Travels of John
Speir:
Born and raised in Edinburgh, the only son of
John Speir, Sr. In 1788 he immigrated to Baltimore, MD, soon afterward removing to Pittsburgh, PA where he went into business. The dishonesty of his partner forced him to remove to Little Beaver, Beaver County, PA. While in Pittsburgh he was married, in 1796 to Miss Ann Harnit
who was born and reared near Baltimore, MD. During the Revolutionary War
Mrs. Martha Washington boarded at the tavern of her parents, at Warm Springs, VA, where
Washington occasionally visited his wife. At that time Mrs. Washington presented to
Miss Harnit an eight-gallon iron kettle, which is now owned by her grandson,
Erwin Brown, of West Salem Township. John Speir and wife with their three eldest children removed from Beaver County to West Salem Twp. in the fall of 1801, locating about one mile west of the site of Greenville. All his children were reared and died in Mercer Co.
John died March 26 1813 leaving a family of 8 children. He was Baptist in faith, and an old-line Whig in politics.
[Children of John Speir and
Ann Harnett/Harnit:
John H., Polly, Margaret, Anna, Samuel S., Elizabeth, Robena,
and James.]
History
of Mercer County, 1888.
Submitted by
Beth Rollinson
