1714 - 1789

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• Title	Major General
  Birth	3 Oct 1714	East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut
  Gender	Male
  Died	13 Jan 1789	East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut
  Buried	Nathan Hale Park
  Person ID	I5895	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	26 Jun 2004 00:00:00
  Father	Isaac SPENCER
  Mother	Mary SELDEN
  Family ID	F637	Group Sheet
  Family	Martha BRAINERD, b. 1 Sep 1716, East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut
  Married	2 Aug 1738	East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut
  Children	1. Martha SPENCER, [infant], b. 8 May 1739, East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut   2. Martha SPENCER, b. Abt 1740, East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut   3. Joseph SPENCER, MD, b. 22 Jul 1750, Of East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut   4. Hubbard SPENCER, b. 1742, East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut   5. Anna SPENCER, b. 30 Mar 1746, East Haddam, , Connecticut   6. Israel Brainard SPENCER, b. 10 Jul 1748, East Haddam, , Connecticut   7. Nehemiah SPENCER, b. 24 Dec 1752, East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut
  Family ID	F797	Group Sheet

• Notes

  Hon. Joseph SPENCER (eldest son of Isaac), married, August 2d 1738, Martha, daughter of Hon. Hezekiah and Dorothy (HOBART) BRAINERD. Joseph Spencer was admitted to the church at Millington, March 23d 1746. He was Assistant (Senator), Connecticut, in 1774 and 1775; and judge of Probate in 1775. "June 30th 1774, in town meeting duly warned-Hon. Joseph SPENCER was chosen moderator, a unanimous vote was recorded for a Declaration of American Rights." "January 6th 1778, Articles of Confederation were unanimously adopted." He presided on this occasion also, and frequently besides (E. H. Records.) In May 1778, he was made a member of the Council of ?afety. In the Colonial army, 1756, he was a major, and afterward a colonel, and must have served with some distinction, for at the commencement of the war with Great Britain the State of Connecticut turned immediately to him as a leader, and the Assembly, in the month of March 1775, appointed "Col. David WOOSTER a major-general, and Col Joseph SPENCER, and Israel PUTNAM to be brigadier-generals," thus making him second in rank in the State.w actually begun, and WASHINGTON had been chosen commander-in-chief. Congress proceeded to appoint four major-generals and eight brigadier-generals; they names Ward C. LEE, SCHUYLER, and PUTNAM for the former positions, and POMEROY, MONTGOMERY, WOOSTER, HEATH, Joseph SPENCER, THOMAS, SULLIVAN, and GREEN for the latter, thus making SPENCER's rank tenth in the Colonial army; but there is nothing which touches a soldier quicker than to see his subordinates placed above him, and there is nothing so destructive to discipline as such promotions, except for cause. Many felt this besides SPENCER, who was at first so offended that he left camp, but was soon induced to return. Gen. Seth POMEROY, the senior brigadier, refused to serve, and SPENCER took rank next to PUTNAM in the army at Boston. In the division of the army by WASHINGTON into three grand divisions, the command of the right wing, on Roxbury Heights, was given to Gen. WARD, the senior major-general, and with him were associated SPENCER and THOMAS, the ranking brigadiers.TRUMBULL painted most of the military and public men of that day, but seems to have omitted SPENCER.f April 1776.ke street, between Monroe and Cherry streets, called SPENCER redoubt. He also held the left at Harlem, of the line of defense extended across the city from the Hudson to the Harlem at MCGOWANS's pass. These various positions are now so covered up by the march of population and the growth of the city that they are past recognition, except the pass at the northern extremity of Central Park.sland, at the Dutch Stone Church, near the junction of the present Fulton and Flatbush avenues, in the city of Brooklyn. The following officers were present, viz.: WASHINGTON, PUTNAM, SPENCER, MIFFLIN, MCDOUGAL, SCOTT, WADSWORTH, and PARSONS, and on the 7th of September the question as to the expediency of retaining New York city came before council, and the majority voted to retain it. On the 12th of September, however, another council resolved on the evacuation with only three dissenting votes, which were given by HEATH, Joseph SPENCER, and James CLINTON.he State of Rhode Island, and July 11th 1777, Major General PRESCOTT, the English commander, fell into his hands as a prisoner of war. He was treated kindly by his captor, and in a short time was sent to General WASHINGTON, who exchanged him for General Charles LEE, a prisoner since December 1776.ctually embarked, to cross to Long Island, and surprise the enemy. At the last moment, having learned that the English commander was appraised of his plans, he countermanded the order. The facts proved that he had acted rightly, for the enemy had determined to allow them to land, and then by destroying their boats, to cut off their retreat and make them prisoners. Congress ordered an investigation?into the affair, to ascertain why the expedition was not prosecuted, and SPENCER, in indignation at the implied censure, resigned his commission, and General SULLIVAN was sent to Rhode Island to succeed him. On the 30th of August 1778, SPENCER assisted in SULLIVAN's retreat, and this seems to have been his last military service. He then returned to his home on the banks of the Connecticut, and doubtless intended to remain there; but his native State had not forgotten him, and he was elected to represent it in Congress.nited with the church December 13th 1788.os. SPENCER was elected deacon of the Millington Society, November 20th 1767;" afterward the record shows that "he was excused from service during the Revolution" and again, "reelected April 4th 1788." The last town record reads, "Hon. Joseph SPENCER died January 13th 1789, aged 74," to be exact, 74 years, 3 months, and 10 days. He had by his first marriage three daughters and two sons, and by the second marriage four sons and four daughters.ev. Elihu SPENCER, of the College of New Jersey, was born in Millington. His grandson, John SERGEANT, was candidate for vice-president of the United States in 1832.aughter of Joseph jr., of Millington, became the wife of the Hon. Lewis CASS, candidate for president in 1848.te of Connecticut.