My Genealogy Hound

WOODEN AUGUSTUS SPEARY. Prominent among the representative and prosperous farmers of Schuyler County is the worthy gentleman whose name heads this sketch. His life of usefulness and industry has resulted in the accumulation of a good property in the town of Orange, where he is the proprietor of seventy acres of productive farming land.

Our subject was born in Sullivan County, Pa., July 14, 1847, and was the son of Samuel and Mary (Pennington) Speary, who emigrated to this portion of New York in 1865, the father at once selecting for his future home a tract of land in Sugar Hill.

Samuel Speary was also a Pennsylvanian, and was born in Luzerne County about 1811. He was a life-long farmer, and after coming to this state made the place above referred to his permanent home, dying there of paralysis May 2, 1887, when in his seventy-sixth year. His widow survived him until 1893, when she, too, passed away, being at that time eighty-four years of age. He was a true-blue Republican in politics, and with the exception of some minor office which he held in early life, could never be prevailed upon to hold public positions. He was a thorough Christian, and while a resident of Pennsylvania was Class-Leader for many years. Both himself and wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Previous to coming to New York the senior Mr. Speary had cleared a good farm in the Keystone State, and although starting out in life poor in this world’s goods, he lived to be the possessor of a good property. His family included eight members, all of whom are living, with two exceptions. Our subject, who is the youngest of the household, is the only one living in New York. His sister Permelia married L. D. Littell, now a resident of Chicago, but formerly a merchant of Altay, town of Tyrone.

Our subject was eighteen years of age at the time the family came to this county. He remained at home until twenty-three years old, in the mean time being given a good education in the schools taught in the district. He was married to Miss Eliza Smith, of Tyrone, in June, 1869, and for seven or eight years thereafter they continued to make their home in that town. As his father advanced in years, he became less able to look after the farm, and W. A. was called home, managing the estate until his father’s decease, when he made a satisfactory settlement with the other heirs, and is now the sole owner of the place. For the past two years, however, he has resided in Sugar Hill, which is a very pretty little village, just one mile distant from his country home.

Mrs. Eliza Speary departed this life in May, 1879, and the lady whom our subject chose as his second companion, and to whom he was married September 3, 1881, was Miss Violet, daughter of William Denning, of the town of Orange. They have been blessed by the birth of four children, viz.: Mary Belle, Anna Lorena, Edith Violet and Maurice W.

Mr. Speary affiliates with the Republican party. He is popular among the best citizens of his town, and in February, 1895, was elected Assessor. Religiously he is a true Christian gentleman and, with his wife, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.