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.
Born 1851
From The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominen (1883)
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 history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominent (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.