Yesterday I focused on the graves of Richard Augustine Spalding and his wives. Today I'll share the documentation for the three marriages of Richard Spalding that I found on the Family Search website. They all took place in Washington County, Kentucky.
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| "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org |
"Richard Spalding and Henrietta Hamilton, July 28th" (1801), married by Michael Fournier. He was 24 years old, she was 20. I have their children as:
- Ann Constantia (1803-1858) first entered the Sisters of Loretto, then left to marry (1) Mr. Howell, (2) Thomas Hoskins Hamilton.
- Julia (1805-1857) became Mother Perpetua of the Sisters of Loretto
- Leonard Augustine (1806-1888) married (1) Katherine Lancaster, (2) Elizabeth Shadburne
- Richard Marcus (1808-1888) married Mary Jane Lancaster
- Martin John (1810-1872) became the Archbishop of Baltimore
- Benedict Joseph (1812-1868) became Administrator of the Diocese of Louisville
- Clement (1814-1837) died unmarried at age 23, he predeceased his father
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| "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org |
- Caroline Ann (1817-1849) married Alewis J. McAtee
- William Thomas "Tunk" (1818-1881) married (1) Amanda Jarboe, (2) Louisa Abell
- Joseph (1822-1884) married Mary Jane Mattingly
- Henry Hudson (1823-1853) married Isabelle H. Mattingly
- Mary Jane (1825-1847) married John Barton Abell, she predeceased her father
- John Austin (1826-1913) married Ann Melvina Simms
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| "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org |
The marriage bond of Richard Spalding and Mrs. Mary Adams, 15th day of February, 1827. He was 49, Mary was 34. I have their children as:
- Susan Mary (1831-1902)
- George Robert (1833-?)
- Thomas S. (1834-1855) married Ann Elizabeth Mudd
Richard was the father of anywhere from 16 to 22 children according to various online trees. I have the names of 16. The following is an excerpt from the book "Spalding Memorial, A Genealogical History of Edward Spalding, of Massachusetts Bay, and His Descendants", by Samuel Jones Spalding. Richard's son Martin John, Bishop of Louisville at the time, wrote in a letter to E. W. Spalding, Esq., dated June 21, 1859:
"My grandfather, Benedict Spalding, came with his family to Kentucky, in the spring of 1791. He had a large family of twelve children, all of whom, except three, are now dead, most of them leaving large families. My own father, the oldest son of my grandfather, Richard Spalding, died in 1850, leaving fourteen living children, I being the third son, having been born May 23, 1810. "
From the same book, in a letter to Samuel J. Spalding from M. J. Spalding, then the Archbishop of Baltimore, dated Jan. 6, 1871:
"...my own father, Richard, had twenty-one children, of whom fifteen were raised to become men and women."In the book "The Life of the Most Rev. M. J. Spalding, D. D.: Archbishop of Baltimore", written in 1873 by J. L. Spalding:
"Richard Spalding, the eldest son of Benedict, was the father of the Archbishop. He was born in St. Mary's County, Maryland, and came to Kentucky with his father. He was thrice married, and by these unions became the father of twenty-one children."
Both of Richard's first two wives may have died of complications from childbirth. Assuming 21 is the correct number of Richard's children, the five I'm missing most likely died as infants. I don't know if Mrs. Mary Adams had any children with her first husband, I haven't even found out his name.
Richard Augustine Spalding has many descendants. If you are one of them, feel free to leave a comment. Which one (or more) of his children is in your direct line?
Richard Augustine Spalding has many descendants. If you are one of them, feel free to leave a comment. Which one (or more) of his children is in your direct line?
Hi Laura, I know this is six years after the original post, but I was wondering if you had seen Richard Spalding’s will. I’ve been digging around without much success, though I’d see a note that his son Rev. Ben Spalding gave all of what he received to the Catholic Church to help build the cathedral in Louisville. Thanks! I have found your website to be a tremendous resource.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ned! No, I have not ever found a Will for Richard Spalding, that would be very interesting. I might have to give it another try. I appreciate your interest.
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