My Genealogy Hound

Rev. Jonathan Spencer, minister and farmer at Mount Vernon Mo was born in Pulaski County, Ky., in 1824, and is of English-Irish descent. The founder of this family in America immigrated to this continent, and was among the first settlers. Amasa Spencer, the grandfather of Jonathan, was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, and lived contemporary with Daniel Boone. He was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and was in four engagements and several skirmishes. James Spencer, son of the above, was a farmer in Pulaski County, Ky., and there married Miss May Gadbery, daughter of James Gadbery. To Mr. and Mrs. Spencer were born twelve children. Mr. Spencer was a prosperous farmer, and a hard-working, industrious man. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and was held in high esteem by all. His death occurred when he was sixty-two years of age. His son, Jonathan Spencer received a common-school education, and February 5, 1846, he married Miss Charlotta Eubank, daughter of James and Fannie (Cundiff) Eubank. This union resulted in the birth of seven children: James, Robert, William, Lucy A., John C., Mary E. and Martha J. In 1854 Mr. Spencer moved to DeWitt County, Ill., and bought a farm, remaining there and in Piatt County of the same State, for twenty-one years. In 1872, while living in De Witt County, he became a minister in the Separate Baptist Church, of which he was a member. He was ordained, and preached with good results in Illinois. In 1874 he moved to Lawrence County, Mo., and bought a farm containing 160 acres of land. Mr. Spencer, in his political opinions, is a Democrat, and is a man of excellent principles, and a true Christian in every sense of the word. He is now sixty-four years of age, and still hale and hearty. Nearly all his family are settled around him, and are prosperous people.