The First Spear/Speer/Speir families in Georgia

So who was the first Spear/Speer/Speir to travel and settle in Georgia? Although there is no definite proof, it was probably Abraham Spear (or Spears)and Jesse Spears.

The British rewarded loyal and hard working settlers in early Georgia by granting land to these colonists. Records of these grants are documented in British Conveyance Books and some are shown below.

Some Spear/Speir/Spears families remained loyal, or at least sympathetic to the King during the Revolutionary War like Virginia Tobacco Lord Alexander J. Speir.

Others like Indian Affairs Superintendent and Indian Trader Jesse Spears defied the Tories and risked their lives in the bloody fight against the British and the struggle for American independence.

The Abraham Spears outlined below is quite possibly the same Abraham Spears found in Edgefield County, S.C. during the same time period noted. No mention is made in the British Conveyance Book about any land granted to Abraham.

Special notations in parenthesis indicate cross-referenced names found in the book "Spear, Speir, Speer & Friends."

Early Spear/Speir/Spears Land transactions

1764 Saint George's Parish, Georgia (Burke County?)

October 13th... Bryan Kelly of St. George's Parish, a planter sells to Nathaniel Miller of same place 100 acres on the Beaver Dam. Witnessed by Abraham Spear and Jacob Colson. Recorded July 1766. On the following page of document, same day (page 1119), Bryan Kelly sells to Nathaniel Miller more property. Witnessed by Jacob Colson, Abraham Spiar, James Jackson. Source: British Conveyance Book, Volume C-2, page 1118. (Note: see Nathaniel Miller listed in 1825 Jasper County lottery draws. Also there is a Nathaniel Miller near Robert Spier in the 1830 Laurens Co., Ga. Census.)

1765 Saint Paul's Parish, Georgia (Augusta)

August 13th... John Clark buys from William Satterwhite 350 acres in St. Paul's Parish...bordered on the N.E. by Savannah River, on NW by Matthew Allan, on SE by Thomas Moony and SW by vacant land. Witnessed by James Buchanan, Abraham Spear and Edward Barnard British J.P. Source: British Conveyance Book, volume C-2, page 1113. (Note: there is a Matthew Allen living near John Spears in the 1800 Granville Co., N.C. Census. Also note the Wm. Satterwhite mentioned in deed to Zachariah Spiers in 1793 Columbia County, Ga.)

1769 Augusta, Ga., Saint Paul's Parish

April 1st... Edward Barnard Esquire of Augusta sells to Elizabeth Jervis widow, property granted to James Anderson by the King in 1760. The property is a town lot, one acre in the city of Augusta, lot 13, bounded by lots 20 and 18, fronting Broad St. and Ellis St. Witnessed by John Davison, Abraham Spear, Leonard Claiborne British J.P. On the following page is a document stating that the lot also belonged to Lachlan McGillivray Esq. of Augusta. Source: British Conveyance Book, Vol. B, page 93. (Note: a James Anderson and Jervis families can be found living near each other in the 1790 Surry Co., N.C. Census!! Charles Coursey's father-in-law was named James Anderson!! John Querns is associated with James Anderson and Gideon Anderson in 1802 Wilkes Co., Ga. This Lachlan McGillivray is probably a Tory and the son of General Alexander McGillivray who was associated with Jesse Spears, Indian Trader. )

1771 Saint Paul's Parish (Augusta?), Georgia

July 20th... Martin Weatherford sells to James Ross of Savannah, Ga. property in St. Paul's Parish.

Witnessed by John Walton and Abraham Spears. British Conveyance Book, Volume X-1, page 74

(Note: see Abraham Spear in Edgefield Co., S.C. this year!! Also note that John Weatherford can

be found in 1774 Surry Co., N.C. with Robert Speer, in 1810 Edgefield Co., S.C. with Robert

Speer's decendants and in 1855 Franklin Co., Alabama with same Robt. Speer's decendants!!

Also note that John Walton witnesses a deed for Moses Speer in 1796 Greene County, Ga.)

1772 Saint Paul's Parish, Georgia (Augusta?)

April 15th.... Thomas Bassett and wife Lucy Bassett of St. Paul's Parish sell to Edmond Bugg 530 acres first granted to Thos. Bassett by his Majesty the King on June 7th, 1768. Witnessed by Abraham Spear, Charles Walker, John Creed. Source: British Conveyance Book, Volume X-2, page 657.(Note: see Samuel Bugg in 1746 Henrico Co., Va. with John & Wm. Spear.)

1774 St. George's Parish (Burke County) Georgia

July 6th.....George Spires receives a 300 acre bounty grant, Book M, Page 410 (300 acres = man, wife and child). The property is in township of Queensborough bounded on south by Walter Stephenson, north by John Boggs near Reedy Branch. James Martin signs for Spires.

1774 St. Paul's Parish, Georgia (later Richmond County, maybe Augusta)

Abraham Spear signs a request for Georgia to be granted state status. In Augusta, the "Mackay House" trading post, customers from 1774 to 1783 include Abraham Spears and Jesse Spears. Also, from Georgia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol 29, number 3 page 177, "Some Settlers On The Frontier, 1775 to 1778", Robert Davis lists claims filed by American Loyalists (or Tories) with the British government for losses sustained in the American Revolution. Thomas Waters was the most prominent Loyalist on the Ga. frontier and many frontiersmen from Ausgusta and Wilkes County owed him money before he was banished from Georgia. Jessey Spears, Packhorseman. January 1st, 1774 is one of those listed.

