Thomas Spencer, M. D. of Anaheim, was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, in 1835, a son of Edward Spencer, who was a dry-goods merchant. He came to the United States in 1849, received a common school education at Burlington, Iowa, and in 1854 came overland to California and attended the Toland Medical College, where he graduatedin 1861. He practiced his profession at Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, until 1872, when he bought land in Santa Barbara County. After making his home there two years he returned to Lucas County, Iowa, and bought a large stock farm, which he still owns. He came again to California in 1887, locating three and one-half miles northwest of Anaheim, in what is known as Orangethorpe. Here he has a beautiful country residence and is practically retired from business and professional life. He is a Republican in his political views. He has held some responsible positions: was president of the Lucas County (Iowa) Agricultural Society, and secretary of that society four years; was a delegate in 1868 from the Third District of California to the Republican National Convention at Chicago; Associate Judge in 1862 of Sonoma County, etc. In the recent contests here he took an active part in favor of county division, and is one of the directors of the Anaheim irrigation district.
The Doctor was married in San Francisco, in 1857, to Miss Mary Chambers, a native of Boston; their children have been: Homer T., deceased, who for several years was city editor of the San Francisco Examiner; Ida, now the wife of Mr. B. F. McDaniels. Dr. Spencer was married the second time, in Chariton, Iowa, to Miss Mary C. Rogers, and by this marriage there are the following children: Virgil, Milton, Clarence, Ethel, Edith, Howard and Horace.
