Henry Speers & his brother Michael have been "accepted" by many as sons of Peter Abraham & Margaret Graefenreid Speers, natives of Germany. Henry & his brother Michael are said to have first gone to Aix La Chapelle in France and from there to America. They are believed to have emigrated about 1732, either to the large Huguenot settlement in New Rochelle, NY or to the German settlement in the Philadelphia area. Original poster states, "I have no convincing proof of this connection. It is found in a small book about the Speers family written by Rollo Clayton Speer, 1941 - there are no sources for the data and no one has so far been able to substantiate this story."
Henry married Regina Froman in Augusta Co VA in 1744. They lived on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near Massanutten Mountain. Henry was Captain for the Frederick Co VA militia from 1755-1761 [French and Indian Wars].
By 1771, Henry had secured a warrant for land on the Monongahela River, then part of Virginia, but now Pennsylvania.
He died fairly soon after moving there. Tradition is that he was kicked by a horse, but it appears that was more likely his son Noah that died in that manner.
His will was dated 14 May 1773, in Westmoreland Co PA [Will Book 1:10]. Administration was not granted until 25 Nov 1782. Death date unknown.
His remains may have been interred in the Gibsonton Cemetery, on the original Speers farm near Belle Vernon, since that was the first burial place in the immediate area. There is NO marked grave.
