Spencer Weeks (1797 - 1859)

Born 31 Jul 1797 in Norwich, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Elvira (Dimmock) Weeks — married 1 May 1817 in New York

Descendants

Died 5 Nov 1859 at age 62 in Walworth, Wisconsin, United States

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Biography

From an early period in the history of Walworth county the name of Spencer Weeks has appeared frequently upon its records, often in connection with important public service, for he labored most effectively in the upbuilding of the community and he was always accorded that recognition which is justly due the public-spirited and progressive citizen whose unselfish efforts in behalf of the general welfare have been attended by splendid results. He had the greatest sympathy for his fellow men, was always willing to aid and encourage those who were struggling to aid themselves; yet in this, as in everything else, he was entirely unassuming, doing what he believed to be his duty as a citizen without thought of praise from his fellow men. Nothing could swerve him from a path which he believed to be the right one; friendship was to him inviolable and the obligations of home life a sacred trust. His upright life commanded universal respect, and his memory is like the fragrance of the flower that remains after the petals have fallen.

Spencer Weeks was born at Norwich, Massachusetts, in 1797, and was a son of Samuel and Lydia (Williams) Weeks. Samuel Weeks was born at Norwich, Massachusetts, in 1764 or 1765; he served in the Revolutionary war from 1780 to 1783 as a substitute for his father and was one of the guard over Major Andre. Samuel was a son of Hezekiah Weeks, who also was a soldier in the patriot army from Massachusetts and who owned nearly six hundred acres of land at Norwich, now Huntington, Massachusetts. Hezekiah Weeks was a descendant in the fifth generation from George Weeks, who came from Devonshire, England, to Dorchester, Massachusetts, in the same ship with the great divine, Richard Mather, in 1635, five years after the original settlement of that state. George Weeks was prominent in public affairs, and served as a surveyor, commissioner for laying out roads, town selectman, and held various other positions of trust and honor and was active in promoting free schools and other things for the betterment of the public in general. His descendants have been in general, so far as known, people of good character and useful in a quiet way in the communities in which their lot has been cast. Many of them holding positions of trust.

Spencer Weeks, the head of the family in southern Wisconsin, came here in 1843, and entered land from the government. He was married on May 1, 1817, to Elvira Dimock, daughter of Thomas and Sophia Dimock. Ten children were born to the subject and wife, namely: Lewis Spencer, Almena, Maria, Elvira, Samuel Otis, Eliza, Sophia, Thompson Dimock, Harriet and George Vernon.

Lewis Spencer Weeks was born at Norwich, Massachusetts, March 3, 1818. he was married on August 22, 1841, to Elvira Florella Little, and he came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1844. He was a successful farmer and lived a worthy life. His youngest son, Edgar A., was born in Lyons, this county, July 31, 1849; he married Fannie P. Aldrech, daughter of Cyrel R. Aldrich who came to Spring Prairie, this county, in 1857. Edgar A. Weeks lives in Lyons, and he has three children; Aurelia M., wife of Erastus M. Potter, of Lyons; Phineas S., and Grace F., who is the wife of William E. Winters, of Delavan. Lewis Spencer Weeks was one of the substantial men of his part of the county, and he accumulated the largest fortune that has been known in Lyons township. Besides his son mentioned above, he has two other children, Aurelia Maria, who died November 15, 1845, when three years old, and John Millard, who was born September 20, 1847. The latter was graduated at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin; he married on November 6, 1884, at Appleton, Mary E. Richmond. His death occurred on April 8, 1911; his widow and daughter, Mary Elvira, now live in Oshkosh, this state, and his son, Edgar R., lives in East Orange, New Jersey.

Samuel Otis Weeks, the second son of Spencer Weeks, was born in Norwich, Massachusetts, June 28, 1824, and he came here with his parents from Darien, New York, when he was nineteen years old. He was married on January 1, 1850, to Charlotte A. Vantine, daughter of David and Polly (Houghton) Vantine. She was born in Clinton county, New York, near Lake Champlain, and she came here with her brother, Lester, in 1843. She was the sister of A. A. Vantine, the founder of the well known firm of importers of Japanese goods, A. A. Vantine & Company, whose daughter is Lady Parker, wife of Sir Gilbert Parker, the great English novelist.

Six children were born to (Samuel) Otis Weeks and wife, namely: Mary Adelia, Irene Keziah, Frederick William, Hobart Orrin, Wilbur George and Sherman Harrison. The death of Otis Weeks occurred on September 3, 1903, at the age of seventy-nine years. He is remembered as a good neighbor and citizen, a man who led a cheerful, upright life.

Thompson Dimock Weeks, the third son of Spencer Weeks, was born in Norwich, Massachusetts, November 5, 1832. On June 7, 1865, he was united in marriage with Adelia M. Hall, a daughter of one of the early settlers of this section and a leading business man of Whitewater. Thompson D. Weeks became one of the foremost lawyers of Wisconsin, and he was a member of the Assembly in 1867, was a state senator from 1874 to 1875, and again in 1883 and in 1895, being president of the Senate during the last year. For seventeen years he was a member of the board of regents of the State Normal School. He was a strong man in public affairs and one of the leading citizens of southern Wisconsin. A more extended account of him will be found on another page of this work. His death occurred on February 12, 1901. Two children survive, Helen L., wife of Lucius Wakely, of St. Louis, and Charles S., of Chicago.

George Vernon Weeks was the fourth son of Spencer Weeks, and is now the only one of his children living. He was born in Darien, New York, March 13, 1838. On October 26, 1859, he was united in marriage with Eliza Leadbetter Goodrich. He has devoted his life to farming and he now lives in Lyons. He is a musician of ability, and his life has won him a wide circle of friends, owing to his uprightness and public spirit. He has three children, Winthrop Goodrich, Shirley Spencer and Robert Dale.

Of the daughters of Spencer Weeks, Almena married Giles Anthony Waite and died in 1853 in Milwaukee; Maria married Lester Vantine, a brother of Otis's wife, and died April 5, 1859; Elvira married Joseph Ellicott Wait and they lived in Lyons until his demise; Eliza J. married Lorenzo Weeks, and she died on February 15, 1855; Sophia married Clarkson Morris Ross, and she died on July 5, 1869; Harriet married Lorenzo Dow Fonda and lived at Whitewater until her death.

The death of Spencer Weeks occurred on November 5, 1859, his widow surviving until February 10, 1883.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ "History of Walworth County, Wisconsin" by Albert Clayton Beckwith. This book was originally published prior to 1923.

See also:

• Roots Web World Connect project Hatch
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=108424931
• http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/73253099/person/48296646754
• Book "History of Walworth County" by Albert Clayton Beckwith, published before 1923
• http://www.gazettextra.com/20161223/mystery_place_weeks_family_rooted_in_lyons_township

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Weeks-761 created through the import of Weeks_Malcolm_James_Wonderly F.ged on Dec 9, 2011 by Deana Anderson.