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23-410: Both George Thomas and Lena came from musical families. G.T. and Lena began the group to supplement their income, which otherwise came from farming. Before them, almost all gospel groups were made up solely of men. The Speer Family are considered pioneers in featuring women singers. Within two years, the group had become so successful that G.T. Speer decided to make the group full-time. In the late 1920s,

46-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

69-601: A full-time job with the Vaughan Music Company. This position afforded greater financial security for the family. Also in the mid 1920s/early 1930s, two more siblings, Mary Tom Speer (1925-2014) and Ben Speer (1930-2017), joined the group. In 1941, James Vaughan died, and the Speer family left his company. During his time at the Vaughan Company, "Dad" Speer wrote or co-wrote more than 600 songs. After leaving, they joined

92-538: A position his brother Charles Wesley and son would hold after him. As one of the most significant figures in southern gospel music, James D. Vaughan was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1972 and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1997. This Southern Gospel -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Tennessee politician-related article

115-671: A senator from Virginia who sponsored the admission of Tennessee as the 16th state into the Union. He also sponsored the building of the city and courthouse, which has burned four times. The current courthouse was built in 1909. One of Giles County's local heroes is James McCallum , who served as grandmaster of the Tennessee Masons, a member of the Confederate Congress, and mayor. He lived in Giles County for 70 years. Until Maury County

138-426: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an American businessperson born in the 1860s is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Giles County, Tennessee Giles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee . As of the 2020 census , its population was 30,346. Its county seat is Pulaski . Giles County is named after William Branch Giles ,

161-465: Is covered by water. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 30,346 people, 11,904 households, and 7,807 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 29,447 people, 11,713 households, and 8,363 families residing in the county. The population density was 48 people per square mile (19 people/km ). There were 13,113 housing units at an average density of 22 units per square mile (8.5/km ). The racial makeup of

184-448: The poverty line , including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over. On November 15, 1995, Giles County received minor notoriety after a shooting occurred at Richland High School in the community of Lynnville . A senior student named Jamie Rouse shot two teachers and a student in the north entrance of the school. One teacher (Carolyn Foster) and the student (Diane Collins) were killed, while teacher Carolyn Yancey

207-554: The James D. Vaughan Music Publishing Company in 1900 in Minor Hill, Tennessee , and in 1910 moved to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee . He taught shape note singing schools . He was the first to establish a professional quartet and put them on the road for the purpose of selling songbooks. The Vaughan School of Music was formed in 1911 in Lawrenceburg. Numerous gospel performers would study there in

230-710: The Speer Family's best-known songs. Another group was formed in 2018 by Brock and Faye's son Brian Speer and his wife Allison Durham Speer, they were joined by bass singer Mike Allen and relatively new singer Ben Waites to form the New Speer Family. They have recorded one album titled "A Singing Heritage" Several other notable Southern Gospel singers have been part of the Speer Family including Ann Downing , Sue Dodge , Jeanne Johnson, Daryl Williams and Ginger Laxson. GMA Dove Award for Mixed Group of The Year (1969-70-71-72-73-74-75-76-77) (The awards for 1971 were nullified; had

253-828: The Speers included inclusion in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, receiving the Southern Gospel Music Guild's Heritage Award, and receiving 14 Dove Awards . The group's recording of "I'm Standing on the Solid Rock" has the distinction of having the longest tenure as the top song on the Singing News chart of popular Southern Gospel recordings. Mary Tom Speer-Reid died on September 16, 2014, aged 89. Faye Speer died on October 13, 2015, aged 86. Ben Speer died on April 7, 2017, at age 86. A month later, Rosa Nell Speer-Powell, who

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276-510: The Stamps-Baxter company, a Vaughan competitor, and also became a regular performer on the WSFA radio station. George Thomas "Dad" Speer died in 1966 and Lena "Mom" Speer died in 1967. Pearl and Logan Claborn died in 1979 and 1981 respectively. The group, led by brothers Brock (died March 29, 1999, at age 78) and Ben , underwent various configurations over the next several decades. Ben retired from

