Spong Family History & Genealogy

William is my 3rd great-uncle, twin brother to my 2nd great-grandfather, Daniel Spong. They were born late in 1827 in Stourmouth Kent, and baptized on January 2nd, 1828. They were the sons of George Keel Spong (1801-1873) and Sarah White (1801-1887). Like Daniel, in 1841 William (both aged 13) was still at home with his father, though at least one of their brothers had already left home, while their mother, and sister, Eliza, were visiting her brother in Womenswold, Kent. In 1851, I found a William Spong, working as a footman in a household in Ecton, Northamptonshire. This stumped me at first, as Ecton is more than 150 miles from Stourmouth and it was unusual in that period for people to stray so far from their birthplace. However, this William gave his place of birth as Stourmouth, Kent and no other William Spong born in Kent of the correct age appeared in the census. was this my 3rd great-uncle? It seems likely, but begs the question, how did he come to get a job so far from home? That he was in service is not unexpected, but in Northamptonshire is a bit of a puzzler. He was serving in the household of Ambrose Ested, and his wife, Eleanor, so I did some research about them. One detail I noted from the final column of the census return was that Ambrose was “deaf and dumb”, and, according to a brief profile of him, he was educated at the London Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, the same school at which William’s younger sister was studying in 1851. While Ambrose had graduated years earlier, perhaps he still had ties with the school and it was through this connection that William found his placement. Either way, by August of 1857, William was living in London, where he married Mary Bull, in the Parish Church of St. Martin in the Fields. Within a few months, Mary was expecting their first child, Mary Ann (one of many, many Mary Anns on both sides of my family tree during the 19th century), who was born in July of 1858. William’s occupation is noted as grocer. By the time Emma was born in September 1860 the family was living in the Brown Bear Inn at 65 Broad Street, where William was a labourer. The following year, in the 1861 census, his occupation has changed to Licensed Victualler, a business in which he remained, until his retirement in the late 1870s. Over the next few years, the young couple had three more children, though, the second-youngest, Walter, died in the autumn of 1857. He was barely two years old, while Henry Francis (born 1862) and Edward (born 1867) would emigrate to Australia in the late 1880s. Henry worked as a ship’s steward starting in the mid-1880s. Their sisters, Emma and Mary Ann, however, stayed near their parents and married men in the pub/victualling business. Sometime between 1871 and 1881, William retired and moved his family from Bloomsbury across the river to Wimbledon. He would have only been around 50 when he did so. It’s possible that he had injured himself – I imagine the job was physically demanding one, hauling beer kegs etc. Or maybe he he had earned enough money to live comfortably. Interestingly enough, he declares himself a retired wine merchant in the 1881 census, a change from licensed victualler. Had he left the Brown Bear and moved into selling wine before his retirement? Over the next decade, Mary died in 1889 and his sons emigrated to Australia, while his younger daughter Emma died in 1902. It seems William remained closest to his daughter, Mary Ann, who married Edward James Worth – she and her sons Albert and William were with him in the 1891 census, though it’s not clear if they were living with him permanently or just visiting. In 1901, William was still living at the house on Montague Road in Wimbledon,29 however the Worth family was no longer with him. They had moved a few streets over, to a house on Victory Road. This was our last documented glimpse of William before his death in 1905. According to the National Probate Calendar, he died on March 28 at St. Thomas’ Hospital in Surrey. The notice also states he was still a resident of 15 Montague Road. He was 77. To read William's full biography, see this link:

