“William Whitley (August 4, 1749 – October 5, 1813), was an American pioneer in what became Kentucky, in the colonial and early Federal period. Born in Virginia, he was the son of immigrants from northern Ireland.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Whitley
“The plantation originally included a racetrack. This racetrack set several traditions for horse racing in the United States. It had the first clay (instead of turf) track in the United States and here horses were raced counterclockwise (instead of clockwise, as was the British tradition).”
Dad’s mother my grandmother Ilah Malinda Spencer Elliott on left.
Craig Sheumaker
Feb 23 2017
to me
Good morning…I think,
We just found out last night that our late relative, Delbert Kay Spencer, had his Y-DNA tested, which proved conclusively that we are NOT descended from the first 4 Spencer brothers.
We’ve got some leads that connects us to James Spencer b. 1730 (not sure where), d. 1825 Perry Co, OH. The family was in Virginia and Pennsylvania in the 1700s, thanks to research provided by others that have the same Y-DNA. There is a lot to sort out and more digging to do so we’ll let you know when we find more.
Mark,
Wow. You are DEEP into Elliotts! Good stuff. By the way, I’m left handed and so is my mother. There seem to be very few others of my Sheumaker cousins or aunts or uncles…if any. Can’t think of any, but there must be, there are so many of us.
The information you sent previously started at James W. Spencer Jr. 1835-1907 which is obviously too recent. Even his father, James Sr. was born in 1798.
Anyway:
First, Delbert died in 2015. But his FTDNA kit number is 19624. If you look at the Spencer DNA Project you’ll see him in Group 4.
https://www.familytreedna.com/public/SPENCER?iframe=ycolorized
He listed his most distant ancestor to be “Michael b.c1740 Kent Co.RI.” Clearly that isn’t right, so now we are introduced to several new distant relatives…most notably James Spencer Jr. b.1730 – d.1825 in Perry Co OH.
A guy named Jerry B. Hendrix has researched and written extensively on James Jr. Here is one piece he did in “le Despencer” the journal of the Spencer Historical and Genealogical Society.
http://myshgs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2010-aug-ledespencer.pdf
We haven’t spent a lot of time on their website, yet, but hope to dig up some goodies if there are goodies to be found.
We’ve done some searching but, even though there is a fair amount of information on him and his family, making a connection is likely to be very difficult.. In fact, we think it is unlikely that The James above, is a direct ancestor but probably a brother of our ancestor. The dates just don’t work out when you add a couple generations of Michaels before our James W. Sr and Jr.
If you need a vacation from the Elliotts and want to wade in let me know. Maybe together we can divide and conquer this problem.
SPENCERGED in text/.txt format.
by Loren Spencer Elliott; (born and died in Mt Ayr, IA)
CHAPTER
JAMES W. & MALINDA [FRANKLIN] SPENCER
and THEIR NINE CHILDREN
166. James Whitley SPENCER [4] [116. James 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 16 Jul 1835 in Greene Co, OH. On 6 Dec 1857 he married Malinda Jane FRANKLIN, born 26 May 1838 in Tippecanoe Co, IN. She was the grandaughter of Joseph and Elizabeth [SMYTH] FRANKLIN and the daughter of James Symth and Mildren [QUICK] FRANKLIN. See APPENDIX `B’ for more details of her family. She told some of her grandchildren that she wanted it remembered that she was a fifth cousin of the noted Benjamin FRANKLIN. James died of cancer 2 Feb 1907 in their home in Mt. Ayr, Ringgold Co, IA. Malinda died 22 Jan 1922 at Humeston, Wayne Co, IA, while being cared by for son, Alpha, and family. She is interred beside her husband in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mt. Ayr. @FOOT(There is a disagreement among their descendants as to what James’ middle name was. He always signed his name with his middle initial. Grt-Uncle Alpha told some of his descendants that his father’s middle name was “Whitney”.
The name “Whitney” comes from research through The Church of Later Day Saints, which has an historic, bias to the name “Whitney”;
Compiler’s mother and her sister Lola and other siblings maintained it was “Whitley”, and this was recorded in their parent’s bible as such. Also one of their brothers was named in honor of his grandfather – Lloyd `Whitley’ SPENCER. Bible of Ethel and Jennie and obituary of Lloyd shows his Lloyd’s middle name to be `Whitley’. As mother was the daughter of the oldest son of James W. who was given the home farm, this compiler will stay with `Whitley’ as being the name most documented in writing. See pages 126-7 for further discussion of possible source of `Whitley’.) In 1863 the James W. family removed to Piatt Co, IL, – 2 1/2 miles east of Cerro Gordo. They came to Afton, IA, by train on 1 Apr 1876 and went by carriage to the farm two miles southeast of Delphos, IA, the SW 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec 28, and the NE 1/4 of Sec 33 in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co. There was a total of 360 acres involved. [This land was initially purchased by Thomas W. and Amanda J. SPENCER, his brother and wife, for $1.25 per acre in 1855 from the Federal Gov’t – the standard price established by the government for land in Ringgold County. Thomas and his wife apparently made this purchased for a speculation investment. Their sale to James and Malinda was finalized 20 Jan 1879 and ownership was made out in his wife’s name, Malinda J. – price for the two hundred acres was fifteen hundred dollars or $7.50 per acre. The one hundred sixty parcel to the south of the road in Sec 33 was probably purchased at the same time.] Before they left Piatt Co, IL, James sold 80 acres [W 1/2 NW 1/4 Sec 31 in Cerro Gordo Twp] and Malinda J. [assumed that M. J. Spencer is our Malinda] sold her 142 acre farm located in the NW 1/4 of Sec 28 in Sangamon Twp. James’
family brought six horses and their household goods by boxcar from Illinois. Son, Alpha, stated, “On 4 July 1876, `Pa’ cut hickory poles and made a covered wagon and they all went to Mt. Ayr for the Independence Day Centennial.” The new farm home that was constructed in 1878 from lumber they hauled from Bedford by wagon and was still in use in 1993. This farm was later owned and the family home of his oldest son, Ethel. The 1915 Plat Map of Ringgold Co shows that his third son, Alpha, owned the farm directly across the road to the south – the NW 1/4 of Sec 33. Both farms were 160 acres in size. For many years James was one of Ringgold’s respected farmers and a large land holder and had accumulated 520 acres of farmland by the time they retired to Mt Ayr when he was 60. His personality and evidence of James’ intense interest in the community and national affairs can be noted by gleanings of Ringgold County newspapers [Appendix “F”].
