As reported in the first newsletter, William Speer, Sr.’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are now known (back to 1652!). Some additional information on these men is given herein. New information on William’s four half brothers, and his previously unknown half-sister is also presented below. Much of this data is unconfirmed and should be considered uncertain.

1-Rev. William Speer (1652-??) 347 years old!! 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 gived as John, sometimes as William; b Ireland, m1 1744 Margaret Houston {(1725-1745)

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:

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). William Speer, Sr. & Eleanor had 4 children:

5--John Speer (1784-1866) 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) Abbeville Co, SC; m 1811 Mary Sue Gill (1793-1879); 12 children.

5--Alexander Speer (1790-1856) Abbeville Co, SC & Monroe Co, GA; 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) Abbeville Co, SC & Elbert Co, GA; m 1812 Joseph Rucker (1788-1864); 9 children.

The William Speer, Sr. genealogy list (in WE Speer’s 1998 book: William Speer (1747-1830) His Life, Family, and Descendants) contains 370 descendant families, primarily in SC, GA, AL, & FL.

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 (she d 6May1834); came to America in 1785 or 1786 & settled in Jasper Co, GA; Methodist; m2 Mrs. Cates or Kates. John & Mercy had 10 children:

5--Rachael Speer

5--Joseph Speer (1796-1867) m Elizabeth Ann Riggans (1803-1868); 15 children.

5--Thomas William Speer (1804-1852) twin to James Murphy Speer; Monroe & Henry Cos, GA; m Nancy Edwards; 7 children

5--James Murphy 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. See genalogy list herein; 30 descendants in 20 families.

5--William Speer

5--John Speer; 6 children.

The John Speer genealogy list (in WE Speer Family History Newsletter, vol. 1 Dec 1998) contains 450 descendants in 250 families primarily in GA, TX & AL.

4---------Rev. Alexander Speer b Ireland; went to Canada and m1 Jane Fletcher (she died 7Jan1852); 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-??)

See the Alexander Speer genealogy list elsewhere in this newsletter; it contains 49 direct descendants in 29 families.

4---------Joseph Speer b Ireland; went to Canada & then settled in GA; James C. Speer may have been his son; no additional information.

4---------James Speer b Ireland; went to Canada & then settled in GA; James C. Speer may have been his son; no additional information.

4---------Rebecca Speer b Ireland; no additional information.

{Note that the 1979 Sally Speer Signor Goldsmith letter, which is presented elsewhere in this newsletter, suggests the father and mother of Rev. William Speer (1652-??) was John Speer (1595-??) and Miss ?? Maxwell. They married in 1614 and apparently followed her father from Scotland to County Tyrone, Ireland in 1614. This info is still too uncertain to add to the above list yet}.

The following is a typed transcription of a remarkable manuscript included in a 1984 letter from Doris K. West to Mildred Speer DuCom of Sumter, SC. Mrs. DuCom has searched and collected data for many years and believes that her Speer ancestors are related to our family; however the actual connection has yet to be made. Doris West, widow of a Speer man from Georgia who was killed in a plane crash in 1954, was doing family research for her two Speer sons and had acquired the following family history manuscript in 1942 from an elderly aunt of her late husband. The unknown aunt, author of the manuscript, probably was a daughter of Mattie Jane Speer, who was a daughter of James Murphy Speer. Other people recognized in the story are listed below.

The handwritten manuscript is 20 pages long, unsigned and undated. It details some of the family of James Murphy Speer, a son of John Speer, who was a half brother of William Speer, Sr. The families in the story lived in Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. Note that James Murphy Speer was not listed as a son of John Speer in the first newsletter (WE Speer Family History Newsletter, vol. 1, Dec 1998) because this information is new. For the full details on this family, see the Descendants of James Murphy Speer elsewhere in this newsletter

In her letter accompanying the manuscript, Doris West mentions the manuscript and tells Mildred DuCom that her (West’s) late husband’s side of the family included Speer, Everitt, and Morgan.

Mrs. DuCom sent the manuscript to me and kindly gave permission for this information to be distributed to others. The information is not referenced and no sources are given. Words with uncertain spelling are underlined and some minor edits added by me are shown in italics.

