Gerard Spencer, Sr.

"The Four Spencer Brothers", 1950, compiled by Donald Lines Jacobus, "The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .)" viewed by Kris Stewart, Jun 11, 2013

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Gerard was named in the 1560 will of his mother, widow Ann Spencer (wife of John Spencer who had died in 1558) as age 17:

"At the burial of Ann Spencer, widow, it was said of her: the good hospitality keeper, and she did give to the township of Edworth 2 of her best beasts to be left to 2 pore foies in town for 3 shillings, a cow, and the poor and Church warders to have the taking of them and the distributing of the money to the poore and to see the stock maintained each of them to hav e 4 pence of the 6 shillings for there paynes to see they truly done according to her last will." The will was dated 13 Jun 1560 and proved 24 Apr 1651. Calls her widow in Edworth, beds. and names son Gerard age 17, son Michael to have the chest that was his brother John 's. John Spencer, son of Michael's child to have £20, Elizabeth lymer to have £4 at marriage. Alice Aystin to have a calf, servants to have some, for the mending of the "London Brygg Waye" 10 shillings. Brother Edward's children to have £1, he borrowed from her and the barley he gave her sons to his children. Nicholas Merryil and John Meryll, his brother to have the barley their father gave her sons and the poor of Edworth to have the gift already mentioned. Michael Spencer was a witness. So from this seems of yoeman class, better off than average. The above two Merrylls indicates that she was probably a Merrill." (See Jacobus, "The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants, TAG, April 1951).

Jack Taif Spencer and Edith Woolley Spencer, authors of The Spencers of the great migration (published 1997 by Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD, Dekalb, IL ) set out Gerard's lineage as:

• Thomas SPENCER, of Badley
• Henry, of Badley
• Thomas b. ca 1378
• Robert b. ca 1406
• John b. ca 1434 (living 1490)
• John b. ca 1462 (m. Christian Baker)
• John 1505-1558 (m. Ann Merrill)
• Michael b. ca 1531 (m. Agnes Limer, m. Elizabeth)
• Gerard 1576-1646 (m. Alice Whitbread)

They also caution that, while the first five of these generations going back from Gerard are on firm ground, they are not proven with certainty, and the earlier generations are even less certain. Also see http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~dav4is/ODTs/SPENCER.shtml.

===========================

Garred (Jared) (Gerrard) (Gerard) Spencer Bapt. May 20, 1576, born Stotfold, Bedford, England , son of Michael Spencer and his 2nd wife Elizabeth. Married Alice and had children:

• William Spencer bapt. Oct 11, 1601 m. Agnes: migrated to America
• Elizabeth Spencer bapt. Oct 31, 1602 m. Tomlyns: migrated to America
• John Spencer bapt. Jan 22, 1604 or Jan 22, 1603
• Henry Spencer bapt. Aug 11, 1605
• Thomas Spencer bapt. Mar 29, 1607: migrated to America
• Henry Spencer bapt. Oct 20, 1607
• Richard Spencer bapt. Dec 11, 1608 bur. May 6, 1614
• Michael Spencer bapt. May 05, 1611 m. Widow of Thomas Robbins: migrated to America
• Gerrard (Jared) Spencer bapt. April 25, 1614: migrated to America

Five of their children--William, Thomas, Michael, Gerard and Elizabeth--migrated to New England and were instrumental in founding communities in Connecticut: William and Thomas were founders of Hartford in the 1630's, while Gerard and son John were founders of Haddam in 1662. For more detail, please see "The Spencer Family" at http://ntgen.tripod.com/bw/sp_bros.html.

"Gerard (1) Spencer (1614-1685) along with his older brothers, William (1601-1640), Thomas (1607-1687), and Michael (1611-1653) were among the very first settlers in New England under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company. Their sister, Elizabeth Spencer, also was a pioneer as the wife of Timothy Tomlins. Almost certainly all were among the first passengers of the Winthrop Fleet when the first contingent of eleven ships reached New England in 1630." [Jack T. & Edith W. Spencer, Gerard Spencer, A Pioneer of Cambridge, Lynn & Haddam; Connecticut Nutmegger, Sept 1997, pgs 188-614, as cited in http://ketchum.bobaddleman.com/spencer_family.html]

