MUSKINGUM COUNTY OHIO BIO: SPENCER, Joseph (published 1892)
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From the 
The Ohio Biographies Project
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~usbios/Ohio/mnpg.html
a part of
The U.S. Biographies Project
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JOSEPH SPENCER, farmer, Frazeysburg, Ohio. Among the well-known pioneer settlers of
Muskingum county, Ohio, the Spencers deserve honorable mention, for not only are they classed
among the first settlers, but they have ever been respected and esteemed citizens. Mr. Spencer's
grandfather, Joseph Spencer, was a native of Maryland, of English descent, and was a shoemaker
by trade. He was the father of five children: Foreman, Edward, William, Sarah and Gracie (who
died in Maryland). Grandfather Spencer came to Ohio in early life, after the death of his first wife,
and after her son, Foreman, had made a start, built a home and married. He lived with his son until
his death, when seventy-five years of age. He was a member of the Baptist church and was well
thought of by the old settlers. His son, Foreman Spencer, was born in Maryland, September 1,
1784, secured but a limited eduction, and there learned the trade of a tanner and shoemaker. He
was one of the first settlers of Muskingum county, Ohio, emigrating there, it is believed, about
1800 or 1801, with a family by the name of Tanner, the descendants of whom are now residing in
Zanesville. Mr. Spencer fist built a log cabin and here resided for a number of years. He had
entered his land, but had no money to pay for it. He had a horse, and having some time in which to
pay for his land, he mounted that animal and with some provisions and a sack of oats, he visited
Virginia to borrow $100 of an uncle. He received the money and returned in time to save the land,
consisting of 160 acres. He again returned to Virginia and married Miss Dorothy Wiseman of West
Virginia, on the Little Kenesaw river. The fruits of this union were eight children, all of whom lived
to maturity: Wilson, Foreman, Owen, Wiseman, Harriet, Joseph, Elizabeth and Minerva. Mr.
Spencer was a great worker and cleared his land of the heavy timber with which it was covered.
For many years his nearest neighbor was ten and fifteen miles away, except one family that lived
where the covered bridge now is, near Frazeysburg, and he used to go ten miles to a log rolling. He
used to go to the falls of Licking river for his grist of meal, horseback, and hitch his horse to the
branches of the beech trees, waiting sometimes all night to get his grist ground, and sleeping under
the trees. On his way home, he would frequently miss his cabin, although near it, on account of the
thick foliage of the trees. Here he labored hard, endured all the privation of pioneer days, and
gradually made a fine farm. He cared very little for hunting and did not waste his time that way,
well knowing that the farm was the road to success. He used to wrap up his children and lay them
under the beech trees while his wife would gather brush to keep up a fire so that he could see to
grub up the bushes with his mattock. In this way he worked and delved until he finally owned 600
acres. His sons, as they grew up, greatly assisted him, which he repaid by giving them land. Mr.
Spencer built a brick house before 1817, and this was the first brick building in that county. There
were none at Nashport, Irville or Frazeysburg at that early day. He got out the timber on his own
land, burned the brick on his own farm and they are in excellent condition to this day, He built the
house by piece meal and the walls are still standing in good condition. Mr. Spencer gave an acre of
land to build the Old School Baptist church on, and this still stands and is occupied by them. The
land where Shannon now stands belonged to Mr. Spencer, who founded the town and which at one
time had a general store; a physiciian, and all the different trades were represented. He was the
first tanner in this township, or in this part of the county, beginning the business soon after coming
here and continuing it for many years. the money he made in that way assisted him in paying for his
land. He was very careful and economical, and the household clothing was all raised, spun, woven
and made upon the farm. He used to go Taylor's salt works for salt, paying several dollars per
barrel. His faithful wife died at the early age of thirty-seven. She was an Old School Baptist in her
religious belief and a devout woman. About fifteen years afterward Mr. Spencer married the
widow of Jesse Crannell, formeraly a Miss Margaret Evans, and to them was born one child. Mr.
Spenser was one of the foremost men of the township and took an active interest in its
advancement. After rearing his children and giving land to each, he sold his property in Ohio, and
went to New York city, where he took passage on a sailing vessel for San Francisco. From there he
went to Portland, Ora., and settled thirty miles from that city in Williamette valley on new land
which was then a wilderness, and here Mr. Spencer again made a new home in a new country.
During the period of the great Civil war about 1861 and 1862, his daughter, Harriet Baxter, with
her husband (John Baxter) and seven children went to Oregon and settled in the home of Mr.
Spencer, who was now an old man, and who lived about eight years afterward, dying at the age of
eighty-six years. He left a handsome property of over 300 acres in the Willamette valley. Mr.
Spenser was very energetic and a good business man, depending more on his business management
and not so much on hard work the latter part of his life. He was honorable and upright and his word
was as good as his bond. His son, Joseph Spencer, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, July 8,
1823, and received but a limited education. At an early age he began assisting his father to clear
the home place, and worked with untiring industry on the same for years. At the age of
twenty-four he married the daughter of Chaney and Sarah Mendenhall, one of the pioneer settlers
of Jackson township, coming from Virginia at an early day. To Mr. and Mrs. Spencer was born one
child, Jesse J., who is now a married man with two children and is living in Kansas on a farm. After
his marriage Joseph Spencer lived with his father until he was thirty-one years of age. His wife
died three years after marriage, and six years later, at the age of thirty-one, he married Miss
Martha Bail who bore him four children, all of whom lived to grow to maturity: Foreman, William
H., Thomas C., and Flora A. After his marriage, and in 1855, he moved to his present farm which
his father had given him and which consisted of 128 acres. To this he was added from time to time
until he now owns 328 acres, besides having given his sons 120 acres in Jackson township. Mr.
Spencer has been successful in farming , and is one of the substantial men of the county. He holds
membership in the Presbyterian church and has been trustee of the same for some time. He takes
a decided interest in educational matters and has been school director. In politics he is a
republican. He has lived all his life in this township, is well known, and is a temperate, moral man.
He made a trip to Oregon and Washington territory in 1888 and was much pleased with the
Williamette valley. 

Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio: Chicago, 1892: The
Goodspeed Publishing Co.