 1802 - 1855 (53 years) Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors and 38 descendants in this family tree.
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| Name |
Orson Cornelius Spencer |
| Birth |
14 Mar 1802 |
West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States  |
| Christening |
13 May 1802 |
West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States |
| Gender |
Male |
| Initiatory (LDS) |
2 Dec 1843 |
OTHER |
| FamilySearch ID |
KWJT-J6R |
| Death |
15 Oct 1855 |
St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Burial |
Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Headstones |
 Submit Headstone Photo |
| Person ID |
I163519 |
mytree |
| Last Modified |
25 Feb 2024 |
| Father |
Daniel Spencer, b. 14 May 1764, East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States d. 26 Nov 1843, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States (Age 79 years) |
| Mother |
Chloe Willson, b. 24 May 1765, Richmond, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States d. 22 Jan 1845, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States (Age 79 years) |
| Marriage |
9 Jan 1788 |
West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States |
| Family ID |
F8524 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family 1 |
Catherine Curtis, b. 21 Mar 1811, Canaan, Columbia, New York, United States d. 12 Mar 1846, Keosauqua, Van Buren, Iowa, United States (Age 34 years) |
| Marriage |
13 Apr 1830 |
West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States |
| Children |
| | 1. Catharine Read Spencer, b. 6 Oct 1831, Old Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States d. 24 Dec 1833, Deep River, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States (Age 2 years) |
| | 2. Ellen Curtis Spencer, b. 21 Nov 1832, Old Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States d. 25 Aug 1896, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 63 years) |
| | 3. Aurelia Read Spencer, b. 4 Oct 1834, Deep River, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States d. 25 Aug 1922, Farmington, Davis, Utah, United States (Age 87 years) |
| + | 4. Catherine Curtis Spencer, b. 2 Oct 1836, Middlefield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States d. 20 Feb 1922, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 85 years) |
| | 5. Howard Orson Spencer, b. 16 Jun 1838, Middlefield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States d. 4 Mar 1918, Orderville, Kane, Utah, United States (Age 79 years) |
| | 6. George Boardman Spencer, b. 21 Feb 1840, Middlefield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States d. 9 Feb 1924, Paris, Bear Lake, Idaho, United States (Age 83 years) |
| | 7. Lucy Curtis Spencer, b. 9 Oct 1842, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States d. 29 Dec 1867, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 25 years) |
| | 8. Chloe Spencer, b. 26 Jul 1844, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States d. 6 Sep 1845, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States (Age 1 year) |
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| Family ID |
F41506 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 2 |
Eliza Ann Dibble, b. 18 Aug 1829, Chardon, Geauga, Ohio, United States d. 14 May 1891, Richmond, Cache, Utah, United States (Age 61 years) |
| Marriage |
15 Jan 1846 |
Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States |
| Family ID |
F41508 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 3 |
Martha Knight, b. 18 May 1826, Little Lever, Lancashire, England d. 23 Oct 1905, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 79 years) |
| Marriage |
Apr 1847 |
Somersetshire, England |
| Children |
| | 1. Martha Emma Spencer, b. 30 Jan 1848, Liverpool, Lancashire, England d. 15 Jan 1945, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 96 years) |
| | 2. Albert James Spencer, b. 24 Jun 1850, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States d. 13 Sep 1903, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 53 years) |
| | 3. William Collinson Spencer, b. 10 Dec 1851, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States d. 12 Nov 1853 (Age 1 year) |
| | 4. June Knight Spencer, b. 28 Jun 1854, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States d. 13 May 1927, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 72 years) |
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| Family ID |
F41509 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 4 |
Margaret Miller, b. 22 Feb 1830, Whitehaven, Cumbria, England d. 31 Mar 1915, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 85 years) |
| Marriage |
13 Oct 1849 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Family ID |
F41510 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 5 |
Jane Thompson Davis, b. 14 Feb 1834, Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England d. 15 Dec 1903, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 69 years) |
| Marriage |
16 Feb 1852 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Children |
| | 1. Luna Hannah Spencer, b. 6 Dec 1852, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States d. 9 Nov 1930 (Age 77 years) |
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| Family ID |
F41511 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 6 |
Mary Currie Hill, b. 16 Jul 1812, Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland d. 1 Jan 1871, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 58 years) |
| Marriage |
12 Sep 1852 |
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
| Family ID |
F41512 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
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| Event Map |
|
 | Birth - 14 Mar 1802 - West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Christening - 13 May 1802 - West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Marriage - 13 Apr 1830 - West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States |
|
 | Initiatory (LDS) - 2 Dec 1843 - OTHER |
|
 | Marriage - 15 Jan 1846 - Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States |
|
 | Marriage - Apr 1847 - Somersetshire, England |
|
 | Marriage - 13 Oct 1849 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
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| Marriage - 16 Feb 1852 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
|
| Marriage - 12 Sep 1852 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
|
 | Death - 15 Oct 1855 - St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
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 | Burial - - Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake, Utah, United States |
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| Notes |
- Orson's burial
He was initially buried in St Louis in October 1855 and was moved to Sa l t Lake and buried in the summer of 1856.
