JOHNSON SPEAR

Johnson Spear, an honored veteran of the Civil war, who is now living retired in Tipton, Iowa, after a useful and well spent life mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits, is a native of Ireland, born in County Tyrone, June 1, 1845. He spent the first six years of his life in the land of his birth and then accompanied his parents, Robert and Elizabeth (Johnson) Spear, on their emigration to America. The family first located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they remained for two years and then came to Iowa, taking up their abode in Tipton. Here our subject attended the old union school until twelve years of age and then began his business career as a farm hand, working by the month for three years.

When his adopted country became involved in the Civil war Mr. Spear resolved to enter the service, although at that time but seventeen years of age. He enlisted, however, at Tipton in August, 1862, becoming a member of Company B, Twenty-fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Rathburn. During the three years of his service he participated in all of the engagements in which his company took part, including the Vicksburg campaign. After the surrender of that stronghold he went to Jackson, Mississippi, with Sherman but later returned to Vicksburg and participated in the Red River Expedition under Banks. After a time he was also connected with the Army of the Potomac, being under Sheridan in his campaigns through the Shenandoah valley. On the expiration of his term of enlistment he was mustered out at Savannah, Georgia, and discharged at Davenport, Iowa, at which time he bore the rank of corporal.

On his return home Mr. Spear resumed farming and continued to work for others until he attained his majority, when he began farming on his own account. After his marriage at twenty-four years of age, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Fairfield township, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his energies until he retired from active life in February, 1908. As time passed he prospered in his undertakings and was able to add to his property until he became the owner of three hundred and sixty acres, which he has since disposed of to his children. He is now the owner of a beautiful home on Eighth street, Tipton, and is enjoying a well earned rest.

In 1869 Mr. Spear was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Elliott, also a native of Ireland, who on coming to this country first located in Pennsylvania and later removed to Scott county, Iowa, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Elliott. By that union our subject had four children: Anna, the wife of Clark Flamsburg, who is operating the old home farm in Fairfield township; Thomas, who married Martha Davis and is also residing in Fairfield township; Jennie, the wife of Robert McClellan of South Dakota; and Bessie, who died at the age of eighteen months. For his second wife Mr. Spear married Miss Lucy Carey, a native of Cedar county and a daughter of Moses Carey.

Prior to his removal to Tipton, Mr. Spear was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church but is now connected with the Reformed church of this city. He has always been very active in church work and has served as a teacher of the Bible class and as assistant superintendent of the Sunday school. He is a charter member of William Beaver Post, G. A. R., of Tipton, and is one of the honored and highly esteemed citizens of Cedar county, with whose interests he has now been identified for almost sixty years.