My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM SPENCER, farmer; P. O. Hollandsburg. Mr. Spencer is another of the early pioneers of this county; he was born in Greene Co., Ohio, Oct. 12, 1812; he is of English descent, and is the son of Francis Spencer, who was a native of Kentucky; he emigrated to Ohio when quite young, and located in Greene Co., previous to the war of 1812; he served in this struggle for a short period as a soldier; his father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was severely wounded by a shot fired by an Indian; Francis Spencer emigrated to this county in the spring of 1817, and located in the southwest quarter of Sec. 3, in Harrison Township. But few civilized men had then penetrated the untrodden wilds of our country, and Mr. Spencer constituted one of the van couriers of civilization; he moved with his family, first into a log cabin, mother earth constituting the floor; here he began carving for himself a home in the dense forests, which was soon accomplished by his unflagging industry. He celebrated his marriage with Miss Sarah Spencer, about the beginning of the present century; she was also a native of Kentucky; they were the parents of eleven children, to wit: Elizabeth, born Nov. 23, 1802, now deceased; Delilah, born Feb. 26, 1804, now deceased; Anderson, born Jan. 28, 1806; Ludlow, born Dec. 3, 1808, now deceased; Eliza, Dec. 3, 1810; William, born Oct. 12, 1812; Clark, born May 31, 1814, now deceased; Anna, born Aug. 14,1816; Jackson, born Nov. 22, 1818; Sarah, born April 17, 1822; Mark T., Dec. 31, 1827, now deceased. Mrs. Spencer departed her life at the age of 72 years; Mr. Spencer lived to the ripe old age of 90 years, his death occurring Aug. 14, 1874; thus departed from their privations below, two more of the pioneers of this county. Our subject was only 5 years old when he came with his parents to this county; his early days were devoted to such work as the frontiers man usually finds to do; he thus became early inured to pioneer life; he remained at home on the farm till he grew up to mature years. He was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Irwin, in 1831; she was born in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to this State with her parents when quite small, locating first in Greene Co.; after the marriage of Mr. Spencer, he moved to the place where he now lives, and engaged in agricultural pursuits; Mr. and Mrs. Spencer are the parents of eleven children, four of whom have deceased; his son, Irwin, engages during the winter months in the profession of teaching.