Alvin & Achsah Jane Spencer
Alvin Spencer was born May 8, 1849, in Owsley County, KY. Achsah Jane Ponder was born on March 19, 1853.
They began their 52 year marriage just eleven days before Achsah Jane's fifteenth birthday. Alvin was the ripe old age of eighteen at the time of the nuptials. They were married in Powell County, KY, on March 8, 1868.
A little over a year later, their first child, John Ponder (Ponder), was born. Over the course of the next 27 years, they were the proud parents of fourteen more children. Of the fifteen children, five were girls and ten were boys. All fifteen were born in Kentucky.
In 1907, on the advice of their physician, Alvin and Achsah Jane moved the entire Spencer brood to northern Wisconsin. Achsah Jane suffered from asthma and the doctor prescribed a move to the cooler pine forests of the north to alleviate her condition. It was sound advice, as Achsah Jane's condition cleared and the asthma only bothered her on return visits to Kentucky.
Following the move to Forrest County, WI, Alvin farmed, worked as a logger, and made maple syrup. He was one of the original Supervisors of the town that would bear his name. Alvin was also the town's second Post Master and helped establish the Primitive Baptist Church where he preached. More impressively, Achsah Jane cooked, cleaned, and raised the kids in the primitive conditions of early Twentieth Century Northern Wisconsin.
In order to submit a request for its own Post Office, the little Forrest County community where the Spencer's had settled had to have a name. Alvin submitted the name of another community leader, Curtis Powell, for consideration. Curtis submitted his friend Alvin's name. Since there was already a town named Curtis in the state, the new community was dubbed Alvin, Wisconsin.
Achsah Jane died on March 1, 1920. Alvin lived for twelve more year, passing on at the age of 83 on May 28, 1932. Alvin and Achsah Jane, as well as all but three of their children, are buried at the Alvin Lakeview Cemetery.
The Fifteen
1) John Ponder (Ponder): 1869-1960
2) Eusebius (Seab): 1871-1899
3) Martha Elander (Elander): 1874-1940
4) Jemima Elizabeth (Lizzie): 1874-1970
5) Sylvania Adeline (Vannie): 1876-1953
6) Zachariah Columbus (Columbus): 1878-1958
7) Alexander (Zander): 1880-1949
8) Lucinda Fairbell (Cindy): 1882-1969
9) Nimrod (Nim): 1884-1968
10) Claudius Mae (Claud):1886-1973
11) Jacob Lee (Jake): 1877-1970
12) Patrick Henry (Pat): 1889-1967
13) James Herbert (Herb): 1891-1946
14) Ora Etta (Etta): 1893-1977
15) Strauther Clayton (Straw): 1896-1985