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Bring Forth the SPEER! Psalm 35:3
12 October 2008
My Dad, Bobby Speer, under the old Hickory tree piping up the three Speer graves that we will rededicate in 2013. There is an American Flag placed at Robert Speer's grave by the Daughters of the American Revolution in honor of his service in the Revolutionary War.
Bring Forth the Speer!
- Cate Speer
Click here for a 30 second sound bite. Careful on the volume, piping is LOUD!
Summer 2007
Ever since I found the original Speer grave site in Adams County PA just an hour north and west of my home in Baltimore, I have enjoyed visiting. I was struck by the name of my name sake, Robert Speer (1735-1813), on the monument to Revolutionary War soldiers just inside the gate. I found the three grave stones under the hickory tree. The grave stones are aged from 1813 and hard to read. I began thinking about replacing them. Then came the idea of a Speer Gathering in about June of 2013, the bicentenary of the burials. This is how it started.
We now own the three new grave stones. Each cost about 450 dollars. I have purchased them. I did it now since the price will go up. The cost of each of the stones for engraving and installation will be about an additional 550 dollars each. Let us gather in June of 2013 and dedicate the stones. I would like to have the new stones engraved and in the ground by the summer of 2012, just to be sure.
This will take planning but there is plenty of time for a Bring Forth the Speer Gathering. Let us set a pre-gathering in June of 2010, three years out. We will write an article in the Journal of the Adams Country Historical Society, of which I am a member. It think it will probably be a good idea to get the article researched and written, but not publish it until after the Gathering, so as to be able to take advantage of information gathered during the Gathering.
We will inform the local police for parking purposes. We will inform the local newspaper. We will invite the local Presbyterian pastor to present a ceremony of rededication. Bagpipers and drummers will perform. Perhaps we should have little Scotland flags to carry. We should strike a commemorative coin. This will be especially exciting for all the Little Speers.
We will have a gathering and meal and celebration, perhaps at the Lutheran Seminary right in the town, or perhaps at the bible conference center at the crossroads of the old property, Pumping Station at Bullfrog. (not development names, what?)
We will need a lot of experts for the following: Strike the coin. Prepare the military honor role. Arrange for the meal at the appropriate place. Publish a small invitation booklet. Publish a program for the ceremony. Publish a more permanent book after the gathering. Prepare genealogies and family stories. Talk about the ecology of the cemetery site. Host a Ceilidh at the gathering. Kilts and military uniforms appropriate.
Hundreds of Speers will Come Forth for this Gathering. It is a once in 200 year opportunity. I look forward to your thoughts and participation.
Bring Forth the Speer!
BOBBY SPEER
Robert Hazlett (Bobby) Speer, Jr. (1939)
son of Robert Hazlett Speer (1909-1992)
grandson of Algernon Hazlett Speer (1875-1963)
great-grandson of Stewart "Stuart" Speer (1843-1925)
great-great-grandson of Alexander "Captain" Speer (1811-1892)
- the man in the middle of the photo on the top right of this page
great-great-great-grandson of Stuart "Judge" Speer (1783-1850)
- the father of the 5 brothers in the photo on the top right of this page
great-great-great-great-grandson of Robert "Robin" Speer (1735-1813)
- the owner of 1 of the 3 gravestones we are renovating
great-great-great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Speer (1679-1782)
great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of Robert Speer (1650-1743)
great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of John Speer (1623-1705)
great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Speer (Lowlands of Scotland?-1636)
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