Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
Speed Prier, son of Charles and Emma Jane Allison Prier, Grandparents were Alfred and Matilda Flynn Prier, and great grandparents were Abel and Francis Martin Prier. Children of our family were Speed, Bertha Poindexter, Grace Waller, Della Nuttall, Dr. Vern, and Otto Prier.
Our great grandfather came to Illinois when he was 13 years of age from Kentucky. My father was a native of Illinois, establishing a home 1/2 mile west of Glenn's Camp, being formerly my grandfather's home place known as the Miles Flynn farm, which adjoined the home place. Grandfather was reared on the family home but later bought a farm 2-1/4 miles northwest of Hardinsville. The Prier Grove Church stands on the north 40 acres tract of the Prier farm. Grandfather was buried in this church cemetery. Grandfather donated this land to the Trustees of the Prier Grove Church (Missionary Baptist) in May 1894. His family were daughters, Mary and Emily, and sons Charles and John.
I was married on June 15, 1909 to Olive Etta Stout, whose parents were _________ and whose home was at ____________ .
We have a daughter, Ella Jane Prier, educated in the Grade and High Schools of Charleston, Mo., received her Bachelor's Degree at the State Teachers College in Cape Girardo, Mo. And will complete her Master's Degree in the State Teachers College in Terre Haute this year. She has taught school for 22 years, starting in Mississippi Co., Mo. At $30 per month, in _________ where she taught, mostly in Charles, Mo. For about 10 years, Lincoln School in Robinson 4 years, Decatur Schools 4 years, Jefferson School in Robinson for the past __ years. She is a member of the First Christian Church and as accomplished musician.
I attended grade school in Martin Township, then Teachers Normal, Brown Business college in Terre Haute, Ind., after which I taught school at Berlin in Martin Township where my father had previously taught. My certificate to teach was given me by Lee Douglas, County Superintendent of Schools in 19__. I also taught school at the Moyer District School, located at the southwest corner of my father's farm, then at Watts, Freeport (both in the old and new buildings), Midkiff in 1903-4, White Oak in 1904-5, Willow Prairie in 1907-8.
On June 1st, 1908, I began my service as a City Carrier of Mail in Robinson, moving here in 1908. I was one of the three original City Mail Carriers, Rose Kent and John W. McKamy being the others, with William Sittler as a Substitute Carrier, serving for 29 years and two months, retiring on disability. All three Carriers are alive today.
I opened a Repair Shop in August 1, 1937 in Charleston, Mo. Where I was in this shop for 21 years. Came back to Robinson where I purchased a home on S. Jefferson Street and built a Repair Shop building in the rear of the residence where I have continuously maintained a shop up to the present date.
I have been a member of the First Christian Church of Robinson for 44 years, serving as Teacher of the Sunday School, a Deacon and Elder of the Church and Superintendent of the Sunday School, and was Chairman of he Building Committee during the erection of the new addition of the church completed in the year 19__. Served as Secretary of the Robinson I.O.O.F. Lodge for ten years and am still an active member, have been a member of the Masonic Lodge for __ years, taking my Blue Lodge work at Hardinsville, transferring to Robinson Lodge in November 1907 and have served as Secretary of the Chapter here.
The unusual part of the subject's life to this author is the fact that he found time to study his Bible and became one of its best-informed students in our opinion that we had at the time of his decease in this county. He supplied himself with one of the best libraries on the Bible and helps on Sunday School lessons, without regard to cost, of anyone probably in our county, except our ministers, and knowing the subject as we do for practically a lifetime, four years in close contact with him when I was Assistant Postmaster and Samuel T. Lindsey was Postmaster in Robinson, I knew him to be one of the most efficient, honest and industrious persons I had ever worked with.
Speed Prier was a native of Martin Township in Crawford County, was educated in Crawford County and taught school for eight years during the winter months and worked in the oil fields of the county in the vicinity of Stoy.
In 1908 when mail delivery service was inaugurated in the city of Robinson, he, with Nelson Kent and John W. McKamy, were selected as the first carriers of the city, he was transferred to the City of Detroit, Mich. On October 1, 1919 where he worked for about two and one half years. In May 1922 he was transferred to the office at Charles, Mo. where he served as Post Office Clerk for about 21 years, retiring in 1937 after about 30 years in the Government Post Service. Returning to Robinson in August 1943 where he made a profession of particular skills he had developed as a locksmith and a gunsmith, where he increased his machine service for equipment not obtainable elsewhere.
He became a member of the First Christian Church of Robinson in 1908 and for many years served on the Church Board as Deacon and Elder, Teacher and superintendent of the Sunday School, until the time of his passing away. He was a member of the modern Woodman of America, Masonic Lodge and the I.O.O.F. of Robinson.