John Spear was one of the sons of Sallie Speer, who was a daughter of William "Uncle Billy" Williams. In William's 1868 will, he gave $50 to the seven children of his deceased daughter Sallie Speer.
Sallie was married before the 1843 courthouse fire, so there is no record of her husband's name. But there are two 1838 deeds from Madison Speers and his wife Sarah to William Davis for two 40 acre properties near James Davis' third homestead.
The 1850 and 1860 Census for Jackson County shows the family of William M. and Sally/Sally Speer, containing a total of 8 children. The eldest is Americus, b. 1835. He would have been too old to have been Sally's son, so he was a child of Madison's first wife, whose identity is unknown.
On 9 Sep 1869, John Spear married Nancy Spear, the daughter of Charles and Polly (Walls) Spear. The relationship of Charles Spear to Madison Spear, if any, is unknown. They are found in the 1870 Census living in Perry County in Township 6 South, Range 3 West.
In the 1880 Census they are living in Clay, Dunklin County, Missouri. They had two children: Martha, age 5 and Simon P., age 3.
I could not locate a 1900 Census record for John, Nancy or their two children.
On 8 Nov 1905, Mrs. Nancy Speare married William Cross in Dunklin County, Missouri. They are found living together in the 1910 Census for Salem, Dunklin County.
In the 1920 Census, they are living together, and also in the household are stepdaughter Bell Couch [sic: Couts], age 30; Goldie M. Rodgers, age 9; William F. Rodgers, age 6; and Robert D. Rodgers, age 4. Who was Bell Couch?
On 30 Aug 1903, Belle Spear married James Henry Pendergrass in Homersville, Dunklin County, Missouri.
On 16 Aug 1904, Bell Pendergrass married W. F. Rodgers in Geneva, Dunklin County, Missouri.
On 28 Jul 1918, Mrs. Bell Rogers married W. P. Couts in Dunklin County, Missouri.
Thus Bell was the third known child of John and Nancy Spear. The three children found in the 1920 Census record above were Bell's children by her second marriage.
Nancy (Spear) Spear Cross died on 17 Oct 1924. Her death certificate information was provided by her husband, William Cross. It states that she was born in Illinois on 27 Oct 1850 to Charles and Polly (Walls) Spear.
Thank you for that information.
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