Spencer - John
(Taken from: Parke Co. In Centennial Memorial, 1816-1916 Atlas, p. 103)
John SPENCER was born in MD in 1793.
When about 5 years of age his parents moved to Fleming Co KY where amid the hardships, common to the boys of that day he spent his childhood and youth.
It was here on March 9, 1817 he was married to Nancy ALEXANDER who was born in Fleming Co KY November 28, 1801. They lived in Kentucky for 15 years, when believing greater opportunities might be obtained in the far West, and having several slaves to whom he desired to extend freedom, Mr. Spencer came to IN to find a home in the year 1831.
He found a tract of land of 240 acres in Greene Twp, Parke co, which he thought would make an ideal home, and returned to Kentucky with the idea of bringing his family here, but found on his return that cholera had broken out and his family quarantined.
He did not, however, give up the idea of obtaining this tract of land, and came with his family early in the spring of 1832, but upon his arrival he found that the tract had been entered from the Gvt by Brinkley DAVIS (father of John G) who had cleared some two or three acres of ground and built a small log house. (Pics of John, Nancy and Mary Katherine Spencer here) Mr. Spencer bought this farm from Mr. Davis, paying him the sum of $4.25 per acre and took possession at once.
He continued the work of clearing the land, on which grew some of Indiana's finest trees, it being covered with forests of walnut, maple and oak.
Upon their arrival in Indiana the slaves were told that they were free, but they refused to leave their former master, remaining loyal to him and his family until their death.
John Spencer died in 1867, his wife surviving him 53 years, her death occuring at the age of 99 years, 3 months and 12 days, in the year 1900.
Washington Spencer, the present owner of the tract of land above mentioned, was born here on the 12th day of Feb, 1840 and it is here that he has lived throughout his entire life, except for a period of 2 years.
It was here that he was married to Mary Katherine CLARK on Aug 21, 1862.
Here they reared their family of 7 sons and two daughters and it was from this home that his wife was bur. ON October 12, 1912.
Washington Spencer during his life has seen this farm change from the wilderness covered with swamps to its present high state of cultivation and it is expected that the farm will remain in the hands of his family for many generations.