| notes from the study by: Benjamin P. Ford, Ph.D. - William Spinner that I have came from VA. William's father Richard Spinner was a Rev War Veteran. Born a slave, he was freed, and then joined the VA Infantry. Served one term for himself, a second as a wagoner for another man, then ended up settling in Albemarle County, VA shortly after the war. Had several children, William was one. William was the first free black employee of the University of Virginia, working as Janitor between 1825-1826 during its first year of operation. He also dug and cleaned wells like his father. William bought a lot in the City of Charlottesville but sold it in 1836. Also in 1836 he purchased and then manumitted two black men, possibly friends. He disappears from Virginia records in 1836. Rachel appears in the OH census in 1840. So imagine he slowly made his way to the midwest and settled in Abolitionist and Underground Railroad strongholds. notes from Deanna West: Michigan Land holdings: In the 1860 maps of Howard township, Cass Co., William owns a nice size parcel in Section 18 SE corner. Then in a lateral move to Berrien County, Spinner is shown owning property in Niles Twp, Berrien County, NE corner of section 12. Death and Burial: Rachel (Hughes) Spinner died the 30 October, 1870 at her residence, 3 miles northeast of Niles at the age of 80 years. And William died 22 June 1874 of lung fever and was 83 years of age. They were both laid to rest in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, Michigan. Family Mary Jane Spinner - I believe this to be their daughter, who also was born July 7, 1820 in Virginia and appears as a female 10 to 23 in the 1830 census, with her parents in Albermarle County, VA. In this same census, appears a count for a male under 10, which I have not located to date. The death certificate also shows Mary Jane's mother as being Rachel Hughes. Mary Jane married Issac Moss in about 1841 and they had 12 children, none were surviving at the time of her death, 2 May 1909 in Van Buren County, Michigan. Isaac's dates are 1816 (Virginia born) to 27 Feb 1891. Both were laid to rest in Lakeside Cemetery, Van Buren County, with some of their children that passed on after they moved to Van Buren in the 1880's. added note: Isaac and his wife seem to have followed the same migration path as the Spinner family, starting in Virginia, then Ohio and finally settling in Michigan. |