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• Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut By Lucius Barnes Barbour
• http://books.google.com/books?id=WJ_XiLoXvLkC&pg=PA558&lpg=PA558&dq...
• Pg.555
• Gerald Spencer s of Michael & Elizabeth bp May 26, 1575
• Pg. 556
• (Eng) mar Alice.
• children:
  • William bp Oct 11, 1601 m. Agnes
  • Thomas bp Mch 29, 1607 m/1 ( ) m/2 Sarah Bearding
  • Michael bp May 5, 1611
  • Gerald bp Apl 25, 1614 m. Hannah
• William Spencer s of Gerald & Alice bp Oct 11, 1601 (Eng) died 1640 mar Agnes who m William Edwards. Early member 1 ch. Name on Founders Mounument.
• children: ....
• Sgt. Thomas Spencer s of Gerald & Alice bp Mch 29, 1607 (Eng) died Sept 11, 1687 mar/1 ( ). Mar/2 Sept 11, 1645 (HTR) Sarah Bearding dau. of Nathaniel Bearding. Early member 1 ch. Name on Founders Mounument.
• children: ....
• _____________________________________
• Our New England ancestors and their descendants, 1620-1900: historical ... By Henry Whittemore
• http://archive.org/details/ournewenglandanc00whit
  • Spencer and Allied Families
• Pg. 49-84
• http://archive.org/stream/ournewenglandanc00whit#page/104/mode/1up
• Pg. 53
• Prof. Ray T. Spencer while making researches in his own line, discovered among the church records of St. George's Parish, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. much interesting data, concerning the line of Gerrard Spencer, the father of William, Thomas, Michael and Gerrard the emigrants, from which it appears that the above named Gerrard was the son of Michael who also had a brother Gerrard, and they were the sons of John. Thus three generations preceding the emigrants are definitely established. The church records of St. George's Parish, above referred to, show that "June 9, 1558, John Spencer, Sen., was buried."
• There is evidence to show that this John was the father of Michael and of the first Gerrard mentioned.
  • FROM NOTES OF GEO. T. SPENCER.
• The ancestry of Gerard Spencer and his brothers William, Thomas and Michael Spencer, appears from the parish registers of Edworth and Stotfield in Bedfordshire, Eng., and other contemporaneous documents.
• Jan. 25, 1555, Michael Spencer and Annis Liuur were married (the last name of Annis is so poorly written in the record that is cannot be definitely determined.)
• April 20, 1557, John, son of Michael Spencer baptized.
• May 27, 1558, was baptized Michael, son of Michael Spencer.
• April 15, 1560, buried Michael, son of Michael Spencer.
• 23 Feb. 1561, Annis, the wife of Michael Spencer, was buried.
• 20 Aug., 1564, Joan, the daughter of Michael Spencer, was baptized.
• 30 Aug., 1566, Alice, daughter of Michael Spencer, was baptized. }Twins.
• 30 Aug., 1566, Michael Spencer, was baptized,} Twins
• 24 July, 156?, Ann, daughter of Michael Spencer baptized.
• 30 July, 1568, Jarratt Spencer and Ellen Whitson were married, whose will was proved at London, 20 May, 1577; he was brother of Michael the elder.
• http://archive.org/stream/ournewenglandanc00whit#page/106/mode/1up
• Pg. 54
• 12 March, 1571, Thomas, son of Michael Spencer was baptized.
• 20 May, 1576, Gerat Spencer, son of Michael Spencer, and Elizabeth his wife, baptized.
• 9 July, 1580, Richard, son of Michael and Elizabeth Spencer, baptized.
• 18 Nov., 1599, Elizabeth, wife of Michael Spencer, was buried.
• It is quite probable that Michael Spencer of Edworth, and Gerrard Spencer of Biggleswade, were sons of John Spencer, Senior, and Ann Spencer who burials are recorded in Edworth register, the former June 9, 1558, and the later June 16, 1569: Nothing more is known of them than what is disclosed by these records .... etc.
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GERARD AND ALICE SPENCER.

Gerard Spencer, of Stotfold, gent., baptized May 20, 1576, married Alice and was a large landed proprietor in Bedfordshire, England. There are monuments to various members of the family at the churches of the county.

< III I.IMSI..N OP «.I.It \IJlt AND ALICE SPENCER.

1. IVilliam—bapt. Oct. 10, 1601, emigrated to New England He was freeman at Lynn, Mass., and afterward lived in Hartford, Conn. He was Lieutenant, and in the record of his death be is mentioned as William Spencer, Esq., who died in 1640. He had wife Agnes

2. Elizabeth— bapt. Oct. 31, 1602.

3. John—bapt. Jan. 22, 1604.

4. ffenry—bapt. Aug. 11, 1605, died Oct. 20, 1607.