1 William Speer was born a Scotchman with strong anti-Prelate views. He lived in the extreme north of Ireland near the town of Stawbul (Strabane) in County Antrim. (It was about where Sydney Weatherford "lit" first in Europe in World War II). His first wife’s name was Margaret, daughter of William Houston. He had one son by this marriage, William, who came to South Carolina in 1773. He took an active part in the American Revolution. In 1784 he married Mrs. Eleanor Norris whose maiden name was Little. From this branch came Hon. Daniel N. Speer, late Treasurer of Georgia, Hon. Emory Speer, U.S. District Judge of Georgia, as well as the late Rev. Alexander Speer, and Rev. Eustace Speer. Both of the last men were noted for their learning, eloquence and college work.

William Speer, the first named man, after the first wife’s death married a second time. They had four sons, to-wit:

Joseph,

John, your great grandfather,

James,

Alexander, who settled in Canada. He lived near Quebec.

2 John Speer was born in Ireland, County Antrim, near the town of Stawbul (Strabane) in 1748, a ??????? by trade and was a Methodist. He came and settled in Jasper County, Georgia in 1785 or 1786 on Murder Creek about six miles east of Monticello, countyseat. He married Mercy Harris. The Christian name Mercy indicates she was of old Puritan stock. They had ten children, as follows:

Rachael, Margaret, John, Joseph, William (the dates of their births not known)

Thomas William and James Murphy were born June 10th 1804--twins. The last was your grandfather.

Jennie

Simeon Fletcher, and

Elizabeth.

Mercy, the first wife of John Speer--the date not know. He was married a second time to a widow, a Mrs. Cates or Kates. They had no children and she died before her husband. He died in 1844, aged ninetysix years.

Thomas William Speer married Nancy Edwards and settled in Monroe County, GA. He was a well-to-do farmer and was at one time sheriff of his county. It was a rich and populous county. He afterwards moved to McDonough in Henry County, Georgia. He raised a family of seven children--two girls and five sons. The eldest, James, was a lawyer and the second, Tom, a doctor. It was generally believed that girls couldn’t take an education like boys so he tried this out with the youngest daughter, "Puss". He started her to school at five years of age and she kept right up with her brothers and sometimes made them stretch to keep up with her. She was a good scholar in both Greek and Latin--unheard of in those days. One of the boys, Charles Speer, came to Blanco (Texas) in the fall of 1909 for two or three days--just fifty years since Mamma and Auntie had seen any of them.

The Thomas William Speer was a twin to Grandfather. At the sales of Grandfather’s place and household goods on January 1st 1853 he was there, in Alabama, and took both Mamma and Auntie home with him. Mamma, being fourteen years old, preferred going to her Uncle Richards Everitt’s after one year, but they kept Auntie until the fall of 1859 when the three sisters moved to Homer, Louisiana. Mamma begged him into letting her bring Auntie and not leave her behind.

3 James Murphy Speer, our grandfather, was married May 1st 1827 to Margaret Beaver Everitt. It was her sixteenth birthday--an orphan. She was of Scotch descent. Their parents were neighbors and when both of her parents died, John Speer, No. 2, took Margaret Beaver and Richard Mills Everitt. The last was a small boy and after his sister’s marriage to James Speer she kept her little brother with her until he was married himself. The Everitts were a long string of orphan children; one or both parents not living. James Speer and first wife lived first in Jasper County, Georgia, then Coweta County, Georgia--where Mamma was born and then in Chambers County, Alabama. They had a wonderful fruit farm at the last place--250 fine bearing apple trees, peach, plum, pear and other kind of

fruits. Nuts and fine wild berries were at their best there too--strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc. They had good things to eat the year through. Only pecans weren’t native there and weren’t imported from Texas until after the Civil War.

There were six children born to James and Margaret Speer. William, who died when five days old; John Whitefield; Thomas Sanford; Mattie Jane; Mary Fletcher and Frances Elizabeth Speer. John Speer was born Feb. 11th 1833, Thomas Sanford Jan. 14th 1835, Mattie Jane Speer Nov. 4th 1838, Mary Fletcher April 10th 1841, Frances Elizabeth August 12th 1844.

