Talk:Matthew Lyle Spencer

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Hi,

Just a short note to let you know that the article on Spencer is from articles written by the author over the past three years for the Panola Story, Le Despencer, and American National Biography. It also became a short book in 1998. In some cases, statements are taken verbatim from the aforementioned articles. Spencer's 1908 wedding is from the author's article "The Spencer-Hill Wedding: a Time of Joy," which appeared in the Spring 1992 issue of Wofford Today.

Royalhistorian 00:59, 29 October 2006 (UTC)

Moved from part of article

The American Spencer family, began with Col. Thomas Spencer of Charlotte County, Virginia who wed Eliza Julia Flournoy in the 1740's. Matthew's lineage was through Capt. John Spencer (b. 1745 - son of Thomas, who had four brothers and five sisters), through Captain Thomas Cole Spencer (b. 1774 - son of John, who had two brothers and two sisters) to Matthew's grandfather Matthew Lyle Spencer (1809 - son of Thomas Cole, who had six sisters and three brothers).

Matthew's grandfather was from Lunenburg County, Virginia and was married on 3 April 1838 to Louisa Stokes Neal (Mackenzie, 1966). Although the reasons are not given, Matthew (1809), moved in 1860 to Lealands (Year Book, 1905-06) near Batesville. At this time, Poindexter, Matthew's father, was about three years old. Poindexter spent his childhood in Batesville and at the age of fourteen united with the M. E. Church, South (Yearbook, 1905 6). Poindexter attended school locally and later studied law and was admitted to the bar. By the 1880's Poindexter was called to preach and in 1884 gave up law to preach the gospel. He attended Vanderbilt and in December, 1886 was admitted to the North Mississippi Conference (Year Book, 1905-06). During the next two years, he preached at Faisonia (1887) and Friars Point (1888). After this period, he left Panola County and began a preaching circuit which carried him to the Mississippi towns of Louisville (1889), Columbus (1890-1891), and Shannon (1892).

In December of 1892, Poindexter was transferred to the North Georgia Conference (Year Book, 1905-06). At the time of Poindexter's move to Georgia, Matthew was nearly twelve years old. For the next three years, Spencer lived with his parents until family conflicts forced him to leave home. According to an account given by Matthew's son, Colonel Orton F. Spencer (1991), "he (Matthew) did mention at one time that he started out on his own around the age of fifteen."