Thomas Cargill Speer

THOMAS C. SPEER, carpenter and joiner, Northwood; was born Nov. 13,
1828, in Lawrence Co., Pa.; his father, Thomas Speer, was born in
Ireland in 1788, and when he was four years old the family emigrated to
North Carolina, where they lived fourteen years, and then came to the
county above named; he served in the war of 1812 and was married to Mary
Shields, of Westmoreland Co.; he was a farmer by pursuit, and died after
a life of usefulness in his 80th year, his companion dying some eight
years later in her 86th year. Thomas C. left the parental roof when 18
years of age, and came direct to this township, where he had a brother,
and with him learned the carpenter's trade he has ever since lived in
this county, except one summer that he was at his old home, and has
worked at his trade all the time except four years that he was
interested in a saw-mill; he was married May 28, 1850, to Nancy Wylie,
and June 12, 1865, she died leaving four children-John W., Mary M.,
Elizabeth M. and Adella J.; these children. have all attended Geneva
College, the eldest having graduated, and was professor of mathematics
in that institution last year; Mr. Speer was married to Mary J. Downs,
Nov. 13, 1866, and less than two years later she was taken from him by
death; March 22, 1870 he secured a companion in the person of Mrs.
E. J. Love, a native of Butler Co., Pa.; he owns a pleasant little farm
convenient to the village of Northwood, and all are members of the R. P.
Church, in which he is ruling Elder; for twenty-two years he was
treasurer of the second Miami Congregation, and has been a delegate to
the Synod on two occasions, and five times a delegate to the National
Reform Convention.