Charles Spear was a partner in the firm of "Spear, Lang, and Delano", which is also referred to as "Spear and Lang." In respect of the Maple Leaf, it is apparent from the archives that Charles Spear and John H. B. Lang were the owners, but that Spear was the managing partner. When Spear initiated the suit against the government in 1868/1869 in the Court of Claims for additional compensation for the loss of the Maple Leaf, Lang had signed over all his interest in the ship to Spear. Lang's obituary identifies him with the Boston cooperage firm of "Lang and Delano" but makes no mention of "Spear, Lang and Delano."

    After the Civil War, in early 1866, "Spear, Lang and Delano" had ownership interests in two steamships purchased from the government, the Daniel Webster and the Eastern Star (formerly Cossack) for the purpose of establishing a shipping line from Boston to Gardiner, on the Kennebec River in Maine. Charles Spear and Edward K. Harding of Bath, Maine are reported as owners of the Daniel Webster. The ships entered the trade in July 1866 in competition with the newly built, large steamboat Star of the East. A rate war ensued and by the end of 1867 "Spear , Lang and Delano" were described as nearly bankrupt. The Daniel Webster and the Easter City were laid up at Bath, Maine for a few years and were finally sold for service on the St. Lawrence River in Canada.

    It was 1868, the year following this financial set back that Charles Spear initiated the two lawsuits in the U. S. Court of Claims to recover additional charter hire and hull insurance for the loss of the Maple Leaf in 1864. These claims were rejected in 1870. However, in October 1895 Spear's son Frank consulted Washington D. C. lawyers who recommended that a bill be introduced into Congress to enable Charles Spear to reopen his claims for the Maple Leaf. A bill H. R. 2362 was introduced in the House of Representatives and referred to committee. No record of a vote in the House or of a new trial in the Court of Claims has been found.

    Charles Spear was born in Quincy, Mass. on March 29, 1818 and died in Hingham, Mass. on January 19, 1899. He apparently had a varied career that extended beyond shipping. We find a reference that describes Spear a "a steamship builder (?) and operator and a pioneer in the development of electric telegraphy as well as weather bureau and transportation service in the United States and South America." His travels must have included a trip to San Francisco because his first wife Mary Weeks Spear died there on May 22, 1852. Additional research should reveal more about this interesting man.

    Charles Spear had three wives and three children. His first wife, Mary Weeks, died as noted in 1852 at age 30. There were no children. Spear then married Mary's younger sister Harriet Weeks in 1854, and they had one son, Charles Joseph Spear, who was only 9 months old when Harriet died in 1856 aged 20 years.

    Charles Spear's third wife was Jennie A. Palmer and they had two children Frank Palmer Speare (his spelling) and Annie P. Spear. Charles Spear's descendants derive from Frank and Annie because Charles Joseph Spear had no children. Frank Palmer Speare had a long and successful career as an educator which was culminated by becoming the founder and first president of Northeastern University in Boston.