William Marcellus Speights: Our Family History

Generation: 1

William Marcellus Speights was born in 1826 in Lawrence Co, Mississippi (son of Asa Speights, (white) and Amanda Nancy King); died on 20 Jun 1868 in Boliver, Galveston Co, Texas.

William married Permelia Griffith in 1851 in Liberty City, Liberty Co, Texas. Permelia (daughter of Henry Griffith and Amelia "Milly" Barrow) was born in 1833 in Old River Cove, Liberty Co, Texas; died on 20 Jun 1894 in Chambers Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

Reuben Columbus Speights was born on 9 Oct 1853 in Chambers Co, Texas; died on 14 Mar 1910 in Chambers Co, Texas.
Marcella Maud Speights was born on 30 Mar 1864 in Chambers Co, Texas; died on 6 Jan 1952 in Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas.

Generation: 2

Asa Speights, (white) was born in 1795 in Hancock Co, Georgia (son of William Myrick Speights, Sr. and Mrs. Lydia (..) Speights); died on 20 Oct 1863 in Moss Bluff, Liberty Co, Texas; was buried in Speights Cem, Sabine Co, Texas.

Other Events and Attributes:

Census: 1830, Lawrence Co, Mississippi
Census: 1840, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana; 12 slaves
Census: 1850, Liberty Co, Texas
Census: 1860, Liberty Co, Texas

Notes:

Burial:
Non-Cemetery Burial
Specifically: Louisiana side of the Mississippi River, buried in the west bank of the river.

Notes for WILLIAM MYRICK SPEIGHTS, JR. BL:
In Virgie Collier Speights files: According to tradition, William and a brother, probably Asa, signed on a note for yet another brother, when he could not pay the note, William and Asa were unwilling to pay the note so to protect their assets, they left the state in the middle of the night, crossing the Mississippi River family and slaves.
William was suffering from yellow fever, and died in the river crossing and was buried on the banks of the river. His new widow, Rebecca Hopkins Speights continued the journey to Texas and settled in Sabine County in 1843 with the eight kids and the slaves.

Parents: William Myrick SPEIGHTS, Sr & Lydia UNKNOWN
(findagrave)

Census:
Name Asa Speight
Home in 1830 Lawrence, Mississippi
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5 2
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9 1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29 2
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39 3
Free White Persons - Males - 70 thru 79 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9 2
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39 1
Free White Persons - Under 20 5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 6
Total Free White Persons 12
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored) 12

Census:
Name Asa Speights
Home in 1840 Natchitoches, Louisiana
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9 1
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14 1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29 1
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14 1
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49 1

Slaves - Males - Under 10 1
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23 4
Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35 1
Slaves - Females - Under 10 3
Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23 1
Slaves - Females - 36 thru 54 2
Persons Employed in Agriculture 1
Free White Persons - Under 20 5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 3
Total Free White Persons 8
Total Slaves 12
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves 20

Census:
1850 Liberty Co, Texas
Asa Speights 55
Nancy Speights 53
Marcellus Speights 23
Amanda Speights 21
Columbus Speights 20
Eliza Speights 18
Sarah B Speights 12

next door to Shadrack Jones

Census:
1860 Liberty Co, Texas
Asa Spights 65 Georgia
Nancy Spights 63
Francis Spights 23
Sarah B Spights 21
Sarah Johnson 65 1795 Georgia

Asa married Amanda Nancy King about 1825. Amanda was born in 1797 in Georgia; died in 1858 in Moss Bluff, Liberty Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Amanda Nancy King was born in 1797 in Georgia; died in 1858 in Moss Bluff, Liberty Co, Texas.

Children:

Camellus Speights was born in 1822 in Mississippi; died in 1861 in Alabama.
1. William Marcellus Speights was born in 1826 in Lawrence Co, Mississippi; died on 20 Jun 1868 in Boliver, Galveston Co, Texas.
Amanda Melvina Speights was born on 15 Aug 1826 in Mississippi; died on 25 Dec 1892 in Chambers Co, Texas; was buried in Broussard-White Cem, Chambers Co, Texas.

Generation: 3

4. William Myrick Speights, Sr.
William married Mrs. Lydia (..) Speights. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mrs. Lydia (..) Speights

Children:

William Myrick Speights, Jr. was born on 28 Jan 1787 in Virginia; died on 23 Oct 1842 in Louisiana.
2. Asa Speights, (white) was born in 1795 in Hancock Co, Georgia; died on 20 Oct 1863 in Moss Bluff, Liberty Co, Texas; was buried in Speights Cem, Sabine Co, Texas.