Andrew Sheldon Speer

BLOOMQUIST, BRICKER, EVANS, KIRBY, MCQUIE, PIATT, SHOEMAKER, SPEER, WHITE

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/20/2004 at 22:39:49

“History of Madison County Iowa and Its People”
Herman A. Mueller, Supervising Editor
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915

Andrew Shelton Speer is one of the oldest settlers in Madison county and the oldest settler in Jackson township, where he has lived for a longer period than any other resident, having come here sixty-one years ago. He resides upon his farm, and although eighty-five years of age, still has a firm grasp upon his affairs and takes a keen interest in the events in the world at large. He was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, on the 18th of February, 1830, of the marriage of Andrew and Dicy (Kirby) Speer, the former born in' Kentucky in what was then Shelby county but is now Olin county. The Speer family came originally from Ireland and for many generations there has been a son named Andrew. The first of the family to settle in the United States bore that name and lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and five years. His wife also reached a venerable age and they lived together for eighty years, a record seldom equaled. He had an old steelyard and it was his desire that it be given to the Andrew of each of the generations following him. The son of our subject, who was named Andrew, having died in 1899, the steelyard is still in the former's possession.

Andrew Speer, the father of our subject, followed farming in Kentucky until in 1824, when he removed to Leesville, Indiana. That part of the state was then a pioneer region and he hauled the first goods into the village of Leesville. He was instrumental in securing the early subscription schools, and with his neighbors built a blockhouse to protect the white settlers from the Indians, who were numerous and at times hostile. One of the men, Jacob Flynn, was carried away by the red men and taken to a point on the Wabash river north of Vincennes. He pretended to be unable to paddle a canoe and his captors relaxed their guard of him somewhat, giving him considerable freedom in the task assigned him, that of picking herbs. He succeeded in escaping from them and for two weeks lived on leaves and buds and was completely exhausted when finally picked up by white men and sent back to his family. Our subject's father resided in the Hoosier state until his demise. He owned two hundred and eighty acres and had also purchased forty acres for each of his eleven children. The latter part of his life he was an influential member and active worker in the United Brethren church. He held a number of township offices and was well known and sincerely respected. Our subject is the third youngest in a family of eleven children, three others of whom, Jesse, James and George W., were at one time residents of this county.

Andrew Shelton Speer attended the subscription and district schools of Indiana, and when twenty-one years of age became a teacher in that state. In 1853 he joined a party of emigrants who came overland to Jackson township, this county, and entered government land. He built a log cabin and for several years kept bachelor's hall. At the time of his arrival here there were but two families in his locality and the great prairies were still as they had been for unknown ages. Game was plentiful and he was once mistaken for a wolf, as he wore a fur coat, and was shot in the jaw December 11, 1855. His life was despaired of but he was carefully nursed by neighbors, and recovered without any ill effects, save for a scar which he carries to this day. He cherishes the memory of Mrs. Fry, who gave him every attention, and Mr. Speer feels very grateful to her for the courtesy rendered. Winterset was but a small village and there was only one cabin on the east side of the square. He purchased two hundred and forty acres on section 12, Jackson township, from the government, paying a dollar and a quarter per acre He immediately began to break the sod and bring his land under cultivation. Shortly before his marriage he built a new home for his bride and the house is still standing. It remained the family home for many years and there all of his children were born. He followed general farming and stock-raising during his active life and was very successful in those occupations. He was active in community affairs in the early history of the county and for several years served as township assessor. For seven winters in the early period of his residence here the snow was so deep that it was possible to drive to town over the fences.

In April, 1863, Mr. Speer was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Evans, who was born in Des Moines county, this state, in 1843. Her entire life has been spent in Iowa, as she has never been outside the boundaries of the state. Her parents were Robert A. and Elizabeth (Shoemaker) Evans, the former of whom was born in Washington county, Indiana. Elizabeth Shoemaker was a descendant of one of the oldest families of Pennsylvania and was a schoolmate of President Tyler. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Speer fought in the Revolutionary war under General Washington. Her father, Robert A. Evans, went to Des Moines county, Iowa, in 1831 and found all kinds of wild game, including buffalo. Indians were also numerous and there were but few white settlers in the county. In 1846 he voted for statehood and he performed well his part in laying the foundation of the greatness of Iowa today. In 1848 he removed to this county and purchased four hundred and forty acres of land in Douglas township. He continued to reside there until his death. He was without political aspirations, but was active in school and church affairs, particularly in the latter, being a charter member of the Baptist church of Douglas township. His brother Joseph was the first sheriff of Madison county and some of his brothers fought in the War of 1812.

Mr. and Mrs. Speer are the parents of twelve children. James M. born February 20, 1864, is a salesman living with his parents. Alice is the wife of William Anderson, a farmer residing near Norwalk, Iowa, and they have seven children. Andrew J., born October 31, 1867, died in 1899. Elizabeth is the wife of John Piatt, a farmer of Jackson township, and they have four children Robert E., born October 13, 1870, is a musician traveling with a circus Dicy is the wife of Alexander McQuie, a farmer of Penn township, who was born on the ocean while his parents were emigrating from Scotland to the United States. John Q, born July 13, 1874, died August n. 1914. William G., born August 18, 1876, and Charles Darwin, born May 12, 1878, are both at home Adela is the wife of August Bloomquist, a farmer of Adair county, and they have five children. Blanche is the wife of Henry White, a farmer of Dallas county, and they have four children. Mabel C. is the wife of Ralph Bricker, a farmer.

Mr. Speer deserves great credit for what he has accomplished in life for he is distinctly a self-made man. During the first eight years of his residence in this county he cleared, broke and cultivated forty acres of land He is not only esteemed throughout the county because of his sterling qualities of manhood and the honorable part which he played for so many years in the development of the county, but is also popular, among the young and old, as he is very hospitable and pleasant. Although he is living retired from the active work of the world, he keeps well informed as to what is happening not only in his locality but in the state and nation, and his naturally keen mind and wide experience and observation make him an entertaining conversationalist. His is an old age that brings with its distinctive enjoyment and forms a fitting close to a life of honorable achievement.

Madison Biographies maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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