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Bring Forth the SPEER! Psalm 35:3
22 August 2010
We're currently planning a Speer gathering 28-30 June 2012 in Adams County, PA.
Contact us if you would like to help. We still need to discuss & decide:
| • Tours of the church |
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• Pipe band |
| • T-shirt |
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• Big meal |
| • Flags |
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• Newspaper |
| • Hire an event planner? |
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• Police - direct traffic |
| • Cater the meal - where? |
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• Presentation about the cemetary |
| • Brief Speer history |
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• Military service recognition |
| • Select a preferred Tartan |
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• Planning for money |
| • Existing Stones will remain |
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| • Small flat memorial containing information |
| • Commemorative coin |
- one side - "Bring Forth The Speer" |
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- other side - "Adams Country, PA - 1813-2013" |
• Codori Monuments, Gettysburg - approved for work in this cemetery - they possess professional rubbings of the information on the existing stones
• Gil Pringle - owner of the access land, keen on the whole plan
• Publish an article in the 'Adams Country Historical Society' journal
• What are your suggestions for additional tasks?
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 difficult to read. I began thinking about this as an issue. Then came the idea of a Speer Gathering for the bicentenary of the burials. This is how it started.
You will notice that the major gathering is planned for June of 2012. We realize this is one year too early. The reason for this early date is that during the summer of 2013, the whole town of Gettysburg will be totally commited to the 150th anniversary of the battle of the same name making it impossible for us to engage living quarters any time that summer.
Let us set a pre-gathering in June of 2011 in Gettysburg. It is proposed to include an article in the Journal of the Adams Country Historical Society, of which many of us are members.
We will ask the help of the local police for parking and traffic assistance. We will contact the local newspaper. We will invite the pastor of the Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian church to participate in a ceremony of rededication. Bagpipers and drummers will perform. Perhaps we should have little Scotland flags to carry. Perhaps we should strike a commemorative coin. This will be especially exciting for all the Little Speers.
We propose to have a gathering, meal and celebration, perhaps at the Lutheran Seminary across the street from the Historical Society, or perhaps at the Bible Conference Center at the crossroads of the old property, Pumping Station at Bullfrog or at a place to be determined.
We will need several experts for the following: First and most important, someone to engage the apporpriate number of motel rooms with a lead time of approximately 18 months. Strike the coin. Prepare the military honor role. Arrange the principle 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. Make a presentation about the ecology of the cemetery site and the surrounding area. Host a ceilidh (a traditional Gaelic social gathering) with home grown entertainment. Kilts and military uniforms appropriate.
Hopefully hundreds of Speers will Come Forth for this Gathering. It is a once in 200 year opportunity. We 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 will rededicate
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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