Abigail Hatton was born on November 6, 1848 in Winnebago, Illinois to Thomas Hatton and Angeline (Williams) Hatton. Her family moved from Winnebago to Elida when she was a baby. On March 8, 1866 she was married to James H. Spencer in Winnebago. She and James had seven children: Nettie May (b. June 14, 1867), Georgia Belle (b. April 24, 1871), Ernest, Harry J. (b. December 1878), Alta Irene (b. February 1881), James Frederick (b. January 15, 1883), and Sarah Frances (b. January 1885). The family resided in Rush, Jo Daviess, Illinois. James passed away in 1913, and Abigail then made a home with her son, Ernest, in Stockton, Illinois.
On a trip to visit some of her children in South Dakota in 1926, Abigail suffered a heart attack. From her obituary in the Aberdeen American News: “Mrs. Abigail Hatten Spencer, age 77, of Stockton, IL passed away Tuesday at midnight at the home of her daughter, Mrs. George Kilpatrick, 11 miles north-east of Columbia, SD.
About a month ago, Mrs. Spencer, accompanied by her brother George Hatten of Aurora, IL, her sister Mrs. Harry Reninger of Youngstown, OH, and a grand daughter Miss Leona Spencer of Stockton, IL motored to South Dakota where they planned to spend a happy reunion with relatives. Mrs. Spencer had been in poor health the past two years and it was one of her great desires to make this visit and be with her children. About two weeks ago she was stricken with a heart attack which she never quite recovered and Tuesday night while at her daughter’s home, she passed away…
…Funeral services were held on Thursday at noon from the home of her daughter, Mrs. J.O. James. Many relatives and friends were present. Rev. Brown of the Congregational church of Houghton officiated. A quartette sang two favorite selections. The flowers were beautiful.
The body was brought to the Huebl Chapel until yesterday morning when it was taken to her old home at Stockton, IL accompanied by her son, Harry J. Spencer. The final services and interment will take place there. Many relatives of the deceased left here yesterday afternoon in three cars driving through to Stockton, IL to attend her last rites.”
Abigail was buried at Townsend Cemetery in Rush Township, Illinois.
Abigail (Hatton) Spencer, James F. Spencer, and Daughter
