Spencer, George E.

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Dublin Core

Title

Spencer, George E.

Subject

Politicians

Description

George Eliphaz Spencer was an American politician and a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama. Born in Champion, New York, he was educated at Montreal College in Canada. After relocating to Iowa he engaged in the study of law. He married English author Bella Zilfa in 1862. During the Civil War, Spencer enlisted as a captain on October 16, 1862. While serving on the staff of Brigadier-General Grenville M. Dodge, he requested a transfer to the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment (Union), a volunteer regiment made up of Southern Unionists, which did not have a permanent commander. Receiving a promotion to colonel, he led the regiment from September 11, 1863 till his resignation on July 5, 1865. After the war, Spencer returned to Alabama to practice law. His wife died of typhoid fever in 1867. For a time he served as register in bankruptcy for the fourth district of Alabama. Elected as a Republican to the United States Senate upon readmission of Alabama to the Union, Spencer served from July 13, 1868, to March 4, 1879. He was appointed a commissioner of the Union Pacific Railroad with help from his previous leader, Major-General Dodge. In 1877, he married prominent actress "May" Nunez. The couple then spent two years on a ranch in Nevada tending to mining interests before settling in Washington, DC, about 1880. Spencer died in Washington, D.C., on February 19, 1893.

Date

1877

Format

image/tiff

Type

Image
StillImage

Language

English

Rights

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