The Family of James Spencer
and Harriet Sitton

This page updated August 9, 2008.

James Spencer was the son of Wiley and Nancy Spencer. My best interpretation of census records (see family page for Wiley and Nancy for more information) leads me to believe that James was probably born in Edgefield District, South Carolina around 1823 and was his parents' only son to survive childhood.

Census records from 1830 and 1840 in Edgefield, South Carolina suggest that James was living at home with his parents at census time. Family tradition tells the story that James's extended Spencer family left Edgefield, South Carolina around 1832 and migrated to Alabama and Mississippi. James' parents stayed in Edgefield at least through 1840 and appear to have left a few years later for Alabama. I have begun to believe that James, several of his sisters and their families, and their mother Nancy (don't know about father Wiley) probably settled in the area of Pickens County, Alabama between 1845-1846.

According to census and pension application records, James married Harriet Sitton. Harriet was born in 1825 to John Sitton of Pendleton, South Carolina. It appears that James and Harriet married around 1849 because the 1850 census shows a son aged 1 in their household. This son's birthplace was listed as Tennessee. I don't know how to explain that.

In April 1849 and again in June 1849, James' grandfather Shepherd Spencer gave James a gift deed for a couple of negro slaves. These deeds were given in Pickens County, Alabama in April and June 1849 respectfully, and they were both received in Winston County, Mississippi on December 24, 1849. I have inferred from this that James and his family moved from Alabama in the summer or fall of 1849, arriving in Winston County by December of that year.

James, Harriet, and their 1-year-old son Shepherd are listed on the 1850 census of Winston County, Mississippi, just two houses down from James' sister Nancy Ann Terry. The 1853 state census of Winston County, Mississippi lists a J.H. Spencer as head of household containing 4 males and 1 female. If we assume that the female was Harriet and that two of the males would have likely been James and son Shepherd from the 1850 census, then there remains two other unnamed males. The 1860 census of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi lists a son John W. who was born in 1852 in Mississippi. This son would account for one of the two remaining males on the 1853 census, but I don't have any other information as to the identity of the fourth male. The 1860 Oktibbeha census also shows a daughter Susan who was born in 1855 in Mississippi. So it seems that James and Harriet Spencer had either three or four children: Shepherd, John W., Susan, and perhaps another son whose name is not known.

In 1853, James was listed on the state census of Winston County, Mississippi as J.H. Spencer. Also in 1853, he was listed as a debtor to the estate of Samuel P. Metts, also of Winston County, Mississippi. These are the last public records that mention James as being alive. I owe my thanks to fellow Whitten/Spencer researcher and descendant Janice Hunsaker, who uncovered some records that indicate that James died around 1856.** Janice found a roll of microfilm in the LDS Family History Catalog that contained guardianship records for James Wiley (also called John W.) and Susan, the minor heirs of James Spencer, deceased. These records were dated as early as October 1856 and span through 1860. The record from Octobter 1856 specified that Shackelford W. Cordin and Hariet O. Cordin were appointed guardian of "John W. Spencer and Susan P. Spencer minor heirs of James H. Spencer deceased under the age of fourteen years". Records from 1859 and 1860 showed that the Cordins (also spelled Cardine in other records) had trouble maintaining their security bond, and as a result, guardianship was transferred to W.F. Yeager by February 1860. John and Susan are listed on the 1860 Oktibbeha County, Mississippi census in the household of S.W. and Harriete Cardine. A few pages later, William F. Yeager is listed with his family, and a note at the bottom of the census page states, "W.F. Yeager, Guardian for minor heirs of James Spencer, decd". The 1860 census is the last record I have found for the Cordins (Cardines) or for the children John and Susan Spencer.

** UPDATE 8/08! Thanks to Cardin researcher Glenda Etress Blackerby, I learned that Harriet O. Cardin applied for a widow's pension based on Shackleford W. Cardin's service in the Mexica War. A full transcription of the information in her pension application file is available by visiting my page "The Widow's Pension Application for Harriet O. Spencer Cardin". It was from her widow's pension applicaton that I learned a lot of information about Harriet plus the date of James' death. James died on Christmas Day 1853.

