Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

school master. He married, in England,
in 1635, Eleanor Chandler. 1 1 is eldest
son, John Trumbull, was the grandfather
of Governor Jonathan Trumbull, of Connecticut.
His second son, Joseph Trumbull,
was born March 19, 1647, in Rowley,
and settled in Suffield, Connecticut, in
1670. The perilous conditions during
King Philip's War drove the settlers away
from that section, but in 1676 he returned
there, was a freeman in 1681, and one of
the few qualified voters at the first town
meeting. His homestead was on the bank
of the Connecticut river. He married,
May 6, 1669, Hannah, daughter of Hugh
and Mary Smith, of Rowley, born March
24, 1647. Their eldest child was John
Trumbull, who was born November 27,
1670, in Rowley, and settled in Enfield,
Connecticut, in 1694, removing thence, in
1700. to Suffield, where he died January
3, 1751. He married there, September 3,
1696, Elizabeth, daughter of David and
Elizabeth (Filley) Winchell, of Suffield,
born December 9, 1675, in Windsor, Connecticut.
Their third daughter was Mary
Trumbull, who became the wife of
Thomas Spencer, as above related.
Their youngest son, Hezekiah Spencer,
born December 16, 1740, was a farmer in
Suffield, and died August 3, 1797. He married,
March 4, 1762, Olive Nott, born October
11, 1735, in Wethersfield, died February
2, 1771, daughter of William and
Abigail Nott, granddaughter of Sergeant
John and Patience (Miller) Nott, greatgranddaughter
of John and Ann Nott,
who were in Wethersfield in 1636.
Hezekiah Spencer, son of Hezekiah and
Olive (Nott) Spencer, born April 30, 1766,
was a farmer, a staunch Whig in politics,
a leading member of the Baptist church,
and died October 12, 1820. He married,
June 5, 1793, Jerusha Nelson, born December
17, 1771, in Suffield, died August
17. 1854.
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They were the parents of Hezekiah
Spencer, who was born in Suffield, was
reared on the paternal homestead, sharing
in the outdoor life of the farm, and
acquiring a sound frame and high ideals.
He became a dealer in furs in the city of
Hartford, and was the only representative
in the American market of one of the
large importing houses of Leipsic, Germany.
He married Cecelia Spencer, and
they were the parents of four children
Thaddeus H., Israel Luther, Calvin C.
and Celia Jennie.
Israel Luther Spencer, second son of
Hezekiah and Cecelia (Spencer) Spencer,
was born May 3, 1833, in Suffield, where
he continued to make his home, and died
December 31, 1897. He enjoyed the ordinary
advantages incident to life on the
home farm, and the educational oppor-
tunities supplied by the town school. In
early manhood he traveled westward and
saw a great deal of wild life while carrying
on the business of buying furs from
the Indians for his father. It was in this
business that he laid the foundation of his
future success. He made several fortu-
nate investments, and was for many years
reckoned as a capitalist. Early inter-
ested in political movements, he was a
member of the Republican party from its
organization, and was elected on its ticket
in 1863 to represent the town of Suffield
in the Lower House of the State Legislature.
In 1879-80 he was a Senator from
what was then the second district, served
as chairman of the committee on insurance,
and made a record for thorough
investigation and understanding of public
questions, and for absolute uprightness as
a legislator. In 1884 he was a candidate
for presidential elector on the Blaine
ticket, and in 1888 was a delegate to the
National Republican Convention, and
would have presented the name of Mr.
Blaine as a candidate for the nomination
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