James Harvey Spencer (1933)

BEASON, FLEMMING, MEKEMSON, MILLS, RENWICK, SPENCER, STOTTS

Posted By: Treva Patterson
Date: 2/2/2007 at 18:26:59

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, August 31, 1933

James Harvey Spencer

James Harvey Spencer passed away at his home at Pitzer shortly after midnight on August 21, 1933 at the age of seventy-two years, five months and seventeen days. He leaves to mourn his death, his wife, eight sons, three daughters, thirteen grandchildren, two sisters, Miss Lillian Spencer, of Xenia, Ohio; and Mrs. Ella Mekemson of Biggsville, Illinois; besides a host of loving friends and neighbors. Only once before has this family circle been broken by death, Robert Harvey, son of Frank and Mary Flemming Spencer died March 15, 1916.

Mr. Spencer was born on March 4, 1861 near Cedarville, Ohio, being the fourth child of Francis and Jane Renwick Spencer. He spent his childhood and young manhood days at the home in Ohio. In the spring of 1885 he went to Illinois.

On the third of November 1886, he was united in marriage with Idelettie Mekemson at Bibbsville, Illinois. To this union were born eight sons and three daughters, they being Frank Robert of Des Moines, Mrs. Lois Mills of Flint, Michigan, James Andrew of Woodward, Lloyd Harve of Aberdeen, South Dakota, Miron Lee of Cedar Rapids, Herbert Renwick and Thomas Donald, both of Pitzer, William Merrill of Oskaloosa, Howard Mekemson and Mrs. Mary Beason of Pitzer, and Mrs. Dorothy Stotts of Wichita, Kansas.

After spending three years in Illinois, they returned to Ohio in 1889 where they lived on a farm near Cedarville. In December of 1900 they came to Iowa and in 1908 they moved to the present Spencer home where their children have grown to manhood and womanhood.

Mr. Spencer has always been greatly interested in civic and community affairs. He frequently served in various township offices and was a member of the Home Defense Council during the World War. Three sons served in the U. S. army during the recent war, James, being located at Camp Oglesthorpe, Georgia; while Lloyd and Miron saw service in France the latter being wounded at St. Micheal in September of 1918.

Early in life Mr. Spencer united with the Associate Reform church in Cedarville, Ohio. Upon his marriage he transferred his membership to the South Henderson congregation and has continued to be a member of the United Presbyterian church until his death.
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Earlham Echo
Earlham, Iowa
Thursday, August 24, 1933

JAMES H. SPENCER RITES YESTERDAY

Jackson Township Man Passed Away at His Home Sunday Evening.

James Harvey Spencer, a well known farmer of Jackson township died at his home in Pitzer, Sunday evening, August 20th. He was sixty-nine years of age, and had been in poor health since last November.

Mr. Spencer was the son of Francis and Jane Renwick Spencer and was born at Cedarville, Ohio, March 4, 1861. Both of his parents were from Scotland and were prominent in Presbyterian church circles. Mr. Spencer was a direct descendant of martyrs and every Spencer and Renwick in the ministry of the United Presbyterian church is a relative.

While a young man Mr. Spencer came to Illinois settling near Biggsville. There he married Miss Ideletta Mechemson on November 3, 1886. He returned to Ohio in 1889 and in December 1900 again came west, settling on the farm by Pitzer.

The Rev. W. C. Porter, pastor of the United Presbyterian church here and at Pitzer conducted his funeral services at the church yesterday afternoon, August 23rd and burial was made in the Pitzer cemetery.

Mr. Spencer is survived by his wife and their eleven children: Frank Robert Spencer, Des Moines; Mrs. Lois Irma Mills, Flint, Michigan; Dr. James Andrew Spencer, Woodward; Prof. Lloyd H. Spencer, Aberdeen, South Dakota; Leo Spencer, Cedar Rapids; Herbert Renwick Spencer, Dexter; Thomas Donald Spencer, Dexter; Attorney William Merrill Spencer, Oskaloosa; Howard Mechemson Spencer and Mrs. Mary Ellen Beeson, Earlham; Mrs. Dorothy Jean Stotts, Wichita, Kansas, and thirteen grandchildren.

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