From these, it was noted that he was one of the three members of the executive committee for the Ringgold County Agricultural Society in 1886. His son-in-law, Ira PALMER, was president of this organization. The responsibilities of this society included promoting improved farming methods and conducting the County Fair. James was generally referred to as `Jim’. Jim and Malinda were members of the Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church and were parents of nine children – six sons and three daughters with two of the sons dying in infancy. @FOOT{Malinda is probably responsible for the last half of the well kept family records recorded with excellent penmanship on sheets that were inserted in the leather backed 1844 family bible. The earlier half of these records have been recorded with even neater and more superb penmanship and are probably that of her mother.} Malinda was blind in her late years, probably afflicted by glaucoma as was this compiler’s mother. Children of Jim and Malinda;
291. i. Sarah Rosella Spencer b. 15 Dec 1858 d. 22 Aug 1915
292. ii. Ethel Augustus Spencer b. 28 Feb 1861 d. 6 Apr 1954
293. iii. Emory Francis Spencer b. 24 Mar 1863 d. 23 Apr 1864
294. iv. Alpha Lawrence Spencer b. 5 Feb 1866 d. 26 Nov 1957
295. v. Orin Gilbert Spencer b. 24 Jul 1868 d. 7 Jun 1947
296. vi. Frankie Spencer b. 20 Nov 1870 d. 26 Dec 1870
297. vii. James Calaway Spencer b. 15 Apr 1872 d. 2 Sep 1942
298. viii. Lura Almeda Spencer b. 22 Sep 1875 d. 10 Sep 1912
299. ix. Myrtle Olive Spencer b. 25 Mar 1879 d. 28 May 1939
291. Sarah `Ella’ Rosella [SPENCER] [Palmer] NICHOLAS [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born in Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co, IN, 15 Dec 1858 and died at Mt Ayr, IA, 22 Aug 1915 and is interred in the Tingley Cemetery, Ringgold Co, IA. Ella married first to Miles R. NICHOLAS on 25 Nov 1875. He was born 1 Feb 1852 and died in 1880 in Ringgold Co of pneumonia after digging a well. Ella and Miles were the parents of two children, the oldest born in Cerro Gordo, Piatt Co, IL, probably in late August or early September, making it impossible for them to move with her parents to Ringgold Co in 1876. As there was a railroad close to Ringgold County, Miles and Ella with baby Clara left in December from Piatt County to be with her parents and relatives in Iowa. They were met by them in Afton, IA, on January 1, 1877. Miles did day work with his team of horses and wagon for the men in Rice and Middlefork Twps, the area where James W. SPENCER and
family had settled. He kept a running account in his “day book”, carefully recording the day, the work done, and the amount he charged. As the work was paid for he would “X” it off. He also had his own farm and would keep an account of work done for him by others. When they balanced out each other’s work he’d “X” it off. It is reported he died in 1880 of pneumonia contracted from digging a well. He is interred in Middlefork Twp., Ringgold Co. She married second to Ira Abner PALMER, born 21 Jan 1835 in Canada. He died in 1905. Ira’s parents were Wilkinson and Nancy [HURDE] PALMER. Prior to Ira’s birth they moved from Rhode Island to Canada and later to Warren Co, IL. For several years Ira manufactured two-horse cultivators in Monmouth, IL. He married first to Sarah J. Morris of Monmouth who died in 1868. They were the parents of six children. He came to Ringgold Co in 1871 and resided on his 320 acre farm in Sec 5, Liberty Twp. A 1915 Plat Book shows he owned 80 acres in Riley Twp – the S1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Sec 9. He served as justice of peace of Liberty Twp for six years and, as of 1887, had been president of the Ringgold Co Agricultural Society for eight years. Ella and Ira were parents of two sons that died as infants. Children of Ella;
551. i. Clara Belle Nicholas b. ca Aug 1876 d. 19 Feb 1912
552. ii. Elmer Leroy Nicholas b. 4 Oct 1878 d. 28 Sep 1955
553. iii. [son] Palmer b. ca 1885 d. died as inf
554. iv. Virgil Palmer b. 13 Jul 1895 d. ca 1895
292. Ethel Augustus SPENCER [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born in Tippecanoe Co, IN, 28 Feb 1861 and died in Mt Ayr, IA, 22 Aug 1954 at the age of 93. His parents were James W. and Malinda Jane [FRANKLIN] SPENCER who were also early residents [1876] of Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA. He married
