George Raymond Spencer (1890 - 1979)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

Name: George Raymond Spencer. Given Name: George Raymond. Surname: Spencer. A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Buried 4 Sep 1979. Carlsbad, Eddy Co., New Mexico.

Note: #NI4994.

Notes

George was a school teacher, county school superintendent, carpenter, school bus driver, newspaper circulation manager, and real estate broker. On insurance application, George gave his birthplace as Hartford, Lyon County, Kansas. George moved with his family to Canton, Illinois when he was about 9 years old (ca 1899). George attended the Canton High School from September 1904 to June 1907. He moved from Canton, Illinois to Eddy County in 1908. He made the move with his mother and younger brother, David Arthur, and older sister, Eutha Gard. George's mother homesteaded an area just south of Carlsbad (then Eddy). The homestead patent for 160 acres in Mary M. Spencer's name was dated July 1, 1914 . George also homestead an adjacent 160 acres. His patent for 160 acres was dated April 27, 1919. In addition to working his mother's land to qualify for the homestead patent, George also taught at the Henry School located about seven miles from Eunice, New Mexico. It was there that he met Rosie Lee Hardesty. After their marriage, they moved to Carlsbad and lived on George's homestead. He taught the Spanish-American School until 1919. In 1919 they bought a farm located in La Huerta, north of Carlsbad. He farmed a few years then returned to the Eunice area to teach at the White School (Henry School). He was the third county school superintendent for Lea County in 1923 and 1924. George's aunt, Louisa Jane, willed part of her fortune to George Washington University in 1918 in establishing a scholarship fund in honor of her father. The stipulations of the will were that the descendants of David Spencer (her father) would be given first consideration. George decided to attend GWU under this scholarship. He matriculated in September of 1925 and attended for two semesters. At the time George had four children. The whole family went with him. George returned to Carlsbad in 1926 and drove a school bus from Rocky Arroyo to Carlsbad. He again taught school at the White School in 1928-1929 school year. From 1929 to 1932 George worked at odd jobs. From May 30, 1930 to February 15, 1932 and from April 11, 1932 to May 15, 1932 he worked for the United States National Park Service at Carlsbad Caverns as a carpenter. He was dismissed in favor of filling the position with a government civil servant. In the fall of 1932, George took the position of principal at the Eunice School. He held that position and also taught there for two years. During the years 1935 through 1938 he was the Eddy County School Superintendent. In 1942 he took the El Paso Times agency in Carlsbad. He retired from active management of the agency in 1955, turning it over to his son, Charles. He did, however, remain on record as the news agency owner until 1960, at which time a full transfer was made to Charles.

_______________________________ In his pension application form dated July 1, 1898 George's father reported him as being born in 1889 , but in another form dated 16 Jan 1902 when applying for increase in pension David stated "that the pension of eight dollars which I now receive is my only source of income and is totally inadequate for the support of myself and two children aged respectfully eleven (11) and nine (9) years.." implying a birth year of 1890. In requests from Dept. of the Interior-Bureau of Pensions (dtd 1898 and 1915) David provided the birthdates of all his children and stated George R. born on March 14, 1890 on both forms.

________________________________ George is in the household with his mother in the 1900 US Census Fulton County, Illinois in Canton, 558 (?) Vine Street, page 325 A. dwl 141, fam 148.

________________________________ 1910 Census for Territory of New Mexico, Eddy County, ED 299 145,149 Spencer, Mary M;head;59;D;;8,8,Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania

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, George R;son;20;S; Kansas, Illinois, Illinois

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, David A;son;17;S; Kansas, Illinois, Illinois

146,150 Gard, Frank C.;head;36;M16; Kansas, Virginia, Indiana

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, Eutha M.;wife;33; M16; Illinois, Illinois, Illinois

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, Arthur H.;son;14;S; Iowa, Kansas, Illinois

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, Clifford B.;son;9;S; Iowa, Kansas, Illinois

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Albuquerque Journal of January 26, 1911, pg 3 reports "Superintendent J. E. Clark of the department of education has announced the names of many of those who will receive teacher's certificates as a result of the examinations held early in the month. ... Eddy County - ..Third grade: ... George Spencer, all of Carlsbad."

