In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From The biographical record of Jasper County, Missouri (1901)
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 biographical record of Jasper County, Missouri (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1901. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.