vy, 29 Dec 1845, as his uncle had arranged him to receive a position as purser on the warship COLUMBUS, to keep him from going to jail for forging his father's name--a report from the Ithaca newspaper. John C. Spencer was purser aboard the U.S. Sloop Marion, which was part of the Africa Squadron. In late December 1845, she was off Quitta, on the coast of Africa.(Quetta, Ghana, West Africa) The log of the Marion for 30 Dec 1845 states ". . .at 630 three boats left the ship with the remains of the late Purser Spencer which was buried with military honors, under the Castle Wall of Quitta, the Fort giving a salute of 9 guns on the occasion. . ." In a letter of Commander Skinner, dated 1 May 1846, it was mentioned that John Spencer had died of "coast fever", which could have been any number of fevers commonly contracted aboard ships at the time. Ref: Letter from Rebecca A. Livingston, Old Military and Civil Records, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408 to Robert S. Davis, Jr., PO Box 687, Hanceville, AL 35077. Information on National Archives microfilm Pub. M89, roll 102.
vy, 29 Dec 1845, as his uncle had arranged him to receive a position as purser on the warship COLUMBUS, to keep him from going to jail for forging his father's name--a report from the Ithaca newspaper. John C. Spencer was purser aboard the U.S. Sloop Marion, which was part of the Africa Squadron. In late December 1845, she was off Quitta, on the coast of Africa.(Quetta, Ghana, West Africa) The log of the Marion for 30 Dec 1845 states ". . .at 630 three boats left the ship with the remains of the late Purser Spencer which was buried with military honors, under the Castle Wall of Quitta, the Fort giving a salute of 9 guns on the occasion. . ." In a letter of Commander Skinner, dated 1 May 1846, it was mentioned that John Spencer had died of "coast fever", which could have been any number of fevers commonly contracted aboard ships at the time. Ref: Letter from Rebecca A. Livingston, Old Military and Civil Records, National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408 to Robert S. Davis, Jr., PO Box 687, Hanceville, AL 35077. Information on National Archives microfilm Pub. M89, roll 102.
Gravesite Details
John was buried in a now lost grave near the walls of the fort at Quetta, Ghana, West Africa.
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