Submitted by Dana R. Spencer
George Eliphaz Spencer was the fourth son of Gordon Percival and Deborah
(Mallory) Spencer-his father being a physician. His family ancestory
dates back to William Spencer, one of four Spencer brothers who came to
America in the 1630s (George Eliphaz-7, Gordon Percival-6, Eliphaz-5,
Job-4, Samuel-3, Samuel-2, William-1). George was born 1 Nov 1836
Champion, NY and given a middle name of his grandfather, Eliphaz. He was
educated at Montreal College in Canada, returned home to engage in the
study of law, and finally was admitted to the bar in Iowa, in 1857. He
was chosen secretary of the Iowa State Senate. In 1861, he was
prospecting minerals in Colorado and adjacent territory.
He enlisted as Captain, 14 Oct 1862, and was Assistant Adjutant to
General Grenville M. Dodge. George was commissioned colonel, 11 Sept
1862, and detailed as Chief of Staff of the 1st Alabama Regiment Cavalry
Volunteers, a U. S. regiment made up of citizens of northern Alabama.
The 1st Alabama Cavalry filled the traditional role of scouting,
raiding, reconnaissance, and flank guard, and was selected by General
Sherman as the commander's escort in his march to the sea.
He was eventually promoted to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General,
March 1865 for "gallant and meritorious services during campaign through
Georgia and the Carolinas". In military records he listed his occupation
prior to military service as a lawyer. Spencer in a letter of
resignation from the military 5 Jul 1865, was given an honorable discharge.
After a brief time of practicing law in Decatur, Alabama following the
war, he was elected a Republican Senator of Congress from Alabama for a
term of six years, and won re-election in 1873 for another six years.
There was considerably bitterness between the secessionists and the
unionist in Alabama after the war, and this cause a great deal of
controversy surrounding Spencer that remains until this day. He served
as chairman of the committee on military affairs, and was prominent in
the fraud investigation of the "Star-Route" postal line. He helped
establish the two cent letter postage in 1883.
With twelve years of senate service for Alabama, until 3 Mar 1879,
Spencer in 1881, was appointed a commissioner of the Union Pacific
Railroad with help from his previous leader, Major-General Dodge. He
finally settled in Nevada when he spend the rest of his life as a
rancher/mine prospector. He died 19 Feb 1893 in Washington, DC.
His first wife was Bella Zilfa, who was a writer/author. She died of
typhroid fever; he then married May Nunez, a well-known actress who
changed her name to William Loring Nunez. She was in her twenties when
she married the 42 year old Spencer. Her maiden name was in honor of her
uncle, General Loring, who served in the Egyptian Army. Stanley Hoole,
author of Alabama Tories: The First Alabama Cavalry, U.S.A., stated that
his second wife was also an author of Salt-Lake Fruit (1883); Story of
Mary (1884), the latter being re-issued as Dennis Day, Carpet-Bagger
(1887); and Calamity Jane (1887).
References:
Alabama Tories: The First Alabama Cavalry, U.S.A. 1862-1865, Hoole, Wm.
Stanley Confederate Publishing Company, Tuscaloosa, AL 1960
Hirshson, Stanley P. Grenville M. Dodge: Soldier, Politician, Railroad
Pioneer. Indiana University Press, Bloomington and London, 1967
Report of Col. George E. Spencer, First Alabama Cavalry, commanding the
Third Brigade of Operations, January 28-March 24, 1865. Official
Records, Series I, Vol XLVII, p. 891-893.
Spencer Genealogy, Clark, Flora S. Vol. 1-7 Albany State Library,
Albany, NY 1971
The Montgomery Advertiser and Mail, 19 Sept 1877, p. 4.
Todd, Glenda M., Historian, First Alabama Cavalry, USA-Homage To Patriotism
Watson, Elbert L. George Eliphaz Spencer In Alabama United States
Senators, pp. 73-76. Huntsville, AL: Strode Publishers, 1982
Woolfolk, Sarah Van V. George E. Spencer: A Carpetbagger in Alabama,
Alabama Review 19, (January 1966), p. 41-52.
Service records compiled by Glenda Todd and used with her permission. This and other information about the history of the First and the men who fought with the unit
can be found in her book, First Alabama Cavalry, USA: Homage to Patriotism.