299-521: The awards not been nullified The Speer Family would have won the award for Mixed Group of The Year) Gospel Music Hall of Fame (1998; The Speer Family) (1971; Dad Speer) (1972; Mom Speer) (1975; Brock Speer) (1995; Ben Speer) Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame (1997; Dad Speer) (1997; Mom Speer) (1997; Brock Speer) (1998; Ben Speer) (2005; Rosa Nell Speer Powell) (2006: Mary Tom Speer Reid) (2014; Faye Ihrig Speer) James David Vaughan James David Vaughan (December 14, 1864 – February 9, 1941)

322-420: The county was 86.44% White , 11.80% Black or African American , 0.30% Native American , 0.35% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.21% from other races , and 0.89% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 11,713 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 11.90% had

345-631: The following years. In 1912, Vaughan began the Vaughan Family Visitor, an influential publication across the South during the early 20th century. In 1922, Vaughan founded one of the first radio stations in Tennessee, WOAN , where he broadcast Southern Gospel music until 1930. He also founded the first record company based in the South, Vaughan Phonograph Records. Vaughan was also involved in local politics, serving as mayor of Lawrenceburg from 1923 to 1927,

368-669: The group established a working relationship with the James David Vaughan Music Company, selling songbooks. However, the group's success proved to be insufficient to support two families' budgets. In 1925, Logan and Pearl Claborn left the group; Logan returned to his job as a carpenter. To fill the void, "Dad" Speer enlisted 5-year-old Brock Speer and 3-year-old Rosa Nell Speer to sing with him and his wife. The group's concerts featured several duet songs by "Dad" and "Mom" Speer, and several songs with Brock singing alto and Rosa Nell singing lead. In 1934, "Dad" Speer accepted

391-600: The group in 1993 although he did appear on occasion with the group until Brock officially retired the Speer Family at the 1998 National Quartet Convention. Ben Speer continued to be involved in Southern Gospel music as the Music Director of the Gaither Homecoming Series, and as owner of Ben Speer's Stamps-Baxter School of Music, a Southern Gospel singing school, up until his death in 2017, which continues under

414-592: The ownership of son Stephen. Ben, Mary Tom , Rosa Nell and Faye continued to make appearances in Gaither Homecoming videos. The group was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Hall of Fame in 1998, following individual inductions for "Dad" Speer (1971); "Mom" Speer (1972); Brock Speer (1975); and Ben Speer (1995). The Speer Family was the first group to receive the Gospel Music Association 's Lifetime Achievement Award. Other recognition for

437-414: Was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 34,824, and the median income for a family was $ 41,714. Males had a median income of $ 31,221 versus $ 22,221 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 17,543. About 9.00% of families and 11.70% of the population were below

460-529: Was an American music teacher, composer, song book publisher, the founder of the Vaughan Conservatory of Music and the James D. Vaughan Publishing Company. Vaughan was born in Giles County, Tennessee , the son of George Washington and Eliza (Shores) Vaughan. He died February 9, 1941. Vaughan is generally considered to be one of the founders of the genre now known as " Southern gospel " music. He started

483-597: Was established in November 1807, the area of the future Giles County was part of Williamson County. Two years after the formation of Maury County, Giles County was created from southern Maury County on November 14, 1809, by an act of the state legislature. Nearly half of the new county lay in Chickasaw territory until September 1816. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 611 square miles (1,580 km ), of which 0.2 square miles (0.52 km ) (0.04%)

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506-424: Was the last survivor of the original Speer Family, died on May 16, 2017, at the age of 94. Since the retirement of the Speer Family in 1998, two spin-off groups have been created. The New Speer Revival was a short-lived group formed in the early 2000s by former Speer Family members Marc Speer and former soprano Karen Apple. They recorded one album titled "Carrying On The Tradition" which featured recordings of some of

529-566: Was wounded in the crime. Rouse was convicted of the shooting and sentenced to life in prison without parole. In 2000, there were 1,268 arrests made in Giles County, with 781 arrests in the city of Pulaski . One homicide occurred in that year. Based on a 2003 recording conducted by the Uniform Crime Report, the delinquency rate dropped to 71 arrests being made, with 8.8 percent of the county population being arrested that year. No homicides occurred in Giles County in 2003. Abernathy Field

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