About the Author:
Bill and I have lived in Nashville for 27
years. We both grew up in Aliceville, AL, a
wonderful place to grow up where everyone knew
everyone else! In fact, we were next-door
neighbors. We were married in June of 1960,
left Aliceville and moved to Princeton, New
Jersey where Bill graduated from Princeton
Theological Seminary. He served Presbyterian
churches in Baltimore, MD, Atlanta, GA,
Greenwood, MS then Nashville, TN. We were
blessed with three fine children and now eleven
grandchildren. For many years, I worked in
interior design but now am retired. Bill is
retired too, but he continues to serve as
interim pastor to churches in transition between
pastors. My hobbies are genealogy, shade
gardening and hooking rugs. My grandmother
taught me to hook rugs as a child, and this
interest has come back to me to the point where
I am a teacher. The love of color from my
interior design days now finds me dyeing the
wool for my rugs. I've hooked more than 30
pieces in the last five years. Sometimes this
hobby occupies so much time that there is no
time for genealogy research!
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William W. (?) Speed
Born
13 June 1772 Pendleton Co. SC
(probably)
Married 13 June 1799
Richmond Co. GA
Death 12 April
1824 (Will probated in Greene Co. AL) Witnessed by
West Melton & James Anderson
Wife's name -- Susannah Anderson Collins
&;
Born between 1775 - 1780 in GA
Death after 1840 (Greene Co. AL Census)
Her father was Henry Anderson (She evidently was married to a
Collins, maybe widowed?)
Their children:
1) Leroy Hammond Speed
Born between 1800 - 1812 (Pendleton Co. SC 1840
Census gives his age as 30-40)
Married 21 Dec. 1829 Susan Atkinson Greene Co. AL
Death 1862 (info
from Mitchell Speed)
2) Alexander Augustus Speed
Born 1813 Pendleton, SC
Married 12 Oct. 1837 Mary Ann Gillespie in Greene
Co. AL
Death after 1866
Children: Margaret J. Speed (born
1839)
William Alexander Speed (b. 1841)
Virgil Speed (b. 1843)
Thomas W. Speed (b. 1847)
Lemuel Speed (b. 1846) (newspaper article states that this family
moved to Pickens Co. AL in 1850's.)
3) Walker William Speed
Born 1815 in Pendleton SC
Married 6 Sept. 1837 Rilley
McMillan in Greene Co. AL
Death 15 March 1873 Pickens Co. AL
(See separate family page on Walker William)
Children: William
Terrel Speed (b. 1837-38 Greene Co. AL)
James W. Speed (b. 1845 Pickens Co. AL
Marianne Caroline Speed (b. 24 Sept. 1847)
Amanda Speed (born 1849)
Joseph Alonzo Speed (b. 23 June 1859 Pickens Co. AL)
4) Martin X Speed
Wife's name was Martha, from Lowndes Co. MS)
5) James Speed
Born 1801
6) Susannah Speed
Born circa 1806
Married West Melton 11 Mar. 1826 Greene Co. AL
7) Elizabeth Speed
And others.........not known
*1798-99 Road Tax List in Augusta, Richmond Co. GA shows this
family.
*1820 Census in Barnwell Co. SC
*1830 Census Greene Co. AL
*1840 Census Greene Co. AL
*1850 Census Pickens Co. AL
*Have copy of marriage record-- "Some Georgia County Records,
Vol. p. 415"
*Copy of Will -- Index to AL Wills DAR 976 1/D, p.30
*File #42 Inventory p. 223 Record of Orphan's Court A, Greene Co.
AL
*Family Bible lists as William W. Speed's father, James Speed.
As of 2008, we have not found this James Speed. There are
several but none fit the time frame for this William born in 1772.
Legend has it that our line of Speeds came from England -- as did
the famous John Speed, the Historian and Map Maker. That line
settled in Kentucky. We continue trying to link up to that
line. Family members believe that our line came to the United
States through Charleston, SC. Family also has stated that
along with William, there were two brothers Michael and Martin.
*Walker and Augustus moved to Pickens Co. (by 1855) and were in
the milling business. Their grist mill at Speed's Mill (near
Carrollton, AL) ground both corn and wheat. In file is a photo
of the original mill.
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Leroy H. Speed, Sr.
Born
Pendleton Co. SC
Married
Greene Co. AL
Death
(date from Mitchell Speed)
(1850 Pickens Co. AL Census gives age as 38 in 1850)
Wife's Name Susan Atkinson
Born circa 1811-1812 in GA
Death after 1860 in AL
Father's Name: William W. Speed
Mother's Name: Susannah Anderson Collins
Their children:
1) William E. Speed
born circa 1831 in Pickens Co. AL
Married Harriet E. ______
Children: Robert (b. 1857)
Mary (b. 1859)
Lucy (b. 1865)
John R.
