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William Speer, Sr. was an Irish immigrant, American frontiersman, Revolutionary War militiaman, Indian fighter, merchant, homesteader, farmer, Presbyterian, and family man. He lived the American Dream and fulfilled the promise of the newly-formed United States. When he arrived in America, he brought with him youth, health, education, and those highly-desirable European Christian values of independence, self sufficiency, honesty and hard work. He also possessed a firm conviction of right and wrong and an unshakable belief and trust in God. By the time he died, William had passed these qualities to his children and thousands of his descendants have now carried this rich heritage forward. Those of us living today can find much of ourselves in William's story, and much of William in ourselves.

We can be proud of our family's accomplishments. We owe it all to a young man searching for a new life in the late 1700's.

William was born about 1747 in Northern Ireland and immigrated to America in 1772 at the age of 25. In this book, he is William Speer, Sr.¹ to distinguish him from his son William Speer, Jr.² Much about his life in America is contained in a letter written in 1869 and a narrative written in 1874 by his son William, Jr. These writings are treasures of

information to the Speer family and because the earlier letter is so well written it has been published several times^A. See APPENDIX A for transcripts of these writings.

1) near the town of Strebault, County Antrim, Ireland

2) Strusbone Co., Tyrone, Ireland

3) near the town of Strabane, County Antrim, Ireland

4) near the town of Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland

Assuming that the last version is the most correct and realizing that political boundaries may have changed since William's birth, a check of a modern map reveals that the town of Strabane lies on the river Morne near the confluence with river Fin. The town falls partly within the parishes of Leckpatrick and Urney, but chiefly in that of Camus-Juxta-Morne, barony of Strabane, county of Tyrone, and province of Ulster, Northern Ireland. The town lies 12 miles south-southwest of Londonderry, and 107 miles north-northwest of Dublin.

The following incomplete information from various sources is presented in the hope that someone can unravel it. This data is uncertain and undocumented; however, the individuals may be related to our family^C:

Colonel John Speer moved from Orkney Islands, Northern Scotland to Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland in the mid 1400's

Thomas Speere d. 1636, Ireland

John Speer b. 1623, Ireland

Robert Speer b. 1650-1743, Ireland

John Henry Speer m. Elinor Carlton, Ireland

William Speer immigrated to America in 1772

We know little about William Speer, Sr.'s father. His name is given as William in many undocumented references^D. An unchecked record in the LDS Church Ancestral File reveals that William Speer, Sr. was the son of William Speer and Margaret Houston^E of Strebault, County Antrim, Ireland. However, other Ancestral File records confuse the issue^F.

William Speer Sr.’s father had four additional sons by Elinor Carlton, his second wife^G. These half-brothers of William Speer, Sr. were Joseph, John, James and Alexander^A. William Speer, Sr.’s father apparently died about 1792^G.

It seems certain that William Speer, Sr.'s mother was Margaret Houston and she died at his birth. He was raised by her father William Houston^A.

Billy Kennedy’s 1997 book, "The Scots-Irish in the Carolinas" explains that the current politically-correct term should be ‘Scots-Irish’ instead of the ‘Scotch-Irish’ term used in the 1800’s. Kennedy’s book also is a treasure trove of information on the importance of the Irish influence on the culture and history of the Carolinas. A short sketch of our Speer family is included in the book^AA.

Perhaps William witnessed the Battle of Fort Moultrie, if not actually participated, while in Charleston. This battle was a monumental success for America and gave rise to South Carolina's nickname as the "Palmetto State." This is a reference to the soft-wood palmetto logs used to build the fort, which surprisingly absorbed the cannonballs from the British warships and prevented them from exploding! The fort was mostly staffed by volunteers; did William take part?

