John Spear (1788 - 1886)

Born 24 Feb 1788 in Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Osborn) Spear — married 23 Aug 1813 (to about 1845) in East Windsor, Tolland County, Connecticut, United States of America

Descendants

Died 5 Sep 1886 at age 98 in Jackson Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, United States

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Biography

John Spear was a Connecticuter.

John Spear lived in Appalachia, in New York.

John Spear was the son of David Spear and Mary Clark. He was born in Ellington, Tolland County, Connecticut on 24 Feb 1788.^[1]

John married Mary "Polly" Osborn of East Windsor, Connecticut, in East Windsor on 23 Aug 1813,^[2] during the War of 1812. Their children included: (Note: list is incomplete, children being added as documentation is found)

1. David Osborn Spear (b. 1 Jul 1816, Chautauqua County, New York)
2. Willis Bradford Spear (b. 12 Jan 1824, Chautauqua County, New York)
3. Hannah E Spear (b. 23 Jul 1829, Ashtabula County, Ohio)
4. Charles Spear (b. ca. 1832, Ashtabula County, Ohio)^[3]
5. Moses Spear (b. May 1834, Ashtabula County, Ohio)^[4]
6. Mary Elizabeth Spear (b. 21 Apr 1837, Ashtabula County, Ohio)^[5]

Not long after the end of the war, John moved his family westwards, to Chautauqua Township in Chautauqua County, New York, where they lived until the mid-1820s.^[6]

In 1830, John and his family were in Sheffield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio.^[7]

Before 1840, John had moved his family westwards, first to Indiana and then to Iowa, before going south to Missouri, where his son, Moses, had settled some time prior to 1860. His wife, Polly, had died in about 1845, while they were in Indiana.^[8]

John remarried, either in Indiana or Iowa. His second wife was Margaret (Unknown), born ca. 1802, in Ohio.^[9]

In September, 1846, John and his son, David, became among the earlier settlers of Des Moines Township, Dallas County, Iowa, in the forested area of Section 11, near the Des Moines River.^[10] Four years later, John's household included his second wife and three of his teenage children:^[11]

John Spear, age 62, born in Connecticut

Margaret Spear, age 48, born in Ohio

Charles Spear, age 18, born in Ohio

Moses Spear, age 16, born in Ohio

Mary Spear, age 14, born in Ohio

Neighboring this household was a second one, headed by John's son, David, and including what may have been John's younger children, together with David's wife, Margaret, and some of their children. John's daughter, Hannah, was counted as a member of that household:

David Spear, age 34, born in New York

Margaret Spear, age 30, born in Ohio

Nelson Spear, age 10, born in Indiana

Harriet Spear, age 8, born in Indiana

Louisa Spear, age 3, born in Iowa

Jane Spear, age 1, born in Iowa

Hannah Spear, age 20, born in Ohio

Calculating on the basis of this census information, John and Polly Osborn were in New York by about 1816, when David was born. They then moved west to Ohio by about 1830, so that Hannah Spear was born there. They apparently stayed in Ohio for about 10 years, since Nelson Spear was born in Indiana ca. 1840. John and his son, David, seem to have moved westward together after David reached adulthood, both reaching Iowa by about 1847, in time for Louisa Spear's birth, presumably in Dallas County, where the census found them about three years later, in 1850. In a directory of residents published in 1879, there was a John Spear farming in Section 17, P. O. Waukee, Boone Township, Dallas County, Iowa.^[12] It is tempting to think this might have been one of the elder John Spear's sons or grandsons, since John himself was living in the household of his son, Moses, in Missouri by 1860.

Before 1860, John's son, Moses, established a farm in Nodaway County, Missouri, and John's second wife, Margaret, had apparently died. By the time of the 1860 census, John (now an estimated 72 years old) was making his home with Moses, in Nodaway County, Missouri. His unmarried daughter, Hannah, kept house for the two men.^[13] Judging by the census returns for 1870 and 1880, John lived with Moses and Moses's family until his death in 1886.^[14][15]

John Spear died at home on Moses's farm at the age of 98, on 5 Sep 1886, and was buried at the Sweet Home Cemetery, located in what later became the town of Ravenwood, Nodaway County, Missouri.^[16]

Obituary

"The Oldest Man in Nodaway County Passes Away," The Maryville Republican, Maryville, Missouri, Thursday, 16 Sep 1886, column 7, p. 4.

