Obituary: Rock County, Wisconsin: Peter SPENCER ************************************************************************ Submitted by Ruth Ann Montgomery, June 2005 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ OBITUARY Died: Wednesday afternoon, April 4, 1900 at about three o'clock at his home in this city. Mr. Peter Fletcher Spencer, aged 93 years. The death of our townsman, Mr. P. F. Spencer, brings us to contemplate the life of a remarkable man. He was born in Vermont, March 12, 1807. He spent his early life in that state upon a farm. In May 1854, he moved to Wisconsin and has since made this place his home. Up to the time of the illness which carried him away he had never ben confined to his bed a whole day by ill health. His has been a life free from contention as he was never a party to a quarrel, lawsuit or a fight of any description. He never drank a glass of any spirituous liquor nor ever used tobacco. He first voted for President for Henry Clay in 1832. Until 1868 he voted with the Republican party and since then has voted where he felt the cause was best. Mr. Spencer was for years a farmer in Vermont where he lived on the home farm. He was the oldest of seven sons. He was born in a settlement known as Spencerville, there being four families of Spencers living at that place, with lands adjacent. This hamlet was four miles from Springfield. After leaving home he was for twenty years interested in mercantile business, dealing in stoves at Clearmont, Conn. After coming to this place he purchased considerable land and although some of our finest homes now stand upon what was once his farm, he owned several very desirable pieces of property at the time of his death. Mr. Spencer was ever a reading, thinking man. He remembered all our wars but the Revolution and took an active part in reforms. He used to hear Wm. Lloyd Garrison discuss slavery and was the staunchest advocate of freedom. He could recall distinctly Elizabeth Cady Stanton's first address before the New York Legislature in behalf of Woman Suffrage and said he had been a believer in equal suffrage for over forty years. During his life he voted for eighteen presidents. His wonderful health and marvelous retention of faculties were attributed by his friends to his steadfast adherence to the laws of health and his abstemious habits. His life has been one of peaceful plenty and growth, and rests like a peaceful benediction upon his kindred and friends. Four daughters survive Mr. Spencer, Mesdames Elizabeth Flosbach of Eden Vale, Cal., Lydia Dawson of Maynard, Iowa, Sarah Morehouse of Kansas City, Mo. and Miss Rusha Spencer of this city who has been the home keeper since the mother's death. The funeral occurred from the home Friday afternoon, Rev. Mr. Wilson of Janesville, officiating. April 7, 1900, The Badger, p. 1, Evansville, Wisconsin