Spence Family research (mainly that of Jan Turner and Robert Spence) currently appears to indicate that brothers Robert Spence and his brother (William?) arrived in Charleston SC shortly prior to the revolutionary war and for a time ran a livery business. Eventually the brother (William?) moved to NC and then to Tennessee, while Robert settled in Laurens county, SC. Bounty Land Holders The General Assembly passed an Act in 1778 reserving certain lands for the soldiers of SC who served in the RW. The territory between the Keowee and tugaloo rivers was set aside for this purpose. No grants in this section were legal until after the war and all soldiers had received their portions. Each soldier was to be granted 200 acress including the 100 acres allowed by congress, and the transfer was to be made free of expense to him. the grant was a title in fee simple and was a reward for his services. Robert Spence 110 acres (On beaverdam creek off the savannah river) John Spence 1784 - 200 acres Page 34, Land patent # 70, Located on conneros creek They sold this land in1799 and apparently had already moved to Laurens County by that time. This is the Robert Spence, Sr. who sold land to Robert Spence, Jr. (father of William J.) with the provisio that both Robert, Sr. & Nancy could live on the land for the remainder of their lives. Nancy had dower rights, and she signed them away when the property was sold in 1799, just as Mary Ann signed away her dower rights to the Laurens County property when it was sold in 1848/9. Robert Spence b. 1765 Ireland d. @ 1823 SC m. Nancy ? Robert served in the Revolutionary War , SC Militia, served under Col. Thomson, Orangeburg District. He enlisted as a private, by the end of the war he had been promoted to Lieutenant. Children: Robert Spence (jr) b. @1793 SC (Probably Laurens County) d. 26 October1870 Age 75 Anderson County, SC m. Mary Ann Hall (b. @1805 d. before 1870) Sept 1821 Children: Robert Spence b. May 11, 1824 SC d.@ 1884 m. Matilda L. Moore (b. 20 Nov 1827 SC d. August 20 1907 d/o William Moore and Phoebe Osborn) Robert moved to Anderson, SC @ 1848. HE served in CSA, 18th SC Regiment Company D. He is buried at the Big Creek Baptist Church Cemetery near Williamston, SC. (according to Robert Spence’s posting in Genforum of Familytreemaker on 07/24/00) children: Phebe E. Spence b. @1845 William J. Spence b. @ 1847 Sarah Othelia. Spence b. @ 1849 d. 1935 m. James Allen Bridges Rebecca Ann Spence b. @ 1851 J.Franklin Spence b. @ 1853 Robert Milton Spence b. @ 1857 m. Maggie ? M.A. spence b. @ 1863 L.V. Spence b. @ 1866 Henry H. Spence b. @ 1867 d. 1937 m. Annie S. ? (b. May 11, 1868 d. Jan 25, 1952 children: Matilda Louise Spence b. 1869 d 1953 m. Jacob Martin Bryant (1867 - 1931) Margaret SPENCE "Peggy", born abt 1825, Laurens, SC; m. James CARTEE [listed in 1860 census as Carter (sic)]; CSA, 18th SC Co. D, died at 2nd Manasas 30 Aug 1864. James is the (possible) son of Reubin CARTEE of VA, and the brother of W.J.CARTEE who married Nancy SPENCE. Hugh Young SPENCE "Hewie", born 25 May 1827, Laurens, SC; died 11 May 1913, DeKalb, AL; m. Bernice MCCALLISTER, born 18 Jul 1831; died 26 Feb 1928, Rosalee, Jackson, AL. William J. Spence b. 24 June 1833 d. 8 April 1907 Velasco, Kemp, Brazoria County, TX buried Lawrence (Kaufman County) TX m. Elizabeth Jane (Jenny) Moore (b. 3 Feb 1835 Brevard, Transylvania County, NCd. 12 Feb 1890 of measles Kaufman County, TX d/o Clinton Houston Moore (b. 28 July 1810) and Sarah (Sallie) Shipman) 8 May 1856 Hendersonville, NC In his Union Pension application William J. SPENCE states he was conscripted into the CSA. He served in the CSA, 18th SC Regiment Co. D, East District, along with brothers Robert, Hewie, Samuel, and Henry Tennessee. William J. left the CSA after they burned the family homeplace in a strategic retreat, to keep the Union from utilizing the farms provisions. Family Oral History confirmed by the confederate and union descendents say that William J. Spence deserted to the nearby union line one evening while his brother Henry Tennessee was on guard duty. Henry told his brother William, "If you Go-over I'll have to shoot you!" William told him, "Then you'll just have to shoot me. I would rather be dead than to serve in an army that would burn my home!" Henry shot into the air. He was sure that if he didn't shoot William then the Union sentry would. Later he said