on 9 Apr 1884 in the home of her parents to Esther `Jennie’ Jane LONG. She was born 1 Aug 1865 in Jefferson Co, IA, and died in their home in Mt Ayr, IA, 12 Dec 1953 at the age of 88. Her parents were Hosea Henry and Rachael Malinda [CAVINESS] LONG. Hosea was born in 1839 in Van Buren Co – seven years before Iowa became a State. Rachael was born in Plainfield, Hendricks Co, IN. `Jennie’ united with the Christian Church in Delphos and maintained her membership up until her death. She was very willing to do her part in all activities of the church while her health permitted. She suffered a nervous breakdown in her late forties and lived in a state of depression the remainder of her life with her very loving, quiet, soft spoken, and thoughtful husband. They were within four months of celebrating their `70th’ wedding anniversary. Her sister, Mary Evaline, married a brother of Ethel – Alpha SPENCER. Her father, Hosea, was quoted as saying, “I have a daughter for each of those Spencer boys!” Esther and Ethel, after their marriage, established their home on a farm in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, near Delphos, IA. This farm had been initially purchased by his Uncle Thomas W. SPENCER in 1856 for $1.25 per acre from the United States of American for speculation. Two hundred acres of this farm, originally 360 acres, was obtained in 1877 and purchase completed in 1879 by his mother and father in 1877 from Thomas W. and wife, Amanda, [filed in 1879] for $1500 [$7.50 per acre]. [Thomas and Amanda apparently stayed on the home farm in Greene County, OH, and are interred near his parents – Ethel’s grandparents.] After Ethel’s father’s death in 1907, they became owners and residents of 160 acres of the home place located southeast of Delphos [SW 1/4 of Sec 28]. The adjacent forty acres wound up in the ownership of his nephew, Alpha’s son – Cecil. Ethel became owner of this farm on 7 Oct 1908 – transferred from his mother. The farm house that he, his brothers, and father built in 1879 is still in use today [1999]. The house is a distinct Southern design. Early settlers carried designs in their minds – no blue prints! They retired from this farm in 1917 and moved to Mt Ayr. He sold this farm on 28 Sep 1916 to Nathaniel Wardrip. The Delphos Centennial History noted that betwen 1896 and 1910, Ethel Spencer had sold a farm to Dennis Rush [cousin of compiler] and wife so he may have inherited more than one farm from his father. The 1915 Plat Book shows D. D. Rush owning 160 acres across the road west of Alpha
Spencer – NE 1/4 Sec 32. @FOOT{In 1947 the compiler’s future bride made her first trip to Mt Ayr, and noted the car on the “Square”. She exclaimed, “Look at the old car!” I replied with pride, “That’s Grandpa’s.”} After moving to Mt Ayr, he had purchased a Model-T Ford coupe – probably a 1923. It made hundreds of trips the eight or so blocks to the town square where he socialized with the locals almost up to the day he died – used
auto for a period of nearly 30 years. Ethel and Jennie are interred in Rose Hill Cemetery on the edge of Mt Ayr. They were the parents of eight children and all of their three sons preceded them in death;
555. i. Clarence Elsworth Spencer b. 5 Jun 1885 d. 30 Aug 1941
556. ii. Ira `Bert’ Albert Spencer b. 14 Nov 1887 d. 14 Jan 1941
557. iii. Lola Maude Spencer b. 24 Jun 1890 d. 21 Apr 1962
558. iv. Lloyd Whitley Spencer b. 10 Aug 1893 d. 26 Oct 1918
559. v. Ilah Malinda Spencer b. 17 Dec 1895 d. 8 Sep 1987
560. vi. Avis Irene Spencer b. 5 Aug 1898 d. 26 May 1985
561. vii. Sayde Emily Spencer b. 28 Dec 1900 d. 6 Nov 1995
562. viii. Eva `Arzelle’ Spencer b. 28 Feb 1910 d. living 1996
294. Alpha Lawrence SPENCER [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 5 Feb 1866 in Piatt Co, IL, and died 26 Nov 1957 at the age of 91 in the home of his son, Cecil, in Des Moines, IA. He married on 28 Jun 1887 to Mary `Eva’ Evaline LONG, a sister of his older brother’s wife. She was born 2 Aug 1867 in Jefferson Co, IA, and died 29 Aug 1956 at the age of 89. His parents were James W. and Malinda Jane [FRANKLIN]
SPENCER who were also early residents of Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA. He had moved with his family to Rice Twp from Piatt Co, IL, in 1876. For several years he was engaged in a farm produce business in Mt Ayr @FOOT[This writer relished stopping with Dad to sell our eggs to him as `Grt. Uncle Alpha’ was one of my
