Today we visit Nelson County to talk of property of John Speak.  John Speak, born February 2, 1785, in Charles County, Maryland, came to Kentucky with his father Urban Speak, to Pottingers Creek, with approximately 25 Maryland families, to begin their life in Kentucky.  John was a young child when he made the trip with his family.  Another early settler was Richard Coomes who came with two single sisters, Anna and Rachel.  In 1794 Richard returned to Maryland and brought his father, mother and two other sisters, to Nelson County.  Mary Elizabeth Coomes, one of the latter two sisters, married John Speak, bond dated May 27, 1820.

Richard Coomes said that his sister Mary was over twenty-one years of age on May 27, 1820. He was also bondsman for the marriage.

According to the last deed, John and Mary had five children – Hillory, Lewis, Urbin, Martina and Angel.  I could find no marriage records for Hillory or Lewis.  Urbin married Minerva Hagan November 8, 1846.  Angel married Michael Aud January 4, 1832, and she was deceased before 1855.  Martina married Ignatius Jarboe August 27, 1837.

Tuesday, April 10, 1839, John was one of twelve jurors on a case involving Ralph Cotton and Harvey Rogers.

In the 1850 Nelson County Census, John and Mary Speak are both 65.  He had nine slaves to help on the farm.

In 1850 son Hillory Speak, blacksmith, and wife Margaret and their five children lived in Daviess County, Kentucky.  Ignatius Jarboe and Martina also lived in Daviess County, with their four children.  In 1850 Urbin Speak lived in Nelson County with wife Minerva and their four children; he is listed in the agricultural census with 200 acres of land.  I could not find Lewis Speak or Angel Speak Aud in the 1850 census.

The first deed I want to share is land purchased by John Speak from James Medcalf and wife Rebecca and Joseph Rizer and his wife Sarah.  For $130 John Speak purchased 26 1/2 acres of land on which said land Philip Rizer, deceased, lived during his lifetime.

Nelson County Kentucky Deeds, Book 18, Pages 137-138

This Indenture made the 19^th day of January eighteen hundred and thirty between James Medcalf and Rebecca Medcalf, wife of the aforesaid James Medcalf, and Joseph Rizer and Sarah Rizer, wife of the aforesaid Joseph Rizer, of Nelson County and State of Kentucky, of the one part and John Speak of the same  county and state aforesaid, of the other part, witnesseth that the said James Medcalf and Rebecca his wife and Joseph Rizer and Sary, his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and thirty dollars to them in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and the aforesaid John Speak, by these presents, do fully and clearly exonerate, acquit and discharge, hath given, granted, bargained, sold, conveyed and confirmed and by these presents doth give, grant, bargain, sell, convey and confirm unto him, the aforesaid John Speak, his heirs and assigns forever that certain tract or parcel of land situated, lying and being in the county aforesaid and on the north and south sides of Bear Creek, being a part of the land on which Philip Rizer lived and died possessed of, and laid off on the southwest corner adjoining Nathaniel Cooper on the east and bounded as follows, to wit. Beginning at a hickory and dogwood at the southeast corner of Foreman’s land, thence N55 degrees W7 and a half pole to a poplar in Foreman’s line, thence S56 poles to a honey locust on the north bank of Bear Creek thence up Bear Creek N77 degrees E56 poles to a hickory, thence N125 poles to a red bud tree on Foreman’s line, thence with Foreman’s line S32 and ½ degrees W102 poles to the beginning, containing twenty-six acres and a half, also all the interest of the said James Medcalf and wife in the dower of Tabitha Rizer, widow, and relict of Philip Rizer, deceased, together will all rights, members, privileges and appurtenances unto the aforesaid tract of land belonging or in any wise appertaining to have and to hold the aforesaid land and premises with its appurtenances unto him the aforesaid John Speak, his heirs and assigns forever.  And the afore

said James Medcalf and Rebecca, his wife, and the aforesaid Joseh Pizer and Sary, his wife, for themselves and their heirs and doth further covenant and agree to and with the aforesaid John Speak, his heirs and assigns that the aforesaid land and premises with its appurtenances unto him, the aforesaid John Speak, his heirs and assigns from them the aforesaid James Medcalf and Rebecca, his wife, and Joseph Rizer and Sary, his wife, their heirs and assigns and from all persons whatsoever claim by these presents.  In testimony whereof they have hereunto set their hands and affixed their seals the day and year above written.

