Platt Rogers Spencer (1800 - 1864)

Born 7 Nov 1800 in East Fishkill, Dutchess, New York, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Persis Warren (Duty) Spencer — married 17 Apr 1828 in Half Moon, Rensselaer, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 16 May 1864 at age 63 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States

Biography

Platt Spencer is Notable.

SPENCER, Platt Rogers, educator and author, was born at East Fishkill, N.Y., Nov 7 1800, son of Caleb Spencer, who was always passionately fond of penmanship. In his early years he notoriously wrote upon anything procurable – sand, snow, ice, brick, bark, the fly leaves of his mother's Bible, etc.

His father passed away in 1806 in New York and his mother moved the family to the western frontier near Ashtabula, Ohio in 1809. It was difficult to get an education but he persevered. He developed his method of pensmanship early began teaching his methods in 1815.

He is credited with developing the Spencerian System of Penmanship and published his technique in several books. His techniques were widely adopted in schools across the country.^[1] He taught at Professor Robert Hutchinson’s Private Academy for young men at Saybrook, Ohio.^[2]

He had meant to complete college and enter the Christian ministry, but the drinking customs of the day interfered and he dropped out. While in this intemperate mood he married Persis Duty. Her niece was the noted temperance movement worker, Jennie Duty. By 1832 he had mastered the temptation to drink and was delivering speechs on temperance and total abstinence.

Soon after his reformation he was elected Ashtabula county assessor; he was county treasurer twelve years and considered a model officer. The early history of Ashtabula county was collected through his instrumentality. He became a zealous and eloquent advocate of the abolition of negro slavery and was one of the founders of the Ashtabula County Anti-slavery Society. He was an earnest advocate of universal freedom and education. Through his work and influence as a teacher, by his system of penmanship, through his pupils and by his public addresses and encouragement he was instrumental in founding business colleges and in promoting the American system of business education.

Mr. Spencer was among the earliest to recognize the talents and promise of James A. Garfield, encouraged him to enter public life and was instrumental in securing his nomination when first elected to congress. He was Garfield's teacher in penmanship, and a warm attachment existed between them. Garfield wrote a moving tribute to the memory of Mr. Spencer and his labors. He died in Geneva, O., May 16,1864. On August 24, 2012, the city of Geneva, Ohio, unveiled the Spencerian Monument at the re-dedication ceremony for the Ashtabula County Western Area Courthouse.

Platt Rogers and Persis Warren Duty had the following children:

1. Robert Closson b. 22 Jun 1829 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d.10 Jan 1916 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, (Forest Home Cemetery).
2. Henry Harvey b. 11 Jun 1831 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d. 19 Aug 1831 in Ashtabula, Ohio.
3. Sarah Louisa b. 17 Dec 1832 in Ohio; d. 14 Mar 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois,
4. Platt Rogers b. 03 May 1835 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d. 30 Oct 1923 in Port Orange, Volusia, Florida,
5. Harvey Alden b. 06 Feb 1838 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio. He died in Oct 1913 in Brooklyn, NY,
6. Henry Caleb b. 06 Feb 1838 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d. 31 Aug 1891 in Washington, DC
7. Lyman Potter b. 11 May 1840 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d. 10 Jun 1915 in Sunbury, Northumberland, Pennsylvania.
8. Phoebe Jerusha b. 22 Nov 1842 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d. 20 May 1867.
9. Julia Mandana b. 14 Jun 1846 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio; d. 25 Jul 1848 in Ashtabula, Ohio.
10. Persis Ellen b. 13 May 1850 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio.
11. Emma Louisa b. 12 Apr 1856 in Ashtabula County, Ohio; d. 20 Oct 1864 in Chicago, IL

Sources

• The National Cyclopaedia of American biography, Volume VIII, Publisher: New York, James. T. White company, 1900, Page 11

• Flora S Clark, George E. McCracken, Descendants of Michael Spencer, Part 2: Generations 5 and 6, Part II, (Indianapolis IN: Spencer Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc, 1987), p 57 of 117

1. ↑ Heartland Science website: Spencerian System of Penmanship
2. ↑ Leelanau Historical Society object 1988.07.02, introduction - used with permission

See also:

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