Speaks Family History

Francis Hamilton Speaks

1782-abt 1833

Mary Polly Goldsberry

1795-aft 1870

Francis Hamilton Speaks was born 18 Nov 1782 in Harpers Ferry, Jefferson, Virginia, the son of William I Speake and Mary Halsip. No one knows for sure why he changed the spelling of his last name.

Mary (Polly) Goldsberry was born in about 1795 in Virginia. Francis and Mary were married 6 Feb 1812 in Ross County, Ohio. They had 3 known children:

i. Samuel Wesley Speaks (1813-after 1880) m. Julia Ann LaMay (see 2^nd generation)
ii. Nancy Speaks (b. 1815) m. Levi Spencer
iii. Elizabeth Jane Speaks (1822-1903) m. Christopher Hanawalt

Francis served in the War of 1812 as a Private in the company of Captain Andrew Hemphill, Ohio Militia from July 28, 1813 to September 1813.

Francis Speaks was found in the 1830 Ross Co., Ohio census as follows:

1 child male under 20 (Samuel, born 1813)

1 male person 40-50 (Francis H.)

1 child female under 5 (Elizabeth)

1 child female under 10 (Nancy)

1 child female bet. 10-15 (?)

1 female 30-40 (Mary, his wife)

The family was not found in the 1840 census.

For some reason, after Francis had raised his family, he left Mary and his grown children in Ross County, Ohio, and returned to Jefferson County, Virginia (now West Virginia) living close to his sister Delia. Did he know he was dying and wanted to see the place one more time?

Francis died between 1833 and 1840 in Harpers Ferry, Jefferson, Virginia.

After Francis left, Mary moved in with her daughter Elizabeth Hanawalt and her family. She is found living with that family in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 Ross County, Ohio census.

Further information on this family:

Nancy Speaks and Levi Spencer were married in 1836 and had two known children.

i. Lydia Jane Spencer (1839-1885) m. Horace Traphagen (1834-1908)
ii. Samuel N. Spencer (b. 1850)

Levi apparently died before 1850. The 1850 Concord, Ross, Ohio census shows Nancy D. Spencer 32, Lydia J. 13, and Samuel N., 8 mos. No further census records were found.

Elizabeth Jane Speaks married Christopher Hanawalt in about 1840. They had 11 children:

i. Joseph B. Hanawalt (1841-1931) m. Sarah P. Harper

           ii.   Mary J. Hanawalt (b. 1846)
iii.    George Allen Hanawalt (1849-1921) m. Martha Imma Coyner
iv.    Benton Hanawalt (b. 1852)
v.     Olla R. Hanawalt (b. 1855)
vi.   Samuel Parker Hanawalt (b. 1856) m. Kate
vii.    Francis (Frank) Hanawalt (1857-1939)
viii. Clara E. Hanawalt (b. 1859)
ix.      Lile Hanawalt (b. 1860)
x.      Pearl Clyde Hanawalt (1865-1952)
xi.      Raymond Hanawalt (1869-1950) m. Mella M. Latta

The following census records document this family’s history:

1850 Concord, Ross, Ohio census: Christopher Hanawalt 26, Elizabeth 26, Joseph 8, Mary J. 4, George A. 1, Mary Speaks (Elizabeth's mother) 54

1860 Frankfort, Ross, Ohio census: Christopher Hanawalt 37, Elisabeth 37, Joseph B. 18, Mary 14, George 11, Benton 8, Olla R. 5, Samuel 4, Francis 3, Clara E. 10 mos, Mary Speaks (Elizabeth's mother); William Speaks (Elizabeth's nephew)

1870 Frankport, Ross, Ohio census: Chris Hanawalt 45, Elizabeth 48, George 21, Benton 18, Olley 15, Sasmuel 14, Frank 12, Lile 10,, Perly 4, Rayman 1; Mary Speaks 80

1880 Frankfort, Ross, Ohio census: Christoher Hanawalt 58, Elizabeth 57, Purly 16, Raymond 11, Belle Beard granddau 12; Olive Beard grandau 10; Willie Beard granson 8; niece Ida Speaks 20, George Hanawalt 84 father

1900 Concord, Ross, Ohio census: Christopher Hannawalt 78, Elizabeth 78, grandson William R. Beard 29

Elizabeth died 11 Jan 1903 in Ross County, Ohio.

