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-{{Infobox person
-| name        = Orson Spencer
-| image       = Orson Spencer.jpg
-| alt         =
-| caption     =
-| birth_date = {{birth date|1802|03|14}}
-| birth_place = [[West Stockbridge, Massachusetts|West Stockbridge]], [[Massachusetts]],
-| death_date = {{Death date and age|1855|10|15|1802|03|14}}
-| death_place =
-}}
-'''Orson Spencer''' (March 14, 1802 &ndash; October 15, 1855) was a prolific writer and prominent member of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. He served in several highly visible positions within the church and left an extensive legacy of [[theology|theological]] writings.  Orson Spencer is one of the examples William Mulder cites of highly educated people becoming [[Mormon]]s during the time of [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]]<ref>Mulder, William. "Mormonism and Literature" in [[Richard H. Cracroft|Cracroft, Richard H.]] and Neal E. Lambert, ed. ''A Believing People: Literature of the Latter-day Saints''. (Provo: [[Brigham Young University Press]], 1974) p. 208</ref>
-==Early life and education==
-Born in [[West Stockbridge, Massachusetts|West Stockbridge]], [[Berkshire County, Massachusetts|Berkshire County]], [[Massachusetts]], Spencer was generally esteemed a bright boy. At age twelve he contracted a fever that nearly killed him and left him with a permanent limp.<ref>''Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History'', p. 1171–1172.</ref>  At age fifteen, the town sheriff was so struck by him that he offered to finance Spencer's education. That same year he entered [[Lenox Academy]].  In 1824, Spencer graduated with honors from [[Union College]] at [[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]], [[New York]].
-In 1825 Spencer took a job as a school teacher in [[Washington, Georgia|Washington]], [[Wilkes County, Georgia|Wilkes County]], [[Georgia (U. S. State)|Georgia]].  While in Georgia he also began the study of law.<ref>[[Andrew Jenson|Jenson, Andrew]]. ''LDS Biographical Encyclopedia''. Vol. 1, p. 337</ref>
-In 1827, Spencer joined the [[Baptist]] church and decided to become a pastor. He attended the theological college at [[Hamilton (village), New York|Hamilton, New York]] (now known as [[Colgate University]]), and graduated as class [[valedictorian]] in 1829. Spencer served as pastor at three [[Wiktionary:congregation|congregations]] throughout [[New England]] between 1829 and 1841.
-==Religious conversion==
-Spencer was introduced to the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] by his brother [[Daniel Spencer (Mormon)|Daniel]] and was [[baptism|baptized]] by the same in spring 1841, necessitating the discontinuation of Orson's Baptist ministry. During his time of investigating the faith, Spencer obtained as much information as he could about [[Solomon Spalding]] and other items that called into question the divine origin of the ''[[Book of Mormon]]'', but he was still convinced of its truthfulness by reading it.<ref>[[Franklin S. Harris|Harris, Franklin S. Jr.]] ''The Book of Mormon: Messages and Evidences'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: [[Deseret Book]], 1961) p. 175</ref>
-News of Spencer's [[Religious conversion|conversion]] reached many of his Baptist colleagues. [[William Crowell|Reverend William Crowell]] sent a letter inquiring about his conversion and the [[Mormonism|Mormon faith]] in general. Spencer's responses to this and other [[epistle]]s were published and remain of interest to many [[Latter-day Saint]]s today.<ref>Crowel, Rev William & Spencer, Orson. ''Correspondance Between the Reverend W. Crowel, A.M. and O. Spencer, B.A.''</ref>
-==Church service==
-Shortly after his conversion, Spencer and his family moved to [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]], [[Illinois]].  Spencer served as the head of the [[Nauvoo University|University of Nauvoo]].  He also served as an alderman in Nauvoo.<ref>Jenson, ''Biographical History'', Vol. 1, p. 338</ref>  In April 1843 Spencer was sent on a mission to [[New Haven, Connecticut]].<ref>[[Joseph Smith|Smith, Joseph]]. with [[B. H. Roberts|Roberts, B. H.]], ed., ''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' Vol. 5, p. 120</ref>
-Spencer was elected [[mayor]] of Nauvoo in 1845, but he appears to not have served due to the revocation of the city charter.  He would have succeeded his brother Daniel Spencer in this office.  Prior to this he served as an alderman of the city of Nauvoo.  As such he also served as a member of Nauvoo's municipal court.<ref>[[Joseph Fielding Smith|Smith, Joseph Fielding]]. ''Church History and Modern Revelation''. (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1946) p. 185</ref>  After the Nauvoo Charter was revoked Spencer served as an alderman of the much smaller town of Nauvoo.<ref>[[B. H. Roberts|Roberts, B. H.]], ed., ''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' Vol. 7, p. 401</ref>
-Spencer served as [[Mission President|president]] of the British [[Mission (LDS Church)|Mission]] from early 1847 until the summer of 1848.<ref>''[[Church News]]'', 1996-11-02.</ref> During that time he also served as editor and publisher of the [[Millennial Star]].<ref>Orson Spencer, [http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/MStar/id/849/show/580 "To the Beloved Saints and Patrons of the 'Star'"], 1 February 1847, pp. 43-44.</ref> In 1848 he was replaced by [[Orson Pratt]], who found that the mission had had much success under Spencer's administration.<ref>[[B. H. Roberts|Roberts, B. H.]] ''[[A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]: Century One''. (Provo, Utah: [[Brigham Young University Press]], 1965) p. 307–308</ref>
-Spencer was the president of one of the five [[Mormon pioneer]] companies in 1849.<ref>Roberts. ''Comprehensive History''. Vol. 3, p. 338</ref> This company consisted of about 100 wagons.<ref>[http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompany/0,15797,4017-1-131,00.html Mormon Pioneer Database]</ref> In 1850, when the ''[[Deseret News]]'' began publication in [[Salt Lake City]], Spencer served as assistant editor under [[Willard Richards]].<ref>[[Andrew Jenson|Jenson, Andrew]]. ''Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints''. (Salt Lake City, Utah: [[Deseret News Press]], 1941) p. 187</ref>
-Spencer was a member of the first legislative council of Utah Territory.<ref>Jenson, ''Biographical Encyclopedia'', Vol. 1, p. 338</ref>
-On August 28, 1852, [[Brigham Young]] commissioned Spencer to travel, together with Jacob Houtz, to [[Prussia]].<ref>Deseret News – Extra. A Special Conference of the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, assembled in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, August 28th, 1852: Digital Collections at BYU</ref> After reaching [[Berlin]] in late January 1853, he and his companion discovered that every step they took was observed by the Prussian [[secret police]]. After only one week, Spencer and Houtz were forced by the police to leave Berlin without having had any visible missionary success. They were the first [[Mormon missionaries]] to preach in Germany since [[Orson Hyde]]'s visit in 1841.