favorite people.] but spent the major part of his life farming in Rice Twp. The exceptions were two years in North Dakota and three years in Humeston, IA. The 1915 Plat Book of Ringgold County shows that he owned the 160-acre farm he resided – the NW 1/4 of Sec 33. He likely became owner of this farm upon the death of his father in 1907. This was directly across the road from his brother Ethel’s farm. Alpha became one of two `road masters’ of Rice Twp in 1908. In those days they bid on these positions. He still held this position in 1910 when the second half of the township was served by compilers grandfather, A. W. Elliott. The Rice Township Road management team was recipient of the grand prize of $100 presented by the Commercial Club of Mt Ayr in 1910. Alpha bid and regained his position in 1915 – then referred to as `road superintendent’. The pay for this position in 1910 was 25 cents per hour as supervisor and totaled about $300 per year. The going price for a single man was 17.5 cents per hour and a man and team was 25 cents per hour. Alpha and Eva united with the Christian Church at Delphos and later transferred their membership to Mt Ayr. They are both interred in Rose Hill Cemetery on the southeast edge of Mt Ayr. They were the parents of seven children [8?];1
563. i. Mamie Olive Spencer b. 26 Jul 1888 d. 4 Oct 1966
564. ii. Cecil Henry Spencer b. 19 May 1890 d. 28 Oct 1975
565. iii. Percy Leroy Spencer b. 21 Nov 1896 d. 5 Sep 1952
566. iv. Madge Almeda Spencer b. 5 Apr 1899 d. Dec 1997
567. v. Edward Merritt Spencer [tw] b. 25 Mar 1901 d. 12 Apr 1991
568. vi. Esther Marie Spencer [tw] b. 25 Mar 1901 d. 18 Feb 1991
569. vii. Mildred Pearl Spencer b. 26 Mar 1909 d. living 1995
295. Orin Gilbert SPENCER [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 24 Jul 1868 in Piatt Co, IL, and died 7 Jun
1947 in Creston, Union Co, IA. He was married 3 Jul 1890 to Julia Belle BAIRD on her parents farm in Clinton Twp, Ringgold Co, IA. [1915 Plat Book of Ringgold Co shows S. P. Baird with ownership of 194 acres in the N 1/2 of Sec 12 in Clinton Twp.] Orin moved with his parents to Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, in 1876. He attended Mt Ayr High School and later attended a business school in Shenandoah, IA. He farmed most of his life in Middle Fork Twp but later went into mercantile work. Julia inherited from her parents 80 acres in Sec 15, Middle Fork Twp. The 1915 Plat Book of Ringgold Co shows that Julia owned the S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Sec 15 and Orin owned the N 1/2 of this SE 1/4 giving them ownership of 160 acres. One of twelve children, Julia was born 26 Jan 1867 and died 14 Apr 1953 at the farm home of her daughter, Goldia SHEUMAKER, in Middle Fork Twp. Her parents were Absolam and Isabella [POORE] BAIRD. Julia lost
her hearing at the age of about 30. She was a member of the Methodist Church. Orin and Julia are interred in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mt Ayr. They were the parents of eight children. The oldest was born in St. Joseph, MO, and died at the age of two months. The others were born in Redding, Ringgold Co, IA, and all grew to adulthood;
570. i. Flavel D. Spencer b. 31 May 1891 d. 29 Jul 1891
571. ii. Goldia Belle Spencer b. 5 Jun 1892 d. 27 Sep 1972
572. iii. Gladys Mae Spencer b. 11 Oct 1894 d. 27 Nov 1947
573. iv. Lyle Alvin Spencer b. 11 Jul 1896 d. 14 Apr 1976
574. v. Clifford Orin Spencer b. 23 Aug 1898 d. 29 Jan 1976
575. vi. Letha Marie Spencer b. 26 Jan 1900 d. 20 May 1989
576. vii. Ida Laurel Spencer b. 14 Mar 1901 d.
577. viii. John Baird Spencer b. 17 Jun 1904 d.
297. James `Cal’ Calaway SPENCER [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 15 Apr 1872 in Piatt Co, IL, and died 2 Sep 1942. He moved with his parents to Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, in 1876. He married on 9 Jan 1892 to Violet H. SMITH, born 10 Apr 1875 in Redding, Ringgold Co, IA. She died in 1961 in Colberts Rest Home, Gresham, Multnomah Co, OR. Her parents were William T. and Elizabeth [BENTON] SMITH. They apparently lived near Redding as her father witnessed their wedding performed by a Justice of Peace in Redding. Cal and Elizabeth homesteaded near Portal, North Dakota, living there as early as 1912, probably moving about that time from Ringgold Co, IA. They moved a short period later to Montana. Records show him in Eddyside, Canada, in 1915; and Edmonton, Canada, in 1922. They moved to Medford, OR, in 1924 and operated an orchard and a candy making business. After Cal’s death, she resided in Buxton and later in Hillsboro, OR. She is interred in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, OR. They were the parents of two children – at least the youngest born in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co;
578. i. Merle Eldon Spencer b. 10 Aug 1892 d.
579. ii. Viola Spencer b. ca 1894 d.
