Thomas James "TJ" Spear

Last updated 18 Nov 2021 in Spear–Johnson Family.

Individual

Born: 19 Aug 1835 in Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio, United States

Died: 12 Aug 1923 in Olive Township, Decatur County, Kansas, United States

Father: Joseph Spear (? – ?)

Mother: Sarah A. Hinton (bet 1811/1812 – ?)

Supporting evidence for: , , , ,

Family #1

Spouse/Partner: Mary Ann Shafer (1840 – 1887)

Married: 26 Jun 1859 in , Noble County, Ohio, United States

Supporting evidence for:

Child: Belle Spear (1860 – 1965)

Child: David C. Spear (1862 – 1940)

Child: Martha Jane "Mattie" Spear (1867 – 1953)

Child: Sarah Elizabeth "Sadie" Spear (1869 – ?)

Child: Frank J. Spear (1871 – 1950)

Child: Cora A. Spear (1873 – 1874)

Child: Ernest W. Spear (bet 1876/1877 – 1960)

Child: Joseph Elbert "Bert" Spear (1879 – 1955)

Child: Mary Winifred Spear (1883 – 1975)

Child: Wilma May Spear (1886 – 1967)

Family #2

Spouse/Partner: Samantha J. Karns (1848 – 1915)

Married: 17 Mar 1889 in , Rawlins County, Kansas, United States

Supporting evidence for:

Child: Samuel Harvey Fisher (1882 – ?)

Child: Emmett Spear (1891 – ?)

Miscellaneous Facts

Events

Burial: at Oberlin, Decatur County, Kansas, United States

Cemetery: (Oberlin Cemetery) at Oberlin, Decatur County, Kansas, United States

Supporting evidence for:

Attributes

Occupation: (farmer) 1 Jun 1870

Residence: 1 Jun 1870 at Union Township, Guthrie County, Iowa, United States

Occupation: (farmer) 1 Jun 1900

Residence: 1 Jun 1900 at Union Township, Rawlins County, Kansas, United States

Occupation: (farmer) 15 Apr 1910

Residence: 15 Apr 1910 at Center Township, Decatur County, Kansas, United States

Residence: 12 Sep 1918 at Oberlin, Decatur County, Kansas, United States

Residence: 10 Jan 1920 at Olive Township, Decatur County, Kansas, United States

Supporting evidence for:

General Notes and Anecdotes

T.J. was active in the local Methodist church from early in his life, and served as a local preacher for many years. [obituary-thomas-spear-1923]

On 22 Aug 1862, T.J. enlisted in Company H of the 116th Ohio Volunteers. [military-registry-ks-enrollment-veterans-56-190, book-record-of-the-116th-regiment-ohio-1884, obituary-thomas-spear-1923]

The 116th Ohio Volunteers was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio at Marietta and Gallipolis, and mustered in 18 Sep 1862. Due to desertions, Companies F and K had to hold back and were not mustered in until 28 Oct 1862. They joined the rest of the 116th at Buckhannon, West Virginia. [The mustering date of Companies F and K was erroneously given as 1861 in the Compendium, see pages 19 and 24 of the Record of the 116 Regiment.] [book-compendium-of-the-war-of-the-rebellion-1908, book-record-of-the-116th-regiment-ohio-1884]

The 116th was involved in general military operations, including the Second Battle of Winchester (13-15 Jun 1863). They joined the Army of the Potomac on 5 Jul 1863, and fought in numerous skirmishes in northern Virginia and western Maryland that summer. [book-compendium-of-the-war-of-the-rebellion-1908]

T.J. was mustered out 10 Jun 1865 at Camp Chase, Ohio, and awarded a pension of $13 per month. [obituary-thomas-spear-1923, military-registry-ks-enrollment-veterans-56-190]

In 1883 T.J. may have joined the Perry Wright Post (No. 188) of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) [a fraternal organization created exclusively for honorably discharged Union veterans of the American Civil War; it had over 400,000 members at its height] in Coon Rapids, Iowa. However, although the application exists, it notes the enrollment fees hadn't been paid yet. [misc-gar-thomas-spear-1883]