1910 Ross, Ohio census: Christopher Hanawalt 88, widowed, grandson William R. Beard 39, married 7 years, granddau-in-law Nellie 35, 0 children

Christopher died 2 Jan 1911 in Ross County, Ohio.

Sources of information:

Ohio census records

C. Rote

2^nd generation

Samuel Wesley Speaks

1813-after 1880

Julia Ann LaMay

1826-bef 1860

Samuel Wesley Speaks was born in 1813 in Ross County, Ohio, the oldest of three known children of Francis Hamilton Speaks and Mary (Polly) Goldsberry.

Julia Ann LaMay was born in 1826 in Virginia.

Samuel and Julia were married 10 Dec 1839 in Ross County, Ohio, according to Ross County, Ohio Marriages online.

They had six children:

          i. William F. Speaks (1840-1863) died in the Civil War
          ii.       Elizabeth Jane Speaks (b. 1842) m. George Martin Henshaw
          iii.     Robert S. Speaks (1844-1909) m. Sarah Hester Taylor (see 3rd generation)           iv.     Samuel L. Speaks (1848-1850) died of whooping cough, age 2
           v.       Mary Speaks (1850-1910) m. John Coe
          vi.     John M. Speaks (1856-1925) m. Emily Alice Bowdle

The 1850 Ross Co., Ohio census shows this family as follows: Samuel Speaks 37, Julia 24, Williiam F. 10, Eliza 8, Robert S. 6.

Julia died between 1856 (when John was born) and 1860.

The 1860 Ross Co., Ohio census: Samuel Speaks 41, Robert 16, Mary 9, John M. 4.

Sometime before 1870 Samuel married Mary Ellen (last name unknown).

The 1870 Concord, Ross, Ohio census: Samuel Speaks 57, Ellen 35, John 15.

The 1880 Bloomingburg, Fayette, Ohio census: Samuel D. Spekes 70, wife Mary E. 45, son John 23.

Samuel Speaks died sometime after 1880.

Further information on this family:

William F. Speaks, born 12 Nov 1840 in Concord, Ross, Ohio, died 20 Sep 1863 in Chickamauga, Tennessee.

In the 1860 census William was found living with his aunt Elizabeth Speaks Hanawalt and her family, as well as his grandmother, Mary Goldsberry Speaks.

William enlisted in Co. A of the 18^th Ohio Infantry, 18^th Regiment on 9 Aug 1861. On October 1, 1861, he was promoted to full Corporal.

On 20 Sep 1863 he died in the Battle of Chicamauga.

On page 22 of Civil War Letters written by Jacob Shively of the 89th Infantry to his wife Mary:

Our little remnant of a Regiment is camped in the city of Chattanooga near the depot. The 18th is camped about a half a mile out from us just in the rear of Fort Negly, one of our strongest forts. I was to see them yesterday. They are apparently in good health and fine spirits but they mourn the loss of Wm Speaks and Isaac Hanawalt who were killed on the 19th. [Isaac Hanawalt is probably a relative of William’s aunt Elizabeth’s husband]

The following was written by Speaks researcher C. Rote:

In the spring of 2002 I went to Ross Co, Ohio and in the downtown area they have a cemetery. There is a very large Civil War Veterans Memorial . It has small tombstones in a circle around the large stone. On the large stone is written two names I recognized.

Corp.William Speaks ( it gave no middle initial)

Co. A 18 Regi. OVI ( this is hard to read)

fell in Chickamauga Battle, Sept, 20, 1863

age 22 yrs 11 months 8 days

( Note he would have died the same day his brother-in-law George M Henshaw (who was married to William's sister Elizabeth ) was wounded.

There are two individual records.

Military records of Civil War Soldiers in Provo Utah

has William T Speaks

Enlisted date given as: August 9th, 1861

side of service - Union-State served- Ohio

Unit number: 1829-Enlisted as private on August 9th, 1861 age 20

Enlisted in Company A, 18 Infantry Regiment Ohio

Promoted to Full Corporal October 1st, 1861

Killed Company A, 18th Regiment Ohio on September 20, 1863

Stone River ,TN

U.S. Gravesites ca 1775-2006

W.F. Speaks- service: CPL Infantry Civil War

Death Date: September 20, 1863

Interment: September 20, 1863

Cemetery: Chattanooga, National Cemetery, TN

Address: 1200 Bailey Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37404

Buried at: Section CD-site 1208

I spoke to two different Historians about the two battles Chicka and Stone River. They both told me they were 30 miles apart and on different days. The 18 infantry did fight in both but most of the deaths occurred in the Battle of Chickamauga. If he died on September 19th or 20th then he died in the Chickamauga Battle, not Stone River. They also told me the land for the cemetery (Chattanooga Cemetery ) because they needed a huge area of land to bury their dead from both. Nearly 16,000 had died.

