It is true that a family history is never done. It is also true that one cannot do it alone. While the wonders of modern computers helped tremendously, many people also donated their own time and labor to this compilation. I am fortunate to have received their help and support.

Those Speer family members, many no longer with us, who took the time to write down names and dates gave their family great treasurers. Some of these include the family bibles of William Speer, Jr., George Washington Speer, Sr., and Arthur Jackson Speer, as well as the George Mason Speer store ledger. These were graciously provided by William Arthur Speer, Jr. Similarly, the William Speer, Jr. letter of 1869, his narrative of 1874, and the Arthur Jackson Speer family chart of 1904 are also treasures. In more recent times, indispensable genealogical information, including family charts, were provided by:

Andrew Jackson Speer, IV Barry Wayne Speer

Larry Estelle Vassey Speer Thomas Algernon Speer

Samuella Gilliam Speer Brown Foster Pierce Speer

Dell Marie Payne Holcombe William Cary Speer

William Arthur Speer, Jr. John Fleetwood Speer

George William Whitmire, Sr. Dorothy Perkins Demange

Jack Speer Crowell

George William Whitmire, Sr. (Jacksonville, FL) graciously funded research in Ireland, researched and wrote the first draft of CHAPTER 11, and provided invaluable information for CHAPTER 19. His enthusiastic support and encouragement were instrumental in the completion of this book.

Genealogical charts by George William Whitmire, Sr. and William Cary Speer (San Francisco, CA) and a letter by Carey Speer detailed the John Alexander Speer and George Leard Speer families of Alabama. Charts by William Arthur Speer, Jr. (Atlanta, GA) detailed the George Washington Speer family of South

Carolina. Family histories provided by Barry Wayne Speer and Dell Marie Payne Holcombe (Williamston, SC) and a letter by Dr. John Fleetwood Speer (Anderson, SC) detailed the William Speer, Jr. and Elijah Hunt Speer families of South Carolina. Charts and letters provided by Foster Pierce Speer (Plumb Branch, SC) and Larry Estelle Vassey Speer (Marion, NC) detailed the Andrew Jackson Speer family of South Carolina. Letters, charts and family histories provided by Thomas Algernon Speer (Sanford, FL) detailed the Algernon Sidney Speer, Sr. family of Florida while data provided by Jack Speer Crowell detailed the Arthur Alexander Speer family of Florida.

Genealogical data supplied by Dorothy Perkins Demange (Los Altos, CA) detailed the family of Martha Eleanor Speer of Georgia. My job was infinitely easier because of these family members who had the foresight to write down some of what they knew about their family.

The kind help provided by The Honorable Carol Finley Speer, Probate Judge of Abbeville County, South Carolina, is greatly appreciated. She not only provided access to the many estate records there but graciously brought some to my attention that I otherwise would have missed.

Visits with Mr. Harold Carlisle are fond memories of my research. Mr. Carlisle, the author of "The History of Lowndesville, SC", shared his knowledge and enthusiasm for the town that played a major role in many Speer families. He also provided factual and anecdotal stories of several Speer families.

My first introduction to our family genealogy came from letters written by my grand uncle Foster Pierce Speer to my mother Larry Estelle Vassey Speer in 1964. She compiled Foster’s information into hand-drawn charts that are now part of my collection. She later accompanied me on many fact-finding trips and continues to be a source of new information. My sister Clarissa Ann Speer (Raleigh, NC) not only accompanied me on many cemetery and library trips, but kindly helped translate several nineteenth-century handwritten wills and letters.

I can hardly conceal my pleasure that my nephew Edward Shanon Wood (Asheville, NC), a fourth-great-grandson of William Speer, Sr., agreed to draw the portraits in this book. His skill with an ink pen adds grace and dignity to the book and deeper meaning to the words "family genealogy." These portraits are especially beautiful in 8 X 10 frames and make excellent gifts. For those interested in purchasing portraits suitable for framing, ordering instructions can be found at the front of the book.

Published sources of data on the Speer family are many and informative. As expected, the usual census, marriage and death listings commonly found in the genealogical literature were helpful. In addition, I benefited greatly from written biographies, DAR records, military records, estate records, history books, and allied family genealogy books. Prominent Speer family members in political, legal, religious, educational, medical, military and business professions results in a vast collection of published information about our family. For instance, I have found at least 23 published biographies of United States Judge Emory Speer of Georgia!

