Irwin W. Speers 1840-1910

SPEERS, CALLEN, WHITE, PETERS

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 6/26/2014 at 18:51:11

Irwin W. Speers.

Irwin W. Speers was born in Fayette county, Pennslvania in 1840 on the 30th day of June in a mountain home at the foot of Laurel Ridge. His father, John Speers, was a cabinet maker by trade. When Irwin was six years old his mother died, leaving a family of three boys, Irwin, William and James. When he was eight years old his father was killed by the kick of a vicious horse. Being left without either a father or mother he went to live with his uncle, James White in the same neighborhood. Here he remained till he was sixteen years of age. In 1856, he came with another uncle, Samuel White to near Bonaparte Van Buren county Iowa. He lived in the neighborhood north of Bonaparte until the beginning of the Civil War, working as a farm hand in the summer and doing chores for his board and going to school in the winter.

On the 14 day of Oct. 1861 he enlisted in Company F. of the 14th Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry and served until the close of the war, when he was given an honorable discharge.

On the 13th day of March 1866 he was married to Sarah Ellen Callen, daughter of Martin S. and Jane Callen of Bonaparte, Iowa. To them were born four children, William, Carrie, Albert and Mabel, all of whom are still living except Carrie who died in 1887,

At the age of about sixteen he united with the Mount Zion Baptist Church near Bonaparte. In 1876 he moved his membership to the Seymour Baptist church as which place he was a constant member at the time of his death.

In 1870 he moved from Bonaparte to Appanoose county, purchasing the old farm home east of Seymour residing here until 1895 when he moved to Iowa City where he remained five years and then returned to Seymour.

On August 8, 1910, after an illness of about two weeks, he departed this life to join his faithful companion who died two and one half years ago. He leaves two sons, W. M. and A. P. of Centerville and daughter Mabel Peters of Seymour, and one brother, William of Stansberry, Missouri, who mourn the loss of a kind father and brother.

Source: Entler Scrapbook Collection, vol 5, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA