William Leece Speights

Notes:

"Joshua Speights was very prominent in early Sabine County history, founding, together with Hampton Pratt, the first store in Hemphill. He also served as Chief Justice of Sabine County and as Senator in the Texas Legislature." (White and Toole)

SABINE COUNTY REPORTER 19 October 1994, Page 5 Oil Painting of Judge Speights is donated to county museum

The Sabine county Museum and the Virgie Speights Memorial Library has received a gift from Mr. and Mrs. James C. Vanderbilt of an oil painting of Judge Joshua H. Speights.

James, a great-grandson of Judge Speights,painted the portrait from a black and white copy of a picture taken of the Judge found in the archives of the Texas Legislature in Austin.

Joshua, a citizen of the Republic of Texas, served Sabine County in District #22, State Legislature 1853-1854, and 1859-1860, and also served as Judge of Sabine County 1877-1882. he was also a merchant, lawyer, physician, and farmer though not at the same time.

James and Marguerite Vanderbilt have been patrons of the museum and library from the beginning. They have given gifts of family heirlooms, valuable books and many mementos honoring Joshua H. Speights, his mother Rebbecca Hopkins Speights, and their descendants and relatives. James Vanderbilt spent a year studying and working for the British National Gallery in London, England. He retired form the Navy after World War II as a Lt. Commander. His hobbies are many but oil painting is his first love.

The Sabine County museum is very proud to have the portriat and is open Wednesday and Fridays and by appointment to visitors.

SABINE COUNTY REPORTER 27 March 2002, Page 9 SRT honors Vanderbilt with memorial

On Saturday, Oct. 13, 2001, the Sabine District Chapter #33 of Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT), dedicated an SRT memorial medallion at the grave of James C. Vanderbilt, deceased member of the chapter.

The unveiling ceremony of the historic marker was held at the Ft. Jesup National Park and Cemetery near Many, LA, in Sabine Parish. Sabine County Sheriff's Department proved the firing of the military salutes fo the occasion and the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Department provided an escort to the cemetery.

Vanderbilt was born April 15, 1915 in Ft. Jesup, LA. He was named at birth "Voyght Willard Boswell" and later changed his name to match his professional name as an artist.

James C. Vanderbilt was the great-grandson of Joshua Hopkins Speights, who came to Sabine County in approximately 1841. He was a professional artist and a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Navy.

Vanderbilt was a strong patron of the arts and was dedicated to preserving our history and culture. He was a key person in the founding of the Virgie Speights Memorial Library and Museum in Hemphill. He and his wife donated many gifts to enhance and maintain the Library and Old Jail Buildin

Vanderbilt was a tireless worker and patron of the Sonoma Depot Museum in Sonoma, CA, where he lived for many years. His paintings and art illustrations for the movie industry, plus his gifts to preserve history will be enjoyed by future generations.

This is believed to be the first medallion dedicated outside of Texas.....Recognition of descendants and acceptance of the marker was conducted by Bill Speights. Speights and J.E. Gooch unveiled the marker.

From the SSDI: JAMES C VANDERBILT 15 Apr 1915 11 May 1998 (V) 95476 (Sonoma, Sonoma, CA) (none specified) 550-28-5822 California

Joshua married Esther C. Leece on 8 Mar 1854 in Sabine County, Texas. Esther was born on 5 Apr 1835 in Louisiana; died on 7 Aug 1867 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Might instead have been born in South Carolina.

From FindAGrave:

"William and a brother, probably Asa, signed on a note for yet another brother, when he could not pay the note, William and Asa were unwilling to pay the note so to protect their assets, they left the state in the middle of the night, crossing the Mississippi River family and slaves.

William was suffering from yellow fever, and died in the river crossing and was buried on the banks of the river. His new widow, Rebecca Hopkins Speights continued the journey to Texas and settled in Sabine County in 1843...

William married Rebecca Hopkins on 17 Dec 1817 in Virginia. Rebecca was born about 1796 in South Carolina; died on 4 Oct 1857 in Texas; was buried in Speights Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per "1850 Census Sabine County, Texas with added Family Information and Corrections", Rebecca Hopkins Speights owned 20 slaves. She might instead have been born in North Carolina, or Virginia.

On April 27, 2013, a Historic Marker was dedicated at the Speights-Pratt Cemetery in Sabine County and reads "Rebecca Hopkins Speights (b. 1796) arrived in Sabine County in 1842 as a widow with four sons and a daughter*. She owned about 250 acres including this site, which became a cemetery with her burial in 1857. Sited near the Speights' home, the cemetery was actually on land granted to Mathew Arnold Parker, a Texas Revolutionary veteran and First Chief Justice (County Judge) of Sabine County. Joshua M. Hopkins Speights, buried here, was a State Legislator and County Judge. he and Hampton Pratt were among the first merchants in Hemphill. Of fifty-one marked graves, more than half bear the Speights surname. An unknown number of unmarked graves include Speights family slaves. The Speights-Pratt Cemetery Association manages this historic burial ground. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2010."

*Most family descendants instead have attributed four daugthers to Rebecca, the eldest Susan, dying as an infant. The other daughters generally are shown as Susan Green Speights Low, the wife of Dr. James Low; Amands Melvina Speights, who died at age 14; and Mary A. F. C. Speights Caraway, wife of Nathaniel Caraway. More work should be done to verify the exact family makeup, and ensure which children commonly attributed to William Speights and Rebecca Hopkins were actually born to them. It may also be possible that the historical marker is incorrect, though that seems less likely.

Notes:

"WM SPEIGHTS, (son of Wm and Sarah Speights) was born June 25, 1745, probably in N.C. The family Bible also listed Mary b Nov 2, 1736; John b. Sept 30, 1739; Ruth, b Mar 25, 1742; Joseph, b Nov 20, 1748; and Leah, b June 19, 1751. In this same Bible was the name only of Mary Minchew. This younger Wm Speights is believed to have m Ann Phelps in 1772 (Chowan Co N.C. Records). He fought in the American Revolution and rec'd Bounty land in Hancock Co, Georgia and according to family legend, John and Levi Speights were brothers. They also rec'd bounty grants in the same county. Levi's family did not come to Texas so far as is known."

William married Ann Phelps about 1772 in Chowan County, North Carolina. Ann was born before 1752; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]