On Nov. 10, 1866, Thomas W. Spencer purchased 200 acres of government land in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co., Iowa for $1.25 per acre, total of $250.00.

Twenty one years later in 1876 his brother James Whitley Spencer would make this 200 acre farm his family home. (SW 1/4 of Section 28, and the SW 1/4 SE 1/4 also of Section 28).

273. MALINDA JANE [FRANKLIN] SPENCER born 26 May 1838 in Tippecanoe Co, Indiana. She died 22 Jan., 1922 at Humeston, Iowa. She is interred beside her husband in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mt Ayr, Iowa. On 6 Dec 1857 she married JAMES WHITLEY SPENCER born 16 Jul 1835 in Greene Co, Ohio.

In 1863 their family moved to Piatt Co, Illinois. In 1876 they moved to a farm two miles southeast of Delphos, IA, in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co. They constructed the farm home from lumber hauled from Bedford and it was still in use in 1992. For many years James was one of Ringgold's respected farmers and a large land holder. Malinda and James were members of the Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church.

James died of cancer 2 Feb 1907 in their home in Mt Ayr. Malinda and James had nine children , six sons and three daughters with two of the sons dying in infancy. She is probably responsible for the last half of the well kept family records kept with excellent penmanship on sheets that have been inserted in leather backed 1844 family Bible that probably originated with her mother. The earlier first half of these records have been recorded with even neater and more superb penmanship that is probably that of her mother. [My mother Ilah Malinda (Spencer) Elliott described Malinda Jane as being a very quiet soul and was very small in stature.]

Children of Malinda and James:

370. i. Sarah Rosella Spencer b. 15 Dec 1858 d. 22 Aug 1915

371. ii. Ethel August Spencer b. 28 Feb 1861 d. 6 Apr 1954

372. iii. Alpha Lawrence Spencer b . 5 Feb 1866 d. 26 Nov 1957

373. iv. Emory Francis Spencer b. 24 Mar 1863 d. 23 Apr 1864

374. v. Orin Gilbert Spencer b. 24 Jul 1868 d. 7 Jun 1947

375. vi. Frankie Spencer b. 20 Nov 1870 d. 26 Dec 1870

376. vii. James Calaway Spencer b. 15 Apr 1872 d. 2 Sep 1942

377. viii. Lura Almeda Spencer b. 22 Sep 1875 d. 10 Sep 1912

378. ix. Myrtle Olive Spencer b. 25 Mar 1879 d. 28 May 1939

See SPENCER Family news clippings

From historical genealogical document authored by Loren Spencer Elliott, December, 1992 & e-mail of January 25, 2001    allo4@juno.com, P.O. address 991 Leasure World, Mesa, AZ 85206

Submitted by Delbert Spencer, April of 2009