John Nathan Spearing

[kam311]

While out walking a part of the Timucuan Trail this past weekend, I can across a grave stone for John Nathan Spearing.  After doing a little research, I found an article about who he was and how he came to be buried there.  (repost from another location...http://hykerboyz.com/jaxhikes/?p=363).

Anyway, I was trying to do some more research just for the heck of it about the shipbuilding company that he owned located on Spearing St.  The only references I can find are to a Hillyer-Spearing-Dunn Co. that built ships during WWI (presumably Spearing's original company had a role/part in this later corporation).  I was curious if anyone else had heard about him or had any further information?

Thanks!

[Ocklawaha]

A photo of the burial procession of the CSS Hunley crew, a crowd? Yeah, 30,000 of us.

The official military records are in the national archives in DC. MANY of the State's Confederate heroes have had their story carefully preserved by the local chapters of The Sons of Confederate Veterans. The SCV Camp is at:

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS The local Camp is named for General Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Department of the TRANS-MISSISSIPPI, born in St. Augustine. 

http://www.scv-kirby-smith.org/

A sample of the typical archiving work is found here, where the local Camp's have preserved records of some of our brave Black Confederate soldiers.

http://www.florida-scv.org/Camp1316/Black%20Confederates.htm

Another excellent source is the UDC which maintains an ancestors history, the local chapters of the United Daughter of the Confederacy:

http://www.marthareid19udc.com/
http://www.floridadivisionudc.com/1128.htm
http://www.nefla.com/udc/

Finally a footnote to those that equate these groups with the Klan or racism... You couldn't be more wrong. In fact anyone with a racist bent would do well to stay at least an arms length away from these noble souls. The SCV and UDC are BOTH OFFICIAL veterans organizations recognized by the US VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. How is that you might ask?

Your building a new house out in the woods, and yuck the bulldozer unearths bones, buttons, and metal fragments...

You call the police

The police call the coroner

The coroner with Civil War era ID, calls the VA

The VA calls the SCV and UDC or conversely the Grand Army of the Republic (Federal Soldiers) Chapter.

The SCV/UDC or GAR makes every attempt to identify and record the story. Application is made to the VA which then provides the tombstone in your photo. Moreover the US Veterans Administration passes that stone to the groups to provide a proper funeral, color guard, etc...

OCKLAWAHA
DEO VINDICE!

[bokeelia64]

Just spent the afternoon at Fort Caroline with Anne from the Park Service and Ann and Marlene, volunteers at the Park. They took me out to see the headstone for John Nathan Spearing who was my G-Great Grandfather and a missing link in my genealogy. These folks are great along with Pauline, another volunteer, who contacted me originally and was not able to be there because of illness.

It was a wonderful afternoon and I enjoyed sharing and exchanging information on the Spearing family with Ann and Marlene. Being a family of the "sea" the headstone is in a beautiful setting, overlooking the St Johns River and marsh.  Thanks everyone.

Robert