5. Thomas—bapt. March 29, 1607, emigrated to New England. He married Sarah Bearding.

6. Richard—.bapt. Dec. 11,1608, died May 6, 1614.

7. Michael— bapt. May 5, 1611, emigrated to New England. He was freeman at Lynn in 1638.

8. (Jarrard married Jfannah. (.\exi in n>,e.)

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Gerard SPENCER - bap. May 20, 1576, Stotfold, Bedfordshire; d. by 1646. Son of Michael SPENCER and Elizabeth. Will proved Jun. 8, 1646. Married Nov. 10, 1600, Upper Gravenhurst.

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BIOGRAPHY: Gerrard Spencer was born in 1576 and was the son of Micheal Spencer. Micheal Spencer was the son of John Spencer who died in 1558. John Spencer descended from the Spencers of Southmylls who were descended from Robert De Le Spencer, steward to William the Conquerer (1066). Gerrard had a son named Gerrard b. 1614 and died 1685. This son came to America in 1638 from Stotfold, England, settled in Cambridge, then Hartford Connecticut. He was a member of General Court of Commonwealth in 1674, 1675, 1678, 1679, 1680, and 1683. He also served in King Philips War (Colonial Families of the United States of America, edited by George Norbury Mackenzie, Volume III, page 536).

PARENTS-CHILDREN-SPOUSE: This chart shows the elder Gerrard Spencer born in 1576 in Stratford England. He is shown as the son of Michael Spencer and Ann Liner. Michael Spencer is the son of John Spencer and Ann Gerrard. This chart shows William Spenser (1611-1641) as the son of Gerrard Spencer (b. 1576) - (Blanton Ancestor Chart No. 5, dated 24 Aug 1988, compiled by June Blanton Pagliaro).

PARENTS-SPOUSE-CHILDREN: Confirmed information known, with additional specific dates. His wife is shown as Alice Whitebread daughter of John Whitebread. Their children are (a) William Spencer b. 11 Oct 1601 died 1641 married Agnes Pratt and Agnes Harris (b) Elizabeth Spencer b. 31 Oct 1602 married Timothy Tomlins (c) Rachel Spencer b. 31 Oct 1602 (d) John Spencer b. 22 Jan 1604 (e) Henry Spencer b. 11 Aug 1605 died 20 Oct 1607 (f) Thomas Spencer b. 29 Mar 1607 died 11 Sep 1687 married Sarah Bearding (f) Richard Spencer b. 11 Dec 1608 died 24 Mar 1609 (g) Unknown (h) Michael Spencer b. 5 May 1611 died 6 May 1653 married ? Tomlins (i) Ensign Gerrard Spenser b. 25 Apr 1614 died Jun 1685 married Hannah Hills (j) Timothy Spencer b. abt 1616 died 1704 (k) Alice Spencer b. abt 1616. These children were born at Stotfold, Bedford, England. Many of them immigrated to Hartford Connecticut. and Lynn Massachusetts (GEDCOM file obtained from Genealogy Online, Santa Cruz, California. File "af18.ged" / http://emcee.com , obtained 1/28/96. Original author unknown)

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He was born before May 20, 1576, as that was the day he was baptized. Also, his death is thought to be before 1646.

