Max Speers’ Great Grandfather:
William Speers
It all came about when my Aunt Virginia
living in San Diego told me she had an old steamer trunk in the garage loaded
William Speers was the son of John and Nancy
White Speers of Fayette County PA. William was born in Lafayette County near
Donegal PA on the 9th of Jul 1842. As a small boy he was brought to Iowa and
there grew into manhood. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he and his older
brother, Irwin, enlisted in Co F of the 14th IA Inf. They were bunkmates during
their period of enlistment which lasted for more than three years and some days
after which time they were both honorably discharged.
Both brothers were taken prisoner at the
Battle of Shiloh in
The 14th IA held fast at the center but the
other flanking regiments withdrew. Overpowered many were killed and the rest
taken prisoners. As prisoners they were on the road much of the time: to
Corinth MS, Memphis TN, Mobile AL, Canton & Jackson MS, Cahawha &
Montgomery AL, Macon & Columbus GA. All privates were pardoned on 22 Jun
1862. After that they were moved to Atlanta, Chattanooga, Savannah, Augusta GA,
Columbia SC, Charlotte, Raleigh, Petersburg VA and Libby Prison in Richmond VA.
The brothers signed their parole papers on
the 17th of October, then proceeded to Fort Monroe VA, Annapolis MD, then
ordered back to St. Louis by river boats to Benton Barracks MO where they
rejoined the 14 IA Inf. From his discharge papers, we note that William Speers
was 22 years old when he was mustered out of the service. He was 5 feet 10
inches tall, he had gray eyes with fair complexion and dark hair and a scar
wound on the left side of his head.
On 24 June 1864, he wrote to his Uncle Samuel
White that he was part of an expedition on the march through the state of
Mississippi with orders to destroy the Mobile & Corinth Railroad at Tupelo.
Our provost marshal company was engaged in the rear guarding prisoners. The
Battle of Tupelo took place on 14 July 1864 when William’s future father-in-law
was killed in action.
On the 14th of Feb 1871, William was united
in marriage with Miss Missouri Hays (the daughter of Robert Hays and Mary White
of Bonaparte IA). To this union came four children: Frank R., b. 9 Jan 1774 in
the territory of Kansas, d. 25 Aug 1929 in King City MO; Charles, b. 28 Dec
1887 in the territory of Kansas, d. 5 Jun 1948 in Stanberry MO; Blanche L., b.
25 Aug 1894 in Missouri, d. 16 Feb 1989 in Lagrange OR, m. John Speckhart in
1939, Caldwell ID; and an infant in 1871.
William & Missouri Speers moved to Kansas
and lived there for a while and later moved to Missouri and settled near the
Lafayette Baptist Church in Nodaway County where for many years they worked the
land and made their home. Moving to Stanberry MO on New Year’s Day in 1900,
they joined the First Baptist Church. Here they lived for 25 years. Missouri
Hays Speers died on 25 Oct 1925 and her husband shortly thereafter on 30 Jan
1926 after 53 years of marriage. The mourners included Frank, Charles, Blanche,
and one adopted daughter Mrs. D. D. Ross of Kansas City. There were five
grandchildren and two nephews in attendance.
Both William & Missouri Speers were laid
to rest at the High Ridge Cemetery in Stanberry MO. Wm. Speers was a
By Permission of: Max Speers
Member - Sons of Veterans of the
Civil War
Major General Thomas H. Ruger
Camp #1
