The Spencer Families of Jasper County, Missouri

JAMES H. SPENCER, farmer, post-office Carthage, was born in Putnam county, Ind., Aug. 9, 1836. When a child of five years his parents immigrated to southwest Missouri and settled in what is now Union township, Jasper county, and here our subject was reared to manhood, receiving such an education as the times afforded. He was married here Sept. 9, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Caseboalt, a native of Virginia. At the outbreak of the civil war Mr. Spencer was a strong union man, and thereby incurred the enmity and displeasure of the Confederates. His life was repeatedly threatened, and in Feb., 1862, he took up arms in defence of the Union and enlisted as a private in Company H, of the Sixth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, going into active service. He participated in ten hard-fought battles and many skirmishes of less danger and importance, and was discharged at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in April, 1865. During his service his family resided at Fort Scott, Kan., where he lived until June, 1866, when he returned to hia first love, Jasper county. Mo., since which time he has been a permanent resident. His wife died March 10, 1872, leaving two children. He was again married Jan. 30, 1873, to Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, a native of Jasper county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

J. R. SPENCER, merchant and postmaster, Avilla, Mo., is a native of Missouri, born in Sullivan county, April 11, 1845. His father, Jacob Spencer, being one of the pioneer settlers of that county, coming from Lee county, Ya., at an early day. Our subject served under the stars and stripes during the war of the Rebellion, enlisting at the age of sixteen in the Sixty-sixth Regiment M. S. M., serving in that command eighteen months; was subsequently *a member of the Forty-fourth Missouri Yolunteer Infantry, and held the rank of first sergeant of Company E; participated in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, Tenn., and the campaign against Hood under General " Pap " Thomas; was mustered out at St. Louis, Mo., in Aug., 1865; returned to the home of his boyhood, where he remained but a short time, coming to Jasper county in 1866, and engaged at farming. He entered the mercantile field at Avilla, in 1871, and was appointed postmaster the following year, since which time he has been a faithful and efficient officer, and to his energy and efforts are the present conveniences mainly due.

He was elected trustee of the township fund in 1874, and during the administration of that office caused the fund to be deposited in the Myers & Mohr Bank, of Carthage, and by the suspension of that concern was obliged to refund to the people a considerable sum of money, which gave him quite a backset. However, lie has been in the main prosperous, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of the public. He carries a good stock of groceries and notions, books, stationery, and musical instruments. He also handles farm machinery and sewing machines. Our subject was married Dec. 24, 1868, to Miss Sarah J., Horton, daughter of Cyrus Horton, of Joplin. Mo. Of this union there are five children living: Edward B., Perly T., Elnora, Albert R., and Millie J.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GALEN SPENCER, attorney at law and mayor of Joplin, was born in "Warrick county, Ind., Oct. 8, 1844. His parents. Dr. Ethan and Alice (Erskine) Spencer, were natives of the Empire State. His father was born in Delaware county in May, 1812; his mother M'as born in October, 1824. They are now living at Evansville, Ind. Our subject was raised principally on a farm, and attended the common schools until fifteen years of age; he then attended a select school near Evansville, Ind., receiving a liberal education. Subsequently he went to Evanston, Ill., and entered the Garrett Biblical Institute, which he attended two terms, and then returned to his native state and accepted a position as principal of the Booneville city schools, in which capacity he served for three years. In the spring of 1864 he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Col. John W. Foster commanding, served about four months, was mustered out at Indianapolis, and returned to Booneville. He then reengaged again in teaching, and later in mercantile pursuits, and continued in that business until 1868. At the same time he was reading law, and in Feb., 1868, he was admitted to the bar in Booneville before Hon. J. G. Jones, judge of the circuit court. He commenced the practice of his profession at Newburg, Warrick county, where he remained a short time, then returned to Booneville and engaged in practice until 1873. In the winter of that year he moved to Danville, Ill., and in the following spring came to Joplin. Judge Spencer was married in Booneville, Ind., Dec. 22, 1864, to Miss Mary M., daughter of B. N. and Sarah J. (Perigo) Bates, of that city. Mrs. S. was born in Booneville, Sept. 19, 1847. From this union there are six children, all living: Arthur E., born Oct. 3, 1868, in Newburgh, Ind.; Clifton B., born May 22, 1871, in Booneville, Ind.; Herbert G., born May 27, 1873, also in Booneville; Helen M., born May 15, 1875, in Joplin, Mo.; Mary G., born Jan. 31, 1878, in Joplin; and Curran C, born Feb. 6, 1882, in this city. Mrs. S. is a member of the M. E. Church. In the fall of 1874 our subject was elected judge of the court of common pleas, and served until that court was abolished by act of the legislature. In 1876 he was elected prosecuting attorney for Jasper county, and in the fall of 1881 was elected mayor of the city, and re-elected in 1882. Judge Spencer is a man of great energy and enterprise, is always ready and willing to contribute for the upbuilding of public institutions, and promote the interests of the state and county, and particularly of Joplin. He is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias. Our subject and his amiable wife have a very pleasant home on the corner of Fifth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and enjoy the confidence and esteem of all with whom they are associated, socially or otherwise.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