James Medcalf, his mark, Rebecca Medcalf, her mark, Joseh M. Rizer, Sarah Rizer, her mark

Nelson County

I, Charles L. Cosby, Deputy Clerk of the county Court of the said County, do certify that on the day of the date hereof James Medcalf and Rebecca, his wife, Joseph Rizer and Sarah, his wife, part to this deed to John Speak, did in my presence severally acknowledge the same to be their act and deed, they the said Rebecca Medcalf and Sarah Rizer, being by me first privily examined apart from their husbands, declared that they did freely and willingly seal, acknowledge and deliver the said deed then shown and explained to them and wished not to retract it and consented that the same may be recorded all which I have duly recorded.  Given under my hand this 19^th day of January 1830.

The second deed, dated just a few days after the first one, concerns land purchased by John Speak from Joseph Rizer and his wife Sarah.  For $400 John Speak purchased 87 ½ acres of land on Bear Creek, 71 acres of which was sold to Joseph Rizer by James Metcalf which was the right title and interest of Joseph Rizer in the dower of his mother, Tabitha Rizer, widow and relict of Philip Rizer, deceased.

Nelson County Deeds, Book 18, Pages 139-140

This Indenture made this 23^rd day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty between Joseph Rizer and Sarah his wife of the county of Nelson and State of Kentucky, of the first part, and John Speak of the County of Nelson and State aforesaid of the second part, witnesseth, that the said Joseph Rizer and Sarah his wife, for and in consideration of the sum of four hundred dollars current money to them in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hat granted bargained and sold and by these presents, doth grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said John Speak and his heirs and assigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land containing in all eighty-seven and a half acres, seventy-one acres of which was conveyed to said Joseph Rizer by James Medcalf and wife, lying and being in the County of Nelson on Bear Creek and bounded as follows:  to wit, beginning at a hickory standing in Bear Creek bottom, being the fourth corner of the said James Medcalf’s twenty-six and a half acres running thence north with said James Medcalf’s line 125 poles to a red bud in Foreman’s line, thence N33 ½ E80 poles to a hickory on Foreman’s line, a corner to Jacob Beam’s land, thence with Beam’s line S74 E52 poles to a stone placed as a boundary in the south line of the whole survey deeded by Chester Harold to Abraham Weekly and by said Weekly deeded to Philip Rizer, deceased, thence S38 poles and 8 links to a stone corner to Tabith Rizer’s dower of her deceased husband’s land, thence N87 W29 poles thence S44 poles and 12 links thence W16 poles to a white oak thence S5 E32 poles and nine links thence W32 poles to a sugar tree, thence S5 E so far as to intersect a line drawn N77 degrees east from the beginning containing seventy-one acres, more or less, also all the right title and interest of the said Joseph Rizer in the dower of his mother, Tabitha Rizer, widow, and relict of Philip Rizer, deceased, to have and to hold the

Said tract of land with all its appurtenances unto the said John Speak and his heirs and assigns to him and their only proper use and behoof forever and the said Joseph Rizer and Sarah his wife for themselves and their heirs, executors and administrators do covenant and agree to and with the said John Speak and his heirs and assigns that they will warrant and forever defend the said tract or parcel of land with all its appurtenances unto the said John Speak and his heirs and assigns against the claim or claims of all persons claiming by through or under them and also from the claim of all and every person or persons whatever claiming or to claim the same in any names whatever.  In testimony whereof the parties have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year above written.

John M. Rizer

Sarah Rizer, her mark

Nelson County

I, Charles L. Cosby, Deputy Clerk of the County Court of the said County, do certify that on the day of the date hereof Joseph Rizer and Sarah Rizer, his wife, party to this deed to John Speak, did in my presence severally acknowledge the same to be their act and deed.  She, the said Sarah, being by me first privily examined apart from her husband, declared that she did freely and willingly seal, acknowledge and deliver the said deed, then shewn and explained to her and wished not to retract it and constituted that the same may be recorded, all which I have duly recorded, given under my hand this 23^rd day of January 1830.

