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Below is a family biography included in The History of Adams County, Illinois published by Murray, Williamson & Phelps in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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SPENCER, FLAVEL, farmer and fruit-grower; Sec. 8; P. O. Payson; the second of nine children of Moses and Alma (Flagg) Spencer; was born the 27th of November, 1814, in West Hartford, Conn., of which place his parents were also natives. He was reared on a farm there, and enjoyed the educational advantages of the public schools. In the fall of 1839, he drove a team through to Adams county, Ill. As he loaded their household goods on board a vessel in the Connecticut river, he watered his team from that stream with a bucket; and watered them from the same bucket, after a 1,200-mile drive, with water dipped from the Mississippi river. He was married, Sept. 8, 1839, just before starting west, to Elizabeth Ackert, born in Connecticut, May 1, 1809. Their union resulted in three children; two living: David, and John F. David twice enlisted in the United States army during the late civil war; was first discharged from disability. The sons are now both with their parents. Mr. Spencer owns forty-five acres in the homestead, finely improved, worth $75 per acre. He and wife are members of the Congregational church. He sold 1,600 boxes of peaches in the fall of 1878.

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This family biography is one of 1444 biographies included in The History of Adams County, Illinois published by Murray, Williamson & Phelps in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Adams County, Illinois

View additional Adams County, Illinois family biographies here: Adams County, Illinois Biographies

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