Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
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later was granted a franchise for main-<br />
taining a ferry in Lynn, Massachusetts.<br />
There he served as grand juror and<br />
ensign <strong>of</strong> the militia, in 1660 removed to<br />
Hartford, and two years later to Haddam,<br />
<strong>Connecticut</strong>, where he was one <strong>of</strong><br />
the twenty-eight original proprietors.<br />
For many years he represented the town<br />
in the Legislature and served on important<br />
committees, including that which<br />
settled the bounds between Haddam and<br />
Saybrook. His wife, Hannah, was the<br />
mother <strong>of</strong> Samuel Spencer, who was a<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the Millington Society <strong>of</strong> East<br />
Haddam, and died August 7, 1705. His<br />
first wife, Hannah, was a daughter <strong>of</strong><br />
Isaac Willey, <strong>of</strong> New London, and widow<br />
<strong>of</strong> Peter Blachford, <strong>of</strong> Haddam. Her<br />
second son, Isaac Spencer, was born January<br />
8, 1678; was deacon <strong>of</strong> the church;<br />
married, October 2, 1797, Mary Selden.<br />
Their third son, Jared Spencer, was born<br />
November 5, 1718, was a member <strong>of</strong><br />
the Haddam Church, and living in 1760.<br />
Elizabeth Spencer, also a member <strong>of</strong> that<br />
church, probably his wife, was living at<br />
Spencertown in 1761. They were probably<br />
the parents <strong>of</strong> Joseph Spencer, whose<br />
birth was not recorded in either town or<br />
church record <strong>of</strong> Haddam. He was born<br />
in 1742, and died November 10, 1814, in<br />
Haddam. He married there, June 2, 1774,<br />
Eunice Cone, who was born October 13,<br />
1745, daughter <strong>of</strong> Simon Cone, and died<br />
April 12, 1809. She was baptized in the<br />
Haddam Church in March, 1776. Her<br />
father, Simon Cone, died in the Colonial<br />
army in 1756-57. Her eldest child, Joseph<br />
Spencer, was born April 27, 1775, and<br />
baptized in April, 1776, at the Haddam<br />
Church. He married, July 18, 1799, Mar-<br />
tha, surname not recorded. Possibly her<br />
maiden name was Dana. They were the<br />
parents <strong>of</strong> Joseph Dana Spencer, who<br />
was baptized October 29, 1809, at the<br />
Congregational church in Haddam. He<br />
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY<br />
308<br />
lived in Higganum, and was highly re-<br />
spected as a man <strong>of</strong> sound judgment, <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
acting as an advisor <strong>of</strong> his fellow-citizens.<br />
His son, Chatfield Spencer, was born<br />
May 4, 1824, in Higganum, and married<br />
Maria D. Smith, born in Rocky Hill,<br />
daughter <strong>of</strong> Mason Smith, a large farmer<br />
<strong>of</strong> that town. When twenty years <strong>of</strong><br />
age, Mr. Spencer located in Rocky Hill,<br />
where he worked at his trade <strong>of</strong> black-<br />
smith, and later was a farmer. He was a<br />
Congregationalist in religious faith, and a<br />
Democrat, politically. He died in 1904,<br />
at the age <strong>of</strong> eighty years. His wife died<br />
three months before him, and the shock<br />
<strong>of</strong> this event caused his death. He was<br />
pronounced by his physician to be in per-<br />
fect health.<br />
Clayton Robert Spencer, son <strong>of</strong> Chatfield<br />
and Maria D. (Smith) Spencer, was<br />
born December 21, 1865, in Rocky Hill.<br />
He attended the local grammar school,<br />
and very early began the endeavors which<br />
were necessary to sustain himself. His<br />
first employment, while still a boy, was<br />
with the Rocky Hill Hardware Company,<br />
where he became skilled in foundry work.<br />
He continued with this establishment<br />
until twenty-three years old. when he<br />
entered the employ <strong>of</strong> the Lamb Knitting<br />
Machine Company at Chicopee Falls,<br />
Massachusetts. There he continued three<br />
years, and then went to Middlefield, Con-<br />
necticut, where he was employed in the<br />
local foundry for a like period. About<br />
1894 he engaged with the Pratt & Cady<br />
Company, <strong>of</strong> Hartford, as a moulder,<br />
and continued in the employ <strong>of</strong> that<br />
establishment for a period <strong>of</strong> ten years.<br />
On account <strong>of</strong> ill health, owing to the<br />
confinement <strong>of</strong> the shop, he engaged in<br />
the express business, operating between<br />
Rocky Hill and Hartford, and continued<br />
with success for several years. For some<br />
time he was with the Bradley & Hubbard<br />
Manufacturing Company, <strong>of</strong> Meriden, as