The published career accomplishments of others include: Atlanta Businessman Daniel Norwood Speer, South Carolina Comptroller General Alexander Speer, Georgia State Treasurer and Senator John Andrew Speer, Georgia Representative Alexander Middleton Speer, and United States Supreme Court Justice Joseph Rucker Lamar. Similarly, the work of Methodist Ministers Alexander Speer, Eustace Willhouby Speer and Foster Pierce Speer occurs in many printed sources. The 1899 Macon Telegraph article Eustace Willoughby Speer is particurally informative (APPENDIX B).

The long-lived Speer association with colleges in South Carolina and Georgia provides much information about those families. This association includes not only students and graduates, but also founders, trustees, professors and department heads.

The South Caroliniana Library in Columbia, SC kindly gave permission to include my translations of Alexander Speer’s nineteenth century letters (APPENDIX D).

Our Speer family is truly blessed with recorded information. The sources for all of the information given in this book can be found in the bibliography.

What an adventure this has been! Little did I realize when I started that I would learn so much so fast about my family and the history of the places where they lived. Not only did I learn about family members that I never knew (almost 2,000!), but I have a much better understanding of the state, national, and world history that they lived through. The Revolutionary War! The first President of the United States! The Civil War! Reconstruction! The New South! Wow! To be able to put my own families' faces on the people involved brings these events to life and makes them real. More real than they ever were in history class. Family genealogy would make a great classroom teaching aid.

My beginnings were innocent enough. It all started in February, 1994, when I accompanied a business associate, who was doing his family genealogy, to the Charlotte Public Library. I had only a slight interest in genealogy, until I accidentally came across the name Andrew Jackson Speer! Could it really be my great grandfather? A surgeon in the Confederate States Army! It was nearly two months before I got the chance to follow the lead. Yes, he was my great grandfather! And I've been hooked ever since.

Over the next three years I devoted ever-increasing amounts of time to the hunt and chased the family back to William Speer who came to America in 1772. William helped defeat the British during the Revolutionary War and settled in Up State South Carolina on bounty land that he received as payment for his war service. Each newly found descendant is a prized discovery that makes the hunt fun and exciting. I now have over 800 descendants of William, including 21 Speer men who

served in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War!

This adventure has been far more than I ever realized before that eventful trip to the public library in 1994. It is said that genealogy is additive. It's true, but what a great addiction it is!

Are there other benefits from doing family genealogy? I think so. Everyone in my family is anxiously awaiting this book so that they too can go on an adventure of discovery. We all have more than a passing interest in the history of our own family. Knowing where we came from makes knowing where we are more comfortable. Knowing the accomplishments of our family members encourages us to strive even harder toward our own goals and knowing the hardships our ancestors faced makes our trials and tribulations more endurable. This book also provides a treasure house of personal names with meaning; so what better place to find the perfect name for a new baby!

to be collected. Those of us working on the family history would love to hear from anyone who would make corrections and/or additions to this book. Updated books are planned, so please send your suggestions to one of the following people:

Wade Edward Speer Rt. 4, Box 465, Marion, NC 28752-9423 (828) 724-4444 cell: (828) 779-2906

Larry Estelle Vassey Speer Rt. 4, Box 465, Marion, NC 28752-9423 (828) 724-4444

George William Whitmire, Sr. 4909 Arapahoe Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32210 (904) 387-9766

William Arthur Speer, Jr. 2101 Dellwood Dr., NW., Atlanta, GA 30309 (404) 355-0971

Barry Wayne Speer 24 Dove St., Williamston, SC 29697 (803) 847-5448

Judge Carol Finley Speer Rt. 1, Box 98, Calhoun Falls, SC 29628 (803) 446-2953

Thomas Algernon Speer PO Box 1364, Sanford, FL 32772 (407) 322-0681

Andrew Jackson Speer, IV 4808 Oak Springs, Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 572-0684

These people are currently active in compiling the Speer family history and by sending them any information you are willing to share will ensure it's inclusion in forthcoming updates.

That one needs to be careful and proceed with caution in genealogy is illustrated by the fact that our family progenitor, William Speer, who was a Revolutionary War Veteran, is easily confused with another William Speer who also fought in the Revolutionary War. They lived within a few hundred miles of each other for a time and were even close to the same age. This second William Speer was born in Maryland in 1758 and lived in Surry County, North Carolina where he served in the war. He later moved to Kentucky and then moved to Jefferson County, Alabama where he raised a large family before dying in 1859. This William Speer is the subject of the "William Speer Chapter" of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. However, no relationship between the two families has been found.

While 'typos' account for most errors, double checking and collaboration from multiple sources catches most of them. However, others still persist. Even data submitted by other people is generally checked and the final responsibility is mine alone. I have attempted to verify all the names and dates in this book, but the task is monumental and I hope no one will be offended by the incorrect data that escaped my attention. To those who find incorrect or missing data, if they will contact me, I promise to add their information to the database. Working together in this way, we will produce a more accurate history for future updates of the book.

