Coosa County AlArchives Biographies.....Spence, John K. October 27 1843 - living in 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 4:22 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    REV. JOHN K. SPENCE, Presbyterian minister at Good Water, Ala., is a son of
Samuel and Elizabeth J. (Miller) Spence. Samuel Spence was a native of Ireland,
having been born near Belfast in 1808. He became an orphan in infancy and was
reared by an aunt. He learned the weaver's trade in Ireland, and in 1828,
emigrated to America, landing at Charleston, S. C. He had received an academic
education in Ireland and not finding work at his trade in South Carolina he
began teaching school. This profession he followed for about twenty years,
educating a number of men who have become prominent in the professional world.
He was a man of fine mind, and began the study of the ancient languages and
mastered them after he was forty-five years of age. He came to Alabama in 1857,
from Kershaw district, S. C., and settled at La Fayette, Chambers county. He
lived there until his death in 1886. While in La Fayette he was judge of the
probate court for a short period, also circuit cleric and at another time tax
collector. This was just before, during and just after the war. He was a great
reader, a fine judge of law. He was a Presbyterian in religious belief. He was a
man of great acumen concerning doctrinal points, and was very, disputatious, and
being well read in the Bible he was difficult to defeat in an argument. He
married about 1832 in Kershaw county, S. C., Elizabeth Miller, who was a member
of a family of Scotch ancestry. Her mother was a Miss Knox, and is believed to
have been a descendant of the great reformer, John Knox. The family consisted of
thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters. All were reared to maturity and
twelve are now living. Their mother died in 1888. Rev. John K. Spence was born
October 27, 1843, in Kershaw district, S. C. He came to Alabama when a lad and
has lived in this state ever since, with the exception of a short residence in
Georgia. He had received a fair education when the war came on, and in 1862 he
enlisted as a private soldier in company I, Thirty-seventh Alabama infantry,
commanded by Cola James F. Dowdell, father of the present circuit judge. He was
at the siege of Vicksburg and was surrendered by Gen. Pemberton. He was soon
afterward paroled and exchanged, and joining his company was ordered to support
Gen. Johnston. When on the top of Look-out Mountain he received a wound in the
shoulder, breaking the collar bone. He was in most of the battles in the Atlanta
campaign. He was afterward ordered to Mobile and thence to North Carolina, where
he participated in the last important battle of the war, that of Bentonville,
and surrendered at Greensboro; N. C. He was at that time one of the color guards
of his regiment. Returning from the war he engaged in journalism for a time, in
company with Andrew J. Richards, reviving the Chambers Tribune. At the end of a
year he sold his interest in the Tribune to his partner, and going to
Greensboro, Ga., in company with Rev. W. C. Bledsoe, he commenced the
publication of the Herald, still one of the most prominent weekly papers in the
state. He remained there until 1868, when he sold out, and went to Pickens
county, Ala., where he engaged in farming, teaching school and clerking until
1886. While there he held the position of tax assessor from 1880 to 1882. The
regular term was four years, but his term was cut short by the legislature. In
1883 he realized his long cherished hope, and placed himself under the care of
the Presbyterian church, beginning the study for the ministry. His study was
private and he was ordained in 1886. In 1885 he was called to a group of
churches near Marion, Ala., and after a year he was called to a point near
Anniston. After a five years' service here he removed to Good Water, where he
has charge of a group of churches. Wherever he has preached he has been
successful and popular, and when he has left it has been against the wishes of
the people. He was married July 13, 1871, near Bridgeville, Pickens county,
Ala., to Kittie Duncan. To this marriage there were no children. He married the
second time, January 1, 1874, at Warsaw, Ala. to Sarah E. Stanton, by whom he
has three children, viz.: Lillie Laura, Willie G. and Mary S. Politically Rev.
Mr. Spence is a democrat, and has never scratched a ticket, and while not an
active politician he takes an active interest in the success of his party. He
also still takes considerable interest in journalism, and writes frequent
articles for the secular, as well as the religious press.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 741-743



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