The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-30


the life of Col. Calvin Spencer. which
also brings in some events of thu
Revolutionary War. AS Col. Spencer
is the great grand father of Mrs. D
J Browning in this city. we taxi
pleasure in publishing the article
which .OllOws:
There was a young colonel in The
Revolutionary War by the name q
Calvin Spencer, whose forefatEer'
came from England During The wal
OF the Revolution Col, Calvin Spen'
Ger had sweetheart residing nea,
GEORGETOWN, 5. C., whose name wa
Rebecca S. Ford. While Col. Spell.
GER was doing military service neal
Georgetown he came home on fur.
Tough and, by some means he got cut
off from his command 1t was about
this time that he had the exquisit.
pleasure o. meeting Miss Rebecca )
Ford, who shortly afterward became
ris sweetheart
One day, while alone British Of
licer with his men got in hot pursuit
of him, and the chase was SO press
ing that the colonel plunged into q
river to make his escape Having on
his uniform, which was of a very
heavy texture, together with his
heavy high-top boots, his progress in
making his escape was slow; conse'
quently he was Overtaken by his
pursuers and captured. Being Or
Gered to surrender Col. Spencer re-
piled to the British officer that he
would surrender conditionally. and
stated the condition as follows: For
me to be a prisoner OF war and To
be treated as gentleman" This
agreement was unhesitatingly
reached and Col. Spencer immediate
ly surrendered.
| When the colonel came out OF the
river. the officer told him to take of
his boots to which the colonel re-
piled that he could not. Boots arc
hard to come of when dry, and these
ere wet" replied the colonel. The
British officer offered his assistance
and the boots were soon taken off,
The British officer required Col.
Spencer to march in front of him
which way led Immediately BY the
residence occupied by his sweetheart,
Miss Rebecca s. Ford. The officer,
being proud of his prisoner. and at
the same time wanting to degrade
him as much as circumstances would
admit. called to Miss Ford to look
at him. The colon Il being a prisoner.
barefoot and wet, IA, officer asked
her II he looked lik" cLl Spencer.
The young lady scrutinizing the Of
ficer harshly, replied that there was
one thing about Coz. Spencer that
she did know: that he was a gentle
man. and that was q great deal more
than she could truthrully say about
him 1.-THE offtcer).
After the war was over Col. Spen-
Ger married this self-same Miss Re-
becca s. Ford. At that time the
government had no money in the
treasury with which to pay OF its
soldiers. Col. Spencer offered to
take his pay in vacant lands. and
the lands he selected are now In
Chesterfield county. South Carolina.
then = part Of Georgetown county.
One tract Of this land contains near.
ly 1000 acres. purchased In 1880. 10
situated on the following streams:
Rocky Prong, Bear Greek, Big Bear
Creek. North Prong Of Bear Creek
and Indian Greek. Another tract was
purchased In 1886, containing near.
ly 5000 acres. and Ii situated as Dol-
lows: On Thompson Greek, Boat
wright Creek (now Mill creek) or
sandy Run Greek. and Lundy's Creek
and later Mill Crck. A part Of this
land assumes the shape of an old
fashioned meat-axe( and is known as
the meat-axe tract to the present
day and lies one mile north of Mes
srs l.. L.. G. W. and w. w. Spen-
GERS residences. A part of this meat
axe tract is still owned by Col.
Spencers family of great grand
Children.
Col. Spencer bought up other
lands adjoining these two tracts,
until he owned in the aggrega\
3t,ooo acres OF land in one body.
Col. Spencer built his home within
400 yards of Evans water mill on
Indian Creek, near Evans Mill rail-
way station on the c. & l.. rail-
road. just about 100 yards north
IF the railroad station. Ii can be
plainly observed and easily located