Re: Spires-Where did they come from?
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In reply to:
Spires-Where did they come from?
Faye Elkins 6/24/02
My research indicates that the Spires family that is found in Virginia and Maryland before 1700 , in N. Carolina in the early 17th century and in S.C in the late 17th century came from Speyer, Germany."Speir" is n the Alsace area and wass the seat of the Roman Catholic Church until about the year 1000.it derives its name from all the Cathederal spires and the English translation of Speyer is "Spires".It was in the Diet (court) of Speyer that Martin Luther was tried.
There is also some indication that one or more Spires family came over during the Palatine immigration, going first to England, then Ireland and then N.C. in about 1710.
It appears that in the colonies they first spelled the name "Speirs", the "ei" being pronounced by Germans as a long "I".The earliest ones to use the spelling "Spires" were the descendants of Thomas Speir(s, who was the marshal of Chowan Province, N.C. in the 1720's.