BIOGRAPHY of William R. Speir, from the “1883 History of Bay County”

William R. Speir was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1823. He came to Detroit, Mich., in 1851 and to Bay City in 1859. He has been employed as an engineer in a number of mills and salt blocks in the valley. Is now employed in that capacity in the American Chemical Works, West Bay City. He married in 1844 to Agnes Smith, Scotland.