"Died from gradual wasting away and exhaustion, at the residence of his son, Moses Spear, in Jackson township, on Sunday Morning, Sept. 5, 1886, John Spear, aged 98 yrs., 6 mons. and 12 days.

"John Spear was born in East Windsor, Connecticut, Feb. 24, 1788. His father and grandfather both served their country during the Revolution, as well as relatives on his mother's side, she being a Clark, descended from one of the early Pilgrim families of that name. In his twenty-fourth year he was united in marriage to Mies [sic] Polly Osburn, of East Windsor. One child, a girl named Betsey was born to them in East Windsor. About 1814 when Mr. Spear was 26 years old, the family left their native state and emigrated to Chautauqua county, in western New York, where they resided about fourteen year [sic]. Here six children, five girls and one boy, were added to the family. About 1828 they moved to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where they lived for ten years and received four more children into the family circle, two girls and two boys. In 1838 they settled in Noble county, Indiana, where the twelfth child, a daughter, was given them, but the weary mother departed for a better land, leaving her companion to pursue the rest of his long earthly journey alone. This was in February, 1840. In August, 1846 Mr. Spear and family moved to Dallas county, Iowa, residing there until August, 1855, when they settled in Nodaway county, on the same land on which Mr. Spear died.

"John Spear was a Federalist first, then a Whig, and after the organization of the Republican party adhered to its tenets. He voted at every presidential election from 1812 until his death, with the single exception of 1884, when he felt too feeble to go out. Being a man of earnest convictions he always took great interest in politics and the news of the day, having been a great reader until about two years ago, when his sight began to trouble him so that he was obliged to quit using his eyes in reading. Religiously Mr. Spear was rai-ed [sic] in the Presbyterian faith, but when about 40 years old united with the Baptist church in which faith he died. He used tobacco from the age of fourteen until his death, but was exceptionally temperate in everything else.

"Mr. Spear's health was remarkably good until about two years ago, when he had a stroke of paralysis, from which time he had been unable to walk about much. In April last he was afflicted with a second stroke which rendered him helpless and almost speechless. About eight days before he died his stomach failed to act, and he gradually expired from inanition. His funeral serves were held on Monday, Sept. 6, by Rev. Lewis, when his remains were laid awaw [sic] in Sweet Home cemetery.

"Five of his children, three sons and two daughters, are left to mourn his loss. seven [sic], four sons and three daughters having preceeded him to a heavinly home. Of the children alive the eldest, Willis Spear, resides in Wyoming territory. Hannah makes her home as she always has, with her brother Moses, a well known and much respected citizen of Jackson township, Nodaway county, Missouri. Charles lives in Caldwell, Kan., and the youngest, Mary, is in Washington territory."

Research Notes

Variant spellings for "Spear:" The Spear name regularly appears in several variants in the sources, including "Spear," "Speer", and "Speir" or "Spier," with or without a final "E" or "S" (or both)

Military Service: War of 1812: According to one family story, John served in the War of 1812 as a drummer. According to an unsourced genealogy of the Spear family, he served as a fifer.^{[citation needed]} No documentation for either has yet been found. Anderson-27719 03:22, 13 August 2021 (UTC)

1820 Census: The ages on the 1820 census for the John Spears in Chautauqua Township, Chautauqua County, New York, don't match this John Spear's family. He would have been about 32 years old at the time of the census, but the male adult in the household is listed as 45 or older, while the next oldest males are listed as aged 16 to 25, which would be too young. The enumerator could have checked the wrong boxes in listing ages, shifting everyone up one age group after the initial notation (which would probably be for John's son, David, who would have been about four years old in 1820).

Ravenwood, Jackson Township, Nodaway County, Missouri: Ravenwood was not established until 1887, when the town was laid out. The Ravenwood Post Office was opened in 1888.^[17] Therefore, for the span of John's residence there, the town did not exist as such.