Actually nothing is known about William's life in Pennsylvania or Charleston. What did he do in Pennsylvania for two years? Why did he move to South Carolina? Did the move have anything to do with the outbreak of war? Did he have family connections in Charleston? What did he do after arriving in Charleston? Why did he move to Long Cane Settlement? Unfortunately, there are no clear answers to these questions. Perhaps William moved to Charleston to avoid the fighting that had already started in the North. Perhaps he moved to the Long Cane Settlement, on the Cherokee Frontier, to be with others who were also building a new life in a new land. However, the British attack on Charleston in 1776 may have galvanized him to action. He soon joined a militia unit and fought for American independence throughout the remainder of the war.

It is known that William was a private under General Pickens during active campaigns. He lived in the Pickens’ Block House in the settlement between battles. Pickens' followers were all volunteers and it was the custom for them to return to their homes after a battle was over and rejoin their unit only when called for the next battle. The Block House was a fortified structure built to protect all of the local residents against potential Indian attacks. It seems possible that William might have lived there when not on active campaigns because he was in the employ of Andrew Pickens. Perhaps William, who had no home or family, may have been one of the few full-time militiamen. On the other hand, he may have simply rented living quarters there.

William held the key to a prosperous future in this new world: land. Although he usually received wages for his military service, money was scarce during the war, and he was occasionally issued 'script' or written IOU's^J. See Figure 2-1 for William’s signature on a 1781 military pay receipt.

Several references taken from undocumented family stories^K suggest that William received 1,400 acres of land from the state of South Carolina. It's probable that the total was even larger. However, only incomplete records of five land grants totaling 613.5 acres have been located^L:

Acres Surveyed Granted Signed by SC Governor

5 Apr 12 1785

95 Apr 14 1785

65 Apr 6 1805 Dec 2 1805 Paul Hamilton

126 Oct 4 1822 Jan 6 1823 John L. Wilson

322.5 Apr 29 1830 May 22 1832 James Hamilton, Jr.

The last three grants were assigned long after the war ended and probably relate to contentious tracts that were settled late. The 1832 grant was even issued after William's death in 1830. The survey plats for the five tracts above show them bordering on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River. William may have added to his holdings over time by purchasing land. However, the Abbeville County Deed records were later destroyed by fire and no other records have been found. The plantation is believed to have stretched about two miles along the Savannah River from the mouth of Rocky River to near Tucker's Ferry.

Eleanor gave birth to at least four Speer children: John², William, Jr.², Alexander² and Margaret². They were presumably born in the house on Carter island. Each of the children grew up and had large families which are the subject of other chapters in this book.

Wh. died 10th Oct, 1795.

aged 46 year

__________________

1790 Wm Spears, Head of household, Abbeville County, 96 District

1 male >16

3 males <16

4 females

6 slaves

1800 no entry

1810 William Spears, Head of household, Abbeville County

1 male >45

2 males 10-16

1 female 16-26

14 slaves

1820 William Speer, Sr., Head of household, Abbeville District

1 male >45

1 female >45

11 slaves:

1 male >45 1 female >45

1 male 26-45 1 female 26-45

2 males 14-26 1 female 14-26

2 males <14 2 females <14

1830 no entry

Note the variant spelling of 'Speer' in 1790 and 1810. Also note that all four children left the house between 1810 and 1820 and that by 1820, William and his second wife were running the plantation with the help of 11 slaves.

River to get on and off the island, travel on the notoriously bad roads, and an uncertain crossing of the Rocky River must have made Sunday church attendance quite an adventure. William and his family were Presbyterians and attended the Rocky River Presbyterian Church at Church Hill, about seven miles northeast of Carter Island.

The roads of the area were generally in such poor condition that they made all trips hazardous. They were unpaved and non-maintained. The highly weathered soil of the Up State produced the infamous 'Georgia red clay.' It turned all roads into deep gooey mud when wet and created choking dust storms when dry. Residents of the Up State always had a difficult time with their roads. They resented the usually indifferent and unsympathetic government that was centered in the lower parts of the state where the natural sandy soil produced excellent road beds. Even today surviving remnants of these early Up State roads often show excessive down cutting or lowering of the road bed. This was caused by the erosion of horses' hooves and the rutting caused by the wheels of buggies and wagons. In places this down-cutting exceeds fifteen feet and results in eerie-looking 'sunken roads'!