Grandmother died when she lacked only one day of being thirtysix years old and was buried on her birthday. The children were then only 14, 12, 8 1/2, 6 and less than three years old. Grandfather was one of these perfectly helpless men without a wife so he married again before the end of the same year to a Mrs. Sarah Wyche, nee Buford. He had five children and she seven Wyche children. They mixed badly and then two little half sisters were born. The second wife had the first one named for the first wife, Margaret Beaver. She was born in 1849 and Saphronia in 1851. Grandfather caught measles from these two little girls, had a relapse with them and died October 16th 1852. He was buried by Grandmother, on the place, and he had rock already hauled to wall their graves over--together--and it was done afterwards with their names cut on the ends. It was still in good condition when Cousin Joe Speer found it in 1887.

The stepmother let the Speer children stay on for the six weeks before the sale and was fairly kind to them. She claimed her full widow’s dowry and the best of the Speer household goods at the sale after only five years of marriage--then she went back to Georgia. Mamma and Uncle John saw her for an hour or two--the next year when they were passing her place, going back on a visit to Chambers County, Alabama, were recognized and made to stay for dinner. She asked Mamma to forgive her. Uncle Simeon Fletcher Speer was at the sale also and took Aunt Mary Stillwell, where she had a good home, for five years until he died. Mamma was then married and went and got Aunt Mary for a year when she married William Stillwell in McDonough, Georgia in 1859.

Uncles John and Tom Speer were considered by their uncles, at the sale, to be old enough to do for themselves--then less than 20 and 18 years old--so they first went to school by working for teachers for board, clothes and tuition. Then they drifted west to Homer in North Louisiana. The girls wanted to go to them in 1858 but didn’t get off so when the three sisters got to Homer on Nov. 5th 1859 their brothers had been in Shrevesport, La. and Uncle John had met and married Lou Alley and then he and her father had moved to Blanco, Texas. Uncle John had taught schools in Shrevesport and worked in the post office and Uncle Tom had worked in a store. Uncle John and Aunt Lou were back on a visit to some of the Alleys and he rode the fifty five miles to Homer to see them. He begged Mamma into letting him bring Auntie back with him, saying he would bring her back in the spring--but was unable to do so. She was fifteen years old, bright and rarely sweet. Mamma’s husband had learned the business from Uncle Richard Everitt in harness making and saddlery and now, in Homer, La. set up for himself and hired William Stillwell to help hem. He also bought a nice small house and four acres of good land. They kept a fine milk cow, chickens and a hog to kill and he got all the work he could do until the war came on. William Stillwell got an early letter from his father saying that one of his brothers was missing and to return to Georgia at once, which they did.

Mr. Ragland closed his shop and enlisted in the Southern army. He and a friend, a Mr. Griggsby, put their young wives together on the Griggsby plantation home twelve miles from town for protection. Mr. Griggsby was elected Lieutenant and Mr. Ragland drummer. A company was made up in Homer and they were sent up the Mississippi River around Island No. 10--a thoroughly unhealthy spot. This was in the fall of 1861 and by March 1862 Mr. Ragland had gotten sick, was invalided home, had a second stroke, when only 27 years old, and died and was buried in Homer. Mr. Griggsby had developed dropsy and was now having to give up and go to her parents in Georgia. One soldier had been given a forty day’s furlough to take six sick soldiers to Homer. The Northern army had cut come dykes along the Mississippi River and all that part of Louisiana was flooded--half in strips of land and the other half in lagoons. The man had to find boats to row these six sick men across the lagoons and had to carry Mr. Ragland on his back across the sand hills as he had gotten where he would faint so often when moved. The man’s furlough was passing so badly he left Mr. Ragland at the first plantation home that would take him in. Getting to Homer, finally, he told what he had done. Another friend, a Mr. Maxey, had a large, strong carriage whose seat back would let down into a bed. He and another man took this and went after Mr. Ragland. It took them two days. They didn’t tell Mamma until about time for them to arrive. She climbed up on the step to see him but he looked so completely changed she fell off. Mr. Maxey took them to his home in Homer and gave them a nice room upstairs. He gained some strength but had a stroke and in six weeks had a second and died. He was buried in Homer. It left Mamma entirely alone in all Louisiana. She felt desperate with only friends to lean on and with the Northern army getting constantly closer. Just then, however, her brother, Tom Speer, got to Homer--very frail from TB he had contracted in the army. He had been honorably discharged and advised to come to the mountains of Texas. As he was too weak to come by himself Mamma sold off her household stuff--for Confederate money that afterwards died on her hands--and locked her doors and boarded up her windows. Uncle Tom bought a hack and a pair of horses and started for the west. They were five weeks coming and would sleep in houses at night. He wasn’t strong enough to feed his horses and several times he thought they hadn’t been fed at all from the way they fagged next day. They came by Jefferson, Texas near Marshall and visited their Aunt Martha Ware for two weeks. This was a great rest and relief to both as Mamma had taken a severe case of common sore eyes just before leaving Homer. She had to wear a heavy woolen veil doubled across her eyes to break the glaring light out of them. They finally reached Austin on Sunday afternoon and began to inquire the way to Blanco. Several men had never heard of it. Finally one man said he had heard it was out west of Austin, They started west then by first fording the Colorado River and near night found themselves at Johnson Institute, a good boarding school for that day, above where Manchaea is.

