Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Spangler, Peter W 1836 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 6, 2007, 2:39 pm

Author: Portrait & Bios Album, 1890

PETER W. SPANGLER, is prosperously engaged in the livery business in 
Plainfield. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born at Centre Hill, Centre 
County, April 4, 1836. His father, John Spangler, was a native of the same 
county, while his grandfather, Peter S. Spangler, is thought to have been born 
in Lancaster County, in the same state, and was reared, married and spent his 
entire life in the Keystone State. The father of our subject was reared to 
farming but afterwards learned the trade of cabinet making, which he did not 
follow long, however, but went back to his first vocation, buying a farm after 
his marriage, at Centre Hill. He resided there till 1846, when he emigrated to 
Illinois with wife and twelve children, coming overland with a pair of horses 
and a wagon and a carriage drawn by one horse, the journey consuming three 
weeks and three days. Mr. Spangler had been here before prospecting, and had 
bought two farms located in Plainfield Township, the one on which he settled 
being well-improved, and provided with good buildings. There were no railways 
in Illinois at that time, and Chicago was the nearest market. He lived on his 
farm some years and then retired to Joliet, where he resided till his death, 
he having accumulated an ample competence that sufficed for all his wants. The 
maiden name of his wife was Catherine Stemm, and she was born in Centre 
County, Pa., and was a daughter of Adam Stemm, a native of the same state. She 
died on the home farm some years before her husband. They reared a family of 
fourteen children, nine sons and five daughters. Peter Spangler was ten years 
old when he came to this country with his parents, and he was here reared to 
agricultural pursuits. At eighteen years of age he commenced to learn the 
trade of a plasterer at Plainfield, and worked at that here for a time, and 
was then engaged at it in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for a while. He returned to 
Plainfield before the war, and joined a company of light infantry, which was 
sent to Cairo by the governor at the first call for troops, and was there 
mustered into service as Co. K, 10th Illinois Battery. Our subject proved that 
he had good soldierly qualities, and he did faithful service in defense of the 
Union during the three months that he was in the army, that being the length 
of the term of enlistment of his regiment. At the close of that time he was 
obliged to abandon military life on account of ill health, and for nearly two 
years thereafter he was unable to do any manual labor. He subsequently resumed 
his trade, which he soon gave up to give his attention to farming, and was 
thus engaged in farming on his fathers farm during the following five years. 
At the end of that time he returned to Plainfield, and three years later 
entered upon his present business as the keeper of a livery stable and a 
trader in horses, his dealings extending to all points between here and 
Chicago. He has quite an aptitude for this calling, being a good judge of 
horse flesh, and possessing the requisite shrewdness and sagacity necessary 
for the business. His livery stable is well managed and well patronized. Mr. 
Spangler has had the good fortune to secure a good wife, whose maiden name was 
Mary Lee, and to whom he was united in marriage in 1870. Two children complete 
their household circle, Roy and Merton. Mr. Spangler is a sturdy Democrat in 
politics; socially, he is identified with the A. F. & A. M. as a member of 
Plainfield Lodge. No. 536. He possesses good business qualifications, is 
enterprising, and knows how to conduct his transactions to the best advantage. 
He is kind hearted and generous, ever ready to do a favor, and is well-liked 
by his neighbors.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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