PROF. L. J. SPENCER, principal Webb City schools, is a native of Pulaski county, Ky., and was born March 30, 1851. His father, Wra. Spencer, was a native of Kentucky, and was also born in Pulaski county, as was also his mother, who before her marriage with Wm. Spencer was a Miss Louisa J. Cooper. Mr. Wm. Spencer's father, James, was a native of Indiana, as was also his grandfather, Amasa. Prof. L. J. Spencer is the fourth of a family of six children, four of whom are now living. In 1855 his parents removed to Illinois and settled in Piatt county, where the subject of this sketch was raised on a farm and educated in the schools of the county. In 1869 he attended the state normal school at Normal, Ill., where he graduated in 1877 in a class of twenty-three. He has since been teaching in the schools of Illinois and Missouri, and in 1882 was elected principal of Webb City school. He was married July 4, 1877, to Miss Anna J. McGregor of Austin county, Texas. They have one child: Jewel, aged four years. Mr. S. and wife are members of the Baptist and Presbyterian churches, respectively. He is a gentleman who is thoroughly up in school work, and under his efficient management the schools are very prosperous.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN W. SPENCER.

The fraternal regard which impels brothers to associate themselves in business and assist one another through the active years of their lives is most commendable. The names of John W., R. H., D. A., A. C., G. B. and E. E. Spencer have long been well known in connection with mining interests in Jasper county, Missouri. D. A. and G. P. Sjionccr are dead, but the four others mentioned are yet active conjointly in an enterprise in which John '. Spencer is the leader. They were the sons of Ephriam and Sarah E. (Smith) Spencer, and John W. Spencer was born in Mason county, Kentucky, but when four years old was taken to Brown county, Ohio, where his father was an early settler. Tvpliriam and Sarah E. (Smith) Spencer are living at Webb City, Missouri, the former at the age of seventy-nine, the latter, who is a native of Lewis county, Kentucky, at the age of sixty-nine years.

The six sons of Ephriam and Sarali E. ( Smith) Spencer all began business as carpenters, and practically all their lives those of them who remain have worked together. John W. Spencer came to Jasper county, Missouri, in 1882, and during most of the time since has been mining and prospecting on his own account, though a part of the time he has held the position of mining superintendent. He has been fortunate in several mining enterprises and has operated three mines on his own account. He put up a mill on Centre creek ground which he sold to good advantage.

In Schuy-ler county, Illinois, John \V. Spencer married JMiss Mary F. Drake, a native of Pennsylvania. One of their daughters is Mrs. Narcissia Shawgo, of Webb 'City. Mary Olive is Mrs. J. T. McCann. of Webb City, and Sarah is the wife of Robert Schiers, of the same place. Their son, Clyde C, is employed by his father as an engineer, and John W., Jr., is employed by his father in the mill. Their son, Clarence Roy, is dead, and another son, Earl Elwood. is in school. They have another son named Harry Francis and they have an infant named Hazel A. Stephen Ephraim died in infancy.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.