The Johnsons were kind to them--especially one young lady that was afterwards the mother of Mr. Albert Stubbs of Indianapolis, Indiana and Mr. John E. Shelton of Austin. Their worst break met them here, however, for one of their horses died during the night. A rough, wild man offered to put in one of his horses and drive them to Blanco for $5.oo, named Smith. His horse wasn’t half broken to harness and the man beat both horses unmercifully with a blacksnake whip all the way--keeping them loping much of the time. He made it all the way by skirting around the mountains. They got to Uncle John’s three miles east of Blanco by noon, had dinner and then Uncle John and Aunt Lou took them to see Auntie. Mamma knew she had married Mr. Joe Carson before the Northern army had cut

off all mail facilities but when they told her there was a little six-weeks old girl she cried. When they got there the baby, Cousin Ella, was asleep and Auntie was out in the yard picking up pecans. This was Nov. 5th 1862. Auntie went to crying when she saw it was Mamma and her in widow’s weeds for she had loved Mr. Ragland. That afternoon Uncle Joe asked Mamma to live with them and Uncle Tom went to live with Uncle John.

Mamma--and all other women--carded, spun and wore all the cloth for their clothing until 1866. French and English calico could be bought in San Antonio at 37 1/2 cents per yard. The women would also knit socks etc and send off a good box to the soldiers every few days. Hunting weeds and leaves and boiling them into dyes was one of their problems. They had to use alum to set the dyes whenever they could get any. Finding bits of chains or any other old pieces of iron were used also--pouring vinegar on them to rust them and then boiling them with the cloth.

Uncle Joe Carson belonged to the Texas Rangers and would have to go west about half of his time. He was home in March of 1865, took sick from liver trouble and died. Dr. Ordiarne, the only doctor, was off Rangering just at that time. Cousin Mollie was born six months after her father died, under such conditions.

Mamma and Papa had a quiet wedding July 16th 1865. Papa had his 2000 head of fine sheep in Live Oak County and couldn’t see them until 1868. In 1869, Aug. 31st, he and Mamma moved to the place on Miller’s Creek he had bought in 1860. He died in 1904 and Mamma lived there continuously until June 24th 1909 when I moved her to Blanco to live with me. She died Dec. 3rd 1909 (the ‘09’ has been marked through and replaced with ‘26’)--aged 88 years and 29 days. I’ve brought her back to Miller and buried her by Papa.

Grandmother--Margaret Beaver Everett Speer (1811-1847)

Mamma--Mattie Jane Speer (1838-1926)

Auntie--Elizabeth Frances Speer (1844-??)

The three sisters--Mattie Jane (1838-1926), Mary Fletcher (1841-??), & Elizabeth Frances Speer (1844-??)

Uncle Simeon Flecter Speer--brother of James Murphy Speer (1804-1852)

Aunt Mary Stillwell--Mary Fletcher Speer Stillwell (1841-??)

