Obituary of D. E. A. Spencer

June 1905 - D. E. A. Spencer Died Thursday Night At His Home An Old Settler of Albion Came to Noble County With His Parents 1833. One by one the pioneers of No. Co. are falling and crossing the mystic river to the other shore.. Deacon Ezra Allen Spencer, who has been afflicted several months with illness, died at this home in Albion, No. Co., Ind., aged 75 years,7 months and 21 days.

Mr. Spencer was born Oct. 17, 1829, in Huron Co., Ohio, and in 1834, he and his father, Samuel Spencer, moved to No. Co. and settled near the Union Church in Jefferson Twp. Later he bought a mill site on Lewis branch near Albion, and erected a sawmill thereon.

The boy, Deacon, was physically strong, and the hardships of pioneer life farm work, made it necessay for him to take up another occupation. His father sent him to Greenfield, Ohio, where he learned the trade of tailor and returning to Albion he became identified with the business interests of the town and so remained until his demise.

On Jan. 21, 852, he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Bowen, who survives him. Three children were born, Amanda, who died in infancy, Fitch J. Spencer, who resides at Wauseaon, Ohio, and Edward F., who resides in this city.

Mr. Spencer is one of the last leaves of the storybook of pioneer days, and it is but a coincidence that his life, a page in the history of No. Co., should have been torn out on the day set apart to do honor to pioneer survivors. The writer feels that it will be more than of passing interest to the community to read some comment on the life just passed to higher hopes.

Children were a passion with him and there are a few young men, who were reared in Albion, who can look back to some happy times in the tailor shop. Many were the pranks we played but we know he enjoyed them. In school children he took delight, for in them he received that which was denied him. He loved to learn with them their lessons and as we think back that a really deep mind was thirsting and craving for knowledge and between the hours of toil we know, too, that he acquired a mu8ch broader and deeper learning than many of us who have had modern school advantages.

He was a student of natural history. He loved flowers and his little garden was always full of the good old-fashioned bloom. He learned much of birds and animals and his shop was a wonder place in specimens prepared by himself. With the simplest tools he made carvings in wood that would do credit to the skill of a master of the art.

Now that existence here is closed, we feel that his life has been a useful one. Along with the hardships attending the early settlement, business reverses which several times reduced him to the beginning point and a naturally weak constitution, he has been able to close without his abilities and with assets in worldly goods and lessons of energy and right living to the present generation.

The obsequies were held at the late residence at 2 o’clock, Sun P.M., conducted by Rev. M. R. Mohler, pastor of the Lutheran church, and was attended by a large concourse of relatives and friends. Internment in the Albion cemetery. We extend condolence to the relatives in their hour of affliction and sorrow.

Albion Democrat June 12, 1905

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