Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneers
Robert Speirs, son Oliver P. and Julia (Saar) Speirs
Robert Speirs and Sarah Ann Thurston married in Franklin County, Indiana on November 22, 1848.
In 1870 Madison County, Indiana, Robert Speirs is 45, Sarah 44, John 18, Laura 15, Sarah 12, and Oliver 5.
(Laura Isabelle SPEIRS McCaslen 1854-1932
is buried in Greenfield, Adair County,
Iowa # 69822554, with George W. McCaslen 1851-1922.)
(Sarah SPEIRS Sechrist 1858-1938 is buried in Inglewood, California # 41010827.)
In 1880 Keokuk County, Iowa, Robert Speirs is farming, 55, born in Ohio, with Sarah A. 54 Indiana. Oliver P. is 15, born in Indiana.
Robert Speirs timber-claimed a quarter in section 12, 1N 46W in 1899.
Robert Speirs 1825-1900 is buried in Wapello County, Iowa # 52869243,
with Sarah Ann (Thurston) Speirs 1825-1898 # 52869708.
OLIVER
October 20, 1899
March 1903 "O. P. Speirs will offer for sale at public auction at his farm south east of Eckley, on Monday, March 16, eight head of horses and a lot of farm machinery. Sale at 10 o'clock."
Oliver 1865-1949 is buried in Los Angeles County # 48222033. Julia (Saar) Speirs is buried in Wray.
Mrs. Julia Spiers [Speirs], beloved wife of O. P. Spiers [Speirs],
who resides in East Wray was called from earth to heaven by the relentless
hand of death last Saturday evening. The age of Mrs. Spiers [Speirs] was
34 years, 7 months, and 16 days. She leaves a loving husband,
one son about ten years of age, and an infant daughter,
a precious little babe scarcely two weeks old. The funeral services were held at the Presbyterian church Monday afternoon conducted by the pastor, Rev. E.B. Gramcko, assisted by Ref. Ed. Hicks of the Methodist church. The remains were tenderly laid at rest in Grand View Cemetery.
Wray Gazette
June 10, 1904
Transcribed by Carol Moore.
Oliver Paul Speirs, 21, son of Robert Speirs and Sarah A. Thurston, married Anna Liza Carson, 20, daughter of W. H. Carson and Margery Ross on August 5, 1885 in Keokuk County, Iowa.
Oliver married Julia Saar on November 16, 1887 in Keokuk County.
She was the daughter of Jacob Saar and Luvena Peters.
In 1900 Yuma County, Oliver is farming, born January 1865 in Indiana, married 13 years to Julia Nov 1869 Iowa. She's had three kids, one living. Lafayette P. was born Sept 1894 in Colorado.
Oliver proved up a quarter in section 8, 1N 45W and timber-claimed another, both in 1904.
His witnesses for the timber claim were William C. Boggs of Eckley, John M. Brown of Wray, Winfield S. Godsey of Eckley, and George Shilling of Wray.
Lafayette P. Speirs, born Sept 5, 1894, died November 15, 1951, to be buried in the Pomona Cemetery, Claifornia.
He enlisted in December 1917, discharged December 1918, a private in the 13th Prov. Company.
In 1920 Lafayette is an auto mechanic in Pomona, California, with Ruby L. "Spiers", both 25.
Lafayette Speirs and Ruby Branson had Lafayette Pence Speirs, Jr. on MDecember 25, 1927 in Los ANgeles County.
In 1940 Lafayette owns a garage in Los Angeles County, 45, with Ruby L. 45 born in IOwa. Priscilla 17 and Lafayette Jr. 12 were born in California.
On the same page are Oliver P. Speirs 75 born in Indiana and
Nellie C. 74 born in Missouri. Julia B. is a bookkeeper for a daily newspaper, 35, born in Colorado.
Lafayette Pense Speirs registered for WWII in Claremont, California, born Sept 5, 1894 at Wray, reference O.P. Speirs, living a block away in Claremnont
Lafe, Jr. died October 3, 2002.
Larue P. Speirs married Stanley R. Barnes on February 3, 1944 in California.
JOHN
In 1880 Adair County, Iowa, John P. Speirs is farming, 28, with martha 27, Mary and Sarah both 3, and Harvey ten months old.
John P. Speirs proved up a quarter in 3, 1N 45W in 1898, and timber-claimed one in section 4 in 1899.
1898 "John Spiers, president of the Old Settlers' Association, acted as chairman and the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, J.P. Speirs,"
August 1899 "John P. Speirs of Wray was writing insurance for the Farmers Alliance Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance company of Colorado in Yuma and vicinity this week. He reports a good business."
October 1900 
November 3, 1900 "John Speirs received a telegram Wednesday, announcing the
death of his father at Hedrick, Iowa. Mr. Speirs, sr.,
had been sick for a long time and the sad news was not wholly unexpected."
June 1905 "John Speirs was in Eckley Wednesday with a load of his fine fruit and vegetables."