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• Gerard Spencer
• M, b. 20 May 1576, d. before May 1646
• Father Michael Spencer b. c 1530, d. 18 Nov 1599
• Mother Agnes Lorimer b. c 1533, d. 16 Jun 1562
• Gerard Spencer was born on 20 May 1576 at Edworth, Bedfordshire, England. He married Alice Whitbread, daughter of Henry Whitbread and Eleanor Radcliffe, on 10 November 1600 at Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire, England. Gerard Spencer died before May 1646 at Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.
• Family Alice Whitbread b. 7 Oct 1571, d. 20 Nov 1628
• Children
  • William Spencer+ b. 11 Oct 1601, d. 4 May 1640
  • Michael Spencer+ b. 5 May 1611, d. 6 May 1654
  • Gerard Spencer+ b. 16 Apr 1614, d. 20 Jun 1685
• http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p2337.htm#...
• ____________________
• New England families, genealogical and memorial: a record of the ..., Volume 3 edited by William Richard Cutter
• http://books.google.com/books?id=UdEUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1332&lpg=PA1332&...
• Pg. 1332
• SPENCER - Four brothers named Spencer were living in New England in 1648, namely - Michael, Jared, Thomas and William. They were legatees of Sir Richard Spencer, of London, England, evidently their uncle. Michael settled first in Cambridge, then in Lynn, and owned land also on the Connecticut river. William settled in Cambridge and then went to Hartford, Connecticut. Thomas lived in Cambridge and Hartford.
• (I) Ensign Jared Spencer, son of Gerrard or Jerrard Spencer, was born in Stotfold, England, and baptized April 28, 1614. He came to New England in 1632 and was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, . . . . . He died in 1685. His will was dated September 17, 1683, and proved in 1685. He married Hannah ___, Children: John, born at Lynn in 1638; Hannah, 1640; Alice, 1641; Mehitable, 1642; Thomas, about 1650,; Samuel, mentioned below; William; Nathaniel; Rebecca, married (first) John Kennard, and (second) John Tanner; Ruth, married Joseph Clark; Timothy.
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• Commemorative biographical record of Hartford County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families (1901) Volume Part 2
• http://archive.org/details/commemorativebio12jhbe
• http://archive.org/stream/commemorativebio12jhbe#page/1110/mode/1up
• Pg. 1110
• MRS. HARRIET ARABELLA (SPENCER) FULLER ....
• The Spencer family is descended from (I) Michael Spencer and his wife Elizabeth, ....
• (II) Jerad Spencer, son of Michael, ... married Alice .... children Thomas, John, William, Jerad, Michael
• (III) Thomas Spencer, ....
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www.haddamhistory.org

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https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Spencer-628

GEDCOM Note

Merging Notice ==This profile is a work-in-progress. Under the developing rules on historically-significant ancestors over 300-years-old we are doing expedited merges. The current manager and contact person is Alvis-9|Kathy Patterson but this is under the auspices of the European Aristocratic Ancestors User Group or Ancestors User Group so the actual manager is subject to change. Please join the user group to participate in cleaning up and maintaining these profiles. Weneed one manager to take primary responsibility for each profile. User:Alvis-9|Alvis-9 20:53, 12 April 2012 (EDT)

Biography

Jarrard Spencer
Nothing is known of Jarrard Spencer beyond the fact that he was the father of Garrard Spencer who came to this country. The relationship is established through the will of the former's brother, Richard, proved before the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, London June 8, 1646. In this will Richard Spencer says: "I give and bequeath unto Jarrard Spencer, Thomas Spencer, Michael Spencer, sons of my brother Jarrard Spencerdeceased, the sum of fifty pounds apiece, and unto the children of William Spencer, son of my said brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, to be divided between them equally, the sum of fifty pounds, to be paid untotheir guardians, and within two years next after my decease."
A Michael Spencer came to this country in or before 1635 and was at Lynn in 1638. He died prior to November, 1653. The Essex County (Mass) Court records show that he was the nephew of the Richard Spencer of London mentioned above. The same records also prove that Garrard Spencer,our ancestor was Michael's brother. Consequently, Garrard must also have been Richard's nephew and the son of Jarrard Spencer, as already stated. Jarrard Spencer must have died before March 17, 1645, the date of his brother's will.<ref name=Macdonough>#Macdonough|Macdonough</ref>

Name

Jarrard Spencer.<ref name=Macdonough/>

:Gerat. (baptized at Stotfold, and recorded as "Gerat")
:Jarrard Spencer.<ref name=Macdonough/> :Gerard Spencer. (spelled Gerard at the baptisms of his own children.) :Gerrard Spencer. <ref name=SL>#SL|Spencer Line</ref> The first of the children baptized at Stotfold, and recorded as "Gerat," but his name is spelled Gerard at the baptisms of his own children.

Birth ===:: Before 20 May 1576, (date of Baptism) Edworth, Bedfordshire, England.

:: Was the oldest son of Michael Spencer of Stotfold, Bedfordshire. :: The first of the children baptized at Stotfold, Bedfordshire.

Baptism ===:: bap. May 20, 1576, St. Mary the Virgin Church, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England<ref name=SL/>

:: The first of the children baptized at Stotfold, Bedfordshire

Resided ===It seems quite possible that Gerard and his family moved from Stotfoldsome years before the emigration of his sons to New England; perhaps to London, where his brother Richard had become a prosperous haberdasher.

