JUEL ID/KEY: P48231

The Spears family, photographs by Rufus W. Holsinger taken on July 6, 1914 and October 8, 1918.

From Family Photo Day, 9 March 2019: 

"Mr. and Mrs. Spears lived next to me on Oak Street at 407 Oak Street in 1943. He was an employee at the University of Virginia Hospital. She worked in the cafeteria at the UVA Hospital." - Mr. Melvin Flannagan Jr., participant at Family Photo Day.  

"Peggy Ragland Brown Spears is my Great-Great-Grandmother. Her first husband, Abram (Abraham) Brown died. She remarried Mr. Joe Spears. To connect the lines: 
My father is Clayton Hamilton Brown Sr. > His father is John Clously (Jack) Brown (1910-1992) > His father is Jack Brown (1865-1958) = this is the child of Peggy and Abram." - Ms. DeTeasa B. Gathers, descendent, participanat at Family Photo Day. 

From 2 August 2019, Ms. Gathers notes that Lillian Brown (P48618) and Marion Brown (P48619) may be related to Peggy Ragland Brown Spears. 

Additional information about the Spears family will be added as it is researched. 

NOTE that the name with which the portrait is labelled (or, labelled "untitled") is not necessarily the name of the sitter(s) photographed, but rather the name of the person who paid for it when it was taken (the date and name associated with each photograph is from the business ledgers of R. W. Holsinger).  

"Mrs. Joe Spears" - July 6, 1914 (X02421A1)

"Mr. and Mrs. Joe Spears" - July 6 1914 (X02421A1)

October 8, 1918 (X06829A)

Additional information about (Mrs. Joe) Peggy Spears is detailed in the Death Certificate (below). The certificate states date of death on May 31, 1921, age 65, husband Joe Spears, address Hickory Hill, Albemarle County. 

The J. F. Bell Funeral Home (Charlottesville) also included the following in their records:

- Katie Spears died on December 2, 1919 (date of birth December 25, 1896); her parents listed as Joseph Spears and Peggie Ragland; place of death 856 Cox's Row Charlottesville VA; place of burial Hickory Hill VA.

- Nelson Spears died on September 26 1920 (date of birth not listed); his parents listed as Joseph Spears and Peggy Ragland; place of death 858 Cox Row Charlottesville VA; place of burial Hickory Hill VA.

- Lee Spears died on March 11 1952 (date of birth January 3 1874); his parents listed as Joseph and Peggy Spears; place of death Charlottesville VA; place of burial "Lincoln Cemetery"

Local descendant Ms. DeTeasa Gathers confirms her relative's name as "Peggy Ragland Brown Spears."

Sources

- "Peggy Spears" 1918-10-08 photograph in UVA Library Catalogue (X06829A) 

- "Mrs. Joe Spears" 1914-07-06 photograph in UVA Library Catalogue (X02421A1)

- "Mr. and Mrs. Joe Spears" 1914-07-06 photograph in UVA Library Catalogue (X02421A2)

- printed notes, flipbook vol. 6.2 

- comments from Ms. DeTeasa Gathers, Charlottesville descendent of Mrs. Spears

SEE ALSO:

Holsinger Image Gallery of African Americans

J. F. Bell Funeral Home Records

Charlottesville City Directory, 1914-15 [Hathi Trust] 

1870 & 1910 U. S. Census - Charlottesville & Esmont Communities

First published: January 30, 2019

Return to the Holsinger Main Page or African-American Portraiture List of Names