[Ancestors] [Descendants]
Mary A. Spear
Last updated 22 Oct 2021 in Spear–Johnson Family.
Individual
Born: 2 May 1896 in , , Iowa, United States
Died: Bef 26 Oct 2007
Father: David C. Spear (1862 – 1940)
Mother: Eva Penrose Maris (1868 – 1937)
census-us-1900-ps-ia-dallas-11-3b: 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Iowa, Dallas County, Linden, enumeration district 11, sheet 3B (form/penned) or page 114B (stamp sequence, not visible on page); 1900 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 13 August 2018) ⟩ "Iowa ⟩ Dallas ⟩ Linn ⟩ District 0011" image 6; citing “Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, NARA microfilm publication T623 (1854 rolls), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1240427]
Reference Detail: Lines 95, dwelling 72
Comment Detail: Source includes name (Mary A. Spear).
census-us-1910-ps-sd-lyman-54-8a: 1910 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Lyman County, Lincoln Township, enumeration district 54, sheet 8A (form/penned) or page 44A (stamped); 1910 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 14 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Lyman ⟩ Lincoln ⟩ District 0054" image 1; citing “Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910, NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1484 (of 1784), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1375497]
Reference Detail: Line 33, dwelling 9
Comment Detail: Source includes name (Mary Spear).
census-us-1930-ps-sd-spink-45-2a: 1930 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Spink County, Tulare Township, enumeration district 58-45, sheet 2A (form/penned) or page 237A (stamped); 1930 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 18 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Spink ⟩ Tulare ⟩ District 0045" image 3; citing “Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2230 (of 2667), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 2341964]
Reference Detail: Line 3, dwelling 22
Comment Detail: Source includes [married] name (Mary A. Willett).
misc-spear-date-notebook: Spear birth and death date notebook; multiple contributors; privately held
Reference Detail: Page 5 - May Births
Comment Detail: Source includes name (Mary Spear).
marriage-willett-spear-1921: Record of marriage for George W. Willett and Mary A. Spears (1921); South Dakota, Marriages, 1905-2017, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 16 Aug 2019) ⟩ “1921-1922” image 2625; citing “South Dakota Department of Health; Pierre, South Dakota; South Dakota Marriage Records, 1905-2016”
Comment Detail: Source includes name (Mary A. ⟨spelling⟩). See research notes for spelling details.
memorialcard-emilie-price-2007: Memorial card (funeral program) for Emilie Ruth Price (2007); privately held
Comment Detail: Source includes name (Mary (Spear) Willett).
obituary-david-willett-2017: Obituary for David William Willett (2017); Thelen-Hyke Funeral Home (https://www.hykefuneralhome.com: accessed 25 Apr 2018), single location (Redfield, South Dakota), published after 13 Feb 2017
Comment Detail: Source includes name (Mary Spear).
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misc-spear-date-notebook: Spear birth and death date notebook; multiple contributors; privately held
Reference Detail: Page 5 - May Births
Comment Detail: Source includes date ([May] 2nd [...] 1896).
marriage-willett-spear-1921: Record of marriage for George W. Willett and Mary A. Spears (1921); South Dakota, Marriages, 1905-2017, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 16 Aug 2019) ⟩ “1921-1922” image 2625; citing “South Dakota Department of Health; Pierre, South Dakota; South Dakota Marriage Records, 1905-2016”
Comment Detail: Source includes age (25). Using the marriage date of 31 Aug 1921 gives a birth date range from 1 Sep 1895 to 31 Aug 1896.
census-us-1900-ps-ia-dallas-11-3b: 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Iowa, Dallas County, Linden, enumeration district 11, sheet 3B (form/penned) or page 114B (stamp sequence, not visible on page); 1900 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 13 August 2018) ⟩ "Iowa ⟩ Dallas ⟩ Linn ⟩ District 0011" image 6; citing “Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, NARA microfilm publication T623 (1854 rolls), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1240427]
Reference Detail: Lines 95, dwelling 72
Comment Detail: Source includes date (May/1896), age (4), and location (Iowa). Using her age and the official census date of 1 June 1900 gives a birth date range from 2 June 1895 to 1 June 1896, which encompasses the given date.