Elizabeth Jane Speaks, b. 1842. She married George M. Henshaw in about 1859, and they had a daughter Julia Ann in 1860.

The 1860 Concord, Ross, Ohio census: George M. Henshaw 21, Eliza J. 18, Julia Ann 1 mo.

George enlisted in the Army on 4 Aug 1862, mustering in at Camp Dennison in Hamilton Co., Ohio on August 26. He was transferred to Company F of the 15^th regiment of the Veterans Reserve Corps in January 1865 and was mustered out on 14 July 1865 at Cairo, Illinois.

Sacrifice at Chickamauga—A History of the 89^th Ohio Volunteers Regiment Infantry by Bryan P. Weaver with H. Lee Fenner has a profile of George Henshaw. It states he was wounded in his right side at the battle of Chicamauga, Georgia, on 20 Sep 1863 and was sent to Washington Park U.S. Army Hospital in Cincinnati until December 1863. He was wounded in the same battle in which his brother-in-law William Speaks was killed.

Unfortunately, no further information in the census or otherwise has been found about George and Elizabeth Jane Henshaw.

Robert S. Speaks – see 3^rd generation

Mary Speaks was born 28 Nov 1850. She married John Coe (1844-1916) in about 1869 and they had two daughters: Mattie, born 1879, and Jessie, born 1882.

Census records for this family are as follows:

1900 Concord, Ross, Ohio census: John Coe 55, Feb 1845; Mary 49, Nov 1850 (both married 31 years; 5/4); dau Mattie 21, Jun 1879; dau Jessie, 18, Feb 1882; granddau Estella Coe 1, Sep 1898

1910 Concord, Ross, Ohio census: John Coe 64, Mary 59, dau Mattie McCurdy 30, son-in-law Henry McCurdy 33, granddau Stella McCurdy 11 (Mattie & Henry married 7 years, 1 child.

Mary’s Ohio death record (online at Familysearch.org): Mary D. Coe, age 59, birth 28 Nov 1850 Ross, Ohio; death 8 May 1910 Concord Twp, Ross, Ohio; father Saml Speaks; mother Julia Demay; informant Mattie McCurdy (her daughter)

John’s Ohio death record (online at Familysearch.org): John Coe, age 72, widowed, birth 9 Feb 1844 Ohio; death 24 Aug 1916 Ross, Ohio; father John Coe; mother Rachel Taylor, both Ohio

John M. Speaks was born in 1856. He married Emily Alice Bowdle (1853-1922) in about 1881, and they had two sons: Elmer Glenn Speaks (1882-1947) and Earl Fay Speaks (1885-1965).

Census records of this family are as follows:

1900 Paint, Fayette, Ohio census: John M. Speaks 44, Emma A. 48, Elmer G. 17, Earl F. 14

1910 Paint, Fayette,, Ohio census: John M. Speaks 54, wife Emily A. 57

1920 Paint, Fayette, Ohio census: John Speaks 68, wife Allie 65 [census taken Jan 1920]

Ohio Death Record (online at Familysearch.org) Emily Alice Speaks, age 70, birth 24 Aug 1852 Ohio; death 17 Aug 1922 Washington Court House, Fayette, Ohio; father Henry Bowdle; mother Lydia Coulter; spouse John Speaks [the Familysearch printed record has the name spelled Sparks, but the handwritten death cert says Speaks]

Although there was not an Ohio death record on Familysearch.org for John Speaks, there is a listing in the Ohio death index for John Speaks, death 16 Aug 1925 in Franklin, Ohio. This is possibly his death record.

4^th Generation

Samuel Wesley Speaks

1866-1953

Emma Adeline Owens

1868-1962

Samuel Wesley Speaks was born 20 Aug 1866 in Ohio, the oldest of nine children of Robert S. Speaks and Sarah Hester Taylor.

