The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-01
ABRAM SPEER'S LIFE.
Carved Out His Own FOrtuneS-An
Enviable Record.

noted In THE JERSEY CITY NEWS on Sat
urday, was man of whom none can say
aught but good. He died after weeks
illness surrounded by his family in the
old frame house facing Bergen Square,
where he lived for more than half a CEN
tury. His death had been looked for for
several days. his advanced years and the
complication of diseases which had beset
HIM of late making his recovery hope
less.
Abram Speer was born in Passaic, this
State, May IA, 1874. His early life, until
he was sixteen years old, was spent in his
native town. He came to Old Bergen
and became the apprentice OF the town
blacksmith, afserward Judge or squire"
Van Wrinkle. The old shop which echoed
to his sturdy blows for many long, years
was located on Sip avenue, on the site
now occupied by the residence of Mr..
Gammel. This latter gentleman married
the 'Squire's" daughter, and the old
landmark was torn down.
-:.'ADe" soon mastered the trade ne had
elected to follow and on attaining his ma
jority decided to go into business for him.
self. He built shop on Bergen avenue,
the site of the present homestead. and
conducted successful business there for
several years.
In 1885 he married Miss Jane Thorpe,
Belleville girl, and the couple had four
children, three girls and son. all OF
whom are now living and have families
of their own. The son Is William H..
Speer, the well known undertaken of this
city. The daughters reside in Newark.
In 1874 Abram Speer gave up his black
smith trade and became an undertaken.
He was made sexton OF the Bergen
Dutch Reformed Church and gradually
amassed competence. In 1850 he laid
out Speer's cemetery, opposite the Bergen
graveyard on Bergen avenue.
Abram Speer is mourned by many sin
cere friends, who delight to tell of his
early life. Ex-Mayor Garret d. Van
Reipen was for more than half century
warm friend of Mr.. Speer. Last even
ing, he related. at the instance of NEWS
reporter, some of their mutual war ex-
periences."
st has been mistakenly supposed by a
number of people," said Mr.. Van Reipen,
that Colenel Speer organized the WASH
ington Guards at the outbreak of the
Civil War. The Guards existed as an
organization for many years prior to the
war, and Abram Speer was their captain.
l enlisted under him as a high private.
The Guards became company of the
Second Regiment. National Guards, be-
fore the war, and on the beginning of the
strife, the regiment offered Its services.
1t was thought that the war would not
last more than few months, and the en-
rollment of the regiment was for only
three months. | was lieutenant of the
Guards-we kept up the old name-and
Abram was still its captain when we
were ordered to Trenton
AT THE FRONT.
During our detention with sixteen
other regiments there, the Second was re-
organized and Captain Speer became
Lieutenant Colonel Speer, and l was
elected to succeed him as Captain. The
bridges between Trenton and Washing
ton had been destroyed and the Second
was transported to Annapolis by steamer.
affairs at the 'front.'" continued Mr..
Van Reipen; were very unsettled in
those early days of the great rebellion.
Our side was not prepared for the first
battle of Bull Run-but all that is his
tory. The Second never got any further
to the front than Alexandria, and only
part of it that far. Three companies,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Speer. were de-
tailed to do guard duty at several points
along the railroad between Baltimore
and Washington. The rest, under Colonel
Baker, including the Guards, went on to
Alexandria. The officers, the Sunday of the
first engagement OF the war, we've in
vited to chapel services at Fort Ellis
worth. The fort was unprovided, as was
also Fort Runyon. with guns or
munitions of war, and the Guards were
detailed to guard the supplies which still
lay on the docks of Alexandria when the
engagement was fought. AS we were at
service that Sunday, the Chaplain prayed
for Divine guidance for the right, and
even as he spoke. we could hear the firing
of the striving brothers. Our three
months were up after that first engage
menJ, aud The second Was mustered out.
Many OF the men re-enlisted, but Colonel
Speer, and a number of others returned
home.
OTHER INCIDENTS.
"Before the war the Washington
Guards, with Captain Speer at their head.
were called out twice to suppress riots.
Those were lively days. The city was
full of strangers. workmen employed in
the construction of the Erie tunnel. Two
different contractors, Mallory and A. B.
Seymour, if remember the names right
ly. failed to pay the men. and violence
was resorted to. The Erie, in those days,
entered Jersey City over the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad tracks, and had q depot
on Newark avenue, The Washington
Guards and the Highwooc Guards, Cap
tain Hatfield of Hoboken, queled
the first riot, while Abram Collard was
Mayor. They were called out the second
time while l was Mayor. Captain Speer
made number of arrests on both occa-
sions, and marched his prisoners. amid
great excitement, to the County Jail.
"Colonel Speer was one of the best
of neighbors and an upright, honorable
man in all his dealings. He lived use
full life to his fellowmen, and will be
greatly missed"