Chapter 9 John Andrew Speer Family

WILLIAM SPEER (1747-1830)

ABBEVILLE COUNTY

SOUTH CAROLINA

HIS LIFE, FAMILY AND

DESCENDANTS

  

Compiled and Written By

Wade Edward Speer

 

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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OR ADDITIONAL COPIES

 

Order From:

Ed Speer

34 Clear Creek Road

Marion, NC 28752-9423

(828) 724-4444

e-mail: wspeer1161@aol.com

Enlargements of Portraits By Shanon Wood Also Available Suitable for Framing

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Payment Must be Received Before Shipment Can Be Made

 

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:

http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/s/p/e/Wade-E-Speer/index.html

http://hometown.aol.com/wspeer1161/myhomepage/heritage.html

 

{Wade E Speer July 20, 2000}

 

CHAPTER 9

 

JOHN ANDREW SPEER FAMILY

 

John Andrew Speer4 (William1, John2, William3) was a lawyer, judge, county solicitor, state senator, and Civil War veteran. He was born November 13, 1833 in Abbeville District, South Carolina and was the oldest child of William Alexander Speer3 and Martha Jane Norwood (CHAPTER 8).

 

Move and Marriage John Andrew4 was two years old in 1835 when his family moved to LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia. Little is known about his childhood or young adult life. He married Elizabeth Pratt. Nothing is known about Elizabeth or any possible children.

 

Lawyer and Judge John Andrew4 became a lawyer in LaGrange and was a partner with his brother Daniel Norwood in the law firm of Speer and Speer before the Civil War. John Andrew4 also served as Troup County Inferior Court Judge in 1860 and 1861A.

 

Civil War John Andrew4 enlisted in the LaGrange Light Guards on April 26, 1861 and his unit was mustered into active service in Augusta, Georgia seven days later as Company B, 4th Georgia Infantry, Army of Northern VirginiaB,C (CHAPTER 19). John quickly became sick from the camp conditions and spent part of September, October and November in the Regimental Hospital with intestinal fever. He was issued a medical disability discharge from Camp Jackson, Virginia on November 26, 1861B,C. Apparently John returned to his practice in LaGrange for the duration of the war.

 

After the War John Andrew4 served as the Troup County Solicitor from May 10, 1866 until 1870A,D. He was also a member of the city officers Nominating Committee in LaGrange on April 16, 1869. In 1871, he bought the Thomas Bristow Greenwood house which was a large Greek Revival structure located on the 200 block of Broad Street in LaGrangeE. In 1874, he signed probate documents as Executor of his father's estate (Figure 9-1).

 

November 12, 1874

  

Figure 9-1

Copy of signatureF of John Andrew Speer4 (1833-1879).

 

Political Career John Andrew4 was elected Georgia State Senator from the 37th District in 1878 and served for one yearA,D. He was also the Georgia Commissioner to the Paris Exposition in France in 1878D.

  

Death John Andrew4 died November 10, 1879 in Clifton Springs, New York just three days before his 46th birthday. The circumstances of his death and burial are unknown.

 

NOTES FOR CHAPTER 9

  

A Major, T. H., 1989, p. 55.

B Henderson, L., 1959, p. 568.

C Georgia Dept. Archives & History, Atlanta, GA., Drw 255 Box 6.

D Hays, L. F., 1936.

E Johnson, III, F. C., v. I, 1987, p. 301.

F Abbeville County Probate Office, Estate File Box 172 Pack 4618.