James H. Spencer
Born: 1823 in South Carolina, probably Edgefield District
Married: About 1849, possibly in Alabama
Died: December 25, 1853 in probably Oktibbeha County or Winston County, Mississippi
Buried: Unknown
Father: Wiley G. Spencer
Mother: Nancy (maiden name unknown)
--------------------------------------------------------------

Harriet O. Sitton
Born: May 25, 1825 in probably Pendleton, South Carolina
Died: Aug 18, 1896 in probably Oktibbeha, Lowndes, or Noxubee County, Mississippi
Buried: Unknown
Father: John Sitton
Mother: Unknown
--------------------------------------------------------------

1. Shepherd Spencer
   Born: 1849 in Unknown. Census records say Tennessee, but I believe Alabama would be more logical.
   Married: Unknown but probably not
   Died: After 1850 and perhaps between 1853-1860.
   Buried: Unknown

   I believe this child was one of the four males listed in the household on the 1853 state census of Winston County, Mississippi. But his absence from the 1860 census of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi leads me to believe that he may have died as a child.

2. John W. Spencer
   Born: 1852 in Mississippi
   Married: Unknown
   Died: After 1860 in Unknown
   Buried: Unknown

3. Susan Spencer
   Born: Probably 1854, likely between July - September, in Mississippi
   Married: Unknown
   Died: After 1860 in Unknown
   Buried: Unknown
   

   According to the 1860 census, Susan was 5 years old when the census was taken in July. If James died in late December 1853 as Harriet said on her pension application, then my theory is that Harriet may have been pregnant with Susan at the time of James' death. If that were true, Susan would have been born in 1854. Since she was still 5 in July of 1860, I have estimated her month of birth to be between July 1854 and September 1854 (if she were conceived in December 1853).

Note about Harriet and Shackleford W. Cardin:
After James' death in 1853, Harriet remarried to Shackleford Cardin in Starkville, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi on May 29, 1856. According to the 1860 Oktibbeha census, Shackleford and Harriet had two children:

1. Mary Cardin -- born 1857 in Mississippi
2. David Cardin -- born December 1859 in Mississippi

1830 Edgefield District, South Carolina Census, page 146:
Willey Spencer:

1840 Edgefield District, South Carolina Census, page 99A:
Wylie Spencer:

1850 Winston County, Mississippi Census: Microfilm 432 Roll 382

1853 Mississippi State Census, Index by R.V. Jackson:
Spencer, J.H. -- Winston -- page 20

1853 Winston County, Mississippi State Census:
J.H. Spencer -- 4 males, 1 female

1860 Oktibbeha County, Mississippi Census: Starkville Post Office, July 1860

• 21 Apr 1849 -- Shepherd Spencer to James Spencer: Deed of Gift -- Bk L, Pg 20
  

  Pickens County, Alabama: Shepherd Spencer gave grandson James Spencer one negro girl, 10 yrs old, named Hager per these conditions: 1) the girl must be managed by whom he appoints for the use of his granddaughter, 2) she and her services cannot be held liable for debts or contracts made by James or the trustees, 3) her services may be disposed of at the discretion of the appointed men during James’ life, and if he were to die without issue, then the negro and her children are to be divided between James’ sisters [names not given in deed]. Henry Low and William Moore of Oktibbeha County appointed as trustees. Lemuel Hudson was the witness. Given in Pickens County, AL 23 Apr 1849. Received in Winston County, MS 24 Dec 1849 and recorded 26 Jan 1850.
  (Note: Henry Lowe was James' uncle, and William Moore was Henry's step-son-in-law, married to James' first cousin.)

• 18 Jun 1849 -- Shepherd Spencer to James Spencer: Deed of Gift -- Bk L, Pg 21
  

  Pickens County, Alabama: Shepherd Spencer gave grandson James Spencer one negro girl, 9 yrs old, named Amanda per these conditions: 1) the girl must be managed by whom he appoints for the use of his granddaughter, 2) she and her services cannot be held liable for debts or contracts made by James or the trustees, 3) her services may be disposed of at the discretion of the appointed men during James’ life, and if he were to die without issue, then the negro and her children are to be divided between James’ sisters [names not given in deed]. Henry Low and William Moore of Oktibbeha County appointed as trustees. Given in Pickens County, AL 18 Jun 1849. Received in Winston County, MS 24 Dec 1849 and recorded 26 Jan 1850.
  (Note: Henry Lowe was James' uncle, and William Moore was Henry's step-son-in-law, married to James' first cousin.)