Death ===Jarrard Spencer must have died before March 17, 1645, the date of his brother's will.<ref name=Macdonough/>

:: before March 17, 1645, the date of his brother's will.<ref name=Macdonough/> :: before May 29, 1646: Date of his brother's will :: Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England

Brother's will ===Gentleman of London, with a codicil bearing date 29 May 1646, proved 8June 1646. To Thomas SPENCER, son of my brother Thomas Spencer, all my copy hold lands and tenements by me purchased of the creditors of Walter Marston, situated in Kingsbury Street near St. Albans, in the county of Hertford, in the parish of St. Michael. To Daniel SPENCER, of London, grocer, son of my brother John Spencer, deceased, all those eight messuages or tenements &c. lately by me purchased of John Gearing, grocer, from and after the decease of Margaret Greene of London, widow, situated in the parish of St. Margaret Lothbury in London. To Sarah BLAND and Hannah BLAND, daughters of my sister Catherine Bland deceased, and to Elizabeth TOMLYNS, widow, daughter of my brother Jarrard (Gerard) Spencer, deceased, my messuage or tenement situated in Grace Church Street,near the great Inn called the Crosse Keys, late in the tenure of William Toone or his assigns, to be equally divided between them, by the rents, issues and profits thereof during their normal lives. And after the decease of the said Elizabeth Tomlyns and Hannah then I give and devise the said messuage(house) and tenement unto the said Sarah BLAND and her heirs forever. To the said Daniel SPENCER, all my lands and tenements in the counties of Kent and Essex, he to pay unto Anthony SPENCER and Jarrard SPENCER, sons of my brother Thomas Spencer deceased, now in or near London and at the disposing of Elizabeth CARTER, their aunt, the sum of thirty pounds yearly during their natural lives, i.e. ten pounts per annum to the said two children or thier guardians in the minorities, or the survivor of them, and ten pounds apieceto the said Anothny and Jarrard, to be paid unto them and their guardians by half yearly payments as the rents of the said lands and tenements shall grow due after my decease. Item: I give and bequeath unto Jarrard Spencer, Thomas Spencer, Michaell Spencer, sons of my brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, the sum of fifty pounds a piece, and unto the children of William Spencer, son of my said brother Jarrard Spencer deceased, to be divided between them equally,the sum of fifty pounds, tobe paid unto their guardians, and with in two years next after my decease. To Thomas Martyn and Mary his wife, now dwelling with me, the remaining terms to come in my dwelling house and the hangings and pictures in the two rooms thereof, with all partitions in the upper rooms ofit or elsewhere. To Edward Terry vintner (wine maker or seller), my kinsman, one hundred and thirty pounds which he oweth me by bond. And Ibequeth unto him and Elizabeth his wife, my sisters daughter, thirty pounds, within three years &c. The rest to Daniel Spencer whom I make and ordain sole executor.

Witness: John Norburie, William Norburie Twisse, 79

NEHGR July 1891, #45, pp: 231-232

Family ===Jarrard married Alice Whitebread, daughter of John Whitebread and Eleanor, on 10 Nov 1600 in Upper Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire. (Alice Whitebred was born between 1578-1580 in Bedfordshire, and was buried May 20, 1646 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire.)

Jarrard SPENCER and Alice WHITBREAD had the following children:
:# William SPENCER was baptized on October 11, 1601 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. He died after May 4, 1640 in Hartford, Connecticut.:# Elizabeth SPENCER was baptized on October 31, 1602 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.:# John Spencer was baptized on January 22, 1603/4 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.:# Henry SPENCER was baptized on 11 Aug 1605 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. He died young before 20 Oct 1607 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire,England.:# Thomas SPENCER Sgt.. was baptized on March 29, 1607 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. He died September 11, 1687 in Hartford, Connecticut.:# Richard SPENCER was baptized on 11 Dec 1608 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. He died young before 6 May 1614 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.:# Infant SPENCER was born before 24 Mar 1609/10 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. He died before 24 Mar 1609/10 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.:# MICHAEL SPENCER was baptized on May 5, 1611 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. He died about 1653 in Lynn, Massachusetts.:# Spencer-2938|Gerard SPENCER, ENS.. Ensign Gerard Spencer was baptized on 25 Apr 1614 in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, and died on 29 Jun 1685 in East Haddam, Middlesex Co CT. William, Thomas, Michael and Gerard (not John), migrated to New England about 1632.