298. Lura Almeda [SPENCER] [Ogle] DENHART [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 22 Sep 1875 in Piatt Co, IL, and died 10 Sep 1912 in the Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, IA. Her parents obituaries show her name spelled “Laura” while her own obit shows “Lura Aleda” but bible records of her parents show “Lura Almeda”. She is buried in the Benton Cemetery, Ringgold Co, IA. She united with the Advent Christian Church. She married first on 29 Sep 1897 to Clyde OGLE, born 19 Mar 1874. He died less than a month after they were married on 20 Oct 1897. He was digging a well in Adair Co and succumbed to gas when he went down in well to remove a rock. [See Appendix ___ for newspaper account of accident.] They had no children. She married second to George W. DENHART on 25 Jan 1905. He was born in Grant Twp, Ringgold Co, in 1870. His parents were Casper and Rachel Margaret [MILLER] DENHART, also early settlers in Ringgold Co. Lura and George were parents of six children with twins dying as infants;
580. i. Lorene Denhart b. 21 Feb 1906 d. 27 Feb 1981
581. ii. Beatrice Denhart b. 1907 d.
582. iii. ____ Denhart [twin] b. 2 Jun 1909 d. ca 1909
583. iv. ____ Denhart [twin] b. 2 Jun 1909 d. ca 1909
584. v. Doris Denhart b. 4 Sep 1910 d.
585. vi. Georgia Denhart b. ca 1912 d. bef 1981
299. Myrtle Olive [SPENCER] CUMPSTON [5] [166. James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 21 Mar 1879 in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA. She died 28 May 1939 in Long View, TX, and is interred in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She married on 4 Jul 1899 in Rice Twp to Dennis Wright CUMPSTON. He was born in Greene Co, PA, in Oct 1877 and died 18 Dec 1959, probably in Parkersburg, Wood Co, WV. They were residing in Davistown, PA, in 1916-17 and in Whiteley, PA, in 1920. His parents were also born in PA. [See letters written those years – Appendix D.5 & D.8.] They probably spent at least the first ten years of their married life in Ringgold Co as James is listed in vital statistics as the fourth child and born in Benton Twp. In 1917 Denny was a driller and son Eldred was a tool dresser for East Riverside. Dennis may have been a minister, accounting for many moves. He was listed as a farmer in Benton Twp, Ringgold Co, in 1910. Myrtle was an
excellent seamstress with excellent penmanship – typical of many `Spencer’ ladies. They were the parents of six children – oldest born in PA, the second in W. VA, and the next three in Iowa;
586. i. Eldred F. Cumpston b. 1900/01 d.
587. ii. Vesta I. Cumpston b. 1902/03 d.
588. iii. Velda Cumpston b. 1904/05 d.
589. iv. James Arthur Cumpston b. 29 Jan 1909 d.
590. v. Everett Cumpston b. Mar 1910 d.
591. vi. Denny Cumpston b. ca 1912 d.
* * * * *
CHAPTER -II-
GRANDCHILDREN of
JAMES W. & MALINDA [FRANKLIN] SPENCER
551. Clara Belle [Nicholas] LOWDER [6] [291. Sarah 5, James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born in Piatt Co, IL, in 1876.
She died 19 Feb 1912 in Chula, Livingston Co, MO, three days after the birth of her eleventh child. She married John Edward LOWDER born in Wayne Co, IA, in 13 Sep 1873. He died 9 Oct 1924. His parents were Samuel Franklin and Geneva Custis LOWDER, both born in Indiana. Clara and John moved to a farm
east of Chula, Linn Co, MO, in 1902. He had a reputation of being a good provider and hard worker. He purchased another farm new Emporia, Kansas. Clara, John, and son Earl are interred in family plot in Chula. They were the parents of 11 children;
801. i. Glen Hiram Lowder b. 19 Oct 1892 d. 16 Sep 1974
802. ii. LaVera Maude Lowder b. 19 Oct 1893 d. aft 1978
803. iii. Earl Franklin Lowder b. 7 Jun 1896 d. 14 Oct 1918
804. iv. Bertha Olive Lowder b. 1 Jan 1898 d. aft 1978
805. v. Orville Ray Lowder b. 13 Jul 1899 d. 28 Dec 1977
806. vi. Vernon Miles Lowder b. 23 Jan 1901 d. 29 Oct 1926
807. vii. Irma Marie Lowder b. 21 Oct 1902 d. aft 1978
808. viii. Elna Almeda Lowder b. 22 Jan 1904 d. aft 1978
809. ix. Nina Malinda Lowder b. 26 May 1905 d. aft 1978
810. x. Claude McCune Lowder b. 1 Aug 1907 d. aft 1978
811. xi. Clara Belle Lowder b. 15 Feb 1911 d. aft 1978
552. Elmer Leroy NICHOLAS [6] [291. Sarah 5, James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born 4 Oct 1878 in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA. He died 28 Sep 1955 in Mt Ayr, Ringgold Co. He married 10 Feb 1903 in Belleville, St. Clair Co, IL, to Maude Leslie NORTH. She was born 20 Feb 1883 in Perry Co, IL. She died 25 Feb 1958
in Superior Hosp, NB. They are both interred in Wuyka Cemetery, Nebraska City, NB. He grew to manhood near Tingley, Ringgold Co. He moved to St. Louis, MO, in 1901 and had a job as street car conductor when he met his wife. She was attending Barnes Business College. They moved from St. Louis to Iowa in 1908 and to Nebraska City in 1922 where he was employed as an auditor for Sinclair Oil Co until 1940. He was listed as a farmer in Rice Twp in 1909. They resided on a farm in Ringgold from 1940-50, moving to Mt Ayr in 1950. He was noted for a happy disposition. Elmer and Maude were the parents of three children;
812. i. Dorothy Ella Nicholas b. 19 Dec 1903 d. 2 Aug 1967
813. ii. Genevieve Alice Nicholas b. 12 Oct 1905 d. 28 Jun 1986
814. iii. Zoe Winifred Nicholas b. 24 Feb 1909 d.