_______________________________ WWI draft registration dated June 5, 1917 gives occupation as school teacher, employed by the town of Carlsbad. States that he is married with a child and is the sole support of the family. Born near Hartford, Kansas on 14 Mar 1890.

______________________________________________________ 1920 Eddy Co.,(ED 62, dwelling 83/ fam 87) New Mexico census. Date of census was 6 Feb 1920. .SpencerGeorge R (Head)MaleWhite29abt 1891 MarriedIllinois USA USA SpencerRosa L Wife FemWhite25abt 1895 MarriedTexasTexasTexas SpencerRaymond WSonMaleWhite2-7/12abt 1918 SingleNew MexicoIllinoisTexas SpencerDavid WSonMaleWhite1-3/12abt 1919 SingleNew MexicoIllinoisTexas SpencerMildred DauFemWhite2/12abt 1920 SingleNew MexicoIllinoisTexas

_______________________________ In George's records was a copy of a Chattel Mortgage from G. R. Spencer to The Carlsbad National Bank that was filed on June 25, 1927 in the county court house. The mortgage was to cover a note from the bank. Listed in the mortgage was: "One half-Jersey milch cow, 4 years old, now giving milk, one Jersey yearling heifer, Three brood sows and one boar, One Ford school bus, motor No . 7150075, one set double leather harness, One riding cultivator, One riding go-devil, one disk. all of the above described property is now on my farm in La Huerta." It was stamped Paid on Apr 26 1928.

________________________________ 1930 USC New Mexico, Eddy Co., Precinct 1 (part of), ED 8-2, Supv dist. 5 , dwl 21, fam 24 Spencer, George R.,head,Owns,00,no radio,male,40,Mar at 24, Kansas,Illinois,Illinois

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,Rosa L.,wife,35,M at 19,Texas, Illinois,Indiana

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,Raymond W.,son,12,S,New Mexico,Kansas,Texas

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,David A.,son,11,S,New Mexico,Kansas,Texas

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,Mildred ,daughter,10,S,New Mexico,Kansas,Texas

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,Elsie R.,daughter,5,S,New Mexico,Kansas,Texas

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,Rosa L.,daughter,1 10/12,S,New Mexico,Kansas,Texas

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Page 4 letter to the editor in the Santa Fe New Mexican of August 15, 1936 Political State Supt. Takes Nice Licking Down in Eddy County Carlsbad, N. M. Aug. 12, 1936 Editor, Santa Fe New Mexican: A little political news from this corner of the state that might prove of interest to your readers. A suggested head: "Rodgers, Culpepper lose in county Supt. race," for that is what actually happened. Some people have a knack of knowing when they are well off but that pair of political twins are really gluttons for punishment. In order to get the proper background for the story, we have to go back to 1934. Rodgers was county school superintendent, but because of the law forbidding elective officers to succeed themselves for more than once, he entered his wife in the race. Three other candidates made it a four-cornered affair. When the smoke of the battle cleared it was discovered that an old country boy, and one who is proud of it, had gone out and shook enough votes out of the small town boys and country lads to win. In the meantime Rodgers gets a lucky break and goes to Santa Fe as state superintendent, but still he can't quite get over the fact that an old country boy, George R. Spencer, down in Eddy county had given him a licking. The other two losing candidates at that election, Mrs. Dillard and N. M. Campbell, took it good-naturedly and forgot it. Rodgers, "well, he just ain't made out of that kind of stuff." By the way, the election referred to was really the Democratic primary, the nomination, up until 1936, being equivalent to election in Eddy county. Notice I said "up until 1936." Election year, 1936 rolls around. The Democratic primaries are set for Aug. 8. In spite of the fact that the Old Country Boy has made an efficient and honest official, Rodgers & Culpepper, Ltd., decided to heck with Democratic tradition and custom concerning a second term for officials, we are going down and put the Old Country Boy on the farm. Now these Old Country Boys never lay any claim to great intelligence. In fact, they sometimes act a little dumber than they really are, knowing a vote from an illiterate counts as big as one from an intellectual. During the past month or so one of the twins showed up quite frequently to work in behalf of his candidate,and a couple of days before the primary election, both of them, probably at the expense of the taxpayers, come down and really go to work. Election returns are in and Old Country Boy had plowed them under again and the high and mighty who have been rubbing elbows with the great and near great in Santa Fe for the past year slowly pull out for the Capital City leaving a distinctly dard brown taste in the mouths of local Democrats who have figured it out the the firm of Rodgers & Culpepper have butted in again where they had no business. With Tingley, Chavez and Rodgers on the state ticked it looks like the other side can win with anybody- even down here. IRA Z. HATHCOCK

