Mary Jane (Randolph) Spencer (abt. 1802 - abt. 1879)

Born about 1802 in North Carolina, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of John Alexander Spencer Jr. — married 22 May 1815 in Brunswick, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died about 1879 at about age 77 in Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Melinda Spencer [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Spencer Name Study.

Mary Jane "Jane" Randolph was born about 1802 in North Carolina to Nathan Randolph and Hannah Hill.

Jane is listed in The Biographical and Genealogical Records of the Fite Families in the United States as one of Nathan and Hannah's 11 children.^[1]

Also, Jane is mentioned in an 1885 letter that her brother James wrote his nephew, the son of his brother Jeremiah (citation needed): ""Your gran Father and Mother's name was NATHAN AND HANNAH. I will now just give the names of your uncles and aunts. The oldes (sic) one was Elijah. John, Jesse, myself and your Pa (Jeremiah). There were only five boys of us and six girls. The oldest girl was Spazzy...Abigail...Jane, Phebe, Matilda & Alta was the Family. There is none living now but myself that I know of"

Jane appears to have moved with her family to Warren, TN some time prior to 1805, when her father appears on a Warren County tax list. ^[2]

It appears that she married John before arriving in Gibson around the year 1819 or 1820, because her brother and sister are mentioned in Goodspeed's History of Tennessee as being John's in-laws at that time.^[3]

Jane and John raised at least 9 children in Trenton, TN, although two others appear on census records 1830 and 1840 that may not have survived childhood.

Both Jane and John disappear from Gibson census records before the 1870 census.

Children

1. Laura b. 1825
2. Mary Elizabeth b. 1827
3. William M b. 1828
4. John Alexander b. 1831
5. Thomas W b. 1832
6. Lucien B b. 1833
7. Savannah Jane b. 1835
8. Jesse Houston b. 1838
9. Emily Josephine b. 1842

Research Notes

Although I have never found a marriage certificate that proves John Spencer Jr. was Jane Randolph's husband, I have collected the following evidence:

• Jane appears as John's wife on census records from 1850-1860. (Before 1850 only the husband's name was listed). After 1860, they both go missing from Gibson, TN census records.^[4][5]
• According to Goodspeed's History of Tennessee, Jane's husband John Spencer Jr. founded Trenton, Gibson, TN along with his brothers-in-law Thomas Fite and James Fryar Randolph. Since Jane was the sister of both James F Randolph and Asphasia Randolph, who was married to Thomas Fite, the conclusion is Jane was, in fact, John's wife.^[6]
• The death certificate of their daughter, Emily Josephine Spencer has "Randolph" written as mother's maiden name.^[7]
• I am an auDNA match to many descendants of both John and Jane, as well as their brothers, sisters, and parents.

Taken in sum, I believe this evidence leaves little doubt that Jane Randolph was married to John Spencer Jr.. -- 04:17, 23 March 2024 (UTC)Melinda Spencer, Jane's 3rd GGD

Sources

1. ↑ Book Title: The biographical and genealogical records of the Fite families in the United States, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1696641:61157
2. ↑ The Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Early Tax Lists of Tennessee https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/141122:2883
3. ↑ Goodspeed's History of Tennessee https://tngenweb.org/goodspeeds/gibson-county-history/
4. ↑ The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: District 11, Gibson, Tennessee; Roll: 878; Page: 297https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/6128189:8054
5. ↑ The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: District 7, Gibson, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1250; Page: 259; Family History Library Film: 805250 Source Information https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/19127047:7667
6. ↑ https://tngenweb.org/goodspeeds/gibson-county-history/
7. ↑ Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958; Roll Number: 180 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/311273:2376

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