555. Clarence Elsworth SPENCER [6] [292. Ethel 5, James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, 5 Jun 1885. He died on 30 Aug 1941 in Saskatoon, Sask., Canada, at the age of 56 and is buried in Guernsey Woodlawn Cemetery. He married on 5 Jul 1910 to Alma Dora FOBAIR in Independence, Montgomery Co, KS. She was born 22 Jul 1892 in Vera, Oklahoma, and died 18 Sep 1954 in Ft. Williams, Ontario, after a short illness. Her parents were Augustus and Lydia [SIMCOX] FOBAIR. Newspaper article under Delphos News recorded in January 1909 stated, “Clarence Spencer and Claude Baker went to Chillicothe, MO, Monday morning to attend college. They expect to become telegraph operators.” He went to Portal, ND, to work in Customs from the Santa Fe Lines. In 1912 he was attached to the staff of the Canadian Pacific Railroad at North Portal, Sask., and then to Elbow, Vantage, and Strathrear, Sask., and in 1919 took over the duties of C.P.R. agent at Guernsey. He resided there until his death. He was station agent at several towns in Canada. He was an active member of the curling club and other sports organizations, in Red Cross activities, and a member of the Board of Trusties of Guernsey School District. He had an intense interest in raising and showing chickens in 1930 – see letter written by him in 1930 [Appendix D.13]. Daughter Floy reported they were very happy and enjoyed bridge, golfing, curling, hunting, as well as gardening. Clarence and Alma were the parents of three children. Their son was killed in a mine accident in Yellowknife.
815. i. Russell Lloyd Spencer b. 26 Nov 1910 d. 6 Mar 1950
816. ii. Floy Marjorie Spencer b. 22 May 1912 d. 23 Dec 1986
817. iii. Avis Margaret Spencer b. 4 Sep 1923 d.
556. Ira `Bert’ Albert SPENCER [6] [292. Ethel 5, James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, 14 Nov 1887 and died in a hospital in Scobey, Daniels Co, MT, 14 Jan 1941 at the age of 54.@FOOT[Ira Spencer was known to everyone as `Bert‘. Writer was only three or four when he visited with my family overnight. He must have impressed me very much because, thereafter, the big brass bed that he slept in was `Uncle Buts’ bed.] He married on 10 Jul 1908 to Ruby A. BAKER, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C. W. BAKER. The pretty home wedding was held near Delphos, IA, in the home of Ruby’s sister, Mrs. Matt Geiger, with seventy friends and relatives in attendance. The bride looked her loveliest in her wedding gown
of white organdy and the groom wore the conventional suit of black. After the Sunday one o’clock wedding, a delicious three course dinner was served! They were to journey two days later to Portal, North Dakota, where he had a farm and spent some time previous. Always of an industrious and enterprising nature, he later moved with his family to Whitehill, Montana, where he established a claim for 320 acres and carried on extensive cattle operations. Bert apparently influenced his brother Lloyd into coming to Montana and blamed himself for his death during the flu epidemic of 1918. [See his letter on page 183 Appendix I.11]. Ruby died on 10 Dec 1944 due to injuries suffered in an auto accident that occurred on 7 Dec 1944 while a passenger of an auto driven by her daughter collided with another. Her four-year old grandson, Gary, was also in the auto but received only cuts and bruises while Carol was hospitalized. Bert and Ruby were parents of one daughter;
818. i. Carol Spencer b. 20 May 1910 d.
557. Lola Maude [SPENCER] STEPHENS [6] [292. Ethel 5, James 4, 3, Michael 2, 1] was born on 24 Jan 1890 in Liberty Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, near Delphos. She married on 19 Jul 1910 near Delphos, IA, in the home of her parents to Lloyd Ernest STEPHENS. Lloyd was born 20 Nov 1882 in Clinton Twp, Ringgold Co. His parents were John Ross and Alice [ABARR] STEPHENS. John was born in Greene Co, PA, and Alice in White Co, IL. Lola died in the Ringgold Co Hospital in Mt Ayr on 21 Apr 1962 at the age of 71 after a long bout with cancer. Lloyd also died in the Ringgold Co Hospital on 22 Dec 1973 at the age of 91. Both are
interred in Rose Hill Cemetery on the edge of Mt Ayr. Lola united with the Christian Church in the year 1900 at the age of 10. She later became a member of the Delphos Baptist Church and for the last 17 years had been a faithful worker in the Arispe Methodist Church. Much of their married life was spent on a farm northeast of Delphos. About 1942 they moved to Arispe in Union Co and, just before Lola’s death, moved to Tingley in Ringgold Co. She was an extremely industrious, strong willed lady and firm in her beliefs. She and Lloyd were parents of nine children with one, a twin, dying in infancy and the oldest of two daughters, Muriel, dying following an operation for appendicitis at the age of 16. [Penicillin was only a few years away!] Their children
are as follows;
819. i. Ernest`Spencer’Stephens[tw] b. 30 Sep 1911 d. 13 Apr 1982
820. ii. Earl Edward Stephens [tw] b. 30 Sep 1911 d. 30 Sep 1911
821. iii. Samuel`Sherrill’ Stephens b. 9 Mar 1913 d. 17 Aug 1993
822. iv. Joseph Augustus Stephens b. 31 Mar 1915 d.