Albuquerque Journal, Sept. 18 1937, pg 7 CHEATING LAID TO OFFICIALS State Chiefs Accused in School Fund Fight Carlsbad, Sept 17 (AP) County Superintendent George Spencer Friday charged the state superintendent of schools and state tax commission had credited delinquent taxes and cash balances against funds due the county from state equalization school funds. Spencer charged the administration "has cheated Eddy County schools out of $38,000 through these two items." The county superintendent said an Eddy County cash balance of $25,000 and $17,500 of delinquent taxes had been credited against the equalization fund payments in which schools share on a pro-rata basis. He challenged the state schools head and state tax commissioner to "explain how they interpret" state laws to allow the procedure, and declared unless the state takes satisfactory action before the election he would "stage a campaign in which the people will be told some startling facts and know the truth about how Eddy County schools have suffered at the hands of politics."

The story was continued in December 31, 1938 Albuquerque Journal, pg 8

Eddy County's retiring school superintendent, commenting on the distribution of school funds, chuckles over winning a point in an argument that has lasted for two years. He has held that Carlsbad and Eddy county schools were not getting their full share of equalization funds. Prof. George Sanchez' tabulations showed that Eddy county has lost $20,000 by the system used. "I am going to turn my office over to my successor," George Spencer says, "and I don't want to fuss about school funds now, but I do intend to continue to work for a square deal for Eddy county. "Professor Sanchez was author of the equalization bill, and he should know what he is talking about. I have disagreed with him on some points, but I can heartily agree with him on that one. I have contended all along that Eddy county was getting a bad deal--that the fund was not being distributed properly. Sanchez' statement bears out my argument, and although I have not studied the figures closely, they look about right to me."

____________________ In filing 1966 federal income taxes, George made the following statement to explain a high amount of declared sales tax: "I buy and remodel old buildings, 3 in 1966, finance material bills for other people to remodel their homes. As all material such as lumber, plumbing, electric supplies, etc. is paid for by me, I have a large sales tax, 3% in N.Mex., to pay."

____________________ The Carlsbad current., October 17, 1913, p5 "J.N.S. Webb pastor of the Methodist churches at Loving and Malaga and teacher of the advanced grades of the Spanish-American schools, of this city, is in Albuquerque this week in attendance at the Annual New Mexico Conference, of the Methodist church, south. George Spencer has charge of Mr. Webb's school during his absence.

_____________________________ The Carlsbad current., May 19, 1916 George R. Spencer, the Spanish American school teacher is with Joyce-Pruit Company as ware house boss, while Willie Collins is at the front with Company "B".

_____________________________ The evening current., October 02, 1917 Prof. George Spencer, who is ill with typhoid fever at the Eddy County Hospital, is reported some better this morning. Mr. Spencer is principal of the Spanish-American school here and his numerous friends hope to hear of his speedy recovery.

_____________________________ The evening current., October 15, 1917, George Spencer, the Spanish-American teacher, who is ill at the Eddy County Hospital, is enjoying a visit from his father, Col. Spencer, who came Thursday last week and is leaving for the east in a few days.

______________________________ The evening current., October 20, 1917 George Spencer, principal of the Spanish-American school here, is on the streets today, just recovering from an attack of typhoid fever and he may not be strong enough to resume his work for some time.

______________________________ The evening current., August 31, 1918 George Spencer will take the school census the coming week, working before and after school. Mr. Spencer was chosen again as principal of the Spanish-American school. No better choice could have been made. ______________________

Sources

• Personal knowledge of Grandson, Floyd Spencer.