Biographical Sketch of J. C. Spence, Wright County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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J. C. Spence, a prominent merchant of Mansfield, Mo., was born in Roane
County, E. Tenn., in 1830, and was the sixth child born to the marriage
of Robert and Margaret (Alexander) Spence, who were early immigrants to
Tennessee, where they were married and reared their family of eight
children.  In 1853 they immigrated to Wright County, Mo., where they
were engaged in farming and spent the remainder of their days.  The
father's ancestors, paternal and maternal, who were of Scotch and Irish
descent, immigrated to America prior to the Revolutionary War, and 
served in that conflict, the latter being in the battle of King's
Mountain, where he had his "bee gum" hat pierced by seven bullets.  The
hat was kept in the family as a relic for many years.  J. C. Spence,
whose name heads this sketch, was the first of his father's children to
leave the paternal roof to seek his fortune.  While they were still 
residents of Tennessee he came to Missouri (in 1852), having been pre-
viously married to Miss Sarah E. Osborn, a native of Tennessee.  She
only lived two years after her marriage, their only child dying the
same week that his mother did.  Soon after this sad event Mr. Spence
went to California, and remained on the Pacific slope for eleven years,
and finally, after mining without success for several years, turned his
attention to stock dealing, in which business he was quite successful.
In 1868 he returned to Wright County, and engaged in merchandising,
farming and stock trading, but after a time gave up the two latter
employments, and since 1882 has been a resident of Mansfield, and has
given his attention to merchandising.  The first year of his residence
in the town he built a barn and was occupied in the livery business,
but soon sold out, and has since given his attention to his store.  On
invoicing his stock of goods, January 1, 1889, it amounted to about
$10,000.  He has good town property, and is considered one of the 
wealthy citizens of the county.  He is a member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, and is a Democrat in his political views.
 
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