Descendants of John Spencer to Mary Anna Spencer husband Joshua Magoon. File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Susan W. Pieroth, (© 1997 Susan W. Pieroth) USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages are for the use of indivisual researchers, and may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: Biograşhical, by the American Historical Society, Inc., 1920. For an unknown reason there are two coşies of the book with the same title şage, but with different contents. Articles will be added from these books regularly. From şages 142 - 143. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHARLES E. SPENCER The Spencer family in Rhode Island, comprising the progeny of John Spencer, and tracing a continuous history in this Colony and State for two and a half centuries, forms one of the foremost and most influential of the founder families of East Greenwich. The identity of the founder, John Spencer, has been more or less shrouded in mystery for generations. Genealogists of the family now incline to the theory that he was the nephew of Captain John Spencer, of Newbury, Mass., and identical with the John Spencer, who in 1637 inherited the estate of Captain Spencer, and in 1650 erected a stone house after the fashion of English country houses of the period in old Newbury. The consensus of opinion seems to be that while not of noble birth, John Spencer was an English gentleman of the upper middle class, well educated, and a representative of the finest type of English emigrant to America. His descendants have produced a superior stock, well fitted to take a leading part in the affairs of the communities in which it has settled. (I) John Spencer, immigrant ancestor and founder, may have been a son of the Michael Spencer who was of Cambridge, in 1634, and later of Lynn, and may also have been identical with that John Spencer who was made the heir of his uncle, John Spencer, says John Osborne Austin. The earliest definite information of him dates to 1661, when he received lot 22 in a division of the Westerly lands. He did not become a settler there, but removed to Newport, where he was made a freeman in 1668. He was one of the forty-eight persons to whom in 1677 were granted five thousand acres of land to be called East Greenwich, where he settled and took a prominent part thenceforward until his death, in public affairs. From 1677 to 1683 he was town clerk, in 1678 conservator of the peace, and in 1680 was chosen to represent East Greenwich in the General Assembly. John Spencer married Susanna Griffn, and they were the parents of eight sons and one daughter, all of whom married and left a numerous progeny. Like their father, nearly all the sons had a taste for public life and served their town in some public capacity, all of the sons at one time or another representing East Greenwich in the General Assembly. John Spencer died August 30, 1684. (II) John (2) Spencer, son of John (1) and Susanna (Griffin) Spencer, was born April 2o, 1666, and died in 1743. He was a cordwainer by trade. Removing to East Greenwich with his father in 1677, he spent the remainder of his life there, and was an influential figure in public affairs for many years. In 1699-1700-04-05-09-14-24-26-29 he represented the town in the General Assembly. In 1704 he was justice of the peace. In 1712-19 he was speaker of the House of Deputies. About 1692, John Spencer married Audrey Greene, who was born December 27, 1667, and died April 17, 1733, daughter of John and Ann (Almy) Greene, and granddaughter of Surgeon John Greene, of Warwick. John Greene, her father, was major of militia, and Deputy Governor of the Colony. (III) William Spencer, son of John (2) and Audrey (Greene) Spencer, was born at East Greenwich, R. I., May 6, 1695, and was a prominent resident and large land owner there all his life. He married, May 10, 1716, Elizabeth Rice, daughter of John and Elnathan (Whipple) Rice, and died in 1776. (IV) John (3) Spencer, son of William and Elizabeth (Rice) Spencer, was born January 25, 1717, in East Greenwich, and died there November 16, 1766. On December 27, 1737, he married (first) Mercy Coggeshall. He married (second) February 9, 1752, Mercy Slocum, daughter of Giles and Mary Slocum, who was born in 1727, and died February 2, 1809. (V) Ebenezer Spencer, son of John (3) and Mercy (Slocum) Spencer, was born November 16, 1755, at East Greenwich, and died there in 1843. He married, in 1775, Lucy Hall, daughter of William and Penelope Hall, of Exeter. (VI) Deacon Charles Spencer, son of Ebenezer and Lucy (Hall) Spencer, was born at East Greenwich, August 23, 1789. He married, June 21, 1811, Sarah Vaughn, daughter of David and Sybil (Card) Vaughn, born June 21, 1793. He was a prominent resident in East Greenwich all his life. (VII) Charles Edwin Spencer, son of Deacon Charles and Sarah (Vaughn) Spencer, was born in East Greenwich. He married Hannah E. Mulliken, who was born in Newport, October 23, 1812, and died November 7, 1909, at Rocky Hill, R. I. Their children were: Cyrus Butler, Isaac Hall, Mary Anna, mentioned below. (VIII) Mary Anna Spencer, daughter of Charles Edwin and Hannah E. (Mulliken) Spencer, was born at East Greenwich, R. I., June 8, 1845. She married, in 1861, Joshua Robert Magoon, mentioned below. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JOSHUA ROBERT MAGOON, one of the best known farmers and dealers in horses and cattle in Warwick in the latter decades of the nineteenth century, was born in Danville, Vt., August 8, 1839, member of a family long established there. At the age of eighteen years he came to Rhode Island and settled at Rocky Hill, in Warwick, which was his home thenceforward until his death. For a period of about eight years after coming to this State, he conducted a very successful business in tinware, driving a wagon through the State. The Yankee peddler of tinware and notions was an institution of the period, to be found in all parts of the country. In this business, Mr. Magoon amassed sufficient capital to purchase a farm of twenty-eight acres at Rocky Hill, and to establish himself on a small scale as a horse and cattle dealer. Later he added an adjoining farm of twenty-five acres to his property, and gradually increased it until at his death his farm covered one hundred and twenty-seven acres. His trade in horses and cattle grew to large proportions, and in addition to selling, he also butchered animals and sold meat. Few men were better known in the country round about Rocky Hill. Joshua Robert Magoon married Mary Anna Spencer, daughter of Charles Edwin and Hannah Elizabeth (Mulliken) Spencer, of East Greenwich. They were parents of three children: 1. Charles Robert, of East Greenwich; married Carrie Greene, of Thompson, Conn. 2. Edwin I., died in 1893, aged twenty-seven years; married Annie L. Briggs, who bore him four children, namely; Joshua Foss, married Elsie W. Searle; Charles E., married Minnie E. Shepard, of Crompton, and died aged twenty-eight years; Nelson B., died aged twenty-two years; Harry E. Fred, died at Camp Upton, Long Island, in 1918, while in the service of the United States in the World War; married Minnie Searle, of Providence. Mr. Magoon was active in public affairs in Warwick for many years, although in no sense of the word an office seeker. He was a member of the School Committee for a long period. He was a member of the Baptist church and a regular attendant and generous donor to its charities. Joshua Robert Magoon died at his home at Rocky Hill, February 12, 1900.