The settlement of this village dates from soon after the completion of the railroad to this point. In May, 1874, the erection of the Pioneer House was begun, and other buildings soon followed.

Up to 1874, the town was a part of Hull. It was then set off as a part of Brighton, and in 1877, it became Spencer. April 2, of that year, the first town meeting was held at the house of M. Waters. It was voted to raise $600 for general town expenses, and a special sum of $1,000 as a road tax.

The following officers were elected; the Inspectors being J. W. Lowe, H. M. Bennett, with C. K. Richardson, Clerk; J. K. Hayward, Chairman; Ch. McMiller, J. H. Mann, Supervisors; Frank Whipple, Town Clerk; John Dimond, Treasurer; H. M. Bennett, W. S. Benedict, R. H. Wright, Justices of the Peace; G. H. Reas, P. Crammer, Constables; Ed. Heath, Assessor.

Whole number of voters registered, 157.

Town officers for 1878:

H. H. Chandler, Chairman; John Gardiner, W. O. Wade, Supervisors; Frank Mann, C. K. Richardson, W. S. Benedict, Justices; J. W. Lowe, J. S. Sidmore, Constables; James Wright, Assessor.

Registered voters, 193.

Officers in 1879:

A. J. Brock, Chairman; F. M. Thompson, D. W. Bodle, Supervisors; Frank Whipple, Clerk; John Dimond, Treasurer; A. J. Wood, F. H. Johnson, Justices; George Houer, P. Crammer, Constables; James Vought, Assessor.

Number of voters, 202.

Officers, 1880: P. A. Thayer, Chairman; J. S. Damon and W. S. Benedict, Supervisors; C. K. Richardson, Clerk; J. Hanneywell, Treasurer; P. H. Coonon, W. S. Benedict, H. W. Raymond and C. H. Richardson, Justices; George Hauer, P. Crammer and J. J. Campbell, Constables; F. F. Damon, Assessor. Number of votes, 228.

Present officers, 1881: M. C. Clark, Chairman; John Dimond and John Whiting, Supervisors; T. S. Norton, Clerk; Frank Whipple, Treasurer; B. J. Dent, C. F. Pierce and T. S. Norton, Justices; George Hauer and Patsey Brusnihan, Constables; P. P. Ferguson, Assessor. Number of votes, 352.

Among the earliest comers were Oscar Lattin, T. S. Norton and J. K. Hayward, who lived down the road a short distance.

In June 1874, J. L. Robinson bought the eighty-acre tract where the village now is; A. J. Brock started a hotel; W. S. Meach, a butcher shop. Mr. Robinson began the mill in June, 1874. About the 4^th of July four blocks were laid out of the village site, and called Irene, but this name has gone into desuetude.

Patridge, Truman & Co. came the same Fall, built a mill, ran it about one year, when it was burned. Blake, Wood & Co. soon rebuilt the mill, but it soon burned again. It was rebuilt by W. J. Clifford. This mill was again consumed by fire on the 5^th of July, 1880, and reconstructed in about sixty days.

Frank Whipple came in the Fall of 1874. Soon after, John Gardiner, who went into general merchandising.

In 1875, Kerr, Kelter & Co. built a shingle mill, which afterward went into the hands of L. Richardson. W. J. Clifford now has the machinery.

Hall & Co. have a hard wood saw-mill.

P. A. Thayer has a lumber and shingle mill, built in the Spring of 1881.

Joseph Mayer, saw-mill east of the village, on the Little Eau Pleine, run by water-power.

Blacksmith and Wagon Shops – G. W. Wendall and Nelson Ziegebour.

Shoe Shops – Anton Schafer and William Hasfelbring.

Jewelry, etc. – M. H. Du Cate.

Meat Market – Miller, Kissinger & Co. and John Eichert.

Barber – M. Langdon.

Brewery – Knethe & Walter.

Hardware and Tin – Neils Bros.

General Merchandise – J. Dimond, John Gardiner, A. Prentice & Co., D. M. Hanson & Co., W. J. Clifford, W. J. Hallock & Co.

Millenery – Mrs. O. K. Richardson.

Drugs and Medicines – Frank Whipple and E. Heath.

Physician and Surgeon – J. M. Adams, M.D.

Lawyer – G. I. Follett.

Real Estate and Collection Agency – Th. S. Norton.

Hotels – Blackstone House. G. I. Follett.

Pioneer House – Mrs. H. Pool; P. J. Brusnehan, clerk.

Railroad House - Anton Schafer.

Spencer House – James Barber.

Newspaper – The Spencer Tribune, A. B. Barney, proprietor. Started in the Fall of 1881.

Churches – There are three churches.

This church was built in 1879, and has worshiping in the same temple the Free Will Baptist, with Rev. E. W. Stevens as pastor.

The First Baptist Church was built in 1878. Rev. Mr. Sweet is the pastor.

Spencer has good schools. In the Winter of 1881, the school-house was consumed by fire, but was at once rebuilt, improved and enlarged. It has two rooms, with two departments and three teachers.

Logging is a great business here, and among the successful loggers may be mentioned J. J. Kennedy, Ferguson Bros., Damon & Son, A. J. Black, J. W. Lowe, T. H. March.

The station agent is W. E. Young, with David Van Kecke, assistant.

Spencer is on the Wisconsin Central Railroad, in the southwest corner town of Marathon County. It is a level spot, surrounded by heavy pine and hardwood timber, and must have, at this time, at least 1,000 inhabitants, and is growing rapidly.

Mannville is in the town of Spencer.

C. J. Kershaw & Co. have a saw and shingle mill.

Buckstaff Bros. own a shingle mill.

Tyson & Pierce have a planing mill.

B. F. McMillan & Bro. have a mill on the Little Eau Pleine, and ship from Mannville.

Transcribed from page 572 "History of Northern Wisconsin", by History Buffs.

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