he heard William's voice talking with the Union soldiers and he knew his brother was OK. William joined the NC Mounted Infantry Co. B 2nd Regiment where he was honorably discharged and later received a disability pension. After 1900 he was reunited with brothers Henry and Hewie in Alabama after he received an invitation to visit them in AL. Andrew Perry Spence b. @ 1835 believed to have died young Marq Spence (male). b. @ 1837 believed to have died young Samuel Spence b. @ 1840 d. before 1883 al m. Mary Ellen ? (b. 1837 SC) Samuel is buried in the Old Macedonia Cemetery, Cleburn Co. AL; He served in the CSA, 18th SC Regiment Company D. Children of Samuel spence and Mary ellen ? James Spence b. 1857 Joseph Spence b. 1859 Henry Tennessee Spence b. @ 1845 d. Jan 29 1916 DeKalb county, AL m. Mary Ann clardy (b. Feb 21 1847 Anderson SC d. November 24, 1919 DeKalb co. Al Henry served in the CSA 18th SC Co. D. Children of Henry T. Spence and Mary Clardy: Larkin Spence b. 1865 Augustus Spence b. 1868 M.J. Spence b. 1870 David C. Spence b. 1847 John SPENCE born 1829, Laurens, SC; moved to NC, died before 1883, whereabouts unknown. Nancy SPENCE, born about 1830, Laurens, SC; died 3 Oct 1891, Anderson, SC, buried Big Creek Baptist Church Cemetery; m. W. J. CARTEE. Mary Jane SPENCE, born 1829, Laurens, SC; m. Elip MOORE, possibly lived in Pickens, SC, per 1860 Census, p. 104, Snow Creek District; whereabouts unknown after 1888. Children of William J. Spence and Jenny Moore: 1. David Henry Spence B. 27 July 1866 Ashville (Buncombe County) N. C. d. 2 November 1941 Plainview (Hale county), TX m. Ada Goodwin 2. Robert Clinton (Bob) Spence b. 6 Sept 1859 Weaversville, NC d. 2 March 1946 Kemp, TX 3. Andrew H. Spence b. 3 Jan 1861 Weaversville, NC buried Kemp Texas 4. John Perry Spence b. 22 August 1868 Ashville N. Carolina d. 4 Feb 1922 Kemp, Kaufman County, TX 5. Charley P. SPENCE Born: 3 Jun 1870: Ashville, Buncombe, N. Carolina 6. Cordelia A. "Delia" SPENCE Born: 19 Feb 1857 Hendersonville, NC 7. Margaret K. "Maggie" SPENCE Born: 22 Mar 1862 Ashville, Buncombe, N. C. Buried Payne Springs Ce, Henderson County, Texas 8. Sarah Catherine "Kate" SPENCE Born: 8 Jun 1858 Weaversville, NC D. 12 Jun 1912 David Henry SPENCE b. 27 July 1866 Ashville (Buncombe County) NC d. 2 Nov 1941, Plainview, TX M. Ada GOODWIN (1892-1955 d/o James Robert Goodwin and Martha Melinda Golden (d/o Dr. William E. Golden and Maryann Margarety Powell (d/o Millington Powell and Mary Wooten))) 18 Dec 1892 In Kaufman (Kaufman county, TX). moved to Plainview, Tx in 1914, with their children: Walter Andrew Spence b. Jan 20, 1896 Kaufman County, TX d.Jan 12 1988 Palmer (Ellis County), TX m. Hettie Rowena Deigh (b. 26 Aug 1913 Hot Springs, AR - d. 15 Jan 1997 New Boston (Bowie County) TX) Walter never finished high school due to assisting his parents with the younger children in a move by wagon train from Kaufman county texas, to Plainview (hale county), TX just 6 weeks shy of graduation in 1914. Walter was one of the first two young men in Hale County to enlist in the army after the United States became involved in WWI. He was inducted into the army on August 11, 1917 and served in the 89th aero squadron based in Hempstead, L.I. New York, during WWI as head bugler. In a letter he wrote home on October 8, 1917, he complained that this “promotion” put him farther away than ever from his dream of flying. His company eventually was shipped to Germany. According to his daughter Helen Nelson, he at some time received a dose of mustard gas and was hospitalized for a time. During the war, he continued to support his family, sending money from overseas. He was mustered out on April 13, 1919. When he returned home at the end of the war, he lived with and helped support his parents and siblings for some time. In 1928 He signed his grandfather’s (J. R. Goodwin) death certificate and listed his residence as Plainview, TX. That same year Walter went to work for the Post Office. Most of his 30 year career was spent as a Railway Mail Clerk. His assigned route was the Ft. Worth, TX to Caldwell, KS run. As a Railway Mail Clerk, he worked inside mail cars attached to passenger trains and would sort the mail enroute as the trains picked up and dropped off mail at each small town. He was the one who would place a canvas bag of mail on a hook while the train was moving. He was required by law to wear