My Genealogy Hound

LEMUEL R. SPONG, one of the prominent citizens of East Pennsboro township, Cumberland county, was born May 21, 1855, in that township, a son of Joseph and Caroline (Marsh) Spong.

John Leonard Spong, the grandfather, was a native of Germany, and the grandmother, whose maiden name was De Werter, was a native of Dauphin county. Joseph Spong was born Feb. 2, 1823, and grew up a farmer boy, with few educational opportunities. He continued to farm until 1861, when he moved to West Fairview, and was employed in the nail mill until the works closed. In politics he was a Democrat. In religious connection he was a Lutheran, and he was a man universally respected. He married Caroline Marsh, who was born in York county, from ancestry of the British Isles, and who still survives at the age of seventy-seven years. Lemuel R. is the only surviving child, two others dying in infancy, and Noah dying in 1882, aged twenty-five years. Mrs. Spong is noted for her kind and gentle disposition and is beloved by all who knew her. She is a devout member of the Lutheran Church.

Lemuel R. Spong was reared to manhood in his native place and at Fairview, whither his father removed when he was six years of age. He attended the Fairview schools until he was twelve year’s old, when he entered the nail works at a wage of fifty cents a day, and continued to work there, through all the departments, being promoted from the position of office boy to that of overseer of the shipping department. In addition to acting as foreman of this important department he served as agent for the Adams Express Co. and the Northern Central Railroad at Fairview. In 1884 he was elected register of wills for Cumberland county, entering upon his duties in January, 1885, and served his full term, removing his family at that time to Carlisle. In August, 1888, he became manager for the McCormick estate quarry interests, and served as such until July, 1900, since which time he has been operating the Walton quarry of the estate, at Lemoyne, for himself, and is also interested in other quarries. Mr. Spong is also interested in the manufacture of a patent fertilizer lime and is erecting an extensive plant for the same. This plant is situated at Bonny Brook, below Carlisle, on the Gettysburg & Harrisburg railroad. Mr. Spong is Also the owner of large farming properties and other real estate in Cumberland county, and is one of its most substantial men. He is president of the Mechanicsburg Gas & Water Company.

On Oct. 24, 1875, in West Fairview, Mr. Spong married Miss Rosie Mann, daughter of George and Mary Ann (Eslinger) Mann. She passed away April 12, 1904, a member of the Lutheran Church, which Mr. Spong also attends and to which he is a liberal contributor. Politically, he is a Democrat and has been active in the party since early manhood. Fraternally, he belongs to the Royal Arcanum, Modern Woodmen and Heptasophs.