264 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUXTY. 



township, in 1864, a daughter of Cam- 

 eron and Rachel B. (Hart) Spencer, 

 both natives of Bucks county, their an- 

 cestors having located here in early- 

 days. In fact the name of Spencer is 

 closely associated with the history of 

 the material and moral development of 

 this part of the state. The early repre- 

 sentatives of the name here were of Irish 

 birth and of Presbyterian faith. John 

 Spencer was enrolled with the volun- 

 teers in the war of 1812, and afterward 

 received a pension in recognition of his 

 services. His son, Samirel Spencer, was 

 a reliable farmer, successfully conduct- 

 ing his business affairs. He voted with 

 the Whig party in early life, and upon 

 its dissolution joined the ranks of the 

 new Republican party. His religious 

 faith was that of the Presbyterian 

 church. He married Sarah A. Harmon, 

 and died in March, 1889. Their only son, 

 Cameron G. Spencer, was born in Bucks 

 county and reared and educated there, 

 remaining upon the old homestead as 

 his father's assistant until 1859, when he 

 married and brought his bride to the 

 farm, of which he then took charge, 

 making a home for his father during his 

 remaining days. Cameron Spencer was 

 born in November, 1836, and was but 

 five years of age w-hen he lost his 

 mother in 1841. He was reared by his 

 father and the latter's housekeeper, and 

 his life developed into that of a man of 

 remarkable strength of character and 

 sterling purpose. He never used to- 

 bacco or liquor in any form, and he was 

 popular and prominent in the commun- 

 ity, receiving the unqualified trust and 

 respect of those w-ith whom he was as- 

 sociated. After l>is marriage he con- 

 ducted the home farm for eleven years, 

 and then sold that property, removing to 

 Philadelphia, where he rented a hotel 

 property in Spring Garden street. He 

 made it a temperance house and to the 

 astonishment of all his friends pros- 

 pered in this undertaking, although those 

 who knew him predicted that he could 

 not wfin success unless he sold liquors 

 there. However, he conducted a tem- 

 perance house for ten years after which 

 he purchased a farm near Jacksonville, 

 Bucks county. He then resumed farm- 

 ing, in which line of activity he contin- 

 ued until his death. He was a Repub- 

 lican, and although he was never an as- 

 pirant for office he served for one term 

 as assessor, while residing in Philadel- 

 phia, discharging the duties of the office 

 with credit to himself and satisfaction 

 to the general public. He was widely 

 known and coinmanded the confidence 

 and good will of the people of every 

 community in which he lived. His 

 death occurred in May, 1882. His wife 

 still survives him and makes her home 

 with her two children, ]\Irs. Smith, and 

 a son who resides upon the homestead 

 farm. She was born in Northampton 



township in 1837, and is a lady of cul- 

 ture and intelligence; she is a daughter 

 of Joshua and Martha (Bonham) Hart, 

 both connected with early colonial fam- 

 ilies. Her father was a son of John and 

 Sarah (Dungan) Hart, also of Bucks 

 county. John Hart followed farming 

 and merchandising, making his home in 

 Jacksonville, and he became widely 

 known as a highly respected citizen. He 

 w'as of Irish lineage, affiliated with the 

 Baptist church, and his political allegi- 

 ance was given to the Democracy. His 

 children w-ere: Joshua, William, Rachel, 

 Joseph, John, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hum- 

 phrey, and Rebecca. 



Joshua Hart, who was born in 1802, 

 was reared to farm pursuits, and after 

 his marriage settled in Northampton 

 township, while later he took up his 

 abode upon the farm now occupied by ■ 

 Mrs. Smith. Throughout his entire life 

 he carried on agricultural pursuits, and 

 died in Buckingham township. In poii- 

 itics he was a Democrat, but had no 

 political aspirations. In an early day 

 he served as captain in a militia com- 

 pany. His w^ife was born in 1809, and 

 was a daughter of Joseph and Letitia 

 (Kinsey) Bonham, both of Bucks 

 county, her father being a prominent 

 and well known farmer. In politics he 

 was a Whig. The members of the 

 Bonham family were Jonathan, Isaiah, 

 Charles, Kinsey, Samuel and Martha. 

 The children of Joshua Hart were: 

 Sarah, the wife of John Spencer; Letitia; 

 Charles, wdio died in the civil war; 

 Rachel B., who became the mother of 

 Mrs. Smith; Elizabeth, the wife of Jo- 

 siah Thompson, of Philadelphia; and 

 John, also of Philadelphia. To Mr. and 

 Mrs. Cameron Spencer were born three 

 children: Horace G., who was reared 

 upon the home farm, and was later em- 

 ployed by the Presbyterian board of 

 publication; died in September, 1888, 

 leaving a wife but no children; Martha 

 H., who became Mrs. Smith; and A. 

 Lincoln, who is now farming the old 

 homestead: he is a stanch Republican 

 in his political views; he has a son, 

 Cameron, born Januarj^ 23, 1895. 



FRANK F. BELL, deceased, who was 

 elected the first treasurer of Philadelphia 

 under the new city charter, popularly 

 known as the "Bullit Bill." having been 

 the youngest incumbent upon whom this 

 responsible office had ever fallen, was 

 of old and honored German origin. His 

 paternal grandparents were natives of 

 Wurtemberg, Germany. His grand- 

 mother died when her son, John Bell, 

 father of Frank F. Bell, was about 

 eleven years of age. and subsequently 

 her husband and son emigrated to 

 America, the former named dying dur- 

 ing the voyage at sea. 