October 12th 1774 Edition of the Georgia Gazette newspaper, page 2, a listing of petitioners is published. Those signing were: Robert Mackay, Andrew Johnston, Edward Barnard, William Goodgion, James Gordon, James Grierson, JohnDaniel Hammerer, Francis Begbie, Thomas Graham, Francis Pringle, Donald Cameron, John Frances, Daniel Waiscoat, George Barnard, Charles Walker, John Pratt, William Matthews, Robert Bonner, Benjamin Webster, Martin Weatherford, Abraham Spear, John Lamar, JohnFrancis Williams, Peter Paris, John Bacon, Sherwood Bugg, William Bugg, Daniel Wolecon, William Johnson, Charles Clark, Moody Butt, Samuel Clark, John Howell, John Dooly, Thomas Grierson, Robert Grierson, Spencer Kelley, Joseph Leslie. Source: Davis' book "Georgia Citizens and Soldiers of the American Revolution."

1775 Saint George's Parish, Georgia (later Burke County)

July 24th....John Baggs receives 100 acres headright bounded on north by John Brown, west by Lambert's Creek, east by Thomas Irwin and south by George Spiers. Signed by Daniel McNeil for John Beggs.

1776 Georgia...Wilkes County

Jesse Spears escapes from the Cherokees to warn of attack by Tories. letter to Gov. of S. C.

1780 Chatham County, Georgia

December 2nd...In a list of petitioners including merchants and citizens of Savannah and surrounding areas requesting help in establishing law and order be restored, the following names are listed: James Mossman, George Baillie, William Telfair, AlexanderJ. Speirs, Owen Owens, George Kerr, Wm. Thomson, Henry Keall, Ross& McCricky, John Wood, David ZublyJr., John Starr, Ben Wilson, Patrick Crookshanks, Wm. Wallace, Tho. Tallewrath?, S.H. Jenkins, Alexander McGown, Henry Keall for William Struthers, John Wallace, John MacIver, Thomas Mills, Alexander Gay, George Macaulay, James Belcher, James Herriott, PeterHenry Morel, John Morel, Peter Dean, William Jones. Source: Davis' book Georgia Citizens and Soldiers of the American Revolution.

1782 Chatham County, Georgia

May 23d edition of the Georgia Gazette newspaper published in Savannah, Ga. describes maritime activities "May 9th...Yesterday arrived here the schooner Swallow, Lewis Spiers Master, in nine days from New Providence. She left that place in company with two transports bound hither, and the Garland frigate, which parted from them four hours after being out of port, to give chase to a vessel which then hove in fight. Two days before the Swallow sailed from New Providence a fine Philadelphia brig, of 16 nine and six pounders, was brought in there by the Fox privateer, Capt. Bell, of 16 four pounders. The prize had on board, besides other articles, 1100 barrels of flour."

1782 Wilkes County Ga

Jesse Spears, who had been living with the Indians, gave Wilkes County Ga residents warning of an attack by Indians. Found in History of Wilkes Co, Cullman library. He apparently crossed Ogeechee and Oconee rivers. In state papers, Indian Affairs, Vol. 1, Page 317, McCalls History.

1783 Richmond Co., Georgia

February - Abraham Spears deceased, Waters Dunn administrator, inv. Feb. 17, 1783 by appraisers: Charlie Bostick, James Harris, Robert Jones, Richmond. In Augusta, the "Mackay House" trading post, customers from 1774 to 1783 include Abraham Spears and Jesse Spears.

1783 Chatham County, Georgia

Savannah...October 8th...Patrick Crookshanks and AlexanderJ. Speirs write a letter to Robert

McCulloch in England. McCulloch has been a British patriot during the war, handling logisti

cal affairs for the British in places like Charleston, S.C. and New York. He finally moves to

Florida helping the British evacuate before losing the War. Shortly afterwards, he moves to

England. In a collection of McCulloch's papers found in England are many letters from his

friends in America. Speirs and Crookshanks' letter reads, "We have not heard from you since

you left East Florida. There seems to be a determination to send off the country a few men

who are considered very obnoxious. The signing of the treaty might put business back on a

more solid foundation. Many people from Virginia are settling in the back country." Source:

NGS Quarterly, Volume 74, page 202, Genealogical Gleanings in England.

1785 Richmond Co., GA

Zachariah Spiers and wife Dinah Spiers sell land to Pearre. April 10th Zachariah Spiers buys land from James Youngblood, 105 acres on Little Kiokee Creek. In another account: 1787 Jan 20 Zechariah Speers pur. 150 A on Kiowee Creek, Augusta, GA per H975.737REV"Edgefield SC County Records", P. 238, Also, H975.737REV, "Edgefield SC Records" indicate land was from James Youngblood & Jerimiah Youngblood, on Flat Branch of Kiowee Creek, recorded in Augusta, GA Deed Bk. F-1-155.Orig. grant to Isaac Fuller, 28 May 1788, P. 238 per H975.737REV, "Edgefield SC County Records", P. 229.