Gerrard = Alice.<ref name=SL/>

Note

Wife of Garrard Spencer Since the publication of Goodwin's Genealogical Notes in 1856, the earlywife of Gerard who was mother of his children has always been named asHannah. The present compiler follows these authorities, though confessing that he has not seen an original or quoted contemporary record sonaming her. Still, such a record may exist. The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants.

Source of confusion: Parish records, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England. Genealogia Bedfordiensis.Space:Genealogia_Bedfordiensis|Attached. :1628 Aug. 4 Spenser - Hills, Gerard & Joanna, mar. :1629 May 14 Spenser, Anna, filia Gerardi, bapt. :1630 Jan. 17 Spencer, Elizabeth, fil. Gerardi, bapt. :1631 Jun, 13 Spencer, Thomas, gen., sep. :1635 Sep. 16 Spenser, Maria, filia Gerardi & Joanna, bapt. :1635 Dec. 19 Spenser, Margareta, vidua, sep. Joanna Hills wife of Gerard, unknown Gerard. This Spencer-2940|Gerard still married? Son Spencer-165|Gerard age 14, too young? Marriage date too late for our descendants. Lechner-18|Lechner-18 14:16, 21 March 2012 (EDT)

Joan Hills Was NOT Married To the Father of the American Immigrants There are some genealogies out there showing a Joan Hills as a second wife to the father of the American immigrants, Gerrard Spencer, after Alice Whitbread. (Note, he is Michael > Gerrard.) I've seen one genealogy showing him having 8 more kids with the second wife, after he had already turned 50. These folks have mixed up our ancestor with his nephew, also Gerard Spencer, who is Michael > Thomas > Gerrard. He is the Gerard who marriedJoan Hills and never came to America. Spencer, Sources and Resources, Research Notes, Questions and Errata

Children

1. William Spencer 1601 – 1640
2. Elizabeth Spencer 1602 –
3. John Spencer 1603 –
4. Henry Spencer 1605 –
5. Thomas Spencer 1607 –
6. Richard Spencer 1608 –
7. Infant Boy Spencer 1609 –
8. Michael Spencer 1611 –
9. Gerard II Spencer 1614 –

Birth

:: 20 MAY 1576 Central Bedfordshire, UK

Source

Spencer Line ::Compiled from Church Records of Ebworth and Stotfold, Wills, Chancery Calendar, Conveyances, Hartford Church Records, etc. By Mrs Emily Wilder Leavitt, John Melvin of Charlestown and Concord, Mass., and His Descendants, Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston, 1901-1905. Attached.<refname=SL/> :::John, Buried at Ebworth, Jan. 9, 1558 = Ann Clark, of London. Buried at Ebworth, June 15, 1560. ::Michael m. Jan. 25, 1555; d. April, 1616. = ______ :::Gerrard, bap. May 20, 1576, Stotfold. = Alice

Source

The Spencers of Bedfordshire
::In 1903 the Rev. John Holding, M.A., then Vicar of Stotfold, co. Bedford, England, published The Spencers of Bedfordshire. ::Despite a lack of formal arrangement, the book is a mine of information. The most prominent family of the Spencer name in Bedfordshire had their seat at Cople in the 16th and 17th centuries, and a good account is given of this family, tracing it back to one Thomas Spencer who wasliving at Eton in 1433. Several other groups of Spencers in various parishes and towns are included, but their connection, if any, with theSpencers of Cople does not appear. Herein, so far as we know, the ancestry of William, Thomas, Michael and Gerard Spencer is for the first time set forth, though some years earlier the noted antiquary, Henry F. Waters, had found mention of the four brothers in the will of their London uncle Richard Spencer, and had published this in the New England Hist. and Gen. Register and in 1901 included it in his Genealogical Gleanings in England. ::In recent years the parish registers of Stotfold and Edworth have beenincluded by F. G. Emmison in his Bedfordshire Parish Registers Series. Careful comparison has been made between these and the entries as printed by the Rev. Mr. Holding, resulting in some corrections and in the addition of two or three important entries. ::Since both the parish records and the wills which prove the ancestry have appeared fully in the sources indicated, it is deemed unnecessary to repeat them here, except as reference is made to them in the pedigree of the family which follows. It is not felt that Mr. Holding established the parentage or origin of John Spencer, great-grandfather of the four emigrant brothers, hence we start our account with him.

