Joseph Spencer

Joseph Spencer was born in 1744, probably in Virginia. He served during the American Revolution under Colonel L. Talifraw in 1775 and in 1776, with the rank of captain, in the 7th Virginia Regiment under Colonel William Dangerfield, so said Joseph Spencer in August 1820, when he appeared before the Grant County, Kentucky Court making a sworn statement in support of an application for a veteran's pension, which was approved. He reported his age as 76, and his wife, Sarah, as age 74, but did not give her maiden name or date of marriage. Joseph Spencer first appeared as a resident on the Pendleton County, Kentucky tax list in 1816. In 1820, his home and property became a part of Grant County, created that year out of the western half of Pendleton County. Another source of information on the Joseph Spencer family is the data compiled by the Gallatin County, Kentucky historian, Dr. Carl Bogardus, as follows:

"Joseph Spencer lived in Grant County, Kentucky before relocating in Gallatin. He married Mary Moore and they were the parents of ten children, all born in Orange County, Virginia, and some of whom lived in Gallatin County: Edward Spencer, born circa 1765, Nancy Ann Spencer, Francis/Frank Spencer, Elizabeth/Betsy Gaines Spencer, Joseph D. Spencer, born circa 1773, Winiford Spencer, Catherine Spencer, born May 24, 1777, Bernard/Barnett Spencer, Mary/Polly Spencer, born circa 1780 and John Spencer, born after 1884. Joseph Spencer died August 27, 1829, and his grandson, Granville M. Connelly, served as his administrator."

Mary Moore appears to be the first wife of Joseph Spencer and mother of the above named children. Sarah, specifically named in the 1820 Grant County Court records as the wife of Joseph Spencer, is very possible his second wife.

The first of the Spencer family to settle in the counties bordering present day Grant County was Edward Spencer who was listed in the 1800 Gallatin County tax rolls, the Gallatin County Census of 1840 listed this family as consisting of one male 20 to 30, one male 30 to 40, one male 70 to 80; and one female 70 to 80.

Bernard/Barnett Spencer was the second of the family to settle in this area and in 1804 the first of the family to settle in the Eagle Creek watershed, then a part of Pendleton County. He married December 25, 1804, Polly Hampton, daughter of Preston Hampton. The family residence was included in the area that would become Grant County in 1820 when it was created out of Pendleton County. The census for that year listed the Bernard/Barnett Spencer family as consisting of one male under 10, two males 10 to 16, one male 26 to 45; three females under 10, one female 10 to 16, and one female 26 to 45. This family last appeared on the Grant County tax list in 1821.

John Spencer first appeared on the Pendleton County tax lists in 1805. He acquired land on Eagle Creek in 1809 and last appeared on the tax list in 1815. He was not listed in the census of 1810.

Francis/Frank Spencer was listed on the Pendleton tax list in 1806, acquired land on Eagle Creek in 1809 and last appeared on the tax list in 1811. The census of 1810 listed his family as consisting of two males under 10, one male 10 to 16, one male 26 to 45; two females under 10, one female 10 to 16, and one female 26 to 45.

Thomas Spencer, relationship, if any, to Joseph Spencer unknown, appeared on the Pendleton County tax list one year only, in 1807.

Winefred/Winni Spencer, married July 14, 1806, Henry Blunt in Pendleton County. The marriage of Winefred, under age 21 at the time, was consented to by her father, Joseph. The Blount/Blunt family resided in Gallatin County.

Catherine Spencer married October 26, 1808, Samuel Conner, in Pendleton County. Consent of Joseph Spencer for the marriage of "my daughter Catharine" was given.

An Edward Spencer, possibly a grandson of Joseph Spencer, resided in Grant County 1820 to 1824. The 1820 census listed the family as composed of one male under 10, one male 18 to 26; and one female 18 to 26.

Joseph D. Spencer, who married June 1, 1814, Elizabeth Elliston, in Pendleton County, was reported by the older Joseph Spencer in his pension application to be his son, age 47 (in 1820), living with him, unable to support himself because of injuries sustained in military service in the Indian wars under General Wayne and more recently under General Harrison.

The older Joseph Spencer also reported in his pension application that his wife Sarah (age 74) was infirm and unable to support herself. His schedule of property included 125 acres, two old Negro slaves unable to maintain themselves, two old mares and one colt, some cattle and hogs. He said he was a farmer "very informed and totally incapable to pursue it."

In November 1826, Joseph Spencer executed a deed of gift to his wife, Sarah Spencer "all my visible estate." One of the witnesses to this document was a son-in-law, Henry Blunt/Blount.

In April 1827, Joseph Spencer and Sarah Spencer, his wife, executed another deed of gift to "our beloved son," Joseph D. Spencer, farm animals, tools, household furnishings and the tract of land "we now live on." The deed also provided that Joseph D. Spencer is to pay to Elizabeth F. (?) Spencer, the legal heir of John Spencer deceased, $50 when she arrives of legal age.

The date of Sarah Spencer's death, sometime after 1827, is unknown. The U. S. Pension Board's records list Joseph Spencer's death as occurring on August 27, 1829, age 84.

A William Spencer, possibly a grandson of Joseph Spencer, was listed in the census of 1840 for Gallatin County. The household consisted of two males under 5, one male 15 to 20, one male 20 to 30, and one female 20 to 30.

Joseph D. Spencer was last listed on the Grant County tax rolls in 1836, when he moved to Gallatin County. In the 1840 census, his household is reported to consist of one male under 5, one male 5 to 10, one male 10 to 15, one male 20 to 30, one male 50 to 60; one female 15 to 20, and one female 40 to 50.

From the files of James R. Glacking
Printed in Footsteps of the Past, March 22, 2001

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