Photo 1900s- Howard Orson Spencer and his wife Asenath Carling-Spencer
In 1855 or 1856 (17/18 yrs old) Howard Spencer was attending his uncle's cows in the field. A group of solders were traveling by and noticed the cows gathered. The soldiers were instructed to scatter any farm animals owned by Mormons and drive the settle Mormons out. One of the soldiers asked Howard to scatter the cows. Howard told the soldier that he could not scatter the cows, because they were not his, they were his uncle's cows.
This made the soldier upset he started an argument with Howard. After bickering back and forth, the soldier was more upset that he hit Howard on the head and crushed part of his skull with his gun. After Howard collapsed to the ground the soldier (Sgt. Pike) left Howard on the ground to die. The soldiers did continue to scatter the cows. When the army left and wasn't in sight, a nearby neighbor helped Howard back to his home.
Howard did survive the blow in the head and a doctor put a silver metal plate to cover the partial damaged skull. Prophet Brigham Young was there to help Howard Spencer and his siblings since they were fatherless. His father Orson died in Oct 1855 with typhoid fever while on a mission with the Cherokee Indians.
As the months went by Howard recovered slowly and was not completely healed when he found out where Sgt Pike is. Sgt Pike was at a saloon and asked a young man to send for the soldier and tell him this, "I am waiting outside and that I have settling debt." (Per my dad, Theo). Sgt Pike was drunk and stepped out and did see Howard standing there alive and well.
I am sure that Sgt Pike was surprised and amazed that Howard survived the blow in the head he did with his gun. Howard wanted to confront to him to the soldier why he was cruel and left him on the ground to die. The soldier without using common sense grabbed his gun aimed at Howard and missed. Defensively Howard pulled his gun out and aimed at the soldier killed him.
After the death of Sgt Pike, some of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would not talk to Howard and some felt that he should have been excommunicated.
Almost completely healed Howard traveled back to England on a church mission and returned back to Utah. He continued his church service and become the first Bishop in Orderville, Kane, Utah. He full filled his duties and his mission as a member of the Church.
Howard Spencer died at 80 years old on March 4, 1918 in Orderville, Kane, Utah. Leaving his wife Asenath Carling, 12 out of 18 children survived. His ex-wives (because polygamy was seized in 1890) Persis Brown and her 5 children, Louisa Cross and her 5 out of 6 children.
My grandfather is Alvin Heaton Spencer (twin), he is the last son/16th child of Howard and Asenath. His twin sister past away at birth.
Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Please come back and visit again!