Mr. Holding says: "I do not think that religion or religious persecution had anything todo with their leaving England. Men engaged in commerce at that time could, and did, proper, but the lot of agriculturalists, owing to heavytaxes on the land of an exhausting and harassing nature, was pitiablein the extreme, and almost intolerable. The political atmosphere of England at that time was so dark and threatening that we cannot wonder at such men leaving for better prospects and a more cheerful sphere ofenterprise across the sea."

Source

Dictionary of the Heads of New England Families
::According to Frank R. Holmes, in his book, Dictionary of the Heads of New England Families, 1923, he writes the following: ::Jared (Gerard) son of Michael, baptized Stratford, Eng., 1576, came toCambridge, Mass. 1632, with his five sons, of whom John returned to England. Thomas, known as Sgt Thomas, and William removed to Hartford, CT, 1636. Michael located Haddam, where his father joined him, 1662. (This information does not to be all true, given the other information we have on the 4 Brothers. Some entries might be correct, tho.) ::

Source

::The American Genealogist, Whole Nr. 105, Vol. 27, Nr. 1, Jan 1951
::It seems quite possible that Gerard and his family moved from Stotfoldsome years before the emigration of his sons to New England; perhaps to London, where his brother Richard had become a prosperous haberdasher. The records cited establish the parentage of the four New Englad brothers, and their descent from John and Anne Spencer of Edworth. Various attempts which we have seen to push the line further back either contain fatal flaws or lack any acceptable evidence to sustain them. The New England Spencers made efforts to obtain payment of the 50 poundsapiece bequeathed to them by their uncle, Richard Spencer of London, whose chief heir and executor was their cousin, Daniel Spencer of London. On 8 Jan 1648/9, Garrard (Gerard) Spencer appointed Thomas Broughton of Watertown, Mass., and Samuel King of London, England, his attorneys to collect his legacy under the last will of Richard Spencer, lateof London, linen draper, deceased; and the same date, "Michaell Spencer of Linne" did likewise (Aspinwall Notorial Records (1903), 182, 190). On 19 Jan 1648, i.e. 1648/9, Michaell Spense (as he signed his name) signed in Boston a bill of exchange to Mr. Thomas Ruck, "haberdasheratt the Seauen starres on London bridge," for 30 pounds, "part of theLegacy gyuen mee by my Unckle Richard Spencer," and directed to my "my Louinge Cousen, Mr Danyell Spencer Grocer in Friday Streete in London." This bill of exchange was protested, 5 Apr 1650, by a London notary, who swore that upon presentation "the said Danyell Spencer answered, that hee will pay noe monneyes nor haue to doe wit the sayd bill of exchange." (Quarterly Courts of Essex County, 4:385; quoted also in Waterres, op cit., 515.) The cousin Daniel Spencer was at death of Cony Hatch, co. Middlesex, citizen and grocer of London, and left a will dated 26 July 1665, proved 6 Nov 1668 (Waters, op.cit., 913>) He evidently died a wealthy man, mentioning messuages or lands in Lothbury, nearGreene's Court, London; in Hitchin, Hippoletts and Preston, co. Hertsford, including the Red Lion Inn in Hitching; in Gravesend and Rochester, Kent, and in Tilbery, Essex. He named wife Sarah; eldest son Samuel; son Daniel; daughters Rebecca and Hannah Spencer, daughters Mary wife of Thomas Thatch and Anne wife of William tilsley; and kinsman William Carter. The son Samuel died by 1674, leaving a widow Rebecca and daughter Mary Spencer. No mention was made of the American cousins. Whether the legacies werre ever collected, we are not prepared to stat. The amount at stake was sufficient to have made it worth the trouble and cost of suing through an attorney in England. Possibly a search of Chancery records would reveal something of interest. An action of this nature, naming the parties at interest, would be of immense value if brought after the death of Michael Spencer in 1653, for it should name his surviving children. We have full records of the families of the other three brothers, but, as we shall presently see, the New England records are very defective with respect to the children of Michael Spencer. ::Before concluding this chapter, it seems advisable to dispose of an error which occurs in many printed sources to the effect that the four Spencer brothers were accompanied to New England by a fifth brother, the John who was baptized at Stotfold, 22 Jan 1603/4. (see Notes under John) There were other Spencer families in New England, not to mention the South, who were unrelated, so fas as known, to the four colonist sons of Gerard Spencer of Stotfold, Bedfordshire, and since they have never been confused so far as we know with the Stotfold family, there is no need to discuss them here. However, we may mention that one George Spencer came to New England about 1636, was in trouble in New Haven in 1640, and the following year was hanged fro an offence under the Mosaic Law which New Haven had set up in place of the common law of England. George Spencer testified that he knew Roger Alling (Allen) in England. Furthermore, a "Goodman Spencer was steward of Capt. Lamberton on the voyage over, buy dying on the passage was succeeded as steward by Roger Alling. He left an only daughter in the hands of Mr. Fowler and "Goodman" Tapp. This was Hannah Spencer, who seems to have been raised in Milford, Conn. She married, 2 May 1661, Benjamin Jones, and lefta son Benjamin and descendants. Since both of these New Haven Spencers were acquainted with Roger Alling, who was a native of Kempston, co.Bedford, and since there were Spencers in Kempston, it seems likely that they came from that vicinity. Descendants of Hannah (Spencer) Jones might do well to seek her origin there. We have not pursued this line of investigation further, as there is no proved connection between the Spencers of Stotfold and those of Kempston, and we have touched upon the matter here solely because of the clue to a Bedfordshire origin for Hannah and to forestall any possible attempts to identify her as amember of the Stotfold family. ::Mention in Will, Inv. or Prob.; 17 Mar 1644/45; London, Eng 3. Cited as the father of Jarrard, Thomas, Michaell Spencer who each received £50 in the will of their uncle Richard Spencer. Also father of William Spencer, deceased, with the legacy going to William's children

