Did your search engine send you to the wrong place?
When I resubmit data gen-ged will move links around. Search engines such as Google may follow old cached links, sending you to the wrong place. If this happens, try my SURNAME Index. Or start at my Genealogy home page.

Home | Surnames | Index

Husband: William SPENCER 1
   Born: 22 JUL 1745
Married: 22 OCT 1781               in North Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island
   Died: 17 SEP 1797               in Mansfield, Tolland County, CT
 Father: Henry SPENCER
 Mother: Lydia JENKINS
Spouses: 
   Wife: Mercy ALLEN
   Born: 22 JUL 1759               in North Kingstown, Washington County, RI
   Died: 04 NOV 1841               in Mansfield, Tolland County, CT
 Father: Jonathan ALLEN
 Mother: Elizabeth HULING
Spouses: Stephen CONGDON
Children
01  (M): Christopher SPENCER 3 4 5
   Born: 09 MAY 1790               in North Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island
   Died: 02 JUL 1869               in Cazenovia, Madison County, New York
Spouses: Anna RICE
02  (M): Henry SPENCER
   Born:                          in North Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island
   Died: UNKNOWN
Spouses: Anne BROWN
03  (F): Elizabeth SPENCER
   Born: 27 SEP 1784               in North Kingstown, Washington County, RI
   Died: 31 JAN 1854               in Jerusalem, Yates County, New York
Spouses: Benjamin WAITE
04  (F): Lydia SPENCER
   Born: 14 SEP 1786               in North Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island
   Died: UNKNOWN
Spouses: 
05  (M): Wanton SPENCER
   Born: 17 JUN 1788               in North Kingstown, Washington County, RI
   Died: 11 DEC 1829               in North Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island
Spouses: Sarah PIERCE
06  (M): Benjamin SPENCER
   Born: 16 JUN 1790               in North Kingstown, Washington County, RI
   Died: UNKNOWN
Spouses:

Additional Information

William SPENCER:

Notes:
The genealogies of Violet Kettelle link William Spencer to Christopher Spencer of Cazenovia (born in North Kingstown). We know that Christopher was from North Kingstown. We know that a William Spencer farmed in North Kingstown. The following quote is from The Naragansett Historical Register, vol. 1, 1882-3, James N. Arnold, ed. The magazine is subtitled "The Narragansett Historical Register: A magazine devoted to the Antiquities, Genealogy and Historical Matter Illustrating the History of the Narragansett Country or Southern Rhode Island." The journal was published by the Narragansett Historical Publishin Company of Hamilton, R.I. On p. 304 there is a reference from the papers of Mrs. Joseph Brown of North Kingstown:

"At a Justice Court Held at the Dwelling house of George Thomas in North Kingstown on the 6th day of June 1777 Present George Thomas, Justice Peace."

"That was brought before this Court the within named Henry Albro, and was examined concerning the premises and denied the Charge, but Andrew Briggs made solemn oat that he was in the highway to the northward of William Spencer's in North Kingstown first day last, a little before sundown (being the first day of June Instant) there was said letter pinned to a pole in said Nichols farm, and this said Henry Albro was there and horse both near said letter, and ordered him to carry said letter to said Nichols, and said George Nichols was also there present before this Court and made solemn oath that he goes in fer of his life or some bodily harm done him his cattle killed, or his house burned over his head by the said Henry Albro. Therefore it is considered by this Court that the said Henry find surety of the peace and for his appearance at the General Session of the Peace, or be committed unto jail. A true copy as it stands on the back of the Warrant George Nichols vs. Henry Albro. Witness: George Thomas, Justice Peace."

This doesn't say if this is this particular William Spencer, but it establishes a William Spencer in North Kingstown at about the right time period.

--------------------------------

Another William Spencer Reference -- from The Narragansett Historical Register, Vol. 5, pp. 66. "Spink's rocks, just outside of Allen's harbor, was a rocky place made notable by the capture of William Spencer and John Allen in 1779." (I think this refers to a Revolutionary War related capture -- Quidnesset Neck is part of North Kingstown.). The British were in the bay in 1779.

But this William Spencer probably isn't the same -- on pp. 1052 of "The History of Washington and Kent Counties" by J.R. Cole, 1889, there is a biography of Christopher Spencer of Warwick (b. 1783). Christopher's father was described as a patriot who was taken prisoner in 1779 by an armed force from British ships lying near Hope Island. His farm was captured and it left him destitute.

pp. 156 - William Spencer is listed as an appraiser along with Benjamin Nichols and John Wightman. This is in a will witnessed by Jeremiah Gould and Michael Spencer. Zachariah Jenkins who had died in 1722/3, lived in North Kingstown.
---------------------------------

In the will of William Spencer of Kingstown 25-Oct-1748, a Grandson William Spencer is listed as the son of son Henry Spencer. This establishes the lineage to William (b. 1745) of North Kingstown.

