Lake County Ohio GenWeb

Mrs. Candace (Spencer) Munson

The following article is from the Painesville Telegraph, 14 February 1884, and reprinted in the April 1991 "LakeLines," the newsletter of the Lake County Genealogical Society, retranscribed here by Kerri O'Connor.

PIONEER HISTORY
To the Editor Painesville Telegraph: MRS. CANDACE (SPENCER) MUNSON

In writing the biographical sketches of the pioneer fathers, why should not the pioneer mothers have a niche in the temple of the pioneer fame? Their feelings would be none the less when the time had come to bid farewell to fond parents and kindred, near and dear associates of childhood and youth, and go forth with a scanty outfit perhaps to seek a home in the great West. And when they had arrived in Delaware, Oswego or Oneida counties, N. Y. they began to think they were on the frontier in earnest. A few hardy, adventurous pioneers had gone west as far as Ontario county, settling Canandaigua, the Bloomfields, to the east bank of Genessee River. West of that was what was called the Holland purchase, owned by a company in Holland. I think in 1798 the land had not been surveyed and no settlements. At Buffalo was a garrison. And still settlers came on to the Reserve and settled in Conneaut, Mentor, Harpersfield, Cleveland, Burton and Youngstown, and followed by others until the Western Reserve has been demolished of its vast forests, and beautiful fields and farm houses, cities and villages have taken their place together with a dense population as we see to-day. This shows a great change in 87 years, and where is the far West to-day. And the journey to the Pacific eastern shore to-day is not to be compared to the journey of an emigrant family with an ox team from New England by the great western road through the State of New York, and leading road from Buffalo West to Ohio, or the great leading road over the mountains through Pennsylvania, previous to their building the Macadamized turnpike.

Thomas Spencer, a grand-son of Sergeant Jared Spencer, born in Saybrook, Conn., January 16th, 1736, O.S., married Miss Phebe Grinnell, April 10th, 1760. Miss Grinnell born July 20th, 1736, O.S. They lived in Saybrook until 1772, where six of their children were born, when they removed to Winchester, Conn., where Mrs. Munson and three sisters were born, making a family of ten children, Mrs. Munson being the 8th child, born June 14th, 1775. Mr. Spencer was a prominent man in the town and eight of his ten children became heads of large and influential families. Mr. S. died May 1st, 1807, aged 71; Mrs. S. died Oct. 2d, 1812, aged 77, Boyds, Winchester. Mr. and Mrs. Munson had a family of nine children all born in Connecticut, and three died young and six raised families. Mrs. Candace Munson united with the Congregational Church in 1814. She transferred her church relations to the Congregational Church of Painesville. Mrs. Munson was one of the noble women of her day, in setting good examples, and inculcating correct principles of morality and religion, and a reverence for the holy Sabbath and its sanctuary privileges, and these parents were steady in their attendance at meetings on the Sabbath with their children as long as they were under their control. They were brought up to habits of industry, prudence and economy. Her examples and precepts with her foresight were all for good, not only in her family, but in the church, and in the community. Truly it can be said she was a "Mother in Israel," always ready to attend the sick and administer consolation to the afflicted, and smooth the pillow of the dying. And the language of the wise man is appropriate to her: "Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." Prov. 31st and 28th; and the 26th and 27th should equally apply. She was a very conscientious and exemplary woman, in all the relations in life adorning her profession by a well ordered life, and dying a humble and devoted christian. Mrs. Candace S. Munson died in Mentor, January 11th, 1835, aged 60 years.

I design in my next to write a sketch of their son Harry W., a prominent citizen of Mentor. Yours truly, C. C. Bronson Tallmadge, Jan. 30, 1884.