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Spencer, Township of

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Author:
Mary Forer

Location:
T. 26 N. - R. 2 E.

Founded:
1871

Formallized:
November 14, 1876

Background:

Population: 1905-569 plus 311 in Village of Spencer, 2000-1,341 plus 1,932 in village of Spencer

Homesteaders began filing claims to the wooded acres in around 1871. Records show the first settlers were Reuben Ring and his family. On January 3, 1871, Reuben had entered a claim in the U.S. Land Office for the N1/2 of NW 1/4, Section 7, Township 26 North, Range 2 East.

First Public Official:
John K. Hayward, Chairman

Biography:

John K. Hayward was the second white settler to arrive in Spencer. He was born in St. Lawrence County, NY and came to Waupaca County with his parents when he was 14 years old. He arrived in Spencer in 1872, put up a log house, and sent for his wife, Rachel Amanda (Blazer), and his six daughters. He later built a large frame house, in time for the birth of the second of his five sons.

Post Office Established:
See Village of Spencer

Railroad:

The Wisconsin Central Railroad was completed in the early 1870s. It entered the township on the southeast corner and ran practically exactly diagonally through the township. The coming of the railroad was instrumental in the development of Spencer by bringing settlers and mill owners to the area.

See Village of Spencer

Churches:

Hope Chapel - a little country church located north and west of Spencer and sometimes referred to as the Church in the Vale was built sometime in the 1890s by a group of Methodists.

See Village of Spencer

Schools:

The town was divided into three school districts. Mannville School, School District 2 was in Section 25; Cameron School, School District 3 was in Section 33; Sawyer School, School District 6 was in Section 15.

The first Mannville School was built in 1875 and closed in 1956. Cameron School was built in 1903 and closed in 1956. The Sawyer school was closed in 1946.

See Village of Spencer

 

Business:

See Village of Spencer

Industry:

Brewery- begun in the 1870s and owned by Eckert and Kuethe. Supposedly known as the Walter Brewery.

Brickyard - reportedly started by Mr. Kuethe, it supplied  bricks for many early structures.

 Lumber companies -  Many of the lumber companies operated their own sawmills, cutting their own lumber.  The early ones were the H. Robinson Lumber Company, Neceda Lumber Company, Joseph Damon and Son Lumber Company, Kerr-Kelter Lumber Company, Neils Brothers Lumber Company, and John Diamond Lumber Company.

Wood turning factory - operated by J. H. Harding according to a local paper. 

Cheese factories - A Mr. Hartman had the first cheese factory.

Other industries of the early days: Prentice and Company, builders of lumber wagons; G. A. Wendall, builder of logging sleighs and wagons; Patterson Brothers, barrel makers; August Borchart, chair factory operator.

Farming:

Early settlers moved to the area on ox-drawn vehicles through rough trails in the woods. First they would build a log home and a shelter for the animals. Next they would plant a small garden to produce enough food to get them through the winter. In the many years to follow, they would clear the large pine stumps from their land so that they could plant their crops and work on producing a herd of dairy cattle. As the farm grew, log houses were replaced with larger framed houses. It has been said that the railroad and lumber mills gave Spencer its beginning, but it was the hard working farmers that kept it going after the mill owners moved north.

Fur farms - a fur farm was started by Guy Ingham in 1916.

Stories:

See Village of Spencer