a hand gun while aboard the train and was responsible for the mail (mail clerks were charged with protecting the mail at all costs from train robbers, which were still a problem from time to time.) Many of his runs were a full week in length with 2-3 days running, a layover, and 2-3 days return trip. Between each run he was off for an equal amount of time. At other times, Walter was gone for only a day, with only a few hours off before his next run. From time to time, he could “bid” on certain runs when he wanted to go elsewhere. He didn’t seem to have too much trouble getting to move around when he wanted to. During his years working for the Post Office, he moved his family to Duncan, OK., Houston, TX and Lubbock, TX before moving back to Ft. Worth, where he retired in 1958, He spent the next few years working as a warehouseman for his brother, David Henry, jr. in Banning, Ca. Living alone until his wife and 2 youngest children (Helen and Caroline) met him there. His eyesight began to go bad so he quit there and returned to Grapevine, tx finally to settle until 1974, with plans for the Dallas Ft. Worth Int’l airport to be located in Grapevine, He sold his house and he and Rowena, moved to Palmer, Tx in Ellis county (not far from Dallas – Ft. Worth). Though he had very little formal education, Walter was an intelligent, well read man with interests in politics, history, religion and generally anything else he could read. Rowena managed her sister-in-law’s music store in Lubbock, Tx in the 40’s until 1949 when the store foundered due to competition. Her eldest daughter Janeice also worked at that store for a time. In her declining years Rowena suffered from Alzheimer's living for a time in the home of her daughter Helen before moving to the home of her daughter Casceille Plumlee in New Boston, TX where she died in 1997. She is buried next to Walter in Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery in Colleyville (Tarrant County) TX. note: Colleyville borders Grapevine TX) Otho m. Inez Homan Martha - d. in 1920's, probably from appendicitis (cause of death was called "the Ague" on death certificate, but the symptoms described sound like appendicitis) David Henry, Jr., Margaret, Francis, Effie, Mary L Spence M. Peter Zeigler in the 1950's he was much younger than she and is still living when I introduced myself to him in 2002 (at Zeigler music in Plainview, TX) Mary was born paraplegic. She ran a music store in Plainview, Tx for many years. She eventually opened stores in Lubbock and Amarillo, tx as well. Eventually the store in Lubbock foundered due to entrenched competition but there is still a Zeigler’s music store in Plainview, TX. Children of Walter Spence and (Hettie) Rowena Deigh 1. Jeanice Marie (Jan) Spence (b. 20 Sept 1932 Fort Worth,TX) m Jack Allen Turner (b. 18 Jan 1930 San Antonio (Bexar County) TX) 20 Jan 1956 Jack was a career navy man, having enlisted at age 17. children: 1.David Allan Turner b. 7 Sep 1960 Torrance, Los Angeles County, CA m. Nancy Elaine Pierse (b. 8 May 1959) 14 Nov. 1983 (this marriage ended in divorce) m. 2nd Christina Marie Stroh (b. 08 Aug 1960) 4 Jun 1993 2. Brian Earl Turner b.2 July 1965 Sanford (Seminole county) FL. m. Jonnie Irene sutton (b. 10 March 1969 Spokane, Wa) 14 June 1997 2. Helen Annette Spence b. 4 Jan 1943 Fort Worth, Tarrant County, TX M. Neal Roy Stine (Feb 13, 1940 d. Aug 25 1978) 25 June 1961 the couple divorced in 1976 M. K. Bradley Derr (b. Dec 31, 1937 Rexburg, ID- d. 1989 Spokane, WA) July 9, 1976 M. Darrell Nelson Dec 31, 1989 Spokane, WA. 3. Carolyn Sharon Spence (b. 25 Sept 1944 Fort Worth TX) m 1st James Lee Plumlee, Sr. 15 March 1963 (the couple divorced) Children: James Lee Plumlee, Jr. b. 1 Jan 1964 Grapevine, TX Janet Elizabeth Plumlee b. 5 May, 1965 Grapevine, TX m. John Lee October 14, 2000 in San Francisco, CA Child of Janet Plumlee and John Lee: Kevin James Lee b. Feb 13, 2002 m. 2nd Walter Peterson 4. Rowena Cascielle Spence (b. 10 April 1939 Houston, Tx d. Jan 21, 2002 New Boston, TX) m. Jerry Ellison Plumlee (b. 02 Nov 1936 Coppell, TX) May 24 1958 (Div) Children: Andrew Sterling Plumlee m. Phyllis Dawn Mellick (b. 11 Nov 1963 Waterloo, IA) 3 Aug 1985 Lucinda Rowena (Cindy) Plumlee b. 6 Sep 1963 Grapevine, Tx m. Russell Lee Belt (div) Child of Cindy Plumlee and Russell Belt: 1. Crystal Belt m. Neal Ellison Plumlee b. 6 March 1968 Grapevine, TX