----------------------------------

In The Huling Genealogy by Esther Littleford Woodworth-Barnes, she refers to Mrs. Alsterda's records -- according to those records, William died at Mansfield, Connecticut, but his will was probated at North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

A William Spencer is listed as living in North Kingstown in 1782 according to the Rhode Island Census (ancestry.com).

---------------------------------

William Spencer's will was pvd in North Kingstown 13-Nov-1797. I looked for his grave in Mansfield, but didn't find one. It seems to me that if the will was proved in North Kingstown that that might be the place of death/burial. But Violet Kettelle has his place of death listed as Mansfield (as do other unreferenced family records).


"William Spencer, in his will dated August 1797 and proved 13 November 1797, named his wife Mary Spencer executrix, his four sons Henry, Wanton, Benjamin, and Christopher, and his daughters Mary and Lydia, both under 18 (NK [North Kingstown] Probate 14:38-39)."

----------------------------------

In the 1790 Federal Census for North Kingstown, RI, there is William Spencer as head of household. He is living next to "John Allen" and some other Allen families. Also living next to "Reynolds" which is a family we later see in Cazenovia, Madison County, NY. "Peleg Spencer" is also living nearby. in William's household we have one son and one daughter and (presumably) his wife, and one slave. The census is dated March 29, 1791. The number of sons and daughters I have in my family group (4 and 2 respectively) is greater than these counts.

Again, I'm not sure if this is our William Spencer. There is also the William Spencer and John Allen who were captured by the British in 1779. In fact, this may explain the discrepency with numbers of sons and daughters.

--------------------------------------

The marriage of William and Mercy is listed in "("Vital Records" Violet E. Kettelle Genealogical Collection, Box 5, Folder 15)" Later (p. 48) she writes the birth years of their children (but the names are burned out so we don't really know the birth order)

11-16-1782 ___
9-14-1786 ___
6-17-1788 ___
6-17-1790 ___
5-5-1795 ___
9-22-1784 ___

These ch. were: Henry(5), Lydia(5), Wanton(5), Benj(5), Christopher(5) and Elizabeth. What was the order of their births? Parents were Wm(4) (Henry(3), Wm(2), John(1) and Mercy Allen. See Allen Gen.

This verifies that Violet Kettelle thought that Christopher(5) was a son of Wm(4). We know that Christopher Spencer of Cazenovia was born in North Kingstown from land records. And so Violet gives us a stronger connection between the Spencers of North Kingstown and the Spencers of Cazenovia.

Later on p. 68 she lists "North Kingstown Bk 1 (1710-1870) p.105 containing a listing:

1. Wm. b. ye 22!AD ____ (gravestone has 1745). The gravestone, then, is where we get the birth year for William Spencer. I'm not sure where this comes from, but I think I saw something similar on microfilm at the Family HIstory Library for North Kingstown town records.

Later she lists a death for Wm Spencer W.P. 11-13-1797 (No wid given) I think this is our William Spencer. Mercy Spencer is listed as widow, about 80, died 2-7-1809, 2nd wife of William

---------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes from "Violet E Kettelle Collection, ‘William(2) Spencer (John(1))’, Box 5, Folder 16. Rhode Island Historical Society Collections. (notebook)":
- Violet Kettelle writes "The following is from the Allen Genealogy. Wm(4) b. 7-22-1745 N.K., d. 9-17-1797 (this would make him the 1st child instead of the 8th) Bk 14, p. 38 - His will of Aug. 1797 was presented 11-13-1797, N.K., He died 9-17-1797 Mansfield, CT. Witnesses to the will were Thomas and Benjamin Nichols, and ___ Thomas. Two of his daughters were under age (see it on p 75, bottom half). As Wm was 36 when he m Mercy Allen, was it a 2nd marriage for him?
- "Mercy (Mary N.K.) Allen of N.K. m 10-22-1781 in N.K. Wm. Spencer. She born 7-27-1759 (corrected to 7-22-1759), Mansfield, daughter of Jonathan (1717-1811) and Elizabeth 1723-1766 (Huling) Allen. (John Allen's will in N.K. Bk 11-234).
- "Mercy married (2) Jan 17, 1814, Exeter (Rec. N.K.) Stephen Congdon of William and Anne. She died in Mansfield, CT at her daughter Lydia's home, 11-4-1841 (Stephen Congdon b. 5-28-1758, d. 8-29-1839).

