Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/698

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

lias been traced to John Spencer, a gentle- man, of Southmylles. Bedfordshire, who was the father of Robert Spencer, gentle- man, similarly described. He married Anna Pecke, of Bedfordshire, and they were the ])arents of John Spencer, who married Chris- tian Paker. Their son, William Spencer, married Isabella Osborn, of Northampton. John (3) Spencer, Gent., of St. George Par- ish. Edworth, Bedfordshire, died June 9. 1558. His widow Anna survived him two years, dying June 16, 1560. They were the ])arents of Michael Spencer, of Edworth and Stotford. Bedfordshire. He married (first) in Edworth, January 25. 1555, Annis Miner, who died February 23, 1561, leaving two sons. His second wife, Elizabeth, died No- vember 18, 1599. Gerat Spencer, son of Michael and Elizabeth Spencer, w^as bap- tized May 20. 1576, at Stotford, and died before 1645. Four of his sons, Gerard, Wil- liam. Thomas and Michael, came to Amer- ica.

Gerard (or Jarrard) Spencer, fourth son of Gerat Spencer, was baptized April 25, 1614, in Stotford. and was among the pio- neer settlers of Haddam. Connecticut, hav- ing first tarried a short time with his brothers at Boston. He w^as the father of Samuel Spencer, whose eldest son, John Spencer, was born September 17, 1676, in Haddam, and baptized there July 9, 1704. He was admitted to the church in 1706, and to full commvmion. August 7, 1709. His wife was admitted August 24, 1712, and died June 15. 1725. Their second son, Peter Spencer, baptized July 22, 171 1, married, June 4, 1740, Hannah Brown, of Colchester, and both were admitted to the Millington church, February 23, 1746. She died in Au- gust, 1749. Asa Spencer, their eldest son, born June 14, 1744, was baptized in Milling- ton church, March 23, 1746. He married there, September 12, 1763, Deborah Pater- son. No record of their children appears, but they were probably the parents of Asa Spencer, born about 1775, who married Deb- orah Willey, born 1781, in East Haddam. Her ancestor, Isaac Willey, appeared in Bos- ton, Massachusetts, as early as 1640, was in Charlestown in 1644, and removed the next year to New London, Connecticut, where he died about 1685. His first wife, Joanna, was the mother of John Willey, born about 1648, in New London, married, March 18, 1669, ]\tiriam, daughter of Niles and Isabelle

(Joyner) Moore. They resided in North Lyme, near the border of the town of New London, at the head of Nahantuck river. They were the parents of Abel Willey, born March 3, 1683, in New London, baptized April 29, following, lived in East Haddam, where he married (first) July 17, 1703, Han- nah Bray, who died before March 25, 1733. He married (second) in New London, Mar- tha Aliner. who joined the church at East Haddam, November 6, 1737. and at New London, August 23. 1767. Their son, Sam- uel Willey. baptized March 9, 1746, in Flad- lyme, was a member of the church there, and died December 4. 1796. His wife, Sarah, born 1711-12, died February 27, 1791. They were the parents of Jesse Willey, who, with his wnfe Rhoda, was dismissed to the church at Campton, New Hampshire, in January. 1 781. Their daughter, Deborah Willey, born that year, became the wife of Asa Spencer, and they were the parents of Charles Spencer.

Charles Spencer, born about 18 10, was an architect, carpenter and bridge builder, and settled in Angelica, Allegany county. New York, where he engaged in construction work all his life. He was a Presbyterian, and an active and useful citizen, esteemed and respected. He married Joan Willey, and they had a large family. His son, Charles Llewelyn Spencer, was born in An- gelica, April 18, 1839, where he attended the public schools, and engaged in newspaper work at various points in this country, in- cluding Memphis, Tennessee ; Chester, Illi- nois ; Denver, Colorado ; ^^'ashington, D. C, and New York City. During the civil war he was one of the most famous war corre- spondents, and subsequently he became largely interested in mining. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics a Democrat. He married Celeste Lucenith Rice, and they had children: David Charles, Jessie Angelica, Joan Celeste, and Nellie Gordon.

David Charles Spencer was born October 3, 1866, in Angelica, Allegany county, New York. He attended the public schools at Chester, Illinois, and Denver. Colorado. He studied the art of telegraphy in Denver, Colorado, in 1882, and in 1889 entered the telegraph service of the Signal Corps of the United States army at \\'ashington, D. C. Subsequently he was with the Weather lUn-cau and in the office of the inspector-