census-us-1910-ps-sd-lyman-54-8a: 1910 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Lyman County, Lincoln Township, enumeration district 54, sheet 8A (form/penned) or page 44A (stamped); 1910 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 14 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Lyman ⟩ Lincoln ⟩ District 0054" image 1; citing “Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910, NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1484 (of 1784), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1375497]
Reference Detail: Line 33, dwelling 9
Comment Detail: Source includes age (13) and location (Iowa). Using her age and the official census date of 15 Apr 1910 gives a birth date range from 16 Apr 1896 to 15 Apr 1897.
census-us-1930-ps-sd-spink-45-2a: 1930 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Spink County, Tulare Township, enumeration district 58-45, sheet 2A (form/penned) or page 237A (stamped); 1930 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 18 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Spink ⟩ Tulare ⟩ District 0045" image 3; citing “Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2230 (of 2667), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 2341964]
Reference Detail: Line 3, dwelling 22
Comment Detail: Source includes age (33) and location (Iowa). Using her age and the official census date of 1 Apr 1930 gives a birth date range from 2 Apr 1896 to 1 Apr 1897.
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memorialcard-emilie-price-2007: Memorial card (funeral program) for Emilie Ruth Price (2007); privately held
Comment Detail: Source notes Mary died before her daughter, Emilie (before 26 Oct 2007).
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census-us-1900-ps-ia-dallas-11-3b: 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Iowa, Dallas County, Linden, enumeration district 11, sheet 3B (form/penned) or page 114B (stamp sequence, not visible on page); 1900 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 13 August 2018) ⟩ "Iowa ⟩ Dallas ⟩ Linn ⟩ District 0011" image 6; citing “Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, NARA microfilm publication T623 (1854 rolls), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1240427]
Reference Detail: Lines 92,95, dwelling 72
Comment Detail: Source identifies Mary A. Spear as a daughter of David C. Spear. The source does not provide sufficient evidence to denote the type of parent/child relationship.
census-us-1910-ps-sd-lyman-54-8a: 1910 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Lyman County, Lincoln Township, enumeration district 54, sheet 8A (form/penned) or page 44A (stamped); 1910 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 14 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Lyman ⟩ Lincoln ⟩ District 0054" image 1; citing “Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910, NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1484 (of 1784), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1375497]
Reference Detail: Lines 30,33, dwelling 9
Comment Detail: Source identifies Mary Spear as a daughter of David C. Spear. The source does not provide sufficient evidence to denote the type of parent/child relationship.
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Family
Spouse/Partner: George William Willett (1889 – bef 2007)
Married: 31 Aug 1921 in Draper, Jones County, South Dakota, United States
census-us-1930-ps-sd-spink-45-2a: 1930 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Spink County, Tulare Township, enumeration district 58-45, sheet 2A (form/penned) or page 237A (stamped); 1930 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 18 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Spink ⟩ Tulare ⟩ District 0045" image 3; citing “Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2230 (of 2667), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 2341964]
Reference Detail: Lines 2,3, dwelling 22
Comment Detail: Source identifies Mary A. Willett as the wife of Geroge W. Willett. It also implies this is the first marriage for each and that it took place when he was 32 and she was 25, or about 1921.
marriage-willett-spear-1921: Record of marriage for George W. Willett and Mary A. Spears (1921); South Dakota, Marriages, 1905-2017, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 16 Aug 2019) ⟩ “1921-1922” image 2625; citing “South Dakota Department of Health; Pierre, South Dakota; South Dakota Marriage Records, 1905-2016”
Comment Detail: Source includes location (Draper, Jones County [, South Dakota]) and date (August 31, 1921).