Uncles John & Tom--John Whitefield (1833-??) & Thomas Sanford Speer (1835-??)

The author of the narrative is believed to be a daughter of Mattie Jane Speer (1838-1926).

The following is a typed transcription of another treasured family history manuscript. It is an Aug. 20, 1979 letter from Sally Speer Signor Goldsmith to Mildred Speer DuCom. Mrs. DuCom has kindly given permission for this information to be distributed to others. The letter details some of the family of Emory Speer⁴ (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³). Following the transcription, the people referred to in the letter are identified.

407 Lora St.

Neptune Beach, Fla.

Aug 20, 1979

Dear Mildred:

I was glad to get your letter but sorry about Mrs. Samuella Brown’s grandmother. I was hoping to see her this summer.

The Will & Kate Speer you mentioned was my grandpa Emory Speer’s first cousin & uncle of Mrs. Gene Elliolt of Atlanta. His father was Dan Speer; & grandpa name was James Emory, he dropped James as he had so many James in family. His father was Eustace Willoby Speer, DD, Methodist preacher; and his father was Alexander. (Eustace was brother of Dan Speer). He was a preacher-came from SC. He married Elizabeth middleton. His father was William who came to this country from Ireland. His father was John Speer, live(d) in Tyrone County & was Scotch Irish--The church there has records--.

I had a friend here named Jimmy Johnston who was a cripple but ran a fish camp & was very popular. He said his grandma was Speer & my mother looked like her. Mother was Sally Speer & I’m named for her. Grandma Dearing married Emory Speer. She was great-nice of Alex. Hamilton & my sister Eugenia is named for her. Eugenia Signor lives here & comes & I cook for her. She is much younger than I am. My son Sheldon & his wife & daughter June Bollard & two great grands are up at lake Burton now, with boat & their mobile home. Grandpa Emory has 29 descendants living now counting babies. I guess I’m oldest now of grand children. I am going to Presbyterian Church with sister. She signs in choir. I do some church work; have garden & a few fruit trees; go fishing. I enjoy my little home close to ocean. Write me again if you can connect our relationship. I think it goes back several generations. All Speers were smart & had gift of gab. Grandpa went congress twice, was Fed Judge 40 years in GA. Mother had cousins in Rome-the Yancys-I did not know them. I lived in Atlanta 48 years but my father Capt Matt Signor USN lived all over world & I stayed with grandpa Speer for years.

Best wishes Sally Speer Signor Goldsmith

Apparently, the only mistake in the Goldsmith letter: Eustace Willouby Speer and Daniel Norwood Speer were first cousins/once removed, not brothers as stated in the second paragraph.

Samuella Gilliam Speer⁶ (1940-1989) (William¹, William², George³, William⁴, George⁵) m1 Sheldon Goldsmith, m2 John H. Anderson, m3 Joe K. Brown.

William Alexander Speer, II⁵ (1866-1893) (William¹, John², William³, Daniel⁴); m 1890 Kate Silvey.

Emory Speer⁴ (1848-1918) (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³); his first name was James!; m Sallie Dearing (1851-1879).

Daniel Norwood Speer⁴ (1836-1893) (William¹, John², William³).

Eustace Willhouby Speer³ DD(1826-1899) (William¹, Alexander²).

Alexander Speer² (1790-1856) (William¹); m Elizabeth Middleton (?-1838).

William Speer, Sr.¹ (1745-1830) came from Ireland

John Speer father of William Speer, Sr.¹ lived in Tyrone County & was Scotch Irish.

Sally Dearing Speer⁵ (1876-1959) (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³, Emory⁴); m 1900 Capt. Matt Howland Signor.

Sallie Dearing (1851-1879); dau of Dr. Albin P. & Eugenia E. Dearing; m 1869 Emory Speer⁴ (1848-1918) (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³).

Eugenia Signor⁶ (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³, Emory⁴, Sally⁵); daughter of Sally Dearing Speer⁵ & Capt. Matt Howland Signor; Not in book.

Sheldon Goldsmith⁷ (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³, Emory⁴, Sally⁵, Sally⁶); Not in book.

