I WOULD LIKE TO RESTATE AN OLD CONCERN RE: BIRTH OF COL THOMAS SPEKE—hopefully not to your annoyance. Without the original deposition documents, it appears POSSIBLE, that the ages of 30 and 50 could have been misread—5 and 3 looking similar. Beverly Fleet records 30 years v. Frank Walcyzyk with 50 years. Fleet acknowledges the entry was mutilated and nearly unreadable.
Furthermore,
- Thomas Speke was allegedly a captain in 1642, Maryland – AT 19/20 YEARS, HE SEEMS TOO YOUNG! BUT NOT UNUSUAL.
- Thomas Speke was a burgess in 1640 and 1651, Northumberland County, VA. – IF THIS IS TO DESIGNATE AN OFFICIAL, IT SEEMS TOO YOUNG. BUT NOT UNUSUAL
- Thomas Speke was a justice in 1655, Justice in Westmoreland County, VA – SEEMS TOO YOUNG AT 32/33 YEARS. NOT UNUSUAL.
- Thomas Speke was a Lt. Colonel perhaps as early as 1651 in Westmoreland County, VA. although for several years after he was referred to as both Mr. and Colonel.
- His wife, Ann ___, was 42 in the 1655 deposition whereas he was either 30 or 50. – I KNOW WOMEN WERE AT A PREMIUM, BUT STILL, IT SEEMS UNLIKELY ANN WOULD MARRY SOMEONE 12 YRS YOUNGER THAN HERSELF, BUT STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. NOT UNHEARD OF.
- From the same source, Beverly Fleet records he was 30 years and Walczyk records 50 years. THIS CAN ONLY BE RESOLVED WITH THE ORIGINAL HAND-WRITTEN DEPOSITION.
- Mr. Fleet reports the original records are in deplorable condition nearly unreadable.
SOURCES
1652-1658 Northumberland County, Virginia Record Book; ©[Frank V. Walczyk]
• https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I8119...
[Page 37. This page torn.]
Mrs. Speke her depo
Ann the wife of Thomas Speke Gent. aged 42 years or there abouts being sworn and examined saith Mr. Winton Chapman brought into this county servants about 4 or 3 years ago to sell them to this depondents husbands house amoung [----] were two boys named Henry and Thomas [-----] were brothers and the older was bound by indenture to serve five years the other which was younger [-----] though no indenture was signed by the said boys [-----] yet that this depondent heard the said boy say [-----] consent that he was to serve Col. John Mottrom 7 years and for so long time the said Co!. Mottrom bought him and further this depondent saith not.
Ann Speke
4th of November 1653.
jurat coram me Walter Brodhurst
Thomas Speke Gent. aged 50 years or there abouts being sworn and examined saith that Mr. Winton Chapman brought into this country some servants about 4 or 5 years ago to sell and brought them to this depondents house amoungest them were two boys named Henry West and Thomas West who were brothers and the older was bound by indenture to serve 5 years and the other which was the younger (though no indenture was signed by him) was to serve 7 years as Mr. Chapman told this depondent could have brought him of the said Mr. Chapman and further this depondent saith not.
Thomas Speke
4th November 1653.
jurat coram me Walter Brodhurst
SOURCE:
Fleet, Beverley,
Northumberland County records, 1652-1655 : containing abstracts from Court order book no. 2, 20th Sept. 1652-20th Oct. 1655, Record book no. 14, 20th Sept. 1652-20th Aug. 1655
Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. County, 1961, 145 pgs.
===
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/797860/?offset=0#...=
115
Record Book #14. page 37.
Mrs Speke Entry mutilated. “Ann the wife of Tho Speke gent Ann the wife of Tho Speke gent aged 42 her Depo years or thereabouts being sworne and examined saith - - - Mr Winter thereabouts being examined saith - - - Mr Winter Chapman brought into this Country - - servants about 4 or 5 years ago to sell - - them to this Deponts husbands house Amon- - were two boys named Henry and Thomas West - - were brothers and the older was bound by Indenture to serve 5 yeares the other wch was the younger Though no Indenture was signed by the said boy yet she this Depont heard the said boy say - - consent that he was to served Colo John Mo- (Mottrom) 7 yeares and for soo long time the said Colo – Mottrom bought him and further this Depont saith not Ann Speke 4 Novem 1653 Jurat Coram me Walt’o Brodhu- (Brodhurst)”
Mr Speke “Thomas Speke gent aged 30 yeares or thereabouts being sworne and examined
His Dep saith That Mr Winter Chapman” - etc. The same data shown in his wife’s deposition. Dated 4th November 1653.