The early family members on the following pages led particularly interesting lives:

Revolutionary War Soldier: War of 1812 Soldier:

William Speer, Sr. William Speer, Jr.

Mexican War Soldier:

Lt. Col. William Houston Speer

Civil War Soldiers:

Lt. Col. William Houston Speer? Emory Speer

Major Alexander M. Speer Eugene P. Speer

Major Daniel Norwood Speer Francis Albert Speer

Major James Milton Speer George Washington Speer, Sr.

Capt. Andrew Jackson Speer Henry A. Speer

Capt. John Andrew Speer James A. Speer

Sgt. Arthur Alexander Speer James Taylor Speer

Sgt. John H. Speer John Alexander Speer

Elbert Marion Rucker John Caldwell Speer

Elijah Hunt Speer William Starling Speer

James Meriwether Hull, MD

Algernon Sidney Speer, MD

Andrew Jackson Speer, MD

Henry A. Speer, MD

John Fleetwood Speer, Sr., Pharmacist

John Fleetwood Speer, Jr., Pharmacist

William Alexander Speer, MD

Joseph Rucker Lamar, GA State Representative.

Elbert Marion Rucker, II, SC State Representative.

Tinsley White Rucker, GA State Representative.

Tinsley White Rucker, II, GA State Representative.

Alexander Speer, SC Comptroller General and State Representative.

Alexander Middleton Speer, GA State Representative.

Andrew Jackson Speer, SC State Representative.

Daniel Norwood Speer, GA State Treasurer.

Emory Speer, GA State Representative.

James G. Speer, FL State Representative and State Senator.

James P. Speer, OK State Representative.

John Andrew Speer, GA State Treasurer and State Senator.

William James Speer, GA State Treasurer.

William Andrew Speer, Mayor, Anderson, SC.

William Mark Speer, Councilman, Lowndesville, SC.

William Speer, Jr., Abbeville County Treasurer, SC.

Joseph Rucker Lamar, US Supreme Court Justice, Wash., DC.

Elbert Marion Rucker, Judge, Anderson, SC.

Elbert Marion Rucker, II, SC Supreme Court Judge.

Alexander Middleton Speer, GA Supreme Court Judge.

Andrew Jackson Speer, Judge, Calhoun Co, GA.

Arthur Speer, Justice of the Peace, Oakland Dist., FL.

Daniel Norwood Speer, Lawyer, Troup Co, GA.

Emory Speer, US District Court Judge in GA.

George William Speer, III, Lawyer, Atlanta, GA.

Governor Wade Speer, Sr., Lawyer, Cherokee Co, SC.

James G. Speer, Judge, Orange Co, FL.

John Speer, Justice of the Peace, Abbeville Dist., SC.

John Andrew Speer, Lawyer and Judge, Troup Co, GA.

William Speer, Jr., Justice of the Peace,

Abbeville Dist., SC.

Elbert Marion Rucker, II, Professor of Law,

Univ. SC, Columbia, SC.

Alexander Speer, Founder, Wesleyan Female College, Macon, GA.

Daniel Norwood Speer, Trustee, Georgia Tech., Atlanta, GA.

Emory Speer, Dean of Law School, Mercer Univ.,

Macon, GA.; Trustee, Univ. Georgia, Athens, GA.

Eustace Willhouby Speer, Professor of Engilsh,

Univ. Georgia, Athens, GA.

George William Speer, Trustee, Clemson College, Clemson, SC.

William Arthur Speer, Sr., Dean, Auburn Univ., Auburn, AL.

Alexander Speer, Methodist Minister in GA.

Eustice Willhouby Speer, DD, Methodist Minister in GA.

Foster Pierce Speer, Methodist Minister in SC.

John Speer, Elder, Providence Presbyterian Church, Lowndesville, SC.

William Starling Speer, Baptist Minister in AL.

Joseph Rucker, Georgia's "First Millionaire."

Daniel Norwood Speer, rebuilder of Atlanta, GA.

The stories of most of the people listed above are detailed in this book. Stories of more recent family members with equally sterling accomplishments must wait for future books.

instance, when a name is first introduced in a family context it is listed as follows: Wade Edward Speer⁶ (William¹, William², Andrew³, Governor⁴, Clarence⁵). Wade is the son of Clarence, who is the son of Governor, who is the son of Andrew, who is the son of William, Jr., who is the son of William, Sr. Note that Wade is the sixth generation from William, Sr. The superscript generation numbers correspond to those on the master genealogy list in CHAPTER 1. Elsewhere in the text, superscript letters refer to source reference notes located at the end of each chapter.