Hiram Spencer

Notes:

Valerie Atkinson shows him as the son of Joseph SPENCER and Almanza HOPKINS. She notes that the family bible instead shows his date of birth as May 31, 1861, contradicting the 1880 census, with a May 1863 birthdate. That same census shows his with the middle initial E.

She indicates that in 1870 and 1880, he was listed on the census in Gilford, Tuscola County, Michigan. In 1900, he was in Clayton, Arenac County, and in 1910 in Moffat, Arenac County.

Hiram married Adeline "Addie" Krapf on 5 May 1892 in Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan. Adeline (daughter of Johann Friedrich "Frederick" Krapf and Maria Dorothea "Dorothy" Benkelman) was born on 28 Aug 1870 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 24 Oct 1940 in Belding, Ionia County, Michigan; was buried in River Ridge Cemetery, Belding, Ionia County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Dora Alma Spencer was born on 30 May 1893 in Gilford, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 4 Mar 1980 in Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried on 7 Mar 1980 in Riverside Cemetery, Vassar, Tuscola County, Michigan.
2. Homer Dwight Spencer was born on 7 Aug 1894 in Gilford, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 27 Jul 1964 in Chester, Chesterfield County, Virginia.
3. Joseph Glen Spencer was born on 13 May 1897 in Sterling, Arenac County, Michigan; died on 22 Dec 1973 in Lapeer County, Michigan; was buried on 27 Dec 1973 in Indianfields Township Cemetery (AKA Caro Cemetery), Caro, Tuscola County, Michigan.
4. Verne Immanul Spencer was born on 28 Sep 1899 in Clayton Township, Arenac County, Michigan; died about 1902 in Michigan.
5. Leonard Spencer was born on 13 Sep 1901 in Sterling, Arenac County, Michigan; died on 16 Aug 1964 in Belding, Ionia County, Michigan.
6. Arley Ivan Spencer was born on 27 Aug 1903 in Sterling, Arenac County, Michigan; died on 15 Jan 1994 in Sault Sainte Marie, Algoma, Ontario, Canada.
7. Sigmund William Spencer was born on 5 Mar 1906 in Sterling, Arenac County, Michigan; died on 30 Dec 1993 in Deland, Volusia County, Florida.

Notes:

Tuscola County Advertiser, February 21, 1895

Joseph Spencer was found dead in his barn one day last week. It is supposed that heart disease was the cause. he was an old soldier having served three years in the Mexican War. he was past 90 years of age. The G.A. R. of Reese and Gilford turned out to administer the last rites to their deceased brother at the U.B. Church in Gilford, the Sixteenth and interred in the Gilford Cemetery. He was a native of Canada, but had been a resident of Gilford for a good many years. He leaves a wife and four children.

Saginaw Evening News, Saturday, February 16, 1895
Pioneer of Tuscola Found Dead at Gilford
Brother Died in the Same Way Four Years Ago, and Strange to Say the Same Barn

Joseph Spencer, age 76 years, one of the oldest pioneers of Tuscola County, a Veteran of the Mexican and late Civil War, was found dead in his barn, rear of resident, near Gilford last night at 8:00 by a neighbor named Gilbert Quipp. A coroner's inquest was held and a verdict of death from heart disease was rendered. A wife and four children survive him. His brother Manuel was found dead in the same barn four years from the same disease. Another brother, Moses, was shot at Bay City in the 60's by a rough character, dying afterwards from the effects of his wounds.

(Both obituaries courtesy of Valerie C. Atkinson, who also noted that his Military service included the Third Regiment of U.S. Infantry from May 1847 to Aug. 19, 1848, Mexican War, and the U.S. Army from Aug. 23, 1864 to Sept. 6, 1865)

Joseph married Almanza Hopkins on 8 Dec 1852 in Dryden, Lapeer County, Michigan. Almanza was born on 17 Feb 1833 in Cambridge Township, Washington County, New York; died on 1 Mar 1903 in Fairgrove, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Brookside Cemetery, Fairgrove, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They had six children... Janette in 1865, Homer in 1858, Lydia in 1861, Hiram (Arley Spencer's father) on 08/28/1890, Varnum J.W. in 1867 and Irene in 1870.