October 1905 "Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Parker from Gilmore, Indiana, are visiting Mr.a nd Mrs. J. P. Speirs. Mrs. Parker is a sister of Mrs. Speirs."
November 1905 "John Speirs and brother-in-law, Mr. Parker, of Robb, are Yuma visitors today."
May 28, 1914 "A pleasant gathering was had at the M. M. Cruse home several miles
west of town last Sunday. The occasion was the celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Cruse's 15th
wedding anniversary. The affair was a complete surprise as far as Mrs. Cruse was
concerned and her first knowledge of it was when the first guests arrived and
informed her that she and her husband had been traveling life's road together in
the yoke of matrimony for 15 years. Mr. and Mrs. Cruse are a royal host
and hostess and it is useless to state that all present enjoyed the day to
its fullest, and the dinner - well, if we have been rightly informed in regard
to it, the 56 who surrounded the table in the shade of a big cottonwood tree
were treated to a feast which has never been surpassed in this part of the
land. Those who were there from Wray were Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Speirs,
parents of Mrs. Cruse; Miss Clara Tegner and Mr. and Mrs. O. L. Brady."
John and Martha are living alone in Wray in 1920.
January 1931
The East Yuma history says John died in 1934, Martha in 1941.
May 1899 "Miss Sarah Speirs and brother Harvey visited with the Misses Minnie and Rola Cunningham of Wray last week."
Mary SPEIRS Sisson 1876-1973 is buried in Wray # 81715282, with Loyal F. Sisson 1869-1958.
"Daughter of John Petty Speirs and Martha Manring Speirs."
September 29, 1905 
October 1905 Robb items "Harvey Speirs and wife moved to their place last week."
Harvey and Osa had Rosamond Lorraine Speirs on April 1, 1914 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
In 1920 Council Bluffs, Harvey is 40, a salesman for woolen mills,
Osa 39 born in Nebraska, Muriel 12 in Colorado, and Rosamond 5.
They're in Wray in 1930, where Harvey is managing an oil station, with Osa R. 25 and Rosamond L. 16.
1940 Fairmount, Indiana "Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Speirs of Wray, Colorado, Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Whitely of Lancaster, Pa., and Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Whitely were dinner guests Sunday of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Smith of Albany. Mr. and Mrs. Speirs are going to the New York World's Fair, Washington, D. C, and other places of interest on their return home."
Muriel, 20, married Leonard S. Poffinbarger in Council Bluffs on June 29, 1927.
In 1940 Burlington, Iowa, Leonard is an electrician, 35, born in Iowa, Muriel 32 a teacher, Leonard M. 11 and Ned 10 both born in IOwa.
Muriel Speirs Sanders, 1907-1999 is buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery, with James Melbourne Sanders 1907-1978.
Leonard S. Poffinbarger married Ruby Bonar about 1942 in Burlington. Leonard 1905-1969 is buried in Burlington, Iowa # 115328522.
"POFFINBARGER, Leonard M.
Born July 11, 1928 in Burlington Iowa, to parents Leonard and Muriel Poffinbarger, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2014 in Citrus Heights, California. He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 54 years Lucia 'Lucy' Pina Delgado. He is survived by his brother Douglas Ned Poffinbarger of Sacramento; Children David R. Poffinbarger of Sacramento, Douglas R. Poffinbarger of Sacramento, Mara Gay Irwin, married to Dave Irwin of San Diego, James C. Poffinbarger of Sacramento; and grandchild Lon Howard of San Diego. Services will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 2:00pm at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, Fair Oaks, California.
Harvey A. Speirs 1879-1963 is buried in Wray # 62305788,
with Osa R. 1880-1976 # 62305824.
WILLIAM SPEARS
September 14, 1933 
William Henry Spears 1848-1933 is buried in Yuma # 74300080, with Warah E. 1858-1938.
"
William Henry Spears and Sarah Elizabeth Clifton were married June 11, 1874, at Sullivan County, Missouri. Later moving to Knox County, Illinois where Clara Belle, Emma, Harry Otis, Sherman and Dorthea May (Doll) were born. They then moved to Sutton, (Spring Ranch) Nebraska, by train in 1883. There Charles W. and Bessie Pearl was born. In 1887 they came by wagon train to Rawlins County, Kansas, and filed on a homestead on the N.W. quarter of section 16, township (1) South range (35) Burntwood township. Here Alice Verlina, Bertha Grace, Ralph Eugene, Floyd A, and Hattie were born. In 1913 they moved to Yuma, Colorado, where they lived until 1921, moving back to McDonald, Kansas, where Will was a shoe cobbler and Sarah took in washing. They lived above the store on the west side of Main Street. They celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1924 at their son Sherman's farm. In 1925 they moved back to Yuma, Colorado, where they lived until William's death in 1933 and Sarah's death in 1938. William and Sarah also raised their granddaughter, Irene, to young womanhood. The Wm. Spears family all knew a bachelor neighbor, Frank Taunton, who became quite well-to-do and well known by many Rawlins County and Stratton, Nebraska people.
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