William Spencer was born on 9. Apr. 1817 at Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York. He was the son of
Uriel Spencer and
Sarah Wyckoff. William Spencer married
Emma Donaldson, daughter of
James Donaldson, in 1837. William Spencer was shown in the census on 4. Sep. 1850 as a farmer.
William Spencer and
Emma Donaldson appeared on the census of 4. Sep. 1850 at York Twp., Fulton County, Ohio; real estate value 700.00. William Spencer was shown in the census on 16. Jan. 1860 as a farmer.
William Spencer and
Emma Donaldson appeared on the census of 16. Jan. 1860 at York Twp., Fulton County, Ohio; real estate value 2,000.00, personal property 644.00. William Spencer was shown in the census on 6. Jun. 1870 as a farmer.
William Spencer and
Emma Donaldson appeared on the census of 6. Jun. 1870 at Delta, York Twp., Fulton County, Ohio; real estate value 3,500.00, personal property 800.00. William Spencer was shown in the census on 8. Jun. 1880 as a farmer.
William Spencer and
Emma Donaldson appeared on the census of 8. Jun. 1880 at York Twp., Fulton County, Ohio. William Spencer died on 29. Jan. 1889 at age 71. History of Fulton Co., OH, Lewis Pub. Co. 1920; "William & Emma had 11 children." William Spencer, son of Rev. Uriah Spencer, was born near Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York, and was reared to maturity in the old Empire State, where he received a common-school educcation and whre he was engaged in farming and teaming prior to his immigration to the wilds of Fulton county, Ohio whiter he accompanied his honored father. In 1837 he was united in marriage to Miss Emma Donaldon, daughter of James Donaldson, another of the sterling pioneers of York township and a veteran of the War of 1812.
Mrs. Spencer taught the first term of school in York township, this being after her marriage , in her own house. William Spencer became a prosperous farmer and highly honored citizen of York township, where he continued to reside until his death, which occured in 1889, and his cherished and devoted wife was summoned to the life eternal in 1891, both having been consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They became the parents of eleven children. Ellen , who remains on the old homestead, she and her elder siter never having married; Wilson, who is a resident of Bowling Green, Ohio; Ann, who is deceased; Marion, who died in childhood; James, who is a farmer of York township; Andrew, Alice and Mary, who are deceased; and Frank, who is the youngest of the family. Frank W. Spencer was born on the old homestead farm in York township, on the 23 d of June, 1861, and here he has ever since continued to reside, being....
Page 577
Excerpt from copies of letters and papers in possession of Mrs. Florence Spencer Whelan, Tecumseh, Michigan:
William Spencer, eldest son, married Emily Donaldson. History of Fulton Co., Ohio, by Thomas Mikesell, page 178: Rev. Uriel Spencer and son, William, came in 1835 and settled on section 17. He was afterward elected auditor of Lucas county."
Page 180: "The first marriage was Wm. Spencer to Emily Donaldson, daughter of Mr. Donaldson." Page 177: "York township, organized June 6, 1836; first settlement two years earlier, May 1834."
Several of the children of William and Emily (Donaldson) Spencer died of tuberculosis. William built a fine large house abut a mile straight west of Delta, Ohio, and raised a large family. His sons George and Andrew, and two of his daughters, died of that dreaded malady. Wilson, later a Methodist minister, and George were in the Union Army during the civil War. George and Andrew never married. There were also two other sons, James and Frank. Frank was the youngest. Ann was the oldest daughter. There were also daughters Jane, Ellen, and a younger one who married a McLaren and had at least two children, Frank and Zala. Frank and Zala (Azalia?) lived with us one summer. Wilson Spencer, son of William and Emily Spencer, had three children, two boys and a girl. I do not remember the name of the oldest boy, but the girl was named Jessie, and the youngest child was Fred. I do not have the year of Wilson Spencer's death, but I have the following short newspaper notice: "On the 14th of November, in his home, Bowling Green, Ohio, Dr. Wilson N. Spencer died, after being stricken a few weeks since with paralysis. He united with the Central Ohio Conference in 1876. His funeral was conducted in Bowling Green, Ohio, November 18th, by his pastor, the Rev. Jacob Hoffman, and the sermon was preached by his friend, Dr. J. C. Arbuckle, of Columbus, Ohio, who was a college classmate of the deceased. Dr. E. O. Crist assisted at these services, with Dr. Arbuckle and other ministers in the afternoon at the interment in Waterville cemetery." William Wyckoff, of Pennsylvania, was one of the first settlers of Hopewell township, Ontario County, New York, coming there in 1779. He was with General Sullivan's army, and being please with the country came back and settled there. I have visited the graves in the old "Pioneer Cemetery" in Hopewell and seen the well kept lot where he and his wife are buried. The monument has the following inscription: "Our Father William Wickoff, died April 2, 1847, aged 80 years." "Our Mother Isabella, wife of W. Wickoff, died Oct. 15, 1837, aged 70 years. This visit to the Hopewell Pioneer Cemetery was made in July, 1934, and on the same trip I found his Bible in the possession of Mrs. Ida Carter, of Canandaigua, New York, who is a descendant of William and Isabella Wyckoff. This Bible is large, very much worn, and on the fly leaf is inscribed in William Wyckoff handwriting
(I have a letter written by him for comparison.) "William Wickoff's Bible. Bought in Canandaigua in 1813. Price six dollars."
