The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-31
Mcp. :. II. SfEERS.
Death of Brave Confederate Soldier
and q Citizen Who Held the Re-
spect of All Who Knew Him.

Mr. Leland NJ. SpeerS dled al ais
hcme in Nance street at y O'Clock
last Monday night. December %. He
was stricken with paralysis two weeks
ago last Saturday, and was confined
to lis bed from that time until his
death.
Mr.. .Speers had lived long and
honorable life. ald tae end came as
he must have wanted it to come. Sur
rounded by his loved ones, he quiet
" fell on sleep eternal.
Mr.. Speers was in his accustomed
GOOD health until Saturday. Decem-
Der IA. On that day, at about noon,
1e was walking to the depot, when
several young meH standing on the
platform noticed something peculla"
,tbout his condition. They asked
Mr.. Speers if he felt we'll, and he re-
piled that his head was swimming,
aid tnat he thought he must be suf-
fer;ng from vertigo. 4 carriage was
called and he was taken to his home,
when it developed that lie had SUI
fered a stroke Of paralysis. His left
side was paralvzed, and his left leg
was affected. His tongue was also
affected to some extent. He did not
lose consciousness until about forty
;aioht nonrs before his death.
When he was taken home on the
18th, it was known that he was crltl-
cally i'll. and until the time of MS
death no hope was entertained by his
physicians for his final recovery. His
son, Mr.. L. Coppock Speers, who is
engaged ia JOURNALISTIC work in New
York, was telegraphed for and came
to Newberry on Wednesday morning,
December II. From that time until
his death all the members of his I'M
mediate family were at his bedside.
Mr.. Speers was son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. John Alexander .Speers. He was
born near Jalapa, in this county, IN
October. 1841. When Mr.. Speers
was a small lad his father was killed
in the Mexican war, in the battle OF
Cherubusco, fighting gallantly as a
member Of the famous Palmetto regi-
ment. His mother also died when Mr..
Speers was quite young.
After the death Of his father and
mother. Mr.. Speers came to Newberry
and lived with Col. John R. Leavell
as member cf the family. Under
Col. Leavell he learned the marble
trade, and worked in that trade for
Col. Leavell until South Carolina Sc
ceded. and the War Between the Sta
tes was on.
Mr.. Speers enlisted il the Confed-
crate army as member Of Company
B. Third South Carolina regiment, a
company that was first commanded
by Capt. Samuel n. Davidson, and
.ater by Capt. Thomas ". Gary, and
later still by Capt. Thompson Connor.
Mr.. Speers was made first sergeant
Of his company. Throughout the war
Mr.. Speers was conspicuous for his
bravery. He VAS wounded no less
than eight times in the five battles of
. Savage Station, Fredericksburg,
Chickamauga, the Wilderness, and
Strasburg. In one battle he was
wounded three times.
! When the war was over and the
South confronted the darkest period
in her history Mr.. Speers displayed
The same courage and the same loyal
tv to home and state which had char
acterized him on the field of battle.
Uniaunted, he went to work to. assist
in rebuilding tne lost fortunes of the
south.
After the war he again worked for
Col. John R. Leavell in the marble
business, and was finally made par
\ tner in the firm. In addition to their
business in Newberry, Mr.. Leavell
and Mr.. spesrs bought a marble
business in Chester, and also in
Winnsboro, and, Mr.. Speers went to
Winpsboro to take care Of the busl-
ness :, there. He stayed IN
Winnsboro a few years, after which
the business there was sold out and
Mr.. Speers returned to Newberry. He
lived on the farm near Jalapa for a
few years, but returned to Newberry
and conducted business Of his own
for a short time. Afterwards he
again went into business with Col.
Jno. R. Leaven and his son, Mr.. R.
Y: Leavell. Later Mr.. Speers and
Mr.. R. Y. Leavoll we're in the marble