No. 39 Richard Anthony born in 1916 & Martha (née Smith)

no-39-richard-anthony-spencer-dsc_0271According to Audrey Mae’s artistically designed cemetery map and her gravestone numbering system, Richard Anthony’s gravestone is Gravestone Number Thirty-nine.  Using her Smith-Corona typewriter in the late 1980s, Audrey Mae typed the following mini-biography of Richard Anthony, a tenth-generation Spencer in East Greenwich, Rhode Island:

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According to Audrey Mae’s mini-biographical sketch of Richard Anthony Spencer, he married Martha Smith.  In the 1980’s when Audrey Mae was doing her research in the cemetery, both Richard and Martha were still living.  The above photography of their shared gravestone (No. 39) gives their dates of death as 1995 and 1997.  (Photograph was taken in October of 2012 by Stephanie Pilkauskas Photography.)

Audrey Mae’s descendants believe this Richard Anthony Spencer was the son of Alfred Ernest “Uncle Ern” (gravestone No. 40) and Elsie Jane (née Gibson) Spencer. Alfred Ernest is the younger brother of William J. B. Spencer, Audrey Mae’s, John Edward’s and Edith Anna’s father. According to Alfred Ernest and Richard Anthony’s  gravestone markings, the father was in the U.S. Navy and the son was in the U.S. Air Force. Richard Anthony served from 1941 to 1945. Alfred Ernest, the father, was in World War I and Richard Anthony, the son, was in World War II.

Audrey Mae’s gravestone and generational numbering system for the father and son:

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According to Audrey Mae’s mini-biography of Deborah and Jane Spencer (gravestone No. 41), they are the daughters of Richard Anthony and Martha (née Smith) Spencer and, therefore, they would be Alfred Ernest (“uncle Ern)’s granddaughters. Their father, Richard Anthony would be first cousin to Audrey Mae, John Edward and Edith Anna.

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Since Deborah and Jane are eleventh generation Spencers in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, they could still be living as the Spencers have longevity. (see gravestone No.41)  More family research is needed.

Spencer, Johnson, Goff, Tarbox, Gibson and Smith descendants, if you have any additional information on Richard Anthony Spencer born in 1916, please add a comment to this web site and the web site editor will add this to the site. Thanks.”