Robert Spears (abt. 1789 - abt. 1866)

Born about 1789 in NC

Husband of Mary (Fair) Spears — married about 3 May 1818 in Surry County, NC

Descendants

Died about Aug 1866 at about age 77 in Blount County, TN.

Biography

^[1]

Sources

"Pedigree Resource File", database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/S51Z-3Z6 : accessed 2013-08-12), entry for Robert /Spears/.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Entered by Cynthia Dowda.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Cynthia Dowda for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Cynthia and others.

Thanks to Mikki McBride for contributing these stories on Rootsweb.com [2009-01-05 17:37:32 UTC (Mon)] I have copied them here as they were posted there w/linkback: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mikki9&id=I067319

Many of what I've read here are in line w/the stories we heard as children about some of our family members, it's just hard to always know when the lines are blurred between truth and tale... you know... for the children's entertainment. Gade-38 Cynthia

Thanks again and full credit to Mikki McBride for this contribution:

Posted at Rootsweb: Note: Some excerpts from affidavits filed in Blount County, Tennessee by individuals swearing to having knowledge of Robert Spear being of Cherokee Indian descent:

F. B. Ellis: " I was acquainted with Robert Spear who resided in Blount County prior to the War of the Rebellion. I was frequently at his house. He, the said Robert Spear, told me he was half Cherokee Indian but I need not be afraid of him for he would not hurt me. He had the characteristic marks of a Cherokee Indian, high cheekbones and long black hair coupled with the complexion of an Indian. Robert Spear died in Blount County near the town of Maryville about the year 1866." July 1896

Elmer Gibbs: " First got acquainted with Robert Spear about the year 1848 and the said Robert Spear was one half or more Cherokee Indian, in fact, he looked more like he was full Indian and did not like to live in a house but preferred to live in a camp or wigwam. I have known him, when there is snow on the ground, to move out of the house into a camp or wigwam. I was acquainted with Robert Spear' daughter Patsey and know that William Spear is her son. I remember when the said William Spear was born." July 1896

E.M. Jones: "When I was small, I was told Robert Spear was an Indian and I was afraid of him." July 1896

Wilson Gibbs: "I was well acquainted with Robert Spear. I first got acquainted with him about the year 1837 when he moved into Blount County, Tennessee and resided on the Byerly farm near Louisville. Robert was a soldier in one of the old wars. Robert Spears often told me he was one third or one half Indian, I do not remember which. He was Cherokee Indian, large, stout, and yellow swarthy complexion with high cheekbones, black eyes, and black [straight] hair. [I heard him] use what he said were Cherokee words, but [I was not] familiar with any but [my own] language and could not understand him." (Wilson Gibbs also testified that he at one time courted Patsey Spear, daughter of Robert) July 1896

John Matlock: Robert Spear often talked with me about being Cherokee Indian and said that he came from Buncomb County, NC. Said Spear further informed me that he was a soldier under Jackson and was in the battle of the Horseshoe and was wounded in said battle. Robert Spear died near Maryville in [Blount] county in or about the month of August 1866." July 1896

Some of the names are similar to those of Robert, s/o Thomas Speer and Rebecca Estep. Are they the same person? I have not seen any notes for Thomas Speer that suggests they were Cherokee.