Leo Celestine Spencer

Notes:

[Broderbund WFT Vol. 9, Ed. 1, Tree #3342]

I answered yes to addictions because Daddy was very addicted to nicotine;
hence his death from a coronary at age 49. He smoked three packs a day,
or as his wife said, he burned up three packs a day, because the carpet
around his chair had numerous cigarette burn marks. I did not answer yes
to mental illness even though I believe he could be helped with a drug
such a Prozac today. I really believe the circumstances of the time and
the family being the way it was made him try to solve all his problems
himself, and he was naturally unable to do this with little or no support.

Daddy was a very intelligent man, hence his interest in many hobbies.
However, after reaching a reasonable degree of excellence, his interest
would wane. The one he liked the longest and kept his hand in until his
death was his "magician acts."

I remember little of Daddy being home at night and once asked Mother
where he spent his time--she said over at Pie's playing cards. Pie Huber
had a saloon on the corner of Sixth and Main in Cannelton. Dr. Bush used
to join them but he would never take a drink (the result of growing up
with an alcoholic father).

Daddy really loved great music, but I daresay he would not like many
contemporary composers: Bartok, Berg, Schoenberg, Webern, etc. He also
liked to drive--fast! He would not have done well in the days we had the
55 mph speed limit.

I remember walking home from church with Daddy when I was quite young,
and he teased me all the way home by walking fast and taking big steps; I
could hardly keep up with him.

When the older children were old enough to help with Easter Baskets we
really had a lot of fun. Even the adults in our family received baskets,
or rather boxes, and they were all hidden from the recipient. One year
Daddy's was in an empty candy bar box and David and Mary Frances thumb
tacked it to the bottom of the kitchen table. He never did find it
without help from the "hide-ees."

Family/Spouse: Mary Agnes Hubbuch. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary Frances Spencer
2. David Earl Spencer
3. Regina Lucille Spencer
4. Nancy Lea Spencer
5. John Isaac Spencer
6. Elaine Victoria Spencer
7. Florence Annette Spencer
8. Kent Raymond Spencer

Notes:

[Broderbund WFT Vol. 9, Ed. 1, Tree #3342]

After Zoa Belle (Mom) died, Grandpa came to Cannelton to live with us. He
was a great help when Mother (Mary Agnes) had a second bout with
rheumatic fever. He did the washing and ironing and he and Mary Frances
did the cooking. David said it was a chore to eat Mary Frances' biscuits.
David tells of the time he and Grandpa were in the basement and Daddy
came down to complain that his shirt collars were too heavily starched.
Grandpa slowly replied, "Well, Leo, if you don't like the way they are
done I guess you can do a little work around here by doing it yourself."
(And David thought "Go! Grandpa!!!)

One day when Jack was about three and playing happily on the floor,
Grandpa decided to go "over in town" but did not just leave. He announced
to Jack that he was going to do so. Of course, Jack said, "Can I go,
too?" and Grandpa answered, "No, you can't go along" and left. In
consternation, Jack (whose temper tantrums manifested themselves by his
banging his head on the wall) went to the three glass paned front door,
hit his head against one panel and broke the glass!

Isaac married Zoa Belle Mitchell on 1 Feb 1901 in Perry County, IN. Zoa (daughter of Leonard Lafayette Mitchell and Phoebe A. Mosby) was born on 3 Dec 1872; died in 1916/1967. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Broderbund WFT Vol. 9, Ed. 1, Tree #3342]

Mom hand pieced many quilts, each about 72" square. She gave an unquilted
quilt top to Mary Frances, David, Lucille, and Nancy. She had pieces cut
for Jack's but did not get to sew them together. I have no idea of what
happened to the pieces, which were in the closet of Mary Agnes and Leo's
bedroom in Cannelton when I was in high school. I have a "Trip around the
world" quilt she made that I currently (1995) keep on a quilt rack. I
won't let anyone use it because I don't want it to become more worn. It
is very fragile.

Leonard married Phoebe A. Mosby on 11 Feb 1872. Phoebe (daughter of Charles A. Mosby and Jane Guilliland) was born on 28 Apr 1850 in Perry County, IN; died on 14 May 1938 in Cloverport, Breckenridge County, KY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Broderbund WFT Vol. 9, Ed. 1, Tree #3342]

It is reported that Phoebe did not get along with her father's second
wife.

Charles married Jane Guilliland on 17 Nov 1845 in Perry County, IN. Jane was born in 1827 in Leopold, Perry County, IN; died in 1866 in Leopold, Perry County, IN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]