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Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
Robert A. Spence |
ROBERT A.
SPENCE is successfully engaged in general farming on Lot 21,
9th Concession, in Orford township, County of Kent, owning
and cultivating a fine farm of 150 acres, and has an
excellent brick dwelling upon it which was erected in 1882.
He was born on his present farm January 25th, 1869, a son of
Peter and Jessie (Purvis) Spence, of Berwickshire, Scotland,
where they were married. They came to the County of Kent in
1859, locating in Orford township, where they took up 100
acres on which they remained a few years, and then settled
on the present farm of their son Robert A. By occupation
the father was a blacksmith, and he followed his trade for
some five years after arriving the county of Kent, then
devoting his attention to farming until the spring of 1903,
when he retired to Rodney, Ontario. He was born in
September 1st, 1830. Mrs. Jessie Spence died in 1879, aged
39 years, and is buried in the Pursel cemetery. Peter
Spence was married for his second wife, to Anna Turner, of
Fingal, Ontario.
During his
active life, the father served in the township council for
many years, and he always adhered to the principles of the
Reform party. Both he and his first wife early connected
themselves with the Presbyterian Church. The children of
their union were: John, a farmer of Manitoba; James a
farmer of the county of Elgin; Peter, a farmer of Manitoba;
and Robert A.
In March,
1903, in Aldborough, County of Elgin, Ontario, Robert A.
Spence married Sarah Leitch, who was born in Aldborough
township, County of Elgin, in 1882, daughter of Archibald
and Amelia Leitch, of Aldborough.
Mr. Spence
has remained upon the farm all his life, and is now most
justly regarded as one of the most practical and successful
young farmers of his neighbourhood. Fraternally he is a
Mason and a member of the Maccabees. He and his wife are
members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a
Reformer, but his personal affairs occupying his time and
attention, he has never aspired to office, though he was
elected councillor in 1904. He has many warm, personal
friends.
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