He was later a member of the T.E.G. Ransom Post (No 198) of the GAR in Oberlin, Kansas where he held multiple positions during his membership. In 1903 he was the posts' Chaplin, and in 1913 he was installed as the post's Commander. [misc-gar-kansas-roster-1917, periodical-memorial-day-1903, periodical-gar-banquet-and-installation-1913]

T.J. seemed to be in good health in the days prior to his death, and passed away in his sleep. [obituary-thomas-spear-1923]

Supporting evidence for:

Research Notes (Conflicts/Spelling/Followup)

CONFLICTS

Birth Date: This database uses 19 August 1835. The 1900 U.S. Census gives an explicit birth date (Aug / 1836) and an age (63). When applied to the official census date of 1 Jun 1900, the age gives a birth date range of 2 June 1836 to 1 June 1837, so the record is internally consistent. [census-us-1900-ps-ks-rawlins-130-8a]

Birth Date: This database uses 19 Aug 1835. The 1920 U.S. Census gives an age of (83), which, when applied to the offical census date of 1 Jan 1920, gives a birth date range from 2 Jan 1836 to 1 Jan 1837. [census-us-1920-ps-ks-decatur-18-2a]

Birth Location: This database uses Barnseville, Ohio. T.J.'s obituary lists his place of birth as Bloomington County, Ohio, there is no such county. There is currently an unincorporated community known as Bloomington in Clinton County, but that still doesn't match the Belmont County identified in other sources. It is also on the opposite side of the state. [obituary-thomas-spear-1923]

Military Prison: Thomas's obituary indicates he served seven months as a prisoner-of-war at Andersonville, not six. [obituary-thomas-spear-1923, military-registry-ks-enrollment-veterans-56-190]

Marriage Date: This database uses 17 Mar 1889. Samantha's obituary gives the date as March 18, 1889. There is only one source for either date (other sources support either one), and the 17 March date one the coin flip. [obituary-symantha-spear-1915]

SPELLING

Surname: This database uses Spear. The History of Noble County, Ohio uses the spelling Spears. [book-history-of-noble-county-ohio-1887]

FOLLOWUP

Thomas Spear and Mary Shafer may have had another child, William Thomas Spear, b. 5 Sep 1864, d. 17 Jan 1866, bur. Mount Ephraim Cemetery. All of these are located in Mt. Ephraim, Noble County, Ohio. [research-a-spear-family-history]

From 4 Aug 1863 to 29 Apr 1864, the army was encamped at Martinsburg, West Virginia. They were close enough to Thomas' home that his wife and daughter (Mary Ann and Belle) were able to ride out to visit. [research-a-spear-family-history]

At the Battle of Piedmont (5 Jun 1864), the Union prevailed but T.J. was wounded on the back of the right arm near the elbow, and taken prisoner by General Early's forces. He was "attended by a Rebel surgeon . . . until about July 1st" and was sent to Andersonville Prison in Georgia, spending 6 or 7 months in the infamous prisoner of war camp. His stay ended when he was sent to Savannah in a prisoner exchange on 24 Nov 1864. [research-a-spear-family-history, military-registry-ks-enrollment-veterans-56-190]

The obituary of Samuel Higley (husband of Thomas' daughter, Wilma) notes "T. J. Spear of Oberlin" and a date of either 1906 or 1907, depending on interpretation of the text. However, per this database, he was in Union Township, Rawlins County, Kansas in 1900 and Center Township, Decatur County in 1910, and didn't show up in Oberlin until sometime between 1910 and 1918. Was he really in Oberlin before 1910? This is made more confusing by the noting that T. J. lived in Decatur County in 1906 when his daughter Wilma married Samuel [obituary-samuel-higley-1907, periodical-married-higley-spear-1906]

Supporting evidence for:

Sources

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