Being located on the main road, the general store at Cherokee Heights must have become a gathering point for the wilderness community. It became an official US Post Office on January 15, 1833 but apparently operated much earlier. William, Speer, Jr. was the first Postmaster^Q. This Post Office had its own ink cancellation stamp, but neither the stamp nor an imprint of the cancellation have been found. The Post Office continued operation during the Civil War under authority of the Confederate States of America Post Office Department^Q. It is not known when it ceased to operate, but today nothing remains except some foundation stones and chimney bricks. Two of William's sons, John and William, Jr., also established Post Offices and served as Postmasters on their estates elsewhere in Abbeville County^Q.

Several references to William's merchandising career reveal the extent of his involvement. His operation of a store in Abbeville after the Revolutionary War has already been mentioned. The unsigned report in the Andera Collection^R mentions that William's father probably was a merchant and that William took naturally to the calling. A 1791-entry in the estate records of Alexander McAlpin, a neighbor of William, concerns his account at the Cherokee Heights store. An unspecified amount of money is owed to William Speer for brandy, dry goods, etc., bought by Alexander and Mary McAlpin between January and August 1785^S. William Speer, Jr.^A and Snowden^T mention that William was a merchant at Cherokee Ford from 1785 until he was too old to continue, probably about 1825. Also on the subject of money, William, Jr. wrote that his father "rarely ever owed any man"^A.

William's inclination toward merchandising, store ownership and management may offer some clues as to how he was supporting himself in Pennsylvania and Charleston in the years before moving to Abbeville. Perhaps he hired out as a store clerk. Many of his descendants later exhibited similar interests and abilities.

He bought the land from Eleanor, Mary, and Elizabeth Norris, who were his step daughters (his wife's daughters by her first husband). Since his wife Eleanor had died a year before this transaction, it's probable that the three sisters had recently inherited the land from her. Frasera Creek is not shown on modern maps of the area. Apparently it was a tributary of Norris Creek, which today drains the highland where Abbeville is located and flows southeastward to Long Cane Creek. Years later, William's son John would resell this land.

1790 Martha McBride, Head of household

1 female

3 males <16

1800 Margaret McBride, Head of household

1 female 26-45

1 female 10-16

2 females <10

1 male 26-45

1 male 10-16

1810 no entry

Martha and William Speer, Sr. did not have any children. However, Martha must have been instrumental in raising William's previous children who were now seven, nine, eleven, and fifteen years old. Martha was 47 years old and William was 52 when they married. In 1826, Martha applied for a pension based on the war service of her first husband^V,X. She died on May 6, 1834 at the age of 81; however, her burial place is unknown.

Who died 17th April, 1830

Aged 83 years

__________

South Carolina

Abbeville District

I, William Speer, Sen. being in a low state of health, and anxious to settle and adjust all my worldly affairs, do constitute, make, and publish this my last will and testament.

First--My will is that all my just and lawful debts shall be discharged.

Second--That my beloved wife, Martha, if she outlives me, shall receive the sum of two hundred dollars per annum during the term of her natural life, in lieu of all claims she may have of dower or otherwise on my estate real or personal, and in case she should prefer to adhere to her right of dower, then and in that case, she is not to receive any benefit from this my will.

Third--My will is that all the balance of my estate, both real and personal, shall be sold by my Executors at such time and on such terms as to them shall seem best, and that the proceeds of my estate real and personal arising from such sale, shall be equally divided amongst my four children, John, William and Alexander Speer and Margaret Rucker, as soon as possible by my Executors, provided nevertheless that each of my aforesaid children shall render into my Executors as near as possible a just account of all the property, either in land, Negroes or money, that each of them have at any time received from me, at a fair valuation at the time of transfer; to the intent and purpose that all property already given to either of them by me as well as the balance or residue of my estate may be equally divided among my aforesaid children.

Fourth--My will is that my Executors, hereafter to be named, shall have power to sell, and manage this my estate according to this my will without the intervention of other courts of law or Equity.

