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
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 TerritoryWashington 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