MacAlvin Spence, an early pioneer in Harris County. He was the son of Nathan Spence, Jr., and Adeline Reeves Spence. His grandfather, Nathan Spence, Sr. was a soldier in the Patriot Army in the Revolutionary War. MacAlvin was born in Rockingham County, N.C. on July 11, 1810. He died in Harris County on March 24, 1899 at 88 years of age. He was married three times. His first wife was Elizabeth Spence, the daughter of his uncle, James Spence of North Carolina. They were married in 1829. Elizabeth Spence was born on Sept. 13, 1813. She died on Sept. 29, 1843 in Harris County and is buried in a small fenced plot on High way 27 just across from the former entry to Callaway Gardens. He then married Martha Ann Milligan in Harris County on July 14, 1846. Martha was born on July 24, 1824 and died in Harris County on Mar. 27, 1891. His third marriage was to Louisa Elizabeth Ellis On Sept. 17, 1892. His children, by first marriage, all born in Harris County, were: Mary R. Spence b. Jan 1, 1832 m. Wm. L. Winchester on Feb. 21, 1852 James D. Spence b. Feb. 28, 1833 m. Frances Patrick on July 24, 1853 Adeline E. Spence b. Feb. 11, 1835 m. Wm. Hardy Cornett on Nov. 16, 1849 Elizabeth S. Spence b. Oct. 9, 1837 m. Jos. A. Winchester on Mar. 23, 1854 Frances E. Spence b. Apr. 12, 1841 m. Thomas W. Ramsey on Dec. 20, 1865 Martha L. Spence b. Jan. 4, 1843 m. T. F. Middlebrooks Children by second marriage, all born in Harris County, were: Wm. H. Spence b. Nov. 21, 1846 m. Nancy E. Robinson on Dec. 5, 1867 Sarah L. Spence b. Aug. 21, 1849 m. Jos. Robinson on June 6, 1867 George W. Spence b. Aug. 17, 1856 m. ? Billinger On Feb 11, 1876 MacAlvin Spence owned a plantation that surrounded the Beech Springs Baptist Church property. He was a judge of the Inferior Court in Harris County and was a member of the Bethany Baptist Church and a Master Mason. From an excerp taken from a book titled "Memoirs of Georgia-1895", I learned that "he was a volunteer soldier in the Florida War and that he had 56 slaves in the year 1860 and in 1895 was regarded as one of the wealthiest and one of the financially strongest of Harris County citizens". He and several members of his family are buried in a family cemetery with a wrought iron fence and gate, on what was once his farm, located near the Beech Springs Baptist Church, about a quarter of a mile up the road east of the church about an 1/8 of a mile down an overgrown drive. If you wish to contact me, please do so at [email protected]. Pierce Langford

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