George W. Spencer

WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY     (Washington County, Utah)

GEORGE WILLIAM SPENCER

(farmer, teacher)

BIOGRAPHY

George William Spencer was born on October 7, 1829 in West Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.

After George and Emily married, they decided to go to the California gold fields with George's brother-in-law. When they got to Fort Laramie, George and his brother-in-law decided to go through Salt Lake City. Some time after leaving Fort Laramie, one of their cow's became lame. George and Emily stayed behind in Salt Lake City for the winter, leaving the brother-in-law to go on to California alone. While in Salt Lake City, George and Emily learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. They were soon baptized.

Based in the births of the children, we can get some idea of their travels:
      Emily
      Julia
      Mary
      George
      Harriet
      Joseph
      Moses
      Colima
      Samuel
      Elizabeth
      Lucy
      Seymour
      Franklin
      Jerusha
      Debra
      Frank
      Ida
      Almaretta    
      Heber
      John
      Lydia
04/25/1854      
05/06/1856
08/21/1857
03/26/1858
04/04/1859
06/13/1859
12/25/1859
12/21/1860
02/10/1861
03/19/1861
02/16/1863
03/02/1863
06/25/1863
03/01/1865
04/07/1865
08/02/1865
05/07/1867
07/05/1868
07/13/1868
08/29/1870
01/02/1871
Nephi
Nephi
Washington
Washington
Washington
Washington
Manti
Moroni
Moroni
Moroni
Moroni
Moroni
Moroni
Moroni
Moroni
Washington
Pine Valley
St. George
Washington
St. George
Washington

George was qualified to teach because of his schooling and ability. Around 1869, he taught advanced or special courses in the basement of the St. George Tabernacle.

In 1871, Brigham Young sent George to Kane County, eight miles from Glendale, to start a cheese factory.

In April of 1872, George went to Glendale to pickup supplies with an older gentleman. Coming back through a ravine, they were caught in a sudden cold spring storm. George gave his coat to his companion, who was very cold. Because of his kindness, George developed pneumonia and died on Apr 12, 1872. He was laid to rest in a field near Glendale. Later when a cemetery was established in Glendale, no relative or friend was there to request his remains be moved to it, so his grave was left in the field, unmarked.

Many years later, a headstone for him was placed in the Glendale Cemetery. He was the first death in Glendale, Utah.


FAMILY

Parents and Siblings:
    Moses Roswell Spencer
    Alma Flagg Spencer
        Seymour Mills Spencer
        Flavel Spencer
        Almira Spencer
        Mary Pluma Spencer
        Harriet Spencer
        Faith Ann Spencer
        Samuel Moses Spencer
        Franklin Spencer
        George William Spencer

(1/6/1789-9/23/1860)   (married 5/1/1811)
(3/15/1789-1/17/1854)
(3/27/1812-4/30/1898)   (married Ellen S. Dudley)
(11/27/1814-9/30/1879)   (married Elizabeth Louisa Ackert )
(7/20/1816-4/1/1901)   (married Coley Enouch Betts)
(1/27/1818-5/6/1889)   (married Thomas Jefferson Williamson)
(1/1/1820-4/18/1903)   (married Joel Kingsbury Scarborough)
(9/5/1821-12/22/1891)   (married Jane Elliott)
(2/17/1825-12/9/1903)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(10/22/1827-1/25/1898)   (married Elizabeth Rosena Boyer)
(10/7/1829-4/12/1872)   (married as shown below)

First Wife and Children:
    Emily Brown Bush Spencer
        Emily Spencer
        Julia Spencer
        George Spencer Jr.
        Moses Robert Spencer
        Colima Spencer
        Franklin Spencer
        Flavel "Frank" Young Spencer
        Almaretta Spencer
        John Taylor Spencer


(6/14/1834-7/3/1906)   (married 1/10/1851)
(4/25/1854-11/20/1938)   (married John H. Miles)
(5/6/1856-2/1/1895)   (married Wilford Woodruff)
(3/26/1858-12/30/1859)
(12/25/1859-2/1/1859)
(12/21/1860-6/19/1866)
(6/25/1863-9/15/1864)
(8/2/1865-4/27/1947)   (married Lettia M. Thomas)
(7/5/1868-1/4/1952)   (married Andrew Houston Perkins)
(8/29/1870-1/13/1955)   (married Eleanor Crihfield)

Second Wife and Children:
    Mary Ann Payne Knight Spencer
        Mary Ann Spencer
        Joseph William Spencer
        Elizabeth Almira Spencer
        Seymour Spencer
        Debra Spencer
        Ida Ellen Spencer
        Brigham Spencer


(8/23/1841-7/1/1934)   (married xx/xx/xxxx)
(8/21/1857-12/23/1925)   (married William Hill Swapp)
(6/13/1859-1/10/1925)   (married Louisa Artimicie Allen)
(3/19/1861-10/18/1939)   (married Reuben Warren Sevy)
(3/2/1863-7/23/1907)
(4/7/1865-9/19/1929)   (married John Michael Dunning)
(5/7/1867-1/18/1939)   (married John Alma Lee, Jr.)
(xx/xx/1870-xx/xx/1940)   (married Effie Sephronie Young)

Third Wife and Children:
    Sarah Marinda Thompson Spencer  
        Harriet Marinda Spencer
        Samuel Morley Spencer
        Lucy Leah Spencer
        Jerusha Irene Spencer
        Heber Kimball Spencer
        Lydia Spencer


(9/25/1841-7/7/1914)   (married 4/2/1858)
(4/4/1859-2/11/1926)   (married John Morley Black)
(2/10/1861-8/1/1932)   (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx)
(2/16/1863-1/2/1865)
(3/1/1865-2/26/1942)   (married Joseph Warren Hancock)
(7/13/1868-1/15/1869)
(1/2/1871-3/11/1921)   (married James Fredrick Washburn)


PHOTOS

George Spencer

WCHS photos:
WCHS-03435   Photo of the plaque at the Adair Spring with George W. Spencer's name


REFERENCES

George Spencer in the Pioneer Immigrants to Utah Territory

Washington City "Monumbent Plaza", May 10, 2003
See the bottom of Page 27

George & Mary Spencer family in the 1870 Census

Find-A-Grave entry for George Spencer

Find-A-Grave entry for Emily Brown Bush Spencer

Find-A-Grave entry for Mary Ann Payne Knight