*1870 Census shows him in MS. He was a farmer
*CSA
2) Mary Speed
Born circa 1833 Pickens Co. AL
3) Burwell H. Speed
Born circa 1834 Pickens Co. AL
Married 10 June 1858 Sarah Ann Wilson (b. 1839) in Greene Co.
AL
*Her mother was Mary Speed
*Her father was Jeconias Wilson
Children: Ezekiel b. 1859
*CSA Company A. 19th Alabama Infantry Regiment "Rough and
Ready"
4) James H. Speed
Born circa 1837 Pickens Co. AL
Married circa 1859 Harried W. ___
*CSA Co. B (originally Pickens Planters) 40th AL
Regiment
Children: Warren, Thomas, Ella, Leroy K.,
John, William, Mary, James, Susan, Eliza, Alfred Attaway
5) Missouri Speed
Born circa 1838 in Pickens Co. AL
Married 1) Samuel Lindsey
2) ______ Elrod
Children: Frances
Jacob
Mary
6) Leroy Hammond Speed
Born 15 Dec. 1841 Pickens
Co. AL
Married 6 Mar. 1866 Marianne Caroline
Speed *daughter of Walker William Speed
Death 5 Feb. 1913 Bethany AL Pickens Co.
(see separate family pages on this
Leroy as well as Walker William (with Caroline)
Their children: Ashby Turner Speed (b. 26 May 1888)
Lemuel W. Speed (b. 14 Jan. 1867)
Pauline (b. 4 Feb. 1869)
*CSA Company H, 11th Alabama Infantry "Pickens County
Guards"
7) Ezekiel Speed
Born 1843
Carrollton, AL, Pickens Co.
8) Martha Speed
Born 1844 Carrollton, AL,
Pickens Co.
9) Andrew Jackson Speed
Born 15 Mar. 1847
Married 1) Susie Williams
2) Hettie Lourice Evans
Children:
*CSA Co. A. 19th AL Infantry Regiment "Rough and Ready"
10) Zacheriah T. Speed
Born 12 Nov. 1848 AL
Married Martha Ellen Love
Death 29 Aug. 1892
Buried Old Sardis Cemetery (off
Highway 17 near Reform, AL)
Children: Alonzo, Joe,
Mattie, Ernest, Willie B.
*Leroy H. Speed was a miller.
*1830 Census -- Greene Co. AL
*1840 Census gives age as 30-40
*1850 Census Pickens Co. AL
*Articles describing war experiences (from History of Pickens
County)
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Leroy Hammond Speed, Jr. (Lee)
Born
15 Dec. 1841 Pickens County, AL
Married 6 March 1866 Pickens County,
AL
Death 5Feb. 1913
Pickens County, AL
Wife's name: Marianne Caroline Speed (Miss Liney)
Born 24 Sept. 1849
Death 8 Sept. 1916
Buried: Bethany Cemetery
His father: Leroy H. Speed
His mother: Susan Atkinson
Her father: Walker William Speed
Her mother: Rilley McMillan
Their children:
1) Ashby Turner Speed
Born: 26 May 1888 Pickens Co. AL
Married: 19 Oct. 1908 Lila Estelle Morgan,
Meridian MS
Death: 8 Sept. 1931 Jefferson, Marengo Co. AL
Buried: Bethany Cemetery, Pickens Co. AL
Children: Leroy Hammond Speed (b. 1911) Bethany,
Pickens Co. AL
Harold Ashby (b. 1913) Bethany, Pickens Co. AL
William Wallace (b. 1918) Bethany, Pickens Co. AL
2) Lemuel W. Speed
Born 14 Jan. 1867
Married 5 Feb. 1893, Carrie Knox by M.G. Lofton
Death 16 Oct. 1835 Jefferson, Marengo Co.
AL
Buried: Unity Cemetery, Pickens Co. AL
Children: Elton Speed
Ethel Speed
Evy Speed
Hinton Speed
Emily Speed
3) Pauline Speed
Born 4 Feb. 1869
Married 3 Jan. 1901 John Knox Bethany, AL by Wood
Springfield
Death 1951 Aliceville, AL, Pickens Co. AL
There were no children. John Knox died 18 Feb.
1943, Pickens Co. AL.
*Leroy and Marianne Caroline were cousins. they were married
at her home by Elishia Boone. (Info from family Bible)
*Also from family Bible: "Marianne Caroline Speed died Sept.
8, 1916 on a Friday. Buried on a Saturday at Bethany.
Service conducted by Rev. G. W. Kerr. He read 1 Cor. 16:39.
Sang "Asleep in Jesus". Her life passed out just as the sun
went down.
