Stuart Speer (1783 - 1850)

Born 8 Feb 1783 in Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Jane McClean (Scott) Speer — married 1806 in Ohio

Descendants

Died 20 Mar 1850 at age 67 in Guernsey County, Ohio

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Biography

STUART WAS VERY BUSY AND INVOLVED. HE WAS A FIRST LIEUTENANT DURING THE WAR OF 1812 OF CAPTAIN SIMON BEYMER’S COMPANY. HE WAS AN ASSOCIATE JUDGE FROM 1829-34. HE BUILT AND OPERATED THE FIRST SAW AND GRIST MILL OF THE AREA IN 1820. tavern operator miller and judge between New Concord and Cambridge, Ohio.^[1]

The brother of James and son of Thomas (4), was our progenitor, Robin (5). He was born in Ireland in 1735. He died in 1813. When he decided to emigrate he hoped first to marry Agnes (Jane) Stuart (5) (1739-1913). Her parents objected to her going to the wilds of America, so he was obliged to sail without her. She became despondent, and Robin returned for her, thus making four trips over the dangerous Atlantic. They settled, as had brother James, in Adams County, Pa., 4 miles south of Gettysburg. According to Martha Speer Boal, they and a slave are buried in Marsh Creek cemetery outside Gettysburg. (Apparently there was then no opposition to slavery among these people; they developed plenty a few years later!) Stuart Speer (6), the next in line, was born February 8, 1783, in Pennsylvania. He died in 1850. At the age of 25 (in 1808) he moved to southern Ohio, settling west of Cambridge in a dense forest known as the Zane tract. The farm is still partially in the hands of a distant cousin, Terry Speer, whom we visited. He showed us the land grant signed by President Monroe. (Since Monroe became President in 1816, Stuart must have had other land to begin with.) Stuart was an unusually active man. He not only owned a farm but ran a tavern, general store, and a mill. He was a circuit judge, making his rounds on horseback. At the outbreak of the War of 1812, a company was raised by Capt. Simon Beyman. Stuart was a first lieutenant, commanding the first of two platoons. The company saw action in the Northwest Territory. In 1781, Stuart Speer married Jane McClean Scott (6) (1787-1866), daughter of Abraham Scott (5) (1757-1834) and Margaret McLean (5) (1763-1789). Jane Scott’s teacher was Lucy Ballou, later the wife of President Garfield.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ import of O'Bryan Family tree.ged on Sep 6, 2011 by Tim Tropeck
2. ↑ ISpeer/Aiken Family, Frederic Speer Aug 13, 1970

• WikiTree profile Speer-297 created through the import of O'Bryan Family tree.ged on Sep 6, 2011 by Tim Tropeck. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Tim and others.

• http://speerfamilywest.com/homer-alexander-speer-direct-family-tree/stuart-speer-1783-1850/

• Speer/Aiken Family, Frederic Speer Aug 13, 1970

The Robert Speer Family Tree, Gordon Speer, 3304 Woodlawn Road, Sterling, IL 6108

• The Robert Speer Family Tree, Gordon Speer, 3304 Woodlawn Road, Sterling, IL 6108