- JOHN C. SPENCER, of Janesville, Rock County, was born in
the village of Little Falls, Herkimer
- Co., N.Y., May 17, 1838, the third son of A. C. and Lucina
(DYE) SPENCER. The father was a native of Vermont, and of English
descent; the mother was born in Cattaraugus County, N.Y., and
came of Irish ancestry. In the autumn of 1845 our subject came
with his parents to Danville, Ill., where his father followed
the profession of school teacher. Later the family moved to
Covington, Ind., and from there to Bloomington, Ill., in December,
1852, coming to Janesville.
- John C. SPENCER obtained the greater part of his education,
which was somewhat limited, in the
- private schools of that early day. In the winter of 1849
he attended the school at Covington, the first term of the free
public schools in Indiana. In his earlier boyhood he was employed
during the summer in herding sheep and cattle on the Illinois
prairies. In the summer of 1852 the young man drove team, hauling
earth in the construction of the Illinois Central railroad, between
Bloomington and Randolph Grove, and also north of Bloomington
to the present site of Normal. He also drove one of the ox-teams
(four yoke) employed in breaking the ground for the Phoenix nursery
at Bloomington. The same year he secured employment with the
Janesville Gazette, to carry papers one day each week; the newspaper
was owned at that time by Levi ALDEN and Charles HOLT. In March,
1853, he entered the office to learn the printing trade, and
with the exception of January and February, 1854, was constantly
employed there for many years, filling in turn every mechanical
position in the establishment. In 1877 he took charge of the
local department of the Gazette as city editor, continuing in
this position until 1896.
- At the formation of the Janesville fire department, in 1855,
Mr. SPENCER was appointed torch
- boy of Water Witch No. 2, and had George PECK, afterward
governor of the State, as his associate. He is still a member
of that organization, having filled every official position in
his company, and was secretary of the department for twelve years;
assistant chief engineer for two years, and in 1885-86 chief
of the department. He was assistant chief until 1892, when he
was appointed chief engineer by Mayor ROWE, and holds that office
to the present time. Many changes and much reorganization have
taken place in the department during Mr. SPENCER's connection
with it, each move advancing its efficiency, and many of these
innovations have been brought about by Chief SPENCER, until at
the present time the city of Janesville can take great pride
in the possession of one of the very best fire departments in
the West. No city of the same size can present a superior equipment
or a better fire record. Mr. SPENCER is frequently appealed
to for information regarding the history of Janesville and Rock
County, so well versed is he in its every detail. Socially our
subject belongs to the A.F. & A.M. and the I.O.O.F, and politically
he is an outspoken Republican, though he never allows his politics
to cause estrangements from his friends.
- Mr. SPENCER and Miss Helen M. BROWN, a native of Portage,
Wis., and a daughter of the
- late Daniel G. BROWN, of Janesville, were united in marriage
Oct. 30, 1870. This union has been blessed with six children:
Marion E., born Aug. 28, 1871; Clara, Feb. 6, 1874; Llewellyn
R., Jan. 30, 1882; Jessie, Nov. 13, 1884; Harrison M., Nov. 11,
1887; and Percy R., May 24, 1890. Marion was married to Joseph
L. HAY, of Janesville, Aug. 1, 1897, and makes her home in the
city, her husband being employed in the office of the Janesville
Machine Co. Clara was married July 20, 1898, to Arthur H. BOEDEKER,
of Blue Earth, Minn., where he is engaged in the mercantile business.
The other children are still in the home of their parents, at
No. 217 North Bluff street.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, pp. 763-764.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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