White County INGenWeb

COUNTIES OF WHITE AND PULASKI, INDIANA, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL, Published by F.A. Battey & Co, Chicago, 1883, pg 242

DR. WILLIAM SPENCER was born in Zanesville, Ohio, November 5, 1833, and is the son of Dr. Robert and Eleanor (Barnett) Spencer, natives respectively of Ohio and Washington, D. C. Dr. Robert Spencer was a graduate of the Ohio Medical College, and was engaged in the practice of medicine until his death in February, 1863. In 1835, he came to this county, and remained three years, working at carpentering and studying medicine, and then returned to Ohio, graduated, and for ten years practiced in Ross and Muskingum Counties. In 1848, he came back to White County, his four brothers, Benjamin, George, James and Thomas, having preceded him. In 1855, he was elected Professor of Anatomy in Cincinnati College of Medicine, and retained the position seven years. In 1862, be was made Surgeon of the Seventy-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service. His widow died of heart disease a few -years later, and both were buried in the cemetery at Monticello. Dr. William Spencer began the study of medicine under his father, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1855. He then practiced with his father in Monticello until 1861, when he raised and was made Captain of Company E, Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. At the end of seven months, he resigned commission to accept an appointment as Assistant Surgeon of the Seventy-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry. While attending the sick and wounded in Morgan County, Ala., he was taken prisoner, April 30, 1863, and detained until November 22, when he was exchanged. April 16, 1864, he was appointed Surgeon of the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry. He afterward served on Gen. Jackson's staff, and held various other positions until his discharge, while Surgeon of the post at Johnsonville, August 6, 1865, since when be has been in practice in Monticello, where be is also conducting a drug store. He was married, January 1, i856, to Miss Harriet V. Kistler, who has borne him three children-Charles, deceased; Gertrude,. now Mrs. C. D. Meeker, and May. The Doctor owns, besides town property, nearly 2,000 acres of land in the county, and a half interest in the bank at Fowler.

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