Orson Spencer, the son of Daniel and Chloe Spencer, was born in West Sto c kbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, on 14 March 1802. At the ag e o f twelve, Spencer contracted a serious illness that nearly cost him h is l ife; a fever sore that developed on his leg left him with a slight l imp . In 1817, at the age of fifteen, he entered the academy in the tow n of L enox. His performance at a public examination so impressed the tow n sheri ff that the man offered to loan Spencer fifty dollars to pay fo r his educ ation.
Orson Spencer entered Union College at Schenectady, New York, in 1819 a n d graduated with honors in 1824. He entered the teaching profession i n Wa shington, Georgia. While teaching, he became interested in the fiel d of l aw, and subsequently pursued this course of study. At about the sa me time , he developed an interest in religion, and shortly thereafter, i n 1827 , he joined the Baptist Church. This new interest led him from th e stud y of law to the study of theology, and he entered the Theologica l Colleg e at Hamilton, New York, graduating in 1829 as valedictorian. H e marrie d Catharine Curtis 13 April 1830, and eight children were born t o them. F rom 1829 to 1841 Spencer served as pastor of the Third Baptis t Church i n Satbrook (Deep River), Connecticut, the Second Baptist Churc h in Danbur y, Connecticut, and the Baptist Church in Middlefield, Massac husetts.
Spencer was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sain t s by his brother Daniel, who baptized him in the spring of 1841. He jou rn eyed to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he became active in religious and civi c a ffairs. In 1843 he served a short-term mission to New Haven, Connecti cut , along with Lorin Farr. During that same year he also served in Mass achu setts. Upon his return to Nauvoo, he served as an alderman .
When the Mormons were driven from Nauvoo, Spencer and his family moved w i th the main body of the Saints to the Iowa plains. Because of the physi ca l trials of that experience, his wife became ill and died, leaving Ors o n with six children under the age of thirteen. He had received a missi o n call to Great Britain, and the decision was made that he should fulfi l l that mission. He left his children under the care of the oldest, Aure li a, with a promise that the neighbors also would look out for them. H e arr ived in Liverpool, England, 23 January 1827. He presided over the L DS Bri tish Mission and served as the editor of the Millennial Star for a bout tw o years. During this time he corresponded with a Reverend Mr. Cro wel, an d these letters were later published. His work was not complete d when hi s term of service was up, so LDS President Brigham Young aske d him to ext end his mission. In the meantime, his six children, aided b y others, ha d made their way across the plains and settled in the Salt L ake Valley, l iving in a dirt dugout. He was reunited with his children i n 1849. Whil e in Britain, Orson married Martha Knight, with whom he ha d four children . He later married Ann Dibble, Margaret Miller, Jane T. D avis, and Mary H ill.
When the University of Deseret was founded in 1850, Orson Spencer was ap p ointed its first chancellor, a position he held until his death. He al s o served on the first legislative council of Utah Territory.
In 1852 Spencer was again called as a missionary--this time to Europe . H e visited the Kingdom of Prussia with the intention of introducing me ssag e of Mormonism; but the attempt failed, and he was expelled from th e coun try. He returned to the Salt Lake Valley, and in 1853 he was calle d on an other mission, to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served until July 18 55, at w hich time Apostle Erastus Snow asked him to become the editor o f the St . Louis Luminary. He lived in St. Louis for a short time until h e was cal led to go on a mission to the Cherokee Nation. On 5 August 185 5 he and Ja mes McGaw began their labors among the Cherokees. They remain ed with th e Indians until 5 September 1855, at which time they returne d to St. Loui s. While with the Cherokees, Spencer had become ill with ch ills and fever . After arriving in St. Louis, his health further deterior ated. After a n illness of forty days, Orson Spencer died on 15 October 1 855. He was eu logized as a man of honest heart, sterling integrity, an d determination o f purpose.
See: Seymour H. Spencer, Life Summary of Orson Spencer (1964); Aureli a S . Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others (1898).
H. Dean Garrett
Source: Utah History Encyclopedia (media.utah.edu/UHE/s/SPENCER,ORSON.ht m l : viewed 27 June 2003)
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Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors and 38 descendants in this family tree.
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