Abel Spencer

Abel Spencer (December 4, 1758 – June 16, 1832) was a Vermont lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives twice and was expelled from the House for theft.

Biography

Abel Spencer was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island on December 4, 1758.^[1] His family subsequently relocated to Clarendon, Vermont.

During the American Revolution he served in the Vermont Militia, but changed sides at the approach of John Burgoyne's army in the Saratoga campaign of 1777.^[2][3] (His father Benjamin, who served in the Vermont legislature and in other offices also sided with the British and relocated to Ontario, Canada.) Abel Spencer subsequently recanted his support of the British and was allowed to return to Clarendon after being assessed a fine of 1,000 pounds. In 1779 the legislature remitted half the fine.^[4]

Spencer subsequently studied law and attained admission to the bar. He represented Clarendon in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1791 to 1793 and 1796 to 1798. After relocating to Rutland Spencer represented his new hometown in the House from 1802 to 1803 and 1806 to 1807. He served as Speaker of the House from 1797 to 1798 and 1802 to 1803.^[5]

Spencer also served on the Vermont Governor's Council from 1798 to 1801 and was Rutland County State's Attorney from 1796 to 1803.^[6][7]

In 1798 Spencer ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives, and in 1802 he was the unsuccessful Federalist nominee for the United States Senate, losing to Israel Smith.^[8][9]

In 1807 Spencer was accused of the theft of ninety-three dollars in bank bills, the property of three other House members. He was expelled from the House in a unanimous vote.^[10][11]

After leaving the House Spencer relocated to Saint Armand, Quebec, Canada, where he died on June 16, 1832. He was buried Iberville's Episcopal Church Cemetery.^[12]

References

1. Rhode Island Births, 1636-1930, entry for Abel Spencer, accessed via Ancestry.com, February 21, 2012
2. State of Vermont Roll of Soldiers in the Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783, compiled and edited by John E. Goodrich, 1904, pages 57 to 58
3. An Address Pronounced in the Representatives' Hall, Montpelier, 24th October, 1850, by Daniel Pierce Thompson, 1850, page 22
4. Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont for 1798 to 1799, by E. P. Walton (Montpelier), 1876, page 169
5. History of Vermont, Natural, Civil, and Statistical, by Zadock Thompson, 1842, page 118
6. Ethan Allen and His Kin: Correspondence, 1772-1819, by Ethan Allen, Volume 2, 1998, pages 469 to 470
7. History of Rutland County, Vermont, published by D. Mason & Co. (Syracuse), 1886, page 143
8. Matthew Lyon, The Hampden of Congress, by James Fairfax McLaughlin, 1900, pages 374 to 375
9. Ethan Allen and His Kin: Correspondence, 1772-1819, by Ethan Allen, Volume 2, 1998, pages 469 to 470
10. Early History of Vermont, by LaFayette Wilbur, Volume 3, 1902, page 153
11. Ira Allen: Founder of Vermont, 1751-1814, by James Benjamin Wilbur, Volume 2, 1928, page 398
12. Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967, death record for Abel Spencer, accessed via Ancestry.com, June 21, 2012