Tim Fredrick's comments: Violet Kettelle corroberates family notes that Mercy and William died in Mansfield, Tolland County, Connecticutt. Apparently daughter Lydia was living there in the 1840's.


Mercy ALLEN:
Name: Mercy SPENCER 2

Notes:
This is the first instance of "Allen" in the family -- later used as a male first name. At her marriage, Elder James Wightman was the officiant. According to http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~legends/wightman.html there was a James Wightman who was made pastor of the Stony Lane Baptist Church.

In "("Vital Records" Violet E. Kettelle Genealogical Collection, Box 5, Folder 15)", Violet Kettelle gives us the information on Mercy's second marriage:

1-17-1814 Mercy ("Mary" was crossed out), dau of Jonathan and Eliz Allen and Wid. of Wm(4), Henry(3), William(2) married Stephen Congdon of Wm and Anne

Notes from "Violet E Kettelle Collection, ‘William(2) Spencer (John(1))’, Box 5, Folder 16. Rhode Island Historical Society Collections. (notebook)":
- Violet Kettelle writes that Mercy Spencer was the daughter of John Allen and Elizabeth Huling, and she died 11-4-1841 in Mansfield, CT
- She lists the Marriage date as 10-22-1781 in North Kingstown

----------------------------------------

Book: North Kingstown: A Pictorial History of Its People and Places, by James Carter.R.I., Vintage Media, Stratham, NH 1999. 974.59CAR
- Judge John Allen, "a Quidnesset patriot, was abducted from his home by the British in 1779. According to Daniel Gould Allen's History of Quidnesset, it was Mansfield Allen, the judge's cousin, who led the British forces to their prisoner. The British burned Judge Allen's house and detained him -- by most accounts -- in Newport for several months. Caleb Allen, Mansfield's brother, lived in this ca 1740 house on Fletcher Road. Historian Anna Lawrence implicates Caleb in the 1779 abduction and says that he fled to Nova Scotia soon after the incident. According to Lawrence the judge's wife and children subsequently occupied Caleb Alloen's vacant house."
- Tim Fredrick visited the Mansfield, CT, historical cemetery, and there were several markers for Allens including a Phineas Allen.

(04) Lydia SPENCER:

Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes from "Violet E Kettelle Collection, ‘William(2) Spencer (John(1))’, Box 5, Folder 16. Rhode Island Historical Society Collections. (notebook)":
- Lydia was under 18 in her father William (of William and Mercy Spencer)'s will
- She was apparently living in Mansfield, Connecticutt when her mother Mercy died.

(06) Benjamin SPENCER:

Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes from "Violet E Kettelle Collection, ‘William(2) Spencer (John(1))’, Box 5, Folder 16. Rhode Island Historical Society Collections. (notebook)":
- Violet Kettelle writes "Was he (Benjamin Spencer b. 6/16/1790) who married Alice Brown of North Kingstown dau. of William? Her sister Ann married Henry(5) Spencer. Alice Brown Spencer m (2) 2-22-1810, East Greenwich, Henry Card son of Job and Hannah (Weaver). However, as Henry Card was 7 yrs younger, most likely Alice's hus. Benj. was son of Anthony Spencer"

Footnotes

  1. 1790 United States Federal Census.
    Index created from United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States in the Year 1790. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1908. Corresponding images scanned from National Archives and Records Administration. 1790 United States Federal Census. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1790 Federal Population Census. M637, 12 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. North Kingston, Washington, Rhode Island, roll M637_10, page , image 0056.
  2. 1810 United States Federal Census.
    Ancestry.com. 1810 U.S. Federal Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 1810 United States Federal Census. M252, 71 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. North Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, roll 59, page 78, image 157.00.
  3. Ancestry.com, 1860 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004).
  4. New York Census, 1790-1890.
    Jackson, Ronald V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. New York Census, 1790-1890. [database on-line] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1999-. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
  5. Ancestry.com, 1830 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004).
    Ancestry.com. 1830 U.S. Federal Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 1830 United States Federal Census. M19, 201 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. Cazenovia, Madison, New York, roll 93, page 213, image 425.

Home | Surnames | Index

Revised: May 06, 2009
Copyright © May 2009