The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.
RICHARD SPENCER.
Among the self-made and highly re- spected men of Burlington we recall the name of Richard Spencer, who was born on the banks of the Susquehanna River, in the village of Jersey Shore, Lycoming county. Pa., Oct. 26. 1823. His father was of English and his mother of Scotch- Irish descent. The village schools af- forded hut little means of education in those days, but in 1837 the family moved to Ohio, and Mr. Si)encer attended a bet- ter common school for a few months. Ir»
1840 liis father movefl to Jay county, In- diana, where they had all the hardships of pioneer life to contend with. There were no schools or churches, social advantages, books or ])a])crs. or any of the' refining in- fluences that constitute social life as it exists to-day in most parts of the country. Here our subject had five long years of hard laborous work with only an oc- casional coon hunt as a means of recrea- tion. After this he taught school in Indi- ana and Ohio in small schools, boarding around with the pupils. In 1846, Mr. Spencer located in Lebanon, Ohio, where he opened a harness and saddlery store, having learned this trade some years be- fore.
Ill iS4<) Mr. Spencer married Miss Amanda J. Mathews, who was born Aug. 19, 1831. Of the nine children born of this union, five are still living in New York City: Laura, wife of George II. Patchen : Ella, Kay, Fred, and Theodore.
\\'hen Mr. Spencer came to Burlington in 1856, he was connected with the man- agement of a threshing machine, and in i85() took charge of the gas business in liurlinglon; and to this business, as superintendent, secretary, manager, and president, he was devoted most of his life. He was president of the two companies when he died, Oct. 16, 1896. He had al- ways been a Democrat till 1S54. wlun he became a Whig, and later a Republican. He was always a free trader, and ad- vanced the cause of single tax, which ad- vocacy grew out of his sincerest convic- tion and a burning desire to improve economic conditions among his fellow- nuMi. .Mr. .*>pencer lixcd and itinl hnii- ored and resjjected for his integrity and singleness of pur])ose. He wa>; a deter-
mined champion of the rights of individ- uals, and an equally stout defender of law and order. Mrs. Spencer and daugh- ters moved to New York city in 1897, where she died, Feb. 8, 1905. Every one ac{|uainted with Mrs. Spencer loved her for her gentle. Christian character.
Source: Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.
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