Thomas Green Speights

Notes:

(Research):Census Information:

1930 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Justice Precinct No. 1
Enumerated April 28 and 29 by Hugh M. Ireland
ED 202-3 SD 19th Sheet 20A Stamped 42
62-65
Speights. Tom G. Hd M W 45 M20 Tx Tx Tx Farmer
Speights, Arlis Wife F W 45 M 20 Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Elton Son M W 17 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Anna Dtr F W 14 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Rudolph Son M W 12 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, John H Son M W 9 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Sallie L Dtr F W 6 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Gloria Dtr F W 1 S Tx Tx Tx

Thomas married Arley Emmaline Bennett on 12 Jul 1905. Arley (daughter of Jesse Archibald "Archie" Bennett and Anna Eliza Huffman) was born on 16 Mar 1885 in Texas; died on 3 Oct 1964 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Drayton Bennett Speights was born on 15 Aug 1906 in Center, Shelby County, Texas; died in Mar 1997 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas.
2. Dale Speights was born after 1906 in Sabine County, Texas; died after 1906 in Sabine County, Texas.
3. Otho A. Speights was born between 1911 and 1913 in Sabine County, Texas; and died.
4. Elton T. Speights was born about 1913.
5. Anna Mignon Speights was born between 1914 and 1916 in Sabine County, Texas; and died.
6. Living
7. John Archie Speights was born about 1920 in Sabine County, Texas; died about 1936 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas.
8. Living
9. Gloria Mittie Speights was born on 17 Nov 1929 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; died on 29 Jul 2016 in Houston, Harris County, Texas; was buried on 4 Aug 2016 in Houston National Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas.

Notes:

(Research):
Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Precinct 1
Enumerated 4 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 68 Sheet 1A Stamped 92
4-4
Speights, John W Hd W M Oct 1856 M 16 Tx Miss Miss Farmer
Speights, Sallie Wf W F July 1865 34 M 16 5/5 Tx Ga Tx
Speights, Tom G Son W M Feb 1885 15 S Tx Tx Tx Farm Laborer
Speights, Dora E Dtr W F Feb 1886 14 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Orin W Son W M Feb 1887 13 S Tx Tx Tx Farm Laborer
Speights, Mermod L Son W M Dec 1891 8 S Tx Tx Tx
Speights, Buford A Son W M Jan 1898 2 S Tx Tx Tx

John married Sallie Wilson on 20 Jan 1884 in Sabine County, Texas. Sallie (daughter of William Cregg Wilson and Bethie "Bettie" H. Lawhorn) was born in Jul 1865 in Texas; died about 1904 in Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Some researchers show that they also had a daughter named Emily Ann that died young.

In an article dated September 12, 1963 about Susan Arnold Nichols, Virgie Speights stated that on one trip home "they stopped by the home of a cousin, out on Palo Gaucho Creek, Dr. Johnny Speights and his wife, Sally Wilson Speights." Susan was the daughter of Jim Arnold, and granddaughter of Hanna Davis and J. M. Arnold. He was also a godson of Cadwaller Davis and Amelia Lee. (Speights, Old Timers of Sabine County, p. 21).

Notes:

Sharon Speights Varney quotes Virgie Collier Speights as writing "John was a small child when the family moved to the Mississippi Delta along with his brothers and sisters. John married Emily Scott. To this union were born Tom, John "Doc" and Dora. His wife died and her amrried a Miss (Rebecca) Holbert. To this union were born Mandie in 1866, an infant that died, and Robert Joel on September 11, 1870. The second wife died and he married Lizzie Davis. To this union were born Exa in 187, Mattie, Minnie, and an infant that died. Johns third wife died and he lived a widower approximately 35 years. John hired a man to take his palce in the confederate army, however after one year he was assigned to making salt. John joined the Campbellite Church during his old age. He died in 1912 and was buried in Lowe Cemetery in Sabine County, Texas."

Jonathan married Emily Ann Scott on 1 Nov 1853 in Woodville, Tyler County, Texas. Emily was born on 20 Mar 1832 in Mississippi; died on 10 Jan 1862 in Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Said to be a daughter of John and Martha Scott.

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1880 Census
Texas, Nacogdoches, Chireno Beat No. 4
Page 7 SD 1 ED 50 Stamped 237
61-61
Wilson, William C M W 36 Saddle and Harness Maker Disability Lost left Leg Tx Tenn Ala
Wilson, Bettie H W F 32 Wf Keepig Hous Ga Unk Ga
Wilson, Sallie W F 14 Dtr At School Tx Tx Ga
Wilson, Dolly C W F 12 Dtr Tx Tx Ga
Wilson, Martha W F 9 Dt Tx Tx Ga
Wilson, Allen A W M 4 Son Tx Tx Ga
Wilson, William K W M 21 Son Tx Tx Ga

William married Bethie "Bettie" H. Lawhorn. Bethie was born about 1848 in Georgia; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Might instead have been born in South Carolina.

From FindAGrave:

"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...

William married Rebecca Hopkins on 17 Dec 1817 in Virginia. Rebecca was born about 1796 in South Carolina; died on 4 Oct 1857 in Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per "1850 Census Sabine County, Texas with added Family Information and Corrections", Rebecca Hopkins Speights owned 20 slaves. She might instead have been born in North Carolina, or Virginia.

On April 27, 2013, a Historic Marker was dedicated at the Speights-Pratt Cemetery in Sabine County and reads "Rebecca Hopkins Speights (b. 1796) arrived in Sabine County in 1842 as a widow with four sons and a daughter*. She owned about 250 acres including this site, which became a cemetery with her burial in 1857. Sited near the Speights' home, the cemetery was actually on land granted to Mathew Arnold Parker, a Texas Revolutionary veteran and First Chief Justice (County Judge) of Sabine County. Joshua M. Hopkins Speights, buried here, was a State Legislator and County Judge. he and Hampton Pratt were among the first merchants in Hemphill. Of fifty-one marked graves, more than half bear the Speights surname. An unknown number of unmarked graves include Speights family slaves. The Speights-Pratt Cemetery Association manages this historic burial ground. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2010."

*Most family descendants instead have attributed four daugthers to Rebecca, the eldest Susan, dying as an infant. The other daughters generally are shown as Susan Green Speights Low, the wife of Dr. James Low; Amands Melvina Speights, who died at age 14; and Mary A. F. C. Speights Caraway, wife of Nathaniel Caraway. More work should be done to verify the exact family makeup, and ensure which children commonly attributed to William Speights and Rebecca Hopkins were actually born to them. It may also be possible that the historical marker is incorrect, though that seems less likely.