Biography of William Spurgeon
William was born in Little Ellingham to parents William (a labourer) and Ann Spurgeon, and baptised on 14 November 1841.
In the 1851 census William (9) is living with his parents William (45) & Ann (45), brothers Robert (22, a farm labourer), John (19, also a farm labourer), & James (15, a tailor), and sisters Harriet (12) & Eliza (5), living in Church Street, Little Ellingham.
William met Susan Ray while she was working as a housemaid next door to his brother Robert in Church Street, Little Ellingham. They married on 31 January 1863. Their first son, George Ray Spurgeon, was born some time before, and baptised on 17 May 1863.
William, Susan & George emigrated to the USA, travelling on the screw steamer Glasgow from Liverpool to New York, arriving on 18 April 1864. Although the arriving passenger manifest clearly states the ship was "Glasgow", the "City of Glasgow" disappeared without trace in 1854!
In the 1870 census the family has grown: William (28, farmer) & Susan (28) now have 3 children, George (7), Harriet (4) & Arthur (1), living at Addison, Oakland, Michigan. William's personal estate was valued at $650 plus real estate $2200.
A topographic map of Oxford County from 1872 shows William owned a 80 acre plot in Oxford District No.5 (zoomed) - his brother John's plot is a short distance away. By 1880 census they are at Oxford, Oakland, Michigan: William (39, farmer), Susan (39), George (17), Harriet (14), Arthur (11), Emma (9) & Mary (7).
Both sons (George & Arthur) died in the mid-1880's. The 1900 census has William & Susan living in Church Street, Cass, Tuscola, Michigan with their daughter Mary (14).
William's wife Susan died in 1904. In the 1910 census he's widowed, living with his daughter Mary's husband John Marshall (35) & their son Howard (16) at Elkland, Tuscola, Michigan. Later the same year, William married Eliza Jane Clarke on 14 September 1910 in Ontario, Canada - they may have met through Mary's husband John.
William died on 19 March 1927 age 86 at Elkland, Tuscola, Michigan.
