William Clarence Spencer (1873 - abt. 1931)

Born 8 Dec 1873 in Oakfield Township, Kent, Michigan, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Gertrude Ellen (Hopkins) Spencer — married 1 Dec 1900 in Charlevoix, Michigan, United States

Descendants

Died about 1931 at about age 57 in Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States

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Biography

Written by Douglas H Spencer Friday, April 20, 2012 3:09 PM

WILLIAM: is among the most commonly found of Medieval given names, as a result, is among the most common surnames. Williams is a patronymic form. William is derived from an Old French given name with Germanic elements; wil means desire, will + helm means helmet, protection. It was introduced by followers of William the Conqueror and became in short order one of the most popular given names in England. Bill the Conqueror may have had an influence there.

William Clarence SPENCER born the third child and only son 8 December 1873, at or near Podunk, Oakfield Township, Kent County, MI. This is recorded in Book - A page 148, Stanton, MI., Montcalm County Clerks records.

Podunk, a small lumber - farm settlement 5 miles west of Greenville, MI. {the mill pond and Township hall is still there, 24 February 1999. Greenville in 1880 had a population of 3,081 people.

"PODUNK: Kent County, present Oakfield Township was first settled by William R. Davis in 1838, organized and named, through the influence of Sheldon Ashley, in 1849. William Horton became it's first postmaster on 4 October 1850 the office operating until 19 March 1877; the place was also known as Oak Center, Oakfield and Podunk".

When he was a young lad the Spencer family living in East Stanton Village, William Clarence, tells the story to his children that when he was about 7 or 8 years old his Dad {William John Spencer} told every one he was going to the store for a cigar, no one ever seen or heard from him from that day on.

The family was living in or near Day Township at Stanton, MI. at the time. After the choking death of his mother in 1883, the 4 children were bound out to different caring families. WC went to a family that lived on a farm, as a chore boy, field hand as he got older, near Podunk, west of Greenville, MI. In latter years he and sister Anna were reunited as adults.

"William C." as he liked to be called, had red hair. Was working in Marion Township, Charlevoix County. In 1880 the population was 1,186 a boom town. Charlevoix population in 1900 was 681. Worked as a fireman, and a sawyer in a sawmill there, he met Gertrude his wife near here.

H.A. Smith a Baptist Minister married William C. and Gertrude Hopkins 8th November 1900 at Charlevoix, MI. W.C. gave his birthplace as Montcalm County, MI. listed his occupation as Fireman, Father as William John Spencer and Mother as Etta Pratt. Gertrude did not give any birthplace place. {it was Cunningham, KS.} Her father as Herbert Hopkins and no mother listed.

Witnesses to this marriage were: Amos N. Hopkins and Miss Bertha M. Jolliffe both residing Charlevoix, MI. In the Michigan 1900 marriage 'Book of Marriages'; Book 1, page 439 is where this marriage is listed.

About 1907 William moved his family west to Kansas State as there was money to be made in the booming oil industry. Men working in the oil fields were called 'Roustabouts' While in Kansas, about 1915 he took up preaching, and was member of the local Militia during World War One. 1919 W.C., sons Harry, Carl and soninlaw Art Smith jointly owned a 1918 Buick 9 passenger touring car. About 1921 the family moved back to Michigan to the Battle Creek area, so the men {some of their sons were of age} could get jobs in the city factories.

W.C. had sugar diabetes, was a stubborn person and rarely took his medicine, he didn't have much faith in Doctors.

"OBITUARY' 4th April 1931:

William Clarence SPENCER, 57 years of age, of 44 West Grand Circle, died of sugar diabetes at Nichols Hospital, Battle Creek, MI. Saturday at 6:33 p.m.. He leaves his widow, Gertrude; four sons; Harry Spencer of Lansing; Grant, Paul and Byron Spencer all at home; three daughters Mary Spencer at home, Mrs W.E. Himebaugh of Battle Creek and Mrs P.G. Smith of Augusta, Kansas; two sisters, Mrs Lila Spencer of Everett, and Mrs Minnie Beeler of Seattle, both of Washington State. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. from Hebble's Chapel with Rev. A. A. Geiger in charge. William was buried in the family plot, Adams cemetery, Burr Oak, Branch County, Michigan. This cemetery is located on Smoker Road, [1998, still a gravel road,] 1 mile north of US 12 in SW Branch County.

Residence

:: Web Address: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=charlou10&id=I155273

Note

Sources

See also:

• "Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH54-NY5 : 23 February 2021), Wm. Spencer in entry for Wm. C. Spencer, 1908.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2CJ-SP5 : accessed 16 April 2021), Clarence Spencer, Union, Kingman, Kansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 95, sheet 7B, family 16, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 443; FHL microfilm 1,374,456.
• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KNWG-Z9S : 1 February 2021), William Spencer, 1920.
• "Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHDT-327 : 23 February 2021), Wm. Spencer in entry for Infant Spencer, 1921.
• WikiTree profile Spencer-3073 created through the import of My-Family-1-Apr-2012.ged on Apr 1, 2012 by Steven Walker. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Steven and others.
• Personal recollection of events witnessed by Kimberly (Walker) Connelly as remembered 7 Oct 2017.