*Greene Co. AL Marriage Records Book B.P. 185
*Leroy Speed was a carpenter.
*CSA War Record
*Co H, 11th Alabama Infantry
*Obituary for Lee H. Speed, also death certificate. He died of
cancer. Obituary states: "another of those who fought under
the flag of the Southern Confederacy. He was an old man when the
reaper garnered him, and had suffered from bad health for a long
time. But he was "one of the boys who wore the grey", the boys
who numbers are now so fast growing fewer; and while a poor man in
this world's good had that grand distinction of having served his
country in it hour of need valiantly and with honor. And at
his death all true Southerners drop a tear."
*Obituary for Marianne Caroline Speed states, "Just as the sun
was setting, this dear, precious life passed away to a better home
where storms never come, and not a wave of trouble rolls across her
peaceful breast. She professed faith in Christ in early life,
and united with Unity Baptist Church."
*photos of tombstone from Bethany cemetery
*Beautiful applique quilt signed and dated 1903 by Marianne Caroline
Speed, in possession of Bette Speed Bryant (2008)
*Wedding invitation and photo of Pauline and John Knox
========================================================================================
Ashby Turner Speed was called "Mr. Big"
Born 26 May 1888
Bethany, Pickens Co., AL
Married 19 Oct. 1908 Meridian, MS
Death 8 Sept. 1931
Jefferson AL, Marengo Co.
Buried Bethany Cemetery,
Pickens Co. AL
Service by T. B. Clifford
Wife's name Lila Estelle Morgan
Born 24 Feb. 1889 Greene Co. AL
Death 26 Aug. 1945 Tuscaloosa, AL
Buried at Bethany Cemetery
Her father was William Walter Morgan
Her mother was Elizabeth Jane Bennett
His father was Leroy Hammond Speed (b. 1841)
His mother was Marianne Caroline Speed (b. 1847)
Their children:
1) Leroy Hammond Speed
Born Nov. 24, 1911 Bethany, Pickens Co. AL
& Married 6 July 1931 Mary Ellis Proctor
Brooksville MS
Death 3 May 1981 Greenwood, MS
Leflore Co. (progressive bulbar palsy)
Buried Carrollton Cemetery, Carrollton, AL.,
Pickens Co.
Children: Leroy Hammond Speed, Jr.
Mary Elizabeth (Bette) Speed
2) Harold Ashby Speed
Born 24 Nov. 1913 Bethany, Pickens Co.
AL
Married 25 Dec. 1938 Eloise
Miller Auburn, AL
Death 9 Oct. 1990 Aliceville,
AL Pickens Co. (died from pneumonia)
Buried Bethany Cemetery
Children: Sharon
Sandra
Lila Jeffrey
3) William Wallace Speed
Born 14 Sept. 1918 Bethany,
Pickens Co. AL
Married 8 Feb. 1941 Elizabeth
Meador Nashville, TN Davidson Co.
Death 21 Nov. 1997 Nashville, TN
(from strokes and cancer)
Buried Woodlawn Cemetery,
Nashville, TN
Children: Cheryl
Elaine
*Wedding announcement for Ashby and Lila from the Meridian, MS
newspaper states: "A very romantic courtship of over a year
culminated in the marriage of Mr. A. T. Speed of Bethany, Pickens
Co. and Miss Lila Morgan of Greene Co. Rev. J. E. Carpenter
performed the ceremony. Yesterday morning these loving hearts
came to Meridian over the A.G.S. which is due here at 11:35, and
registered at the Grand Avenue Hotel. At about 3:30 o'clock
they returned to the court house and summoned a minister, after
procuring the marriage license, and the ceremony was performed in
the circuit clerk's office. Mr. A.T. Speed, the groom, is a
handsome young gentleman who has just attained his majority.
He is the son of Mr. Lee Speed, a prosperous farmer of Pickens
County, AL. The bride is quite pretty, being of the beautiful
brunette type. She is a daughter of Mr. William Morgan, a
prominent planter of Green County. It is understood that there
was no parental objections and that the marriage was expected by
their friends and relatives, but not so soon. So it was not a
Gretna green affair, but an affinity affection. The young
couple did not see any reason for delay and thought that they would
be one as soon as possible. So "what's the use."
*Ashby was a farmer and worked at a cotton gin. He was
Presbyterian. Lila was Baptist.
*Marengo Co. AL Census for 1930
*family photographs
*No copy of death certificate for Ashby Turner Speed but family
members have said that he died of blood poisoning. His
obituary states, Mr. "Big" Speed will not only be missed as a
loving husband and father and kind friend but as a genius who was
willing to use his talents for the comfort of those about him.
When his genial smile and kind words will be missed by all who knew
him, we are assured that he has been "gathered with the Saints by
the river that flows by the throne of God."
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