• March 26, 1853: Estate sale of Samuel P. Metts:
  
  • Sperate Debts--Pleasant Whitten
  • Doubtful Debts--Austin Whitten
  • Desparate Debts--James H. Spencer

• 21 April 1849 -- Shepherd Spencer to James Spencer: Deed of Gift -- Bk 03, Pg 601
  

  Pickens Co, Alabama: Shepherd Spencer, Sr gave one negro girl about 10 yrs old named Hagar (and all her increase) for the sole benefit of his grandson James Spencer and his children, subject to these conditions. The negro and her children shall be managed, controlled, and disposed of by his trusty friends for the benefit of grandson James and his children. The negro, nor her children, nor her/their services shall not be made liable for any contracts or debts made by James. The negro and her services and her children may be applied to the benefit of grandson James or his wife or children at the discretion of the trustees. At James' death, the negro and her children shall be equally divided between the children of grandson James. If he has no issue that may live to the age of 21 years or the day of marriage, then the negroes shall be equally divided between James' sisters. Henry Lowe and William Moore of Oktibbeha County are appointed trust friends. Witnessed by Talbot Adams and Lemuel Hudson. Recorded in Carrolton, Alabama on 24 April 1849. Recorded in Oktibbeha Co 2 May 1849.
  (Note: Henry Lowe and Talbot Adams were James' uncles, William Moore was Henry's step-son-in-law (married to James' first cousin Mary Ann Hudson), and Lemuel Hudson was James' first cousin (Mary Ann Hudson's brother).

• Index to Land Deeds 1, 1834-1856
  Grantor: Shepherd Spencer
  Grantee: J.H. Spencer
  Deed Book/Page: Bk 04, Page 252
  Date of Deed: 1848
  Note: Deed Book 04 is missing from the Chancery Clerk vault.

Source: The data below was shared with me by Janice Hunsaker. She transcribed the information from a difficult-to-read microfilm that she found at one of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) Family History Centers. I do not know the number of the film. What is interesting is that the Oktibbeha County courthouse burned June 18, 1880. Almost all of the Chancery and Circuit Court records were lost except for the land deeds. Since probate and guardianship records are often kept in the Chancery Clerk office, I am curious how the LDS folks got access to the original records to film them. I would certainly like to view those films for myself!

Correspondence from Janice Hunsaker on May 3, 2000:
[begin quote]
The film showed up today and I looked at it. It's a hard reader. I transcribed the first and the last. And I will work on the others. In the one I read before, it states that the boy's name is James, but every one of these [films] call the boy John W. There are some words that I just couldn't make out what they were. He really starts with "matters" and Heirs is spelled "heers".

• Page 212 -- October 1856
  

  Matters in relation to the guardianship of the minor heers of James H. Spencer:
       This day on _________ Shackelford W. Cordin and Hariet O Cordin, formerly Hariet O Spencer, are hereby appointed guardian of John W. Spencer and Susan P. Spencer, minor heirs of James H. Spencer deceased, under the age of fourteen years on them takes, ________ oath and_______ hand and security as required by law ........

• Page 558 -- Probate Court, Wednesday November the 9th, 1859
  

  W. G. Bullingwn presents his petitician asking to be released as security on the bond of S. W. & H. O. Cardin as guardians of the minor heirs of James H Spencer decd Nov 12/59. It is hereupon ordered that citation be issued w the Sherriff commanding him to summon said SW & HO Cardin to appear at the next term of this court and give counter security or have their letters of Guardianship revoked.

• Page 584 -- Probate Court, Monday the 6th day of February AD 1860
  

  No. 255 -- Minors of Jas H Spencer Decd
       This Day W. F. Yeager as guardian of the minor heirs of James H Spencer decd files his annual account as such guardian verified by his oath which is examined, allowed, approved, and ordered to be recorded.

It seems they had trouble with their security bonds. On page 367, it mentions a former bond executed by C.I. Sullivan & John M. James and released. On page 382, they have a new bond with I.A. Elliott and H.I. Pearson as security in lieu of one with Wm M. Mathews & O.S.H. Daniel, and they are to be released. On page 459, I.A. Elliott asked to be released from bond. The bond is then taken to be W.G. Bullington and Allen Estes.
[end quote]

• 1830 and 1840 South Carolina Censuses for Edgefield District.
• 1850 Mississippi Census for Winston County.
• R.V. Jackson, Index to 1853 Mississippi State Census, publication information unknown. Source located at Special Collections Department, Mitchell Memorial Library, Mississippi State University.
• 1853 Mississippi State Census for Winston County.
• 1860 Mississippi Census for Oktibbeha County.
• Electronic correspondence (May 2000) with Janice Hunsaker, descendant of Shepherd Spencer, Sr. through Caroline Spencer Whitten.
• Winston County, Mississippi Land and Property Records and Probate Records. Winston County Chancery Clerk, Louisville, Mississippi.
• Oktibbeha County, Mississippi Land and Property Records. Oktibbeha County Chancery Clerk, Starkville, Mississippi.
• Widow's Application for Pension, Harriet O. Cardin, widow of Shackleford W. Cardin, veteran of Mexican War. National Archives Records Administration, Form 85A Full Pension File Pre-Civil War (NATF85: Full Pension File) for pension file no. WC-4923.