823. v. Muriel Irene Stephens b. 1 Sep 1917 d. 23 Jan 1934
824. vi. Lloyd Ernest Stephens Jr. b. 24 Apr 1919 d.
825. vii. Clarice Emily Stephens b. 9 Jan 1921 d.
826. viii. John Ross Stephens b. 4 Feb 1926 d. Nov 1998
827. ix. William Albert Stephens b. 14 Mar 1931 d.
@QUOTATION(This was composed by a Grt-Grandaughter of James
W. & Malinda [FRANKLIN] SPENCER. She composed this the eve after
her very close friend and first cousin, #823. Muriel Irene
STEPHENS, died 23 Jan 1934 at the age of 16. #832. Zoe was not quite
14 at the time and quite shaken as were many by the loss of this
lovely young lady.)
@CENTER(@P[IN MEMORIAM TO MURIEL]
by @P[Miss Zoe Elliott]
January 24, 1934
Oh why, oh why do things come our way?
Such trials to bear throughout each day.
Why should her soul go; she was so dear,
I suppose she was too good for here.
It seems but a day when she was by my side
When we ventured out on a long pony ride.
But now she’s gone where good folks go
And we must bear the trial because you know–.
Her parents, brothers, and sister are very sad
And we must not make them feel so bad.
To them she was their very gold
And she’s needed here by a thousand fold.
Some day we all shall happily meet
And walk right down the Golden Street.
* * * * * )
558. @B[Lloyd Whitley SPENCER] [6] [292. Ethel 5, James 4, 3,
Michael 2, 1] was born in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, on 10 Aug
1892. He died on 26 Oct 1918 at Julian, Montana. At the age of
15 he was baptized and received into the membership of the Church
of Christ at Delphos. On 28 Dec 1911 Lloyd married @P[Mamie
Lucreita GRUBB]. She taught in country schools in Ringgold Co
prior to moving with family to Montana. She married @i(second)
to @P(______ SMITH) and they moved to Fresno, CA. She died 24
Aug 1983 in Fresno, CA, at the age of @P[93]. She is interred in
Whittier, CA. Lloyd’s death was caused by pneumonia following an
attack of Spanish influenza. Multitudes lost their lives because
of this epidemic. Lloyd had moved to a farm near his brother,
Bert, not far from Scobey, Montana, having moved there in 1916.
He is interred in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mt Ayr, IA. [See pages
154-160 Appendices H.6 for letters written by Lloyd and Mamie to
his aunt and uncle, Mr. & Mrs. Mark ELLIOTT, three months before
his death. Another letter written by `Bert’ on pages 160-2,
Appendix H.9 gives the account of Lloyd’s death]. Lloyd enjoyed
farming and gardening. The following article appeared in a
November 1911 issue of the Mt Ayr Record-News, @I(“A mess of fine
potatoes raised by @P`Lloyd Spencer’, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. A.
Spencer of Rice Twp, was left at the Record-News office
yesterday. Lloyd thought he would like to try his hand at potato
raising last spring and asked his father for the use of enough
ground to see what he could do. He plowed the ground, planted a
half bushel of seed, tended the crop and 14 bushels of as fine
potatoes as ever grew was his reward. The potatoes are not as
large as some of the specimens that come from the irrigated
western states, but they are just the right size to command the
top price on the market.”) He enjoyed very much like the rest of
his brothers hunting and fishing. Lloyd and Mamie had three
sons;
@VERBATIM{
828. i. James `Haldon’ Spencer b. 3 May 1912 d. 12 May 1988
829. ii. Neil Franklin Spencer b. 17 Sep 1913 d. 8 Feb 1992
830. iii. Charles Spencer b. Nov 1914 d. 5 Jun 1989}
559. @B(Ilah Malinda [SPENCER] ELLIOTT) [6] [292. Ethel 5, James 4, 3,
Michael 2, 1] was born in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, on 17 Dec
1895. She died 8 Sep 1987 while living in the Clearview
Retirement Home in Mt Ayr, the site of her in-laws home between
1915 and 1960. On 25 Apr 1915 she married @P[Mark ELLIOTT], son
of Alamando Wilcox and Emma Ona [RUSH] ELLIOTT. Mark was born 13
Mar 1891 and died 30 Nov 1976 at the age of @P[85]. They are
interred in Rose Hill Cemetery near their infant daughter, his
parents, and other members of the Elliott family. Their marriage
took place in the home of her parents on farm southeast of
Delphos. Ilah was a Methodist as was her husband, Mark, and were
members of the Eureka Church located southeast of Delphos and later
became members of the Methodist Church in Mt Ayr. After their
marriage, they made their home on the 120-acre farm [Mark’s
birthplace] until they moved to Mt Ayr in 1968 after his
retirement. This farm was located in the SE 1/4 of Section 26 in
Rice Twp, four miles south of Mt Ayr. She was a very fine
seamstress [professional seamstress in her early years] and cook,
providing each of her children a fine quilt. This writer found
it a great privilege to be her gardening partner before leaving
the nest. While her health allowed her, she was very active in
neighborhood and family activities. She served as a local
schoolboard director and for many years authored the Crown Point
News, a weekly column carried in the Mt Ayr Record News. This
was the name of the country school that was located on the hill a
third of a mile east of their farmstead. She has had an extreme
concern for her friends, neighbors, and relatives and through the
years sent countless numbers of cards, letters, and deposited
hundreds of flowers on grave sites – giving particular attention
to those graves she knew close family members lived far away.
