Orson Spencer Circa 1850, photograph by studio of Charles R. Savage and George M. Ottinger (Church History Library, Salt Lake City).
- Gender
- Male
Spencer, Orson
Biography
14 Mar./13 May 1802–15 Oct. 1855. Teacher, minister, university professor and chancellor. Born in West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of Daniel Spencer and Chloe Wilson. Moved to Lenox, Berkshire Co., 1817; to Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York, 1819; to Washington, Wilkes Co., Georgia, 1825; and to Hamilton, Madison Co., New York, 1827. Baptist minister in Massachusetts and Connecticut, ca. 1829–ca. 1841. Married Catherine Curtis, 13 Apr. 1830. Soon after, moved to Saybrook, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Moved to Middlefield, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts, by 1840. Returned to West Stockbridge, 1841. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints by Daniel Spencer, May 1841, in West Stockbridge. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, 1841. Nauvoo city alderman, 1841–1845. Appointed professor at University of Nauvoo, 1841. Ordained an elder, before 6 Apr. 1843. Served mission to New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut, 1843. Admitted to Council of Fifty, 19 Mar. 1844. Ordained a high priest by George Miller, 6 Oct. 1844, in Nauvoo. Elected mayor of Nauvoo but never served because city charter was repealed, 1845. Elected trustee of town of Nauvoo, Apr. 1845. Wife died, 1846, in Iowa Territory. Presided over British mission, 1847–1849. Migrated to Salt Lake City as captain of emigrant company, 1849. Member of Utah territorial legislature, 1851. Died in St. Louis.
Links
- History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
- Times and Seasons, 1 August 1842
- Times and Seasons, 1 July 1842
- Affidavit, 1 April 1844 [ State of Illinois v. Greene et al. ]
- Affidavit, 14 November 1842 [ State of Illinois v. Brown and Edwards ]
- Affidavit, 4 February 1843–A [ State of Illinois v. Goddard et al. ]
- Appendix 2: Council of Fifty, Minutes, 27 February 1845
- Appendix 3: Orson Hyde, Statement about Quorum of the Twelve, circa Late March 1845
- Appendix 4: Council of Fifty, Roll, 22 April 1845–27 December 1846
- Appendix 5, Document 2. Draft Notes, March and April 1842
- Attachment, 19 April 1843 [ Dana v. Brink ]
- Attachment, 4 February 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Goddard et al. ]
- Certification of Deed, 29 May 1844
- City Council Order, 30 January 1843–F
- Complaint, 10 April 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Drown ]
- Complaint, 3 October 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Drown ]
- Complaint, 30 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Davis for Slander of JS ]
- Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 1, 10 March 1844–1 March 1845
- Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 2, 1 March–6 May 1845
- Council of Fifty, Minutes, March 1844–January 1846; Volume 3, 6 May 1845–13 January 1846
- Deed from Aaron and Martha Powers, 8 December 1842
- Deed from Edward and Ann Standley Hunter, 17 February 1843
- Deed from Horace S. and Betsey Ann Eldridge, 19 February 1842
- Deed to George A. Smith Jr., 16 January 1843
- Docket Entry, between circa 10 and circa 17 October 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Drown ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 15 and circa 16 January 1844 [ City of Nauvoo v. F. M. Higbee ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 16 and circa 30 May 1844 [ U.S. v. Jeremiah Smith–A ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 19 and circa 21 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Brown ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 2 and circa 3 April 1844 [ State of Illinois v. Greene et al. ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 23 and circa 24 November 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Finch ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 29 and circa 30 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Davis for Slander of JS ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 30 November and circa 3 December 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Davis for Slander of JS ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 31 March and circa 19 April 1843 [ Dana v. Brink ]
- Docket Entry, between circa 4 and circa 26 April 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Hoopes et al. ]
- Docket Entry, circa 10 March 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Davis for Slander of JS ]
- Docket Entry, circa 29 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Hunter ]
- Docket Entry, circa 30 May 1844 [ U.S. v. Jeremiah Smith–B ]
- Docket Entry, circa 4 February 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Goddard et al. ]
- History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
- History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
- History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844]
- Index to Nauvoo City Council Minute Book–A
- Index to Nauvoo City Council Minute Book–B
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 1, 21 December 1842–10 March 1843
- Journal, December 1841–December 1842
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 2, 10 March 1843–14 July 1843
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 3, 15 July 1843–29 February 1844
- Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844
- Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 3 May 1844
- Letter from Stephen Ross, 15 January 1844
- Letter to the Church, 23 June 1842
- License Record Book
- List of Members, Council of Fifty, May 1844
- List of Members, Council of Fifty, probably between 25 April and 3 May 1844
- Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845
- Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845
- Mayor’s Order to Nauvoo City Marshal, 21 June 1844
- Mayor’s Order to Nauvoo City Marshal, 5 March 1844
- Memorial to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, 21 December 1843
- Minute Entry, Committee Appointments, 11 February 1843
- Minute Entry, Report and Orders, 12 February 1844
- Minutes, 11 April 1844
- Minutes, 19 March 1844
- Minutes, 22 July 1842
- Minutes, 26 March 1844
- Minutes, 30 May 1844 [ U.S. v. Jeremiah Smith–A ]
- Minutes, 6 May 1844
- Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 3 February 1841–8 February 1845
- Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, February 1844–January 1845
- Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, February–December 1841
- Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, February–March 1845
- Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, January–November 1842
- Nauvoo City Council Rough Minute Book, November 1842–January 1844
- Ordinance, 16 January 1844–A
- Ordinance, 16 January 1844–C
- Petition, 3–4 February 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Goddard et al. ]
- Praecipe, 10 October 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Drown ]
- Subpoena, 29 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Hunter ]
- Summons, 14 November 1842 [ State of Illinois v. Brown and Edwards ]
- Transcript of Proceedings, 10 March 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Davis for Slander of JS ]
- Trial Minutes, between circa 29 and circa 30 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Davis for Slander of JS ]
- Warrant, 28 November 1842 [ City of Nauvoo v. Hunter ]
- Warrant, 3 February 1843 [ State of Illinois v. Goddard et al. ]
- Writ of Venire Facias, 16 May 1844 [ U.S. v. Jeremiah Smith–A ]
- Writ of Venire Facias, 2 March 1844 [ State of Illinois v. Greene et al. ]