Mary lived and died in England - it was her children, Henry Francis and Edward, who emigrated to Australia: Mary Bull (c. 1825-1889) Name: Mary Bull Sex: Female Father: Robert Bull (1791-1847) Mother: Sarah Lewis (1791-1849) Individual Events and Attributes Birth: c. 1825 Calne, Wiltshire, England Baptism: 21 Aug 1825 (age 0) Bremhill, Wiltshire, England Residence: 1841 (age 15-16) Bowood Liberty, Wiltshire, England Residence: 1861 (age 35-36) St Giles in the Fields, Middlesex, England Residence: 1871 (age 45-46) St Giles in the Fields, London, England Residence: 1881 (age 55-56) Wimbledon, Surrey, England Death: Dec 1889 (age 63-64) Kingston, Surrey Burial: 10 Dec 1889 Wimbledon, St Mary, Surrey, England Marriage Spouse: William Spong (1828-1905) Children: Mary Ann Spong (1858-1937) Emma Spong (1860-1902) Henry Francis Spong (1862-1931) Walter Spong (1865-1867) Edward Spong (c. 1867-1952) Marriage Banns: 12 Jul 1857 (age 31-32) Middlesex, England Marriage Banns: 19 Jul 1857 (age 31-32) Middlesex, England Marriage Banns: 26 Jul 1857 (age 31-32) Middlesex, England Marriage: 2 Aug 1857 (age 31-32) Saint Martin In The Fields, Westminster, London, England

Henry Francis Spong of Melbourne East Australia was born in 1862 to William Spong and Mary Bull Spong. He had siblings Emily Spong and Edward Spong. Henry Spong died at age 69 years old in 1931 in Melbourne East.

John Newing Spong of Melbourne South Australia was born in 1801, and died at age 80 years old in 1881 in Melbourne South.

Verne Eugene Spong of Seal Beach, Orange County, CA was born on March 9, 1913, and died at age 82 years old on April 6, 1995. Verne Spong was buried at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery Section CBA Row 1 Site 477 P.o. Box 6237, in San Diego.

William K Spong of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA was born on July 23, 1913, and died at age 69 years old in April 1983.

William B Spong of Portsmouth, Portsmouth City County, VA was born on September 29, 1920, and died at age 77 years old on October 8, 1997.

John W Spong of Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio was born on July 11, 1925, and died at age 60 years old in February 1986.

John O Spong of Bronx, Bronx County, NY was born on July 28, 1909, and died at age 78 years old in March 1988.

John W M Spong of Highspire, Dauphin County, PA was born on February 8, 1909, and died at age 65 years old in May 1974.

Harold C Spong of Coudersport, Potter County, PA was born on May 17, 1923, and died at age 57 years old in July 1980.

Charles D Spong of Silver Spring, Montgomery County, MD was born on December 10, 1923, and died at age 71 years old on May 24, 1995.

Carol Frances (Spong) Kemp was born in 1943 at Warrnambool in Warrnambool, VIC Australia. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Carol Frances (Spong) Kemp.

Francis Xavier Spong of Australia, was married to Margaret Enid Hope, and has a child Carol Frances (Spong) Kemp. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Francis Xavier Spong.

Peter’s children Fiona, Phillip, Corey, Marita and Danielle

Robert Arthur Spong of Tarpon Springs, Pinellas County, FL was born on April 12, 1958, and died at age 52 years old on February 9, 2011. Robert Spong was buried at Florida National Cemetery Section 601 Site 289 6502 Sw. 102nd Ave., in Bushnell.

John H Spong was born on March 5, 1917, and died at age 83 years old on February 17, 2001. John Spong was buried at Bg William C Doyle Vet's Mem Cem Section KS Site 2801 350 Provinceline Road, in Wrightstown, Nj. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John H Spong.

Leonard J Spong of Cherry Hill, Camden County, NJ was born on July 5, 1913, and died at age 86 years old on March 5, 2000. Leonard Spong was buried at Bg William C Doyle Vet's Mem Cem Section KS Site 1006 350 Provinceline Road, in Wrightstown.

Robert William Spong of McAllen, Hidalgo County, TX was born on June 18, 1923, and died at age 86 years old on July 6, 2009. Robert Spong was buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery Section 45 Site 306 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, in San Antonio.

Joseph R Spong of Saint Petersburg, Pinellas County, FL was born on January 24, 1920, and died at age 80 years old on October 7, 2000. Joseph Spong was buried at Bay Pines National Cemetery Section S Site 305 P.o. Box 477, in Bay Pines.