Ancestors of John Edward (“Ed”), Edith Anna and Audrey Mae Spencer
This web site page gives the burial places of the colonial ancestors of Edith Anna, John Edward (“Ed”) and Audrey Mae, the last Spencer children on the Spencer homestead on Middle Road in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Audrey Mae, born 3-19-1912, was the last Spencer baby born on the Spencer homestead. Since early colonial Rhode Islanders were each buried on their own land in their own family cemetery, special emphasis is on their burial places.
Because of Rhode Island’s separation church and state rules, no early colonials would be buried next to their church; instead they were buried on their own land. Therefore, if a descendant knows where their ancestors are buried, the descendant can surmise where their ancestor’s property was at that time in history.
Today, the owners, and therefore, the caretakers, of the many Rhode Island historical cemeteries are the descendants. In addition, the governor of Rhode Island appoints the members of the Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission. This permanent advisory commission is “to study the location, condition, and inventory of historical cemeteries in Rhode Island and to make recommendations to the general assembly relative to historical cemeteries in Rhode Island.” (rihistoriccemeteries.org)
Spencer Family Burials in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Spencers in the “New World” (aka America)
Oral Tradition as told by
Audrey Mae (née Spencer) MacDonald
(b.3-19-1912 d.3-11-2007)
Audrey Mae’s, John Edward’s (“Ed’s”) and Edith Anna’s Direct Family Line:
First-Generation Spencers in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: John and Susannah (née Griffin) Spencer. These English founders of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, U.S.A. are buried in unmarked graves on the bank of Payne’s Pond. They are buried “just west of their house (current day 589 Kenyon Avenue) on the bank of Payne’s Pond”. John died in 1684 and Susannah died in 1719.
Second-Generation Spencers in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: John and Audrey (née Green or Greene) Spencer. Web site author does not know where John and Audrey are buried. However, the Greene ancestry is well documented, e.g., “The Greenes of Rhode Island with historical records of English Ancestry 1534-1902” by Louise Brownell Clarke, published in 1903, so the information on Audrey (née Green) Spencer’s land and burial place with John Green can be easily researched.
Third-Generation Spencers in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: William and Elizabeth (née Rice) Spencer. Web site author does not know where William and Elizabeth are buried.
Fourth-Generation Spencers in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: William and Mary (née Manchester) Spencer. William and Mary are buried in cemetery “over back” (aka The Straight Cemetery or The Straight/Spencer Cemetery) off current day Partridge Run subdivision area (straightspencerhistoricalcemetery.org).
Fifth-Generation Spencers in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: John and Huldah (née Johnson) Spencer. John and Huldah are buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery on Middle Road (spencerhistoricalcemetery.org).
Sixth-Generation Spencers, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Richard Anthony (“Deacon”) and Roby (née Tarbox) Spencer. “Deacon”Richard and Roby are buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery on Middle Road (spencerhistoricalcemetery.org).
Seventh-Generation Spencer, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Richard Anthony Spencer. Richard Anthony is buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery on Middle Road (spencerhistoricalcemetery.org).
Eighth-Generation Spencers, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Anna Maria (pronounced Anna Mar-eye-ah) and John Johnson Spencer. Anna Maria and John Johnson are buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery on Middle Road (spencerhistoricalcemetery.org).
Ninth-generation Spencers: William Joseph Briggs (aka J.B.) and Mary Jane (née Vaughn) Spencer are not buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery. (William J.B.’s two brothers, Richard Augustus and Alfred Ernest are buried in the Spencer Family Cemetery.)
Tenth-Generation Spencers: William J.B. and Mary Jane’s tenth-generations three children, Audrey Mae, John Edward (“Ed”) and Edith Anna, are not buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery. (However, William J.B.’s two brothers’ children Richard Anthony, Annie and Amy, are buried or have their gravestones in the Spencer Family Cemetery.)
Eleventh-Generation Spencers, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Anna Lucia Evarone and Frank Evarone: Edith Anna’s first daughter, child Anna Lucia Evarone and first son, infant brother Frank, Jr. are buried in the Spencer family historical cemetery on Middle Road (spencerhistoricalcemetery.org).
Historians and Spencer descendants, if you have any additional information on the Spencer Burial Grounds, please add a comment to this to this web site and the web site editor will add this to the site. Thanks!