She carefully clipped and saved all newspaper items of all family
members and @P[to @U(this lady) thanks can be given for providing
much of the information going into this family history and other
family lines connected to both hers and Mark’s.] Note two of her
letters to her daughter Zoe, pages 149 & 152, Appendices “D.15 & D.16”.
Mark attended Highland Park College [a commercial schoo]) in Des
Moines for nearly two years prior to their marriage. He was also
active in community affairs. He served as assessor, secretary of
Crown Point School, active worker in the Republican Party and for
many years a member of the Ringgold County Republican Central
Committee, and on the election board at Delphos as Rice Twp
clerk. Ilah and Mark were parents of five children, including
twins, with the oldest child dying in infancy from complications
of whooping cough and pneumonia;
@VERBATIM{
831. i. Doris Emaline Elliott b. 26 Jan 1918 d. 31 Aug 1920
832. ii. Zoe Evelyn Elliott b. 20 Feb 1920 d.
833. iii. Lois Lorene Elliott [t] b. 16 Mar 1923 d.
834. iv. Loren Spencer Elliott [t] b. 16 Mar 1923 d.
835. v. Jack Mark Elliott b. 25 Sep 1927 d. }
@newpage
560. @B(Avis Irene [SPENCER] COWAN) [6] [292. Ethel 5, James 4,
3, Michael 2, 1] was born in Rice Twp, Ringgold Co, IA, on 5 Aug
1898. In 1984 her address was; Apt 32, 1862 Riverside, Columbus,
OH. She resided in a fine senior citizen home, was active, and
in good health. She died in 26 May 1985 after suffering injuries
in an auto accident. She enjoyed taking trips and other
activities, including bridge, with many friends. She graduated
from Mt Ayr High School. She was a school country teacher in
Ringgold Co and later associated with the National Life
Association in Des Moines. She met her future husband there and
on the 22 Apr 1925 married @P[William `Bill’ Lincoln COWAN] in
the Central Church of Christ in Des Moines. The ceremony was
performed by Dr. W. A. Schullenberger. Bill was born 25 Aug 1895
in Angus, Boone Co, IA, and died 23 Nov 1974. He is interred in
Union Cemetery, Columbus, OH. His parents were Robert and Jane
[CLARKSON] COWAN, both born in Scotland. He was a veteran of
World War I and a 50 year member of Home Lodge No 370F & ASN, Des
Moines, IA. At the time of their marriage, Bill was with Hartford
Insurance Co, the parent company of the New York Underwriters.
They moved to Columbus, OH, in 1929. He retired after 36 years
in 1960. Avis and Bill had one son;
836. i. Jerry Louis Cowan b. 18 May 1927 d.
@include(S10B.mss)?
1Vital statistics records show a third son born in Monroe Twp on 10 Aug 1892. This son apparently died as an infant.
Both the surnames Whitley and Whitney are utilized in Greene County, Ohio. Whitley leans more towards the southern part of the state indicating the name likely has a Kentucky, which is concentrated in North Carolina influence. Whitney is more out of Maine which would give it it’s distribution, in north eastern Ohio. In the southeastern part of Ohio the names are interchangeable. It is concluded since James W. Spencer, went by his middle initial, his true name is James W. Spencer, though he was given a middle name he likely did not accept it, and may have spelled it either Whitley or Whitney.
37,349 Whitley
“This surname is derived from a geographical locality. ‘of Whiteley’ (the white meadow); v. preceding article. There are many places naturally bearing this name. Whitley is a tithing in the parish of Cumnor, Oxfordshire”
http://forebears.io/surnames/Whitley
53,133 Whitney
“This surname is derived from a geographical locality. ‘of Whitey,’ a parish in Herefordshire”
http://forebears.io/surnames/Whitley
It is concluded since James W. Spencer, like great grand parents SA Elliott, and AW Elliott that he went by his middle initial and rejected his middle name. His true name is James W. Spencer, though he was given a middle name he likely did not accept, and may have spelled it either Whitley or Whitney, not really knowing what it was. My grandfather Mark (no middle name) Elliott, was given a middle name on his birth certificate, it did start with an “H.” but was not Henry, like one person entered. Granddad Mark did not even accept this middle initial of “H.”, so his name properly spelled is Mark Elliott. SA and AW did not accept their names but did accept their initials, so this is the way they were referred to. James W. Spencer knowing my family most likely did not accept his middle name whether it was Whitley or Whitney, so I am now recording it with just the single initial, in which I feel James W. Spencer would like to see it recorded, and if anyone thinks otherwise, they may record it Whitley or Whitney, and likely against what would have been the wishes of the one which had owned that name in the first place.
It is felt since his actual name is James W. Spencer. It would be incorrect for anyone to submit it as James Whitley Spencer or James Whitney Spencer, because he went by his middle initial. Neither Whitley or Whitney would be correct, and it would be most likely against the wishes of the bearer of that name in the first place.
2/2/2018 Mark Stephen Elliott (I have accepted my middle name from my mother’s father)