Fifth--My will is that my sons John and William Speer shall act as my Executors to carry this my will into effect and I hereby revoke all former wills that may have been made by me.

Signed, sealed, and acknowledged the 28th August 1826, in presence of:

Abraham Bell

William Ward

James L. McBride

Wm Speer

A true and perfect inventory of all the goods and chattels of personal estate of William Speer, Sen., deceased in the District of Abbeville, made by us whose names are hereunto subscribed, the 28th April 1830.

3 Bread trays $1.00 1 case Pistols $5.00 1 pr Brown Cloth 3.00 1 Lot dark Cloth 2.00 Remnant blue Cloth .50 3 Remnant ?? 3.00 1 Remnant Colored ?? 2.00 1 lot sewing Silk 1.00 1 Lot Metal Buttons 1.00 Lace .50 1 Pack Pins 1.00 1 Lot Steel Thimbles 1.00 1 pr White Silk 4.00 3 Cloaks 3.00 1 pr Silk Gloves .50 1 Waistcoat Pattern .50 1 Remnant Cords Velvet 13 5 pr Hanks (45) 11.25 1 lot Brass ?? 1.00 1 Keg & Nails 1.00 1 Demijohn of Oil 5.00 5 Jugs 3.00 10 Bottles 1.00 Ground ?? 3.00 2 Riding Whips .25 2 Kegs & Powder 1.00 2 Razors & Straps .25 1 Lot Medicine 2.00 1 pr Scales & Weights 2.00 1 pr small ?? 1.00 1 Lot Shoe ?? .25 1 Lot Window bolts 2.00 2 Shoe Hammers .50 34 Claw Hammers 4.00 1 dry Tin ?? 1.00 1 pr ?? Irons .25 1 Bag & black paper .75 3 Shaving Boxes .50 1 Lot of Stack Buckets 1.00 2 doz Ink Powder 1.50 1 Lot Old ?? & Irons $ .50 1 Lot New ?? $2.00 15 Bells 1.00 14 Btls Snuff Turpentine .50 1 pr Steel Yards 1.50 1 Tin Trumpet .25 2 Tea Kettles 3.00 1 Pot ?? blue .50 2 Tin Lanterns .50 1 Watering Pot .50 4 ?? .50 1 Lot Old Horse Shoes .25 1 Waiter 1 Lot ?? .25 7 Augers 2.00 18 Sickles 2.25 2 Sides Sole leather 6.00 2 pieces upper leather 3.00 1 Sack Salt 5.00 Hand Saw & draw Knife .50 1 Trunk 3.00 Allum and Salt Petre{?} .75 1 Rifle Gun 4.00 Gimblets & Screws .25 1 Lot empty Casks 1.00 1 ?? 10.00 5 Club ?? 2.00 Lot ?? Ivory Scale ?? 8.00 2 Grind Stones 2.00 1 Cross Cut Saw 8.00 2 Bars Iron 3.00 2 Cradles .50 2000 Brick 5.00 4 Gal tar 1.00 One Loon 4.00 4 Pair ?? 4.00 1 Wagon 25.00 Stock of Hogs 70.00 1 Gray Horse 50.00 1 Large Sorrel Horse 50.00 1 Blind Mare 10.00 1 Ball Horse 25.00 ?? Bushels Rye @ $0.50ea 0.00 ?? Fodder @ $0.50ea ?.?? Parcel Sheaf Oats 2.00 5 Weeding Hoes 1.25 17 Cows 80.00 31 Sheep 31.00 ?? Bushels Corn @ $0.50 ?.?? ?? Lbs Bacon @ $0.10 ?.?? 1 Lot Kitchen Furniture 6.00 1 Cotton Wheel 2.00 1 Saddle 6.00 Desk and Book Case 3.00 Books 22.00 1 Looking Glass/2 Candle 1 Cupboard & Contents 15.00 Sticks 1.00 2 Tables 2.00 4 Chairs 1.00 2 Bed Cloths & Bed ?? 20.00 1 Reel 1.00 2 Tea Kettles 1.50 1 Old Gin 5.00 1 Negro George 300.00 1 Negro Jacob 500.00 1 Negro Isaac 500.00 1 Negro Dick 350.00 1 Negro Charity 275.00 1 Negro Lizzy 225.00 1 Negro Eliza and Child 450.00 11 Bales Cotton @ $9.50 ea 1 Still (120 gal) 46.00 1 Still (65 gal) 20.00 ?? lbs Wood ?.?? Cash on hand 22.13 Loon Harness & Stays ?.?? 8 1/4 ?? Iron (at Shop) ?.?? 3 3/4 B. Steel (at Shop) ?.??