June Goldsmith⁸ (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³, Emory⁴, Sally⁵, Sally⁶, Sheldon⁷); m Bollard Not in book. Two children.

Sally Speer Signor⁶ (William¹, Alexander², Eustace³, Emory⁴, Sally⁵); daughter of Sally Dearing Speer⁵ & Capt. Matt Howland Signor; m Mr. Goldsmith.

An additional page of genealogical notes, in Sally Speer Signor Goldsmith’s handwriting, accompanies the above letter. The notes, which are random and incomplete, appear to have been hastily written during an interview, perhaps a phone conversation.

In the transcription below, words with uncertain spelling are underlined. The validity of this data is unknown and some of it conflicts with other Speer data. The heading suggests that the source may have been Mrs. Kate Silvey, wife of William Alexander Speer, II⁵ (1866-1893) (William¹, John², William³, Daniel⁴), but this is uncertain.

Speer---Mrs Will Speers records

John Speer born 1595 married Miss Maxwell, an heiress 1614. Her father Sir John Maxwell, second son of Robert Maxwell of Palloch.

(Robert Maxwell was) Bishop of Orkney 1525--sold out 1614 migrated to Ireland purchased estate called Kenneard (Caledon) in County Tyrone Removed later to Mt. Carron 10 miles away

Issue son William, who must been father of John 1697-1763 progentor of American branch--John must had son William who came to America in 1772

He served in Rev. lived at General Pickens.

--I hope this helps you--

A ???? slain in conflict 1391

Malrse de Speer Second Earl of Strathem Catthness

& Orkney--married 1st wife-dau of Earl of Motierh

2nd da of Earl of Roso-4 da-

Third Da married Gothrerd de Speer

The following is a typed transcription of a 1979 letter from Samuella Speer Brown to Judge Carol Finley Speer. Samuella was the daughter of George Mason Speer, Sr.⁵ (William¹, William², George³, William⁴); she married Joe K. Brown in 1971 and died in 1989. Carol married Gordon Erwin Speer in 1963 and they live in Abbeville Co., SC. Gordon is the son of Beverly Henry Speer⁵ (William¹, William², Elijah³, Lawrence⁴). Carol sent me a copy of the letter in 1995 and gave permission for the data to be distributed to others. The source for this information is unknown, therefore the data must be considered suspect; it obviously conflicts with other information about our earliest ancestors. Words with uncertain spelling are underlined; editorial comments are in italics. The Speer book mentioned in the letter is unknown.

Spartanburg Methodist College

Spartanburg, SC 29301

April 17, 1979

Dear Carol,

These are the Speer generations in Ireland I promised you. Both of them came from: Mrs. Sally S. Goldsmith 407 Lora St. Neptune Beach, Fla. 32233

Records in the Tyron Office, Edinborough, Scotland. Speer motto: Deus dereget it defendat

Thomas died 1636--he spelled it Speere

John Speer was born 1623 in Tyron, Ireland

His son Robert born 1650 died 1743

1. His oldest son John Speer married Elinor Carlton

2. William his son arrived in America in 1772 from Ireland--he settled in Philadelphia than moved to Charleston; lived with Gen. Pickens who married Aunt Marion Dearing.

(William married Margeret Huston)

William’s record of fighting in the Rev. War is in the S.C. Archives (I’ve seen this) in Columbia.

Pedigree of Speer -- first record

Malese (or Malse) 2nd Earl Strathearn

Cathness, & Orkned married daughter of

Earl of Ross - 4 dau. no son

2nd dau. m. Gotherd de Spere

(their son) John

(their son) Henry Speer m. Elinor dau. of Rev John Carlton rector to Paris is mentioned by early editions of DeanSwift

(their son) William b. 1746 m. Elizabeth Templeman 1788-1878

(their son) William came to America m Margaret Huston

As you see, this differs from the versions I had. In it, the William Speer who came to America in 1772 was the child of William Speer and Margaret Houston.

I hope to see Sally in June so Maybe I can clear some of this up. It is very difficult at times to read her writing and she is elderly. Just hang on to these notes and we’ll try to set put them together later.