Copies of letters and papers in possession of Mrs. Florence Spencer Whelan, Tecumseh, Mich.
I copied the record from it, and will include it here. The record, up to the entry giving William's death, is in his own handwriting, the later records giving William's death, is in his own handwriting, the later records showing the effects of advancing age. The records from William's death on, are in different handwritings.
The records from William Wickoff's Bible:
"William Wickoff was born December 27th, A.D. 1761 Isebella Crownover was born September the 11th, A.D. 1767 William and Isebella Wickoff was married the 17th of January, S. D. 1786 James Wickoff was born October the 19 A.D. 1788 Peter Wickoff was born October the 28 A.D. 1790 Thomas Wickoff was born October the 27 A.D. 1792 Sarah Wickoff was born October the 15 A.D. 1794 Samuel Wickoff was born Jenny the 13 A.D. 1798 Genet Wickoff was born October the 30 A.D. 1799 Lucette Wickoff was born February the 12 A.D.1802 Lorry Wickoff was born February the 19 A.D. 1804 Mary Wickoff was born Jenuary the 2 A.D. 1807
"Age and births of Peter Wickoff's Children Jane Wickoff was born August the 5th, A.D. 1813 James E. Wickoff was born February the 17 A.D. 1816 William Wickoff was born September the 7th A.D.1818
"Peter Wickoff Departed this life the 7 March, 1821 at Sunbery, Dillware County, State of Ohio
"Peter Wickoff (evidently the father of William and grandfather of the other Peter mentioned above) Departed this Life on the 7 of June A. D. 1807 in the Eighty forth year of his Age.
Rebecca Wickoff, wife of P. Wickoff, Departed this Life on the 17 of September A.D. 1807, rising Eighty years of age.
"Isabella Conover Wickoff, wife of William Wickoff, Departed this Life on the 15 of October, A.D. 1837 aged 70 years one month. Copies of letters and papers in possession of Mrs. Florence Spencer Whelan, Tecumseh, Mich.
Sary Spencer, wife of Uriel Spencer Departed this Life on the 15 of Jenuary, A.D. 1838 in Lucas County, Ohio, aged 43 years and three months.
"Albert Covenhoven Departed this Life in the year A.D. 1778 in the faul
Sarah Covenhoven, wife of the above, Departed this Life on the 30 of August A.D. 1807 in the Eighty forth yeare of her age.
Luceta Pearse Departed this Life on the 17 of October A. D. 1838 in Middlesex, Yates County, N. Y. Age 36 years and eight months
James Wickoff Departed this Life on the 20 of June A.D. 1840 in Hopewell, Ontario County, N. Y. aged 52 years, or near that.
Thomas Maj. Wickoff Departed this Life at Clarence, Cary county, In March 1844, in the fifty som years and som Days
William Wyckoff Died April 24, 1847, Aged Eighty-five years
Samuel Wyckoff Departed this Life June 16, 1866 in the 69 year of his age
Esther Gates, supposedly a sister of Cyrus, married James Wyckoff, oldest child of William Wyckoff and Isabella Couvenhoven. She is often referred to in my grandfather's diaries as "Aunt Esther." She was a descendant of John and Priscilla Alden.
Miliken's History of Ontario County gives Wm. Wyckoff and Daniel Gates as pioneers of Hopewell. This Frank Wyckoff said that Wm. Wyckoff was the first and Daniel Gates the second settler. Mr. Frank Wyckoff also said that Cyrus Gates & Dan Gates were brothers (Capt. Dan.) and that Capt. Dan Gates had a grand-daughter who married Willis Tuttle, son on the Tuttle who married the daughter of James Wyckoff. He did not say which of the two daughters mentioned, married Tuttle, or whether Willis was her son or the son of a former wife. As you know, it is difficult to get written down all the things that an octogenarian will tell, when one gets him started to talking. I regret that I do not know shorthand.
Sharon Fearnow.