Spencer, George H. 1793-1862

SPENCER, HORTON, GILLETT, COOP

Posted By: Debbie Nash (email)
Date: 2/8/2004 at 22:00:03

GEORGE SPENCER

"GEORGE SPENCER was a native of Hartford, Conn., born Sept. 29, 1793. Being left an orphan at a tender age, he was bound out to a blacksmith, with whom he worked until attaining his majority. . . . . .Procured for himself a helpmate in the person of Miss Catherine Horton, whom he married on Oct. 14, 1823. The lady was a native of Wayne County, N.Y. Some seven years later they removed to the Territory of Michigan, where Mr. Spencer opened up a new farm, and in 1839 became residents of Penn Township, Jefferson County, Iowa, where he made a claim of 240 acres of government land. . . . .Had made a comfortable home before his death, which occurred on 9 Sept. 1862. His first wife had died Jan. 16, 1829, and two years later he married Polly (Mary) Gillett, who survived him some twenty-two years. She was born in 1803, and died at the advanced age of 82. By the first marriage were born four children, but George H. Spencer, who was the youngest, is the only one now living. The others were: DeWitt, Cynthia Ann and Mary J. The children of the second marriage are: Elaphilet, of Penn township, and Cynthia J., now Mrs. Coop, of the same township. . . . .Baptist Church. . . . . . . He helped to lay out the city of Fairfield in 1839. . . . . ."

Portrait & Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa. Pub. 1890, Chicago. Page 350.