Sources

1. ↑ See the transcript of his obituary, below.
2. ↑ "Spear, John, of Ellington, m. Mary Osborn, of East Windsor, Aug. 23, 1813," citing East Windsor Town Records, p. 53: Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870, East Windsor, p. 84 (accessed 16 Apr 2018 - subscription required). See also: Stiles, The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Volume 2, p. 543.
3. ↑ United States Census, 1850.
4. ↑ United States Census, 1850.
5. ↑ United States Census, 1850.
6. ↑ "John Spears," 1 male age 0-9, 2 males age 16-25, 1 male 45 and older; 2 females 10-15, 1 females 45 and older: United States Census, 1820, Chautauqua Township, Chautauqua County, New York, Page No. 47, Line 3, FamilySearch.org (accessed 16 Nov 2022).
7. ↑ "John Spears," 1 male age 5-9, 2 males age 10-14, 1 male aged 40-49; 2 females age 0-4, 1 female age 5-9, 1 female age 15-19, 1 female age 30-39: United States Census, 1830, Sheffield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio, Sheet No. 121, Line 6, FamilySearch.org (accesssed 16 Nov 2022).
8. ↑ Stiles, The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Volume II, p. 543, Family No. 31, Moses Osborn, No. 2, Mary Osborn.
9. ↑ United States Census, 1850.
10. ↑ The History of Dallas County, Iowa, p. 517.
11. ↑ United States Census, 1850.
12. ↑ "Boone Township," "John Spear," The History of Dallas County, Iowa, p. 583.
13. ↑ "John Spear," age 72, b. Connecticut, farmer: United States Census, 1860, Nodaway County, Missouri, Sweet Home Post Office, Page No. 18, Family No. 47, Lines 21-23, esp. Line 21; also available at Ancestry.com (accessed 12 Nov 2020 - subscription required).
14. ↑ "Spear, John S.," age 83, b. Connecticut, no occupation: United States Census, 1870, Jackson Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, Maryville Post Office, Page No. 11, Family No. 76, Line 23 (accessed 13 Nov 2020).
15. ↑ "Spear, John," age 92, b. Connecticut, parents b. born Connecticut, retired farmer, relation to head: father: United States Census, 1880', Jackson Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, Page No. 26, Family No. 232, Line 43 (accessed 13 Nov 2020).
16. ↑ Obituary: "The Oldest Man in Nodaway County Passes Away," The Maryville Republican, 16 Sep 1886, column 7, p. 4. See photo of gravestone: Find A Grave Memorial# 15394609, John Spear (accessed 12 Nov 2020).
17. ↑ "Ravenwood, Missouri," Wikipedia.org (accessed 13 Nov 2020).

• [Anon.] The History of Dallas County, Iowa, Containing A History of the County, its Cities, Towns, &c., A Biographical Directory of its Citizens, War Record of the Volunteers in the late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of the Northwest, History of Iowa, Map of Dallas County, Constitution of the United States, Constitution of the State of Iowa, Miscellaneous Matters, &c. Illustrated, Des Moines, Iowa: Union Historical Company, 1879.
• Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928 (subscription required).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 November 2020), memorial page for John Spear (1788–5 Sep 1886), Find a Grave Memorial no. 15394609, citing Sweet Home Cemetery, Ravenwood, Nodaway County, Missouri, USA ; Maintained by SMG (contributor 46828829).
• "Ravenwood, Missouri," Wikipedia.org (accessed 13 Nov 2020).
• Stiles, Henry Reed. The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut, including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, Volume II: Genealogies and Biographies, Hartford, Connecticut: Press of Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1892.

Census Returns:

• United States Census, 1820, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YYN-9XWZ?cc=1803955&wc=3L7F-SYS%3A1586986403%2C1586987277%2C1586987276 : 23 September 2019), New York > Chautauqua > Chautauqua > image 8 of 14; citing NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• United States Census, 1830, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYK-SRYX?cc=1803958&wc=35YH-4HB%3A1588481803%2C1588483411%2C1588469008 : 14 August 2015), Ohio > Ashtabula > Sheffield > image 5 of 6; citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.)
• United States Census, 1850, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ4D-ZKN : 9 November 2014), Mary Spear in household of John Spear, Dallas county, Dallas, Iowa, United States; citing family 921, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• United States Census, 1860, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH87-XKT : 11 November 2020), Moses Spear in entry for John Spear, 1860.
• United States Census, 1870, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M46B-DBG : 19 March 2020), John S Spear in entry for Moses Spear, 1870.
• United States Census, 1880, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6X1-LL4 : 14 August 2017), John Spear in household of Mases Spear, Jackson, Nodaway, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district ED 264, sheet 253B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,707.

Other Sources

• Speare, Charles Leon, compiler. The Speare Family, From 1642, Genealogical Record of Certain Branches, Rutland, Vermont: The Tuttle PublishingCompany, Inc., 1938. [Unsoured Genealogy]
• Mayflower Society Application Database: "Community Trees," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:QVQ5-21Z : accessed 14 October 2021), entry for John Spears or Spear, cites sources; "Mayflower Pilgrim Genealogies" file (2:2:2:MMXD-DP8), submitted 24 February 2020 by FamilySearch.