Tract of land adjoining Wm. Mosley---$2.00 per acre

Home tract 323 acres at $1.25 per acre

Lower Island 23 acres at $10.00 per acre

Ford Island 10 acres at $1.00 per acre

Appraised by us, the day and year above written.

{Signed} John McCalla

I do hereby certify that Dr. E. Hunt, James Hunt and John McCalla did appear before me and take the necessary oath as appraisers of the Estate of Wm. Speer, Sen, Dec'd before entering on the appraisement of the same. Given under my hand the 28th April 1830.

{Signed} Wm. Speer {William Speer, Jr.}

Items on the appraisal list that give useful insights into William's life on his Cherokee Ford Plantation include:

At least 2 pistols, a rifle and 2 kegs of powder.

Carpentry and wood-working tools.

Livestock: Hogs, 4 horses, 17 Cows, 31 sheep.

Farm products: Corn, oats, rye, fodder.

11 bales of cotton (1,100 lbs valued @ $0.095/lb).

2 stills (for making molasses).

Desk, book case and books.

Slaves: 4 male. 3 female, 1 with baby.

Land

Clearly William lived on a medium sized farm and raised crops of corn, oats, rye, cotton, and sugarcane. Tobacco as a cash crop was mentioned earlier. Wool from his sheep and cotton from his fields were probably spun into thread on a spinning wheel, woven into cloth on a hand-operated loon and sewed into the family's clothes.

William's will and estate inventory show that by 1826 he owned only a small portion of his original plantation, having probably already transferred most of the estate to his children. John² and William, Jr.² soon acquired plus-1,000 acre estates of their own elsewhere in Abbeville County, presumably using their inheritances to pay for the new purchases. All four children were married and had large families of their own by now. Margaret² married the wealthiest man in Georgia. Alexander² was following a rapidly-rising political career and already was influential in South Carolina Government. John² and William, Jr.² were large planters, presumably in the cotton trade. William, Sr. had at least 24 grandchildren, and probably many more, by the time he died. He had come a long way since that eventful day in 1772 when he stepped ashore alone in what truly had turned out to be the 'Land of Promise'. He had every reason to be pleased with his life.

Presumably William's real and personal property were sold at public auction. However, no records relating to the sale have been found. The auction was probably postponed until after Martha died in 1834, allowing her to spend her final years on the homestead. Nothing is known about what happened to the old plantation after Martha's death. Clearly it passed into the hands of others. Today it lies partially covered by the waters of Lake Russell which was impounded about 1980.

Family stories reveal that William, Jr. probably built at least part of his house at Monterey from boards taken from his father's original house on Carter Island^Z. Long after William, Jr.'s house had passed into the hands of others, numbered timbers were noticed during a renovation. This suggests they came from an earlier structure, presumably the Carter Island house.

Born Died

1) John Speer² 5 Nov 1784 20 Apr 1866

2) William Speer, Jr.² 9 May 1788 10 Jan 1877

3) Alexander Speer² 23 Aug 1790 26 Apr 1856

4) Margaret Houston Speer² 1 Dec 1792 5 Sep 1864

1) John Speer² (Wiiliam¹) is the subject of CHAPTER 4.

2) William Speer, Jr.² (Wiiliam¹) is the subject of CHAPTER 5.

3) Alexander Speer² (Wiiliam¹) is the subject of CHAPTER 6.

4) Margaret Houston Speer² (Wiiliam¹) is the subject of CHAPTER 7.