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The George Spears Home |
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If you've read Songbirds are Free or River Passage, you'll
know that Mary Neely was in love with George Spears, Jr. According to Tom Robertson, a descendant of Mary Neely and George Spears, Jr., George Spears, Sr. came to America with his father, Michael Christopher Spears, mother, and other family members from Germany. They moved to Edom, Virginia in Rockingham County and lived in this house. It is believed they were the first owners of the home.
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The house now sits well below road level, due to a bridge over Linville
Creek. The front of the home is believed to be the original home. The
original exterior walls are brick, four courses thick, and are covered
with a stucco veneer built in the German style. The appearance and
condition of the stucco makes it appear that it was part of the original
home or added a short time later. The home now has a white tin roof. The
back of the house (shown in the photo above) was believed to have been
added on in the 1930's.
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| It was in this house that Mary lived after she escaped from the Indians and made her way to Virginia. Her brother Sam Neely was standing on this porch when he spotted her walking down the road toward the house. They were reunited in the front yard. | |
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Many, many thanks to Tom Robertson for making the trip to Rockingham County, his painstaking work in locating the George Spears home, and his permission to reprint his photographs here! |