In the next deed John Speak is deceased, and his land is being sold, the funds to be divided among his heirs – his widow Mary, and children Hillory, Lewis, Urbin, Martina Speak and husband Ignatius Jarboe and Angel Speak Aud, now deceased, her share falling to her children Athanasius, Felix, Richard, Mary, Thomas, Eliza, Elizabeth and William Aud.  There is a total of 112 acres that belonged to John Speak at his death. 

Indenture between heirs of John Speak, Deceased, to William Beam, containing 112 acres, total of the previous two deeds.

Nelson County Deeds, Book 29, Pages 432-433

 This Indenture made and entered into this 31^st day of August one thousand eight hundred and fifty five between Mary Speak, Hillory Speak, Lewis Speak, Urbin Speak, Ignatius Jarboe and   Jarboe his wife, late Speak, Athanasius Aud, Felix F. Aud, Richard H. Aud, Mary M. Aud, Thomas J. Aud, Eliza E. Aud, Elizabeth R. Aud and William R. Aud, children of A. Aud, deceased, late Speak, and heirs of John Speak, deceased, by John L. Bean, Commissioner of the first part and William Beam of the second part.  Witnesseth that heretofore to wit, at the June term of the Nelson Circuit court 1851 the widow and heirs of John Speak, deceased, filed their petition praying a decree for a sale of a certain tract of land in their petition mentioned and whereas again at the August term 1851 of said Court.  It was ordered and decreed that said land be sold and E. H. McKay was appointed a Commissioner therefore and on the 26^th day of December 1851 said land was sold and William Beam became the purchaser at his bid of six hundred and twenty-seven dollars and 20 cents.  And at the June Term of the said Court (1855) it appearing that the purchase money for said land has been fully paid.  It is ordered that John L. Bean be and he is hereby appointed a commissioner for and on behalf of the heirs to convey the land sold under the decree hereinto the purchaser.  Now for and in consideration of the premises aforesaid, the part of the first part by John L. Bean, Commissioner, hath granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents doth grant bargain and sell unto the said William Beam, his heirs and assigns the following described tract or parcel of land situated and being in the County of Nelson on the waters of Bear Creek and bounded as follows, to wit.  Beginning at Yewell’s and Beam’s corner

running thence S35 W192 poles to a stone in a line between Yewell’s and said tract, thence N52 W14 poles to a stake in said Yewell’s line and corner to John ?, thence S1 ½ E43 poles to a honey locust, buckeye and sugar tree on the bank of Bear Creek, thence up the creek with its meanderings in all one hundred and twelve poles to a sugar tree on the bank of the creek, then N1 12/ E164 poles to a stone corner to the Beam tract, thence N68 W39 ½ poles to the beginning, containing by survey one hundred and twelve acres.

To have and to hold unto the said part of the second part his heirs and assigns forever from and against the claim or claims of all and every person or persons whatsoever and against the claim of all persons claiming by through or under them.  In witness whereof I, the said John L. Bean, Commissioner, for and on behalf of the heirs of John Speak, deceased, have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal the day and date above written.

John S. Bean, Commissioner

I, James Slaughter, Clerk of the Nelson Circuit Court in the State of Kentucky do certify that the foregoing deed of Conveyance from Mary Speak, Hillory Speak, Lewis Speak, Urbin Speak, Ignatius Jarboe and Malinda Jarboe, Athanasius Aud, Felix F. Aud, Richard H. Aud, Mary M. Aud and Thomas J. Aud, by John L. Bean, Commissioner, to William Beam was produced in Court on the 1^st day of September 1855, and acknowledged by said John L. Bean as Commissioner to be his act and deed, approved by the Court and ordered to be certified to the Clerk of the Nelson County Court for record.  Whereupon the said deed is hereby certified accordingly.

Given under my hand this 2^nd day of November 1855

James Slaughter, C.N.C.C.

State of Kentucky, Nelson County

I, J. Darwin Elliott, clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid certify that on the 2^nd day of November last this deed from John Speak’s heirs by Commissioner to William Beam was produced to me in my office and is together with the certificate thereon are truly recorded.

Given under my hand this 11 day of December 1855, J. Darwin Elliott, Clerk