Abiram Spencer, born 1812, was the owner of Spencer and Gridley Grocers located at 69 Albany Avenue in Hartford, CT. and his family lived next to the store. Previously, he had lived on a farm in Bloomfield, CT,. and had worked as a butcher in the Hartford market square. He moved to Hartford in 1857 and (according to his obituary) had the “reputation as an honorable, fair-dealing man.” Tragically, he died in 1871 when he was struck by a train while walking near his grocery store. Despite a great deal of digging, I have not been able to identify the parents of Abiram.

Abiram Spencer married Emily Ann Waters in 1833 in Hartford and had one son, John William Spencer. Records indicate that Abiram was married for a second time in 1838 to Charlotte Blinn of Wethersfield and had three children of their own (there is no record what happened to Emily). Based on church marriage records and the 1850 census, John W. Spencer was the product of the first marriage. John Spencer was a deputy sheriff and a justice of the peace in Hartford County. When he was younger, John worked as a West Indies fruit trader. He also served as a member of the First Company Governor’s Horse Guard, a unit that regularly escorted the State’s chief executive in inaugural ceremonies.

This 1876 map of Bloomfield, Connecticut shows the location of the farm John and his wife Anna shared with members of the Eggleston family. The Old Farm School (above photo) was built in 1796 and was located across the street from the Spencer/Eggleston property (map).

SPENCER FAMILY LINE

Abiram Spencer (1812-1871) – Emily Ann Waters

John William Spencer (1834-1896) – Anna Eggleston (1843-1921)

Samuel Spencer (1867-1906) – Minnie Mae Fowler (1867-1957)

Gladys May Spencer (1898-1984) – George French (1898-1983)

Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved by David R. French.

William French departed England with his family on the ship Defence for the British colonies of North America on the 10th of August 1635. They arrived in Boston on the 3rd of October and settled in Newe Towne (which became Cambridge) Massachusetts. One year later, William became a freeman and later (1655) helped establish the town of Billerica, Massachusetts.

In 1637, a group of prominent residents of Massachusetts Bay founded the “Military Company of Massachusetts.” Later renamed the “Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company,” it is the oldest military and chartered organization in North America. William French, a member of the local volunteer militia, was recruited to join the order in 1638 and by the time of his death obtained the rank of captain. He also served as a captain in the King Philip’s War (1675-76) , a major conflict where nearly half of New England’s towns were attacked by Native warriors.

New England public records contain a substantial amount of historical information on William French, including a copy of his will, property ownership and military service.

Ten generations of the French family lived in the Boston region of Massachusetts.

Notable descendants of William French include Charles Goodyear, who discovered vulcanized rubber; Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph; and Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin.

400 YEARS OF THE FRENCH LINE

William French (1603-1681) – Elizabeth Symmes (1603-1668)

Jacob French (1639/40-1713) – Mary Champney

William French (1668-1723) – Sarah Danforth

Ebenezer French (1707-1797) – Elizabeth Hill

Jesse French (1739-1780) – Abigail Jaquith

Luther French (1767-1846) – Sally (Sarah) Bowers

Abram French (1803-1879) – Elizabeth Simonds (photograph above)

Horace French (1843-1903) – Laura Foster

Walter French (1877-?) – Mary MacEachern

George French (1898-1983) – Gladys Spencer

John S. French (1931–2014) – Mary Grace

David R. French (1962 –living) – Molly Shonka

Carole French (2003-living)

Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved by David R. French.