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Child: Leonard Ross Willett (1922 – 2009)
Child: Emilie Ruth Willett (1923 – 2007)
Child: <private>
Child: David William "Billy" Willett (1930 – 2017)
Miscellaneous Facts
Attributes
Residence: 1 Jun 1900 at Linden, Dallas County, Iowa, United States
Residence: 1905 at Wessington Springs, Jerauld County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: Apr 1906 at Wessington Springs, Jerauld County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: 5 May 1906 at , Lyman County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: 15 Apr 1910 at Lincoln Township, Lyman County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: 31 Aug 1921 at Draper, Jones County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: 20 Dec 1923 at Tulare Township, Spink County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: 1 Apr 1930 at Tulare Township, Spink County, South Dakota, United States
Residence: 13 Apr 1940 at Tulare, Spink County, South Dakota, United States
census-us-1900-ps-ia-dallas-11-3b: 1900 U.S. Census, population schedule, Iowa, Dallas County, Linden, enumeration district 11, sheet 3B (form/penned) or page 114B (stamp sequence, not visible on page); 1900 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 13 August 2018) ⟩ "Iowa ⟩ Dallas ⟩ Linn ⟩ District 0011" image 6; citing “Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, NARA microfilm publication T623 (1854 rolls), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1240427]
Reference Detail: Lines 95, dwelling 72
Comment Detail: Source includes census date (1 June 1900) and location (Linden, County: Dallas, State: Iowa).
book-proving-up-jones-county-history-1969: Ruth Iverson, Marj Strait, Margie Peters (ed.), Proving Up: Jones County History; Murdo, South Dakota: privately published, Book and Thimble Club [of Murdo], 1969 [History of Jones County along with personal reminiscences.]
Reference Detail: "The David C. Spear Family" (Kenneth and Ethel Spear), p. 413.
Comment Detail: Source includes date (1905) and location (Wessington Springs, South Dakota).
book-proving-up-jones-county-history-1969: Ruth Iverson, Marj Strait, Margie Peters (ed.), Proving Up: Jones County History; Murdo, South Dakota: privately published, Book and Thimble Club [of Murdo], 1969 [History of Jones County along with personal reminiscences.]
Reference Detail: "The David C. Spear Family" (Kenneth and Ethel Spear), p. 414.
Comment Detail: Source includes date (April, 1906) and location (... we started to [move from Wessington Springs to] "The Land of Promise").
book-proving-up-jones-county-history-1969: Ruth Iverson, Marj Strait, Margie Peters (ed.), Proving Up: Jones County History; Murdo, South Dakota: privately published, Book and Thimble Club [of Murdo], 1969 [History of Jones County along with personal reminiscences.]
Reference Detail: "Spear Family" (Mary Willett Spear), p. 415.
Comment Detail: Source includes date (May 5, 1906) and location (Jones (then Lyman) County [, South Dakota]). Although D.C. is not explicitly named here, Mary was D.C.'s daughter and she is talking about her parents and siblings relocating to the Lyman County farm.
obituary-kenneth-spear-1975: Obituary for Kenneth Maris Spear (1975); “Kenneth M. Spear,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 6 May 2021), image “United States of America ⟩ South Dakota ⟩ Rapid City ⟩ Rapid City Journal ⟩ 1975 ⟩ 11 ⟩ 28" page 6; citing “Rapid City Journal (Rapid City, South Dakota), 28 Nov 1975 (Friday), page 6, column 2”
Comment Detail: Source includes year (1906) and location (Jones County, northwest of Draper). Note that Jones County did not exist until 1916. Their move was to Lyman County, which included the future Jones County.
census-us-1910-ps-sd-lyman-54-8a: 1910 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Lyman County, Lincoln Township, enumeration district 54, sheet 8A (form/penned) or page 44A (stamped); 1910 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 14 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Lyman ⟩ Lincoln ⟩ District 0054" image 1; citing “Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910, NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 1484 (of 1784), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 1375497]
Reference Detail: Line 33, dwelling 9
Comment Detail: Source includes census date (15 Apr 1910) and location (Lincoln Township, County: Lyman, State: South Dakota).
marriage-willett-spear-1921: Record of marriage for George W. Willett and Mary A. Spears (1921); South Dakota, Marriages, 1905-2017, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 16 Aug 2019) ⟩ “1921-1922” image 2625; citing “South Dakota Department of Health; Pierre, South Dakota; South Dakota Marriage Records, 1905-2016”
Comment Detail: Source includes location (Draper, Jones County [, South Dakota]) and marriage date (August 31, 1921).
