# The Spence Family ## Origins in Europe The Spence family traces its roots to Pontefract, Yorkshire, England—a historic market town known for its castle ruins, coal mining, and medieval traditions. John W. Spence was born there in 1835 and came of age during a period of industrial transformation and social upheaval. Yorkshire’s working-class families were resilient, shaped by the rhythms of hard labor, Methodism, and a sense of duty to family and community. ## Emigration to America John emigrated to the United States sometime before 1873. His movements across the country were wide-ranging and often undocumented, reflecting the transient lifestyle of many frontier teamsters. He lived in Ohio, Indiana, Nevada, North Dakota, California, Oregon, and Washington. He married Sophia Margaret Anderson—who had immigrated from Stockholm, Sweden—in Elko, Nevada, in 1873. Sophia had arrived in the U.S. in 1871 as part of a wave of Scandinavian women who worked as domestic servants before settling into family life. ## Life on the American Frontier John Spence worked as a teamster, transporting goods and people across the American West. According to family accounts, he would travel east to collect pioneer families and bring them westward—sometimes gone for months at a time. During one such trip, his family faced hunger and was aided by a local Indigenous community that brought them food, saying, “We can’t let the family of John Spence go hungry.” John and Sophia eventually settled in northeastern Washington, where they raised their family. One of their daughters, Josephine Lillian Spence, was born in Gridley, California, along with her twin brother James. Josephine later married William “Bill” Henry Strong, linking the Spence family to another long-established frontier line. Josephine’s life was shaped by the dual legacy of Yorkshire grit and Swedish resilience. She raised her family near Deer Park and passed down stories of her father’s journeys and the generosity of the people he encountered. The Spence legacy is one of movement, survival, and quiet strength—built on the back of a teamster’s wagon and rooted in family memory. ## Key Individuals * [[Spence, John (1835–1916)]]– Yorkshire-born teamster, frontier pioneer * [[Anderson, Sophia (1855-1905)]] – Swedish immigrant, wife and mother * [[Spence, Josephine (1889–1972)]] – twin, matriarch, bearer of family stories ## Family Tree and Photos * Spence-Anderson family tree * Teamster wagon imagery * Portraits of John and Sophia, photo of Josephine and her twin brother