Posts Tagged Ernest Spencer

Richard Anthony (“Deacon”) Spencer

Audrey: Aunt Mandy, Deacon Richard Anthony’s daughter, told and wrote down much of the Spencer family history. She put a date on every paper. I remember my grandfather, John Johnson Spencer living in our household when I was a child.

William J.B. Spencer (Audrey’s father) was sent as a young boy to live and work the farm with his great-uncle Gus (William Augustus Spencer) at the Spencer Homestead on Middle Road. Uncle Gus had no sons, so William J.B. Spencer was to inherit that homestead on Uncle Gus’s death. Uncle Gus died when Aunt Edith (Edith Anna Spencer, Audrey’s older sister) was two years old. Uncle Gus was a mean man; Violet’s grandmother hated him so. Violet’s mother married John Jason Jolly who was William J.B. Spencer’s favorite great-uncle; John Jolly (Jason) Spencer was a perfect man.

*Anna Maria was Audrey Mae’s paternal grandmother.  The name Maria was pronounced Mar-eye-ah at that time in history. Audrey would spell her grandmother’s name as Anna Mirah (aka Myriah) because that was how it was pronounced and actually written in some legal documents.  Audrey was surprised to find out later in life that her grandmother’s name was actually Anna Maria.

**The initials J.B. in William J.B. Spencer stands for Joseph Briggs, the second husband of William J.B.’s maternal grandmother, Ann Almy (née Tarbox) Spencer.  Joseph Briggs gave $50.00 to his stepdaughter Anna Maria (pronounced Mar-eye-ah) to name her son after him.

Audrey: The MacDonalds were tall and broad and the Spencers were tall and thin. Ern (Alfred Ernest Spencer) was the tallest of the three Spencer brothers. Most of the MacDonald were heavy. Joseph’s great, great grandfather was an average small man. 5′ 4″. He was the ancestor that first got here from Prince Edwards Island or Nova Scotia, I can not remember exactly which. Grandma’s brother, Ebenezer Vaughn, or Uncle Eben as we called him, had to wear boots. Gramma’s younger brother was odd. He always sat in a rocking chair. He got old, but stayed little. Gramma grew up in the Vaughn Homestead which (later became) the Rocky Hill Country Fairground.