Show spencers spencer first writing on sando sand snow ice brick platt R spencer whose system of penmanship often lavishly embellished belli shed was taught in many schools throughout the country was born bom at east fishkill N Y november 7 1800 the youngest of eleven children when he was ten years old his family set out for the west settling at jefferson ohio always passionately fond of penmanship spencer began writing in his early years upon anything available sand snow ice brick and fly leaves of books and taught his first writing class in 1815 after some experience as clerk in a store and supercargo on a lake vessel notes a writer in the cleveland plain dealer spencer entered on his life work as a teacher of penmanship besides conducting his own school in a log house on his farm at geneva ohio he traveled around the country teaching and lecturing in various academies and business colleges through his ad dresses he was instrumental in founding business colleges and in in promoting the american system of business education spencer was among the earliest to recognize the promise of james A garfield and to encourage him to enter public life he was instrumental in securing his nomination when first elected to congress spencer was married and had six sons and five daughters he died at his home in geneva ohio may 16 1864 |