memorialcard-emilie-price-2007: Memorial card (funeral program) for Emilie Ruth Price (2007); privately held
Comment Detail: Source includes date (December 20 1923) and location (near Tulare, SD).
census-us-1930-ps-sd-spink-45-2a: 1930 U.S. Census, population schedule, South Dakota, Spink County, Tulare Township, enumeration district 58-45, sheet 2A (form/penned) or page 237A (stamped); 1930 United States Federal Census, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed before 18 August 2018) ⟩ "South Dakota ⟩ Spink ⟩ Tulare ⟩ District 0045" image 3; citing “Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2230 (of 2667), National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.” [FHL microfilm 2341964]
Reference Detail: Line 3, dwelling 22
Comment Detail: Source includes census date (1 Apr 1930) and location (Tulare Township, County: Spink, State: South Dakota).
obituary-david-spear-1940: Obituary for David C. Spear (1940); “Hill City Man Dies In Local Hospital,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 6 May 2021), image “United States of America ⟩ South Dakota ⟩ Rapid City ⟩ Rapid City Journal ⟩ 1940 ⟩ 04 ⟩ 13" page 5; citing “The Rapid City Daily Journal (Rapid City, South Dakota), 13 Apr 1940 (Saturday), page 5, column 4”
Comment Detail: Source includes date (13 Apr 1940) and location (Tulare [, South Dakota]) under married name of Mrs. S. Willett. Note that 'S' appears to be an error.
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General Notes and Anecdotes
Mary moved with the rest of her family to Wessington Springs (Jerauld County, South Dakota) about 1903, where in late 1905 they filed for a homestead on White Clay Creek. By late April 1906 they were ready to move to their new home, where they arrived in early May 1906. Although they shipped their goods (mostly) via the railroad, the family came by wagon. [book-proving-up-jones-county-history-1969]
book-proving-up-jones-county-history-1969: Ruth Iverson, Marj Strait, Margie Peters (ed.), Proving Up: Jones County History; Murdo, South Dakota: privately published, Book and Thimble Club [of Murdo], 1969 [History of Jones County along with personal reminiscences.]
Reference Detail: "The David C. Spear Family" (Kenneth and Ethel Spear), pp. 413-415, "Spear Family" (Mary Willett Spear), p. 415.
Comment Detail: Though not specifially mentioned by name, Mary mentions "we" in the story she wrote.
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Research Notes (Conflicts/Spelling/Followup)
SPELLING
Surname: This database uses Spear. The South Dakota "Record of Marriage" gives her surname as Spears. [marriage-willett-spear-1921]
FOLLOWUP
Mary's middle name was Anna. [research-a-spear-family-history]
She was born in Wichita, Guthrie County, Iowa. [research-a-spear-family-history]
She is indrectly identified as a daughter of David C. Spear in his obituary, but is identified as "Mrs. S. Willett" which is certainly an typo. [obituary-david-spear-1940]
She may have died 19 Nov 1986 in Redfield, Spink County, South Dakota. [research-a-spear-family-history]
Mary was buried at Tulare Cemetery in Tulare, Spink County, South Dakota. [research-a-spear-family-history]
marriage-willett-spear-1921: Record of marriage for George W. Willett and Mary A. Spears (1921); South Dakota, Marriages, 1905-2017, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 16 Aug 2019) ⟩ “1921-1922” image 2625; citing “South Dakota Department of Health; Pierre, South Dakota; South Dakota Marriage Records, 1905-2016”
(no additional information)
obituary-david-spear-1940: Obituary for David C. Spear (1940); “Hill City Man Dies In Local Hospital,” Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 6 May 2021), image “United States of America ⟩ South Dakota ⟩ Rapid City ⟩ Rapid City Journal ⟩ 1940 ⟩ 04 ⟩ 13" page 5; citing “The Rapid City Daily Journal (Rapid City, South Dakota), 13 Apr 1940 (Saturday), page 5, column 4”
(no additional information)
research-a-spear-family-history: {private} Engelmann, A Spear Family History, privately printed 1988, updated 2002, 2005; privately held
(no additional information)
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Sources
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