Hope you can fill in all the generations for me on Elijah Speer. Maybe you could get people to fill them in at the Speer reunion you said you had every year. That would be a help as I have no descendants on this line. If you can get them to complete these I can fill in my blanks and also send them to Mary Gene to include in the Speer book.

Thanks for every thing--hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely, Samuella S. Brown

Obviously additional research on our earliest ancestors in Ireland and Scotland is needed. This is probably an avenue of research that could yield a lot of significant information on our family. The next Speer Newsletter will contain some additional information on Speer ancestry in these countries. Anyone planning to visit Ireland or Scotland, who wants to do some research, should contact me.

Confusion over William Speer, Sr.’s year of birth has been a problem since even the earliest records were kept and the confusion continues today. Either year can be found in individual references. Since William’s mother Margaret died when he was born, references to her year of death might resolve the issue, but here too both dates can be found in various references. Those of us who calculate the birth year based on the "Aged 83 years" on William’s tombstone, come up with the year 1747. The inscription on the stone is aged but clear. However many old records give the year as 1745. Is the tombstone wrong? It’s possible. For the time being, both dates are used interchangeably.

The following family interview occurred in 1984 between Carey Speer⁵ (William¹, William², John³, George⁴) and two relatives: Wade B. Whitmire & George William Whitmire, Sr., son of William Mont Whitmire and Sula Mae Speer⁵ (sister of Carey Speer). George Whitmire, Jacksonville, Florida wrote the original manuscript and provided it in 1996 while I was doing research for the Speer book; he has given permission for it to be included in this newsletter. The manuscript covers some of the history of the families of John Alexander Speer³ and George Leard Speer⁴ as well as Carey Speer⁵. Speer family members are identified using the same convention of superscript generation numbers as used in my 1998 Speer book. Edits added by me are shown in italics.

On Sunday afternoon, April 1, 1984, Wade B. Whitmire and myself met with my Uncle Carey at his home 1610 Slater Street, Valdosta, Georgia. Uncle Carey at this time was 85 years old but was still driving and still retained his memory as well as his wit.

I asked him specifically about his father, George Leard {George Leard Speer⁴ (1853-1911) (William¹, William², John³)}, and he related his memories of his father as being dedicated to education and teaching, and the emphasis that he placed on acquiring a good education to his children. He said that his father surveyed when he was not teaching, and a number of the surveys he made are still on the Public Records of Chilton County (Alabama).

Uncle Carey said that his mother was very strong willed, and a firm disciplinarian which was a characteristic of her father, Alexander (Seaaborn Alexander Jones) and her brothers, which was unlike that of his father who had a much more gentle personality. When he went to visit his Grandfather Speer, Alex (Alexander) (John Alexander Speer³ ), he said they had to cross the Coosa River by ferry and that the Coosa River was subject to flooding and had rapids in this location. He also said that both of his grandfathers were named Alexander and Alexander Speer and his grandmother both lived into their 90’s.

When asked about his Grandfather Alexander (John Alexander Speer3), Uncle Carey said that the family first moved from Abbeville to a farm just south of Birmingham, but that the soil was too rocky and not suitable for cotton crops; but equally important was the taste of the water. They them moved to Coosa County and settled permanently until their deaths. Uncle Carey said that his father, George Leard, told him that prior to the arrival of the Union soldiers that John Alexander had hid some of their valuables in their well in daylight hours knowing that they were being watched, but late the same night he buried and covered over his most valuable assets including hid gold coins and silver bullion.

He said that the student body at Auburn in 1919 were mostly veterans of the 42nd and 31st divisions who served in France, and that they were extremely hard and difficult to get along with.

Note: George W. Whitmire is the son of Sula Mae Speer-Whitmire and grandson of George Leard Speer.

The next Speer Newsletter will have additional family history letters! If you have historic family letters that you want to be published, send them in. Old family pictures and signatures can also be published here. Originals will be returned to owner.

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:

1. http://www.MyFamily.com
2. http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/s/p/e/Wade-E-Speer/index.html
3. http://hometown.aol.com/wspeer1161/myhomepage/heritage.html