-Spencer served as an editor and writer on many [[newspaper]]s from his conversion and was named the first [[chancellor]] of the [[University of Deseret]] in 1850.
-Spencer went on a mission to [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]] in 1854.  After being there a year he went to St. Louis where he replaced [[Erastus Snow]] as the regional church leader and editor of the ''St. Louis Luminary''.  He shortly afterward went on a mission to the [[Cherokee Nation]], during which he contracted [[malaria]].  He then returned to St. Louis where he died from this disease.<ref>McCloud, Susan Evans. ''Brigham Young: A Personal Portrait''. (American Fork, Utah: [[Covenant Communications]], 1996) Chapter 13</ref>
-==Family==
-Spencer's first wife was Catharine Curtis.  They had eight children.  She died in 1846 in [[Iowa]].  While presiding over the British Mission, Spencer married Martha Knight.  He later also married Ann Dibble, Margaret Miller, Jane T. Davis and Mary Hill as [[Plural marriage|plural wives]].
-In 1855, shortly after his death, Spencer's daughter Catherine Curtis Spencer (named after her mother) married [[Brigham Young, Jr.]]<ref>[[Andrew Jenson|Jenson, Andrew]]. ''Latter-day Saints Biographical Encyclopedia''. Vol. 1, p, 121</ref>
-Spencer is the father of [[Aurelia Spencer Rogers]], who in 1878 founded the [[Primary (LDS Church)|Primary Association]], the official organization of the LDS Church for children.
-==Works remembered==
-A collection of his letters entitled ''Spencer's Letters'' was among the items placed in the [[Coping (architecture)|capstone]] of the [[Salt Lake Temple]].<ref>''[[Church News]]'', 1992-04-02.</ref>
-==Notes==
-{{reflist}}
-== References ==
-*Spencer, Orson. (1853). ''The Prussian Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Report of Elder Orson Spencer, A.B., to President Brigham Young.'' Liverpool: S.W.Richards
-*''Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint Church History'', p.&nbsp;1173-1174.
-== External links ==
-* [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/s/SPENCER,ORSON.html Utah History Encyclopedia]
-* [http://relarchive.byu.edu/19th/descriptions/correspondence.html Description of the correspondence between Orson Spencer and Rev. William Crowell] at the [[BYU]] official website
-* [http://relarchive.byu.edu/MPNC/descriptions/extra.html Conference Minutes, August 28th, 1852]
-* [http://www.meridianmagazine.com/historybits/020207steadfast.html Davis Bitton: "Beguiled from Steadfastness"]. Notes to an Epistle of Orson Spencer to British Church members from ''Meridian'' magazine
-{{s-start}}
-{{s-aca}}
-{{succession box
-| title=President of the [[University of Utah]]
-| before=New Title
-| after=[[David O. Calder]]
-| years=1850 – 1852
-}}
-{{s-end}}
-{{LDScouncil50}}
-{{University of Utah Presidents}}
-{{Authority control|VIAF=28570830}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              = Spencer, Orson
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION = AMerican Mormon leader
-| DATE OF BIRTH     = March 14, 1802
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[West Stockbridge, Massachusetts|West Stockbridge]], [[Massachusetts]]
-| DATE OF DEATH     = October 15, 1855
-| PLACE OF DEATH    =
-}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Spencer, Orson}}
-[[Category:1802 births]]
-[[Category:1855 deaths]]
-[[Category:19th-century Mormon missionaries]]
-[[Category:American Mormon missionaries]]
-[[Category:Colgate University alumni]]
-[[Category:Converts to Mormonism]]
-[[Category:Latter Day Saint writers]]
-[[Category:Members of the Council of Fifty]]
-[[Category:Mission presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
-[[Category:American Mormon missionaries in Germany]]
-[[Category:Mormon missionaries in the United Kingdom]]
-[[Category:Mormon missionaries in the United States]]
-[[Category:Mormon pioneers]]
-[[Category:People from Berkshire County, Massachusetts]]
-[[Category:Presidents of the University of Utah]]
-[[Category:Union College (New York) alumni]]
-[[Category:University of Utah faculty]]