The Wixon family history was compiled by J.H. Wixom and Ruth S. Widdison and published in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1963. The family clearly put a lot of effort in documenting their family history. However, there are a few corrections required as it touches on the family of the Spencer’s of Claremont, (Pickering) Ontario, in particular.

• PAGE 67 FAMILY 193

The reference is to Mary Wixson and, in particular, to her husband is stated as follows:

“Mary (Wixson) Spencer, dau. Of Joseph (57), b. Nov. 9 , 1802; d. July 19, 1887 at Deckerville, Sanilac Co., Mich. M. 1818 at Claremont, Ont. Co., Ontario, Canada, to George Spencer (b. 1799 in Vermont; d 1861 at Lexington, Sanilac Co. Mich.). They moved from Canada to Sanilac County, Mich., in 1845. He was a stone mason.

CHILDREN

626. Eunice, b. abt. 1819 in Sanilac Co. Mich.

627. Joseph, died at age 60 at Peck, Sanilac Co., Mich.;

628. Seth, d. in infancy.

629. Deborah, b. abt. 1824; d. 1898

630. William, b. abt. 1826; d. at age 19; never married.

631. Margara, abt. 1828.

632. George, b. abt. 1830; d. July 4, 1885, at Deckerville, Mich.

633. Joshua, b. July 20, 1835; d. Nov. 6, 1925.

634. Mary, b. May 12, 1836; d. Aug. 1923.

635. Randall, b. 1841; d. 1863; m. Lucinda Frazer; no children.

636. James, b. May 18, 1842; d. Aug. 19, 1891.”

Corrections

Eunice Spencer was born in Pickering (Claremont), Ontario, not Sanilac Co. Mich.

Eunice Spencer married John Udell, son of John Udell “the hunter” and his wife Margaret Brown. Their marriage is recorded in the registers of Reverend Williams Jenkins, which are accessible on the web. The Udell’s, living on the south one-half of lots 32 and 33 in the 9^th concession, were next door neighbours to the Wixson’s and the Spencer’s.

John and Eunice (Spencer) Udell are recorded in the 1851 census in Pickering Township, along with their four children; George; Mary Jane; Katherine and John (my great-grandfather).

The 1861 census for Uxbridge lists John Udell, with a second wife Margaret, and their children George, Catherine and John are living with them. Their daughter Mary Jane had married John Jacob Lunau on 11 March 1860, and was no longer living with them. It states that John and Margaret were married in 1853, so Eunice must have passed away in 1952 or 1853.

Eunice’s father George D. Spencer was born 25^th of December 1797 in East Hartford, Connecticut as recorded in the Barbour Collection of records on page 94. George and Mary (Wixson) Spencer named their first son after Mary’s father Joseph Wixson, and their second daughter after her mother Deborah Townsend. They also named one of their sons after George, after his father and grandfather, the next son after Joshua Wixson, his father’s brother, and their second to last son Randall after her grandmother Mary Randall.

The 1860 census of Sanilac County, Michigan shows George D. Spencer and Mary Wixson and their children as living in Worth. It lists George D. Spencer’s birth place as Connecticut, although his birth date is a bit off. The 1860 non-population schedule lists Wixon’s on either side of George D. Spencer.

• PAGE 182 FAMILY 626

Eunice Spencer is my great-great-grandmother. Her family is incorrectly recorded on page 182 as follows:

“ Eunice Spencer Mathas, dau. Of Mary (193), born in Pickering Twp., Ontario, Canada; d. in Worth Twp. Sanilac Co., Mich.; m. Thomas Mathas. Children Dennis, Charles, Martin and Samantha.”

If you turn to page 183 there is also the record of a “Margara (Margaret) Spencer Mathews, dau. of Mary (193), born abt. 1828; M. Chas. Mathews Children Charles and Martin.”

I suggested that the compilers conflated these two families. Incidentally, the Mathews were from Pickering and their father Peter Mathews was hung after the event at Montgomery’s Tavern in December of 1837.

So in my opinion Family 626 is completely wrong, this Eunice is my great-great-grandmother who married John Udell in 1840.

If you consider Family 631 on the next page I suggest this is Margaret Spencer, younger sister of Eunice, born in abt. 1828, and that she married Thomas Mathews from her home town. You will notice that the children have the same names as Family 626 Charles and Martin, although the other two children Dennis and Samantha are missing. This is confirmed on the death certificate for Charles Mathews, son of Thomas Mathews and Margerete Spencer from November 1933.