John SPICER
Biography

Past And Present of Muskingum County, by J. Hope Sutor, Chicago, 1905 (excerpted from section on grandson Joseph Spicer):

He [Joseph] was born in this township (Salem township), June 9, 1827, and is descended from English ancestry. His paternal grandfather [John} was brought from England to America as a British soldier to aid in the subjugation of the colonies then in revolt against the latter country, but investigation of the causes of the war led him to desert the English army and to join the American troops, with which he fought throughout the struggle for independence. While he was with the "red coats" they made a raid in Pennsylvania, visiting each house in a certain settlement, taking what they could with them and burning what they did not want. After the war was over Mr. Spicer went back to one of the homes which the soldiers had raided and married the daughter of that household. His children were David, Daniel, Jonathan, Thomas, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary and Margaret.

The Spicer Genealogy, Pennsylvania (P. 370,371, S. G.)
Jonathan Spicer or John Spicer as the name is given in Pension Records is said by descendants to have been born in England but this is a question. He might well be a descendant of the Spicers who settled in New Jersey. However, one account states that he deserted from the British army, having come to America with it; joined the Colonial army and served until end of the war, soon after marrying the daughter of a Pennsylvania Dutchman. The Pension Records make his birth year to appear as 1754, and state that he died Aug. 6, 1838. He is buried in Adamsville cemetery, Adamsville, Ohio. He married in New Jersey, Kathern or Kathryn ______. From Pension Records we deduce her year of birth as 1752. She is said to have been born in Wales. Pension Records state that John Spicer enlisted as a private in 1777 in Capt. Martin's Co., Col. Martin's fourth New Jersey Regiment and was discharged June 5, 1783. He was engaged in the battles of Short Hills, Brandywine, where he was wounded, Monmouth and at the siege of Yorktown. Descendants state he was wounded three times and because of one of his wounds was obliged to have a silver plate to protect his brain. He applied for a pension Nov 2, 1818 and was then living in Bulter County, Pennsylvania. In 1820 he was living in Muskingum County, Ohio, at which time he had grandchild Benjamin Spicer residing with him. (See War Pension Claims S. File No. 40,489.) About 1819 he with family of nine well-grown children nearly all of whom were born West Moreland County, Pennsylvania, settled in the southern part of the township of Adamsville, Muskingum County. His sons David, Daniel and Thomas all obtained land here and built the first cabins and proceeded to subjugate the forests.

Unlinked known children:
two unnamed infants born about 1802 & 1804

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