Emma Adeline Owens was born 13 Dec 1868 in Clark County, Indiana. At this time we are not sure if Owens was her maiden name or her married name from a first marriage. She had a son, Oscar Owens, born Nov 1894. (Oscar’s death record gave his mother’s maiden name as Strasser, but that may have been an error.)

Samuel and Emma were married on 30 Sep 1897 in Ross County, Ohio, according to the Ohio Marriage Index. They had four children:

i.                             i. Clarence M. Speaks (1898-1963) m. Josie Mae Sowers
         ii.     Hazel Margaret Speaks (1900-1989) m. Harry E. Leclarce
        iii.      Ina E. Speaks (1904-1977) m. Carl L. Welbaum
        iv. John Wesley Speaks (1905-1969) m. Mary Lyle Wills
                  (see Wills)(see Speaks 5^th generation)

The census records for this family are as follows:

1900 Concord twp Ross Co., OH census, Ancestry.com image 34: Samuel Speaks 32 b. Jun 1868, Emma 30 b. Dec 1869, Clarence 1, b. Jun 1899, Hazel 2 mos. b. Apr 1900, Oscar Owens stepson 5 b. Nov. 1894.

1910 Union twp, Ross Co., OH census, Ancestry.com image 14 : Samuel Speaks 44, b. OH, Emma 40, b. IN, Oscar 15, Clarence 13, Hazel 10, Ina 5, John 4.

1920 Miami Co., OH census: S.W. Speaks 53, b. OH, Emma A. Speaks 50, b. IN; Oscar 25, Clarence 21, Ina 15, John 14.

1930 Miami Co., OH census, Concord twp, p. 8B: Speaks, Samuel W. 63 married first at 30 OH OH OH, wife Emma M. 60 married first at 27, IN PA IN.

All the census records show that Samuel is engaged in general farming.

Samuel died 12 Apr 1953. His obituary read: Samuel Wesley Speaks, 86, a farmer two miles north of Christiansburg, died at 3 p.m. Sunday (4-12-1953) at his home on St. Paris route 1.

His Ohio Death Record (on Familysearch.org): Samuel Wesley Speaks, age 86, born 20 Aug 1867 Frankfort, Ohio; death 12 Apr 1953 Jackson, Champaign, Ohio; father Robert Speaks; mother Hester Taylor.

Emma died 25 July 1962, at the age of 93. The Ohio Death Index: Emma A. Speaks, widow, age 93, died 25 Jul 1962, residence Kettering, Montgomery, Ohio; place of death, Bellefontaine, Logan Co., Ohio.

Further information about this family:

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

Oscar and Loretta Weber Owens

Oscar Elsworth Owens, son of Emma Owens and her first husband, born 4 Nov 1894 Frankfort, Ross, Ohio. He married Loretta Weber (1902-1995) in about 1921.

Oscar served in the Army during World War I. According to Ohio Military Men, he enlisted 26 Apr 1918, at age 23, served in Battery E, 324 Field Artillery to Discharge Private Meuse-Argonne. He was with the American Expeditionary Forces 12 Jun 1918 to 22 May 1919, and was honorably discharged 4 Jun 1919.

Oscar was not found in the 1930 census. His wife Loretta was living with her parents.

An article in his company newspaper read as follows: This department was in its infancy a quarter of a century ago when Oscar E. Owens joined the company.. Then 23, he had been an electrician and was a veteran of World War I. All but four of his 18 months in the Army were devoted to overseas service. As a sergeant with the 32nd Division, Heavy Field Artillery, he saw action at St. Mihiel, Argonne Forest, and in other major engagements. Becoming a Systemite on January 28, 1920, Mr. Owens started as a groundsman, working out of the then new Transmission quarters, now the site of the Oakland substation.... One of his recollections of those days is how he and a co-worker carried crossarms on their shoulders for lines being strung from Oakley to the Allis-Chalmers plant in Norwood. ... Before he became assistant foreman of the Evanston district in 1938, Mr. Owens had served as a material man, truck driver, and for five years as an inspector in the Safety department. ... He likes baseball and bowled for several seasons in the Company league. Card playing is another of his enjoyments.

Oscar died in 1945. The Ohio Death Record (online at Familysearch.org): Oscar E. Owens, birth 4 Nov 1894 Frankfort, Ohio; World War I veteran; death 11 Apr 1945 Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio; father Owens; mother Emma Strasser (?) spouse Loretta Weber Owens; informant Loretta Owens.

