Biographies - Elmira Township

Simon B. Spencer, born at Peacham, Vt., December 27, 1821, is the son of Samuel, born October 26, 1777, and Betsy (Currier) Spencer, natives of Windham county, N. H., and Boxford, Mass., respectively; and grandson of Ebenezer and Mary (Robinson) Spencer, descended from one of the three Spencer brothers who came from England, and from the Robinsons, who settled in New Hampshire among its pioneers.

Betsy Currier is the daughter of David and Elizabeth (Peabody) Currier (the latter raised by Gen. Putnam's sister), natives of Massachusetts. She married Samuel Spencer about 1803, Rev. Leonard Wooston officiating. To them six children were born, viz., Sarah, born in 1804, residing in Rock Island county; Isaac, born March 26, 1812, died in Elmira, December 27, 1884; Betsy, born January 1, 1817, married Dan N. Beall in 1836, resides in Rock Island county, and celebrated their golden wedding in 1886; Simon B. resides here, and two died in infancy.

In 1842, Simon B. Spencer set out for the west, arrived in Elmira, May 19th, and worked for his brother Isaac at eleven dollars per month.

Early in 1843, he revisited Vermont, returned in the fall with his father, mother and elder sister, and completed the Spencer settlement here. From 1844 to 1848, his health did not permit him to engage in any kind of work.

In the spring of 1852, he purchased the southeast quarter of section 2, and here has since been an agriculturalist and stock-grower. The forty acres which he entered in 1843, on section 14, he still holds, together with seven acres of coal land on section 16, eighty acres on the west half of section 2, and his residence in the village of Osceola.

He belonged to the Union League (1861-65), has always been republican, but is content with going to the polls. In religion he is a Baptist.