James Boyd Speer (abt. 1807 - 1886)

Born about 4 Jul 1807 in Robinson Township, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1886 at about age 78 in Robinson Township, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States

Biography

From Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania:

James Speer, father of Howard L. Speer, was born in the year 1807, in Robinson township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, as were his parents before him. He was the eldest child of a family of four, having two brothers, John and Robert, both of whom operated farms adjoining the old Speer homestead, and one sister Jane. He passed his childhood in Robinson township in his birthplace, and inherited upon his father's death a portion of the home farm. On this he lived the remainder of his long life. He might have served as the most convincing of arguments for a rural life, reaching the age of eighty-five years, and maintaining during that period such equable health that he actually never tasted medicine until the attack of pneumonia which finally carried him off. He was a man of strong convictions, a Presbyterian in religion, as was the case with all his family, and in politics a member of the Republican party. He married Agnes Twyford, a daughter of Milo Twyford, a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and later a resident of Independence township, Allegheny county, where Mrs. Speer was born in the year 1823. Here Mr. Twyford had a very large farm of some one thousand acres and here he finally died at a good old age. Mrs. Speer was the third of a family of four children. To Mr. and Mrs. Speer were born ten children, as follows: 1. Isaac N., who now lives on the old Speer homestead ; married Emma Brenn. 2. Frank B., a practicing physician at Duquesne, Pennsylvania ; married Alice Chickering, of Louisville, Kentucky. 3. Elmer B., a fruit grower living near Riverside, California. 4. Grant A., of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania; a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music and now a professor of music, both vocal and instrumental. 5. Garnet R., an attorney connected with Judge Miller's firm in Pittsburgh ; married Delia Faulk. 6. Howard L., of whom further. 7. Wilhelmina, now the wife of Philip J. Magnus, a gardener of Kennedy township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and a veteran of the Civil War. 8. Cordelia, now the wife of Dr. J. R. King, a practicing physician, formerly of Braddock, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. King was principal of the schools, and now of Riverside, California. 9. Harriet, later Mrs. Louis Magnus, of Allegheny, Pennsylvania. 10. Cora, now Mrs. Taylor, of Kennedy township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania.

James, a farmer of Robinson township.

James Boyd, born July 4, 1807, died April 2, 1886: he married Agnes Twiford, who died August 21, 1913, at the age of eighty-two years. Children: Wilhelmina. married Philip J. Magnus, a farmer and has a son, Edward ; Cordelia, married, October 2, 1888, Dr. J. R. King, removed to Riverside, California, in 1906, and has children : Dr. Errol R. King, Hazel O. and Raymond J. ; Harriet, deceased; Newton; Frank; Howard; Grant; Cora; Elmer; Garnet; Elizabeth, deceased.

James, who lived on a part of the homestead, died there;

From History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania:

James Speer, Jr., who was born in 1807, on the farm purchased by his father, James, Sr., in Stowe township prior to 1800. James Speer, Jr., was a farmer, and always resided on the home farm. He married, in 1853, Agnes, daughter of Manuel Twiford, of Beaver county, Pa., and the fruits of this union were eleven children: Wilmina (wife of Philip J. Magnus, of Indiana county. Pa.), Dillie A., Harriet C. (wife of Lewis Magnus, of Pittsburgh, Pa.), Lizzie E. (deceased). Isaac N., Frank B., Howard L., Elmer B., Grant A. and Cora V. (twins) and Garnet R. Dillie A. has followed teaching eleven years, and is principal of the school at Braddock, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. James Speer were members of the Presbyterian Church; Mr. Speer was a republican. Their son Newton is managing the farm.

Sources

• Jordan, John W. Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (Lewis Historical Pub. Co., New York, 1915, Vol. 1, p. 320-321, 391-393; Vol. 2, p. 808-810, 1065-1068)
• Cushing, Thomas History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Part II (A. Warner & Co.., Chicago, 1889, p. 758)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #19174062