Source

The Four Spencer Brothers
::5. Gerard Spencer, baptized at Stotfold, co. Bedford, 20 May 1576, died before 1646; married at Upper Gravenhurst, co. Bedford, 10 Nov 1600,Alice Whitbread or Whitbred, who belonged to a family of some prominence. An account of her family is reserved for a later chapter. It seems quite possible that Gerard and his family moved from Stotfold some years before the emigration of his sons to New England; perhaps to London, where his brother Richard had become a prosperous haberdasher. :: Children, recorded at Stotfold: :: :6 i. William, bapt. 11 Oct 1601. :ii. Elizabeth, bapt 31 Oct 1602; m. ___Tomlins.:iii. John, bapt. 22 Jan 1603/4; almost certainly d. young or without issue before 1646, since neither he nor his heirs are named in the will of his uncle Richard which gave a large legacy to each of his three surviving brothers and the same amount to the children of his deceasedbrother William. :iv. Henry, bapt. 11 Aug 1605; bur. 20 Oct 1607. :7 v. Thomas, bapt. 29 Mar 1607. :vi. Richard, bapt. 11 Dec 1608; bur. 6 May 1614. :vii. A son, bur. 24 Mar 1609/10. :8 viii. Michael, bapt. 5 May 1611. :9 ix. Gerard, bapt. 25 Apr 1614. ::The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants, Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., The American Genealogist, 27 (April 1951)

Sources ==* Macdonough, Rodney. Space:The Macdonough-Hackstaff Ancestry|The Macdonough-Hackstaff Ancestry (Press of S. Usher, Boston, 1901) Page 337-8

• Attached Documents.
• Dictionary of the Heads of New England Families, 1923.
• The American Genealogist, Whole Nr. 105, Vol. 27, Nr. 1, Jan 1951
• Clarence Almon Torrey, "The Whitebread Family of Gravenhurst, Bedfordshire, England," The American Genealogist, #127, Vol 32, No 3 (July 1956), p 125-142.
• Descendants of Amuary Raoul D'Albetot, George R. Spencer.Space:New_England_Ancestors|Source List Attached [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~george/pg_02.htm]
• The Four Spencer Brothers - Their Ancestors and Descendants, Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., The American Genealogist, 27 (April 1951) [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/1200/genealogy/text/spen...]
• Spencer Line, Compiled from Church Records of Ebworth and Stotfold, Wills, Chancery Calendar, Conveyances, Hartford Church Records, etc. By Mrs Emily Wilder Leavitt, John Melvin of Charlestown and Concord, Mass., and His Descendants, Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston, 1901-1905. Attached.
• Kathy Alvis Patterson Family History, compiled by Alvis-9|Kathy Patterson.
• Lechner Family History, compiled by Lechner-18|Michael Lechner, with my father Ted Harrold Lechner. Space:Lechner_Family_History|Lechner Family History.
• FamilySearch Lots of info here, including additional references.
• Geni

Footnotes

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