Harry Edward Spence (1871 - abt. 1911)

Born 23 Feb 1871 in Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas, United States

Ancestors

Died about 27 Feb 1911 at about age 40 in Fresno, Fresno, California, United States

Biography

A 1919 biography in The History of Fresno County includes his birth date and death date and wife etc.

HARRY EDWARD SPENCE Born near Minneapolis, Ottawa County. Kans., February 23. 1871, Harry E. Spence came to California with his parents, Andrew and Caroline (Bell) Spence, when twelve years of age. They resided at Duarte, Los Angeles County, until 1888, when they moved to Burroughs Valley, Fresno County. He finished his education at Healdsburg College and then devoted his time to farming and stock-raising.

At Fresno, in 1898, Harry Spence married Miss Lutie Gilmer, who was born near Porterville, Cal., and whose father was Robert Gilmer, a native of Kentucky who crossed the plains to California in the fifties. After mining a few years he returned to Iowa, and there married Mary A Dye, a native of that state. He served over three years in an Iowa regiment in the Civil War as a second lieutenant. In 1873 they settled at Porterville, Cal., and afterwards at Selma, but in 1879 they moved to Burroughs Valley where Mr. Gilmer improved a ranch and set out one of the first orchards in the valley. He died here and is survived by his widow. Mrs. Spence is next to the youngest of their seven children and was educated in the public schools of the valley. Harry Spence was successful as a farmer and became owner of 400 acres in the heart of Burroughs Valley. For many years he also followed teaming to the mills in the Sierras and while thus engaged took a heavy cold through exposure, which resulted in his death, February 27, 1911.

Since his death Mrs. Spence has continued stock-raising, being assisted in the management of the ranch by Mr. Spence's brother, Dulcy Spence ; they have extended their holdings, also owning ranches in Watts and Sycamore valleys. For many years they have engaged in the mercantile business in a store built on their ranch, where Mrs. Spence served as postmaster from 1899 until 1917, when she resigned. Mr. and Mrs. Spence had four children : Vivian, Patti, Harry Gilmer, and Edward Sylvester. Mr. Spence served as school trustee, as well as Justice of the Peace. He was a prominent man and yielded a wide influence for good. Mrs. Spence performs her civic duties under the standard of the Republican party. ^[1]

Marriage

Husband: Harry Edward Spence

Wife: Lusarah Gilmer

Marriage:

Date: 1898

Child: Vivian Spence

Child: Pattie Spence

Child: Harry Gilmer Spence

Child: Edwards Sylvester Spence

Death

Death:

Date: 27 Feb 1911

Place: Fresno, California, USA ^[2]

Burial

Burial:

Tollhouse Cemetery

Tollhouse

Fresno County

California, USA^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 December 2019), memorial page for Harry Edward Spence (23 Feb 1871–27 Feb 1911), Find A Grave: Memorial #102267035, citing Tollhouse Cemetery, Tollhouse, Fresno County, California, USA ; Maintained by Jack Runyan (contributor 47116767) .
2. ↑ "California Death Index, 1905-1939," database with images, FamilySearch [1] : 8 November 2017, Harry E Spence, 27 Feb 1911; citing 6828, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento; FHL microfilm 1,686,047.

See also:

• Bell, Geta Gina Bells in U. S. A. and Allied Families 1650-1977 (privately published, 1977) As of Jun 2021, this book is not available online due to copyright Bell Family on Wayback machine Note: The web version is excerpted from a longer document provided by June Smith. A lot of the material in it also appears in Fred Hawthorne's database.
• Bell Family

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of JDS_09_17_10.ged on 09 February 2011.