Allen Spears was Richard White's great great grandfather.

Allen Spears served in the 12th Georgia Militia, Company K.  I believe that is the same unit in which Luke Rehberg served.  I obtained Luke Rehberg's unit designation from his Georgia Confederate pension record, but was not able to find any record the 12th Georgia State Troops which it stated to have been his unit.  There are no surviving muster rolls for the 12th Georgia Militia to prove this, but I believe that the 12th Georgia State Troops and the 12th Georgia Militia were one and the same.

Allen Spears was the father of Sarah Spears, who married her third husband... my great grandfather William A. White...  in Thomas County, Georgia, on 23 January 1873.  U.S. Census records for 1850 and 1860 show that Allen Spears was born in South Carolina (probably in Marlboro County) about 1821 (or possibly earlier back as far as 1812), and indicate that he lived for a considerable time in Thomas County, Georgia.  He married Sarah Ridley in Wilkinson County, Georgia, on 2 August 1836.  She was born in Georgia, about 1821.  Her father was Robert Ridley, Sr., and her mother was Nancy Mackey, daughter of William G. Mackey, Sr. and "Hoppie Micoy".  "Hoppie Micoy" is a Creek Indian title indicating that she was widow of a Creek chief called Hoppie Mico (Far Away).  When I initially researched the identity of Hopie Mico I figured that he was also known as Big Warrior (Tustunuggee Thlucco) and served as principal chief from 1802 till 1824 or 1825, at which time he died in Washington, DC.  However, that was before I figured out that the "oy" (oye) on the end of her title meant "widow of".   Since Big Warrior didn't die till 1825 and as best can be told from later census records the marriage to William G. Mackey would date to the mid1790s, that throws everything about Big Warrior out the window.  The only Creek chief that I am aware of being called Hopie Micco and who died in the 1790s was Alexander McGillivray, and Alexander McGillivray was considered to have had several wives... but to date I have found nothing identifying them or specificly linking William G. Mackey's wife to Alexander McGillivray.  William G. Mackey's father Daniel Mackey operated a trading post at Old Oconee Town during approximately the period of the American Revolution.  That trading post was then deep into Creek Indian lands, and far from the small European colonial settlements then limited to a tiny enclave in the northeast coastal area of Georgia.  Around 1800 the frontier crashed through the area and rolled on west with nearly lightning speed.  What one finds if one looks past changes in political boundaries, changes in names for the same places, etc., is that if William G. Mackey ever left what could be called the immediate area of his father's old trading post, it was only by a handful of miles.  Old Oconee Town, the Rock Landing, Fort Wilkinson... those were all successive names for very nearly the exact same place.  After the frontier thundered past and Georgia counties were created in the area, Old Oconee Town ended up in Baldwin County... but you could pretty much throw a stone from its former fields, into Wilkinson County.

Although there are several pages in his Compiled Confederate Service Record, they refer to the one original document concerning Allen Spears, his parole not to bear arms against the United States of America until exchanged as a prisoner of war.  That parole was dated 12 May 1865, and was signed by him at Thomasville, Georgia.  In it his physical description was Height: 5 ft. 10 inches, Hair: Gray, Eyes: Blue, Complexion: Light.

There was a center for repair of railroad rolling stock in Thomasville, and a number of Union prisoners of war were held in the vicinity.  I am unaware of any records of the activities of Allen Spears' unit, but presume it likely that it's mission was to guard these facilities and prisoners of war.  Based on information in pension applications, the 12th Georgia Militia, Company K, was involved in the defense of Atlanta including building the trenches, revetting and cheval de frise before the battle; and it is thought that it was involved in guarding railroads in various parts of Georgia.

Allen Spears died on 14 March 1879 and is apparently buried in an unmarked grave three graves south of the marked graves of his sons Harrison W. and Winfred G. Spears (aka W. H. and W. G. Spear) in the Old Thomasville Cemetery on North Broad Street, Thomasville, Thomas County, Georgia.  An unusual notation by Mr. Joe Craigmiles in his inventory of Thomas County, Georgia, cemeteries, indicates that Allen Spears "lived near Gallin's Mill on the Moultrie Road".

This is a copy of Allen Spears'  parole from the Union Army:

The grave with the small wooden cross shown in this photo of the Old Thomasville Cemetery, 3rd grave to the right of the marked graves of W.H. and W.G. Spear, is reputed to be that of Allen Spears, and presumably the grave to the immediate left would be that of Sarah Ridley Spears.  It is my understanding that the cross was one of a number placed by Mr. Joe Cragmiles to mark the graves of Confederate veterans.  Also note the sea shells (cockle shells) and the stump of a cedar tree at the head of Sarah Ridley Spears grave.  Cedar trees and sea shells are common accouterments of a burial site for a person of Creek descent.