The Speeds were a prominent family in Louisville, Kentucky. After immigrating to Kentucky in the early-nineteenth century, John Speed (1772-1840) and his wife, Lucy (1788-1874) settled on Beargrass Creek and built Farmington, a Federal-style home. The Speed plantation specialized in hemp but produced a variety of other goods, including livestock, apples, and tobacco. Two of John and Lucy Speed's sons became prominent in business, law, and politics in the antebellum era. James Speed (1812-1887) was a Louisville attorney before becoming involved in state politics and eventually rising to United States Attorney General under Abraham Lincoln. His brother, Joshua Fry Speed (1814-1882), was a prominent businessman in Louisville and Springfield, Illinois, and was a close friend of Lincoln. James Speed's son, John (1842-1920), was an officer in the Union army during the Civil War. In the postbellum era, he was a farmer in Spencer County and was active in Republican politics. John Speed's son, James (1867-1945), was an agriculturalist and naturalist. Among other pursuits, he edited the Southern Agriculturalist and wrote articles for the Louisville Herald-Post. His sons, John (1893-1968) and Thomas (1895-1952), were both soldiers in World War I. John's son, James (1930-2006) was a soldier in the Korean War. John Speed (b. 1955) is the son of James Speed and attended college and medical school at the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia.
From the description of Speed family papers, 1813-1981. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 225912648