===
James Hughes 2006-01-28 16:19:33
Darrell Dean Litle's Extended Family Tree
ID: I03749
Name: Thomas Speke
Sex: M
Title: Colonel
Birth: 1603 in England
Death: 1659
Emigration: 1639 To St M Co, MD
Event: Migrated 1645 Northumberland Co, Virginia
Event: Title (Facts Pg) Colonel
Reference Number: 3880
Note:
The Speaks emigrated to America in the early Colonial Days and settled in Maryland. The were particularly numerous in Charles County Maryland.
Col Thomas Speke appears in Maryland as one of 13 soldiers who received pay in 1642. His will is dated Dec 1, 1659. He names his wife Francis, brother John beloved son Thomas Speke and godson Thomas Gerrard, father in law Mr Robert Slye*. He was probably married twice, one to Anne and then Frances. His widow Frances married Colonel Valentine Peyton and after the death of Col Peyton she married Captain John Appleton, who died in 1676.
[*Note by Michael D. Frye – is this an error and should be brother-in-law?]
Col Thomas Speake is believed to have been the descendent of Sir Thomas Speake Steward of the Royal Manors of Greenwich and Keeper of Eltham Palace who died in 1550. The name Speak dates back to the Norman Conquest in 1066 where it is listed as William Espec, A Norman Baron who held the title of "Honour of Warden in Bedfordshire England a barony of some 7500 acres.
Records suggests that the Speak family descended from Richard Espec, Lord of Braunford in Devonshire (Now known as Bramford Speke) at Hayward near Wentworthy in Devonshire.
In 1639 Thomas Speke one of the descendants of the Somerset branch emigrated to Maryland and then Westmoreland Count VA where he held the highest judicial and military offices. His first marriage had one son Thomas who died without issue. His second wife and widow by whom there were no children was later the fourth wife of Major John Washington, Great Grandfather of George Washington
Marriage 1 Frances Gerrard
Children
Thomas Speke b: ABT. 1630
Marriage 2 Anne Berry
***
I grant that John S. Morris III presents compelling evidence of Thomas Speke of Hazelbury, Wiltshire, England. However, even he admits “The date of Col. Speke's birth has been the subject of some dispute. Several printed articles as well as a chart prepared by A. Howard Speake list his date of birth as 1603.10 However, on 4 November 1653, Col. Speke testified about his age in a deposition.” (pp.2-3 https://www.speakefamilyhistory.org/images/USA/ colthomaspeke.pdf) HOWEVER, THAT SOURCE CONFLICTS WITH Frank V. Walczyk.
***
I am only including the following because it contains conflicting information that adds to the problem of identifying Col Thomas Speke, AND NO SOURCE.
BURIAL
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13022167/thomas-speke
Name: Thomas Speke [Col. Thomas Speke?]
Birth: 1603 Somerset, England [BORN 1623?]
Death: Dec 1659 (aged 55–56) Westmoreland County, Virginia, USA
Burial: Nomini Plantation Cemetery Westmoreland County, Virginia, USA
Memorial ID: 13022167
Was High Sheriff of Westmoreland County, Virginia. Thomas came from a noble family in Somerset Co., England. When Westmoreland County separated from Northumberland County in 1653, Speke was one of the founders of the new county, and as a Colonel of the Militia was the highest ranking Commissioner. He continued as Commissioner until his death in 1659. His wife was Frances Gerrard, daughter of the famous Dr. Thomas Gerrard and Susanna Snow. Thomas Speak aka Speke died at the age of 56.
Husband of Frances (Gerard) Speak aka Speke ~ married 1646, St. Mary's Co., MD.
Their son, Thomas Speak, born: 1645, Westmoreland Co., VA and died: 6 Aug. 1681, St. Mary's Co., MD (m. Elizabeth Bowling, married 1664).
Family Members
Spouse
Frances Gerrard Hardwick 1637–1696 (m. 1645)
QUESTION: Are you aware of any other documents that may clarify this discrepancy?