Loretta died 22 July 1995. Her death record indicated her father’s surname was Weber and her mother’s was Goetz.

Clarence M. Speaks, born 27 Jun 1898 in Concord, Ross, Ohio. He married Josie May Sowers (1903-1954) in about 1920, and they had two children.

1930 Miami, OH census, p. 7B, Ancestry.com image 14: Clarence Speaks 31, md. first at 20; wife Josie 29 md first at 18; son Orville 10, dau Helen 8.

Josie died 24 Aug 1954 in Champaign, Ohio.

Clarence died in 1963: Ohio Deaths: Clarence M. Speaks, age 64, death 14 Mar 1963 Champaign, Ohio, widowed.

Hazel Margaret Speaks was born 8 Apr 1900 in Ross County, Ohio. She married Harry E. Leclarce (1897-1990).

No census record of this couple was found.

Both died in Florida, according to the Florida Death Index and Social Security records:

Hazel M. Leclarce, born 8 Apr 1900, died 14 Jun 1989, Ft. Myers, Lee, Florida; SSN issued Ohio.

Harry E. Leclarce, age 93, birth 21 Jan 1897, death 27 Jan 1990, Lee, Florida.

Ina E. Speaks was born 29 May 1904 in Ross Co, Ohio. She married Carl Welbaum in about 1921. They had one son.

The family was found in the 1930 census as follows: 1930 Harrison, Montgomery, Ohio census: Carl L. Welbaum 25, Ina E. 26, Larry L. 5.

Carl served in the Army during World War II, enlisting on 9 December 1942, residence Montgomery, Ohio.

Carl died 20 May 1954 in Ohio.

Some time after Carl’s death, Ina married James Matson Robinson (1914-1972) and they moved to Florida.

James died 2 Jul 1972 in Lee Co., Florida, according to the Florida Death Index.

Ina died 20 Feb 1977 in Florida: Florida Death Index: Ina E. Robinson, age 72, birth 21 May 1904; death 20 Feb 1977 Lee, Florida.

John Wesley Speaks—see 5^th generation

5^th Generation

John Wesley Speaks

1905-1969

Mary Lyle Wills

1905-1974

John Wesley Speaks was born 26 Aug 1905 in Ross Co., Ohio, the youngest of four known children of Samuel Wesley Speaks and Emma Adeline Owens.

Mary Lyle Wills (see Wills) was born 1 May 1905 in Harrodsburg, Mercer Co., Kentucky, the oldest of 10 children of Edward George Wills and Susan (Sudie) Bell Mattingly.

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

Mary Lyle Wills and her mother Sudie Mattingly Wills, 1905

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

John Wesley Speaks, 1928

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

Mary Lyle Wills, 1928

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

John Wesley Speaks

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

Mary L. Wills Speaks, 1972

John and Mary Lyle were married 10 May 1929 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio. They had six children, four of whom are living:

i. Jack Wills Speaks (1929-1993) m. Edwina Richardson
ii.      LIVING
iii.    LIVING
iv.    LIVING
v.      Kenneth Lee Speaks (1944-1955)
vi.     LIVING

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

Jack Wills Speaks

Photo--thanks to C. Rote!

Kenneth Lee Speaks, age 11, 1955

The family was found in the 1930 census as follows:

1930 Hamilton Co., OH census, Cincinnati city p. 6B: Speaks, John 24 married at 24, OH OH OH lineman electric, wife Mary 24 married at 24, KY KY KY, son Jackie 8 mos.

An article about John W. Speaks in his company newspaper read as follows:

John Wesley Speaks, service troubleman, Milford, started as a groundman at Evanston in November 1924. He then became a truck driver, lineman in substation construction and then transferred to the Milford division as service troubleman in 1945. He was born in Frankfort, Ohio, and attended high school there. He is married, has four sons and two daughters. His two oldest sons are in the service. Mr. Speaks is the brother of the late Oscar Owens who formerly worked at Evanston and in the Safety Department. He is a member of Evanston Chapter MBA. He bowls and likes to play shuffleboard and also spends much time hunting, fishing, and gardening.

John died 9 Mar 1969 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, per the Ohio death index.

Mary Lyle died 5 Feb 1974 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio. The Ohio death index: Mary L. Speaks, age 68, widow, death 5 Feb 1974 Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio.

-- Any corrections, additions, and kind, constructive criticism are welcome. Full credit will be given for anything you submit. -