"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 110, No 19, p 607, May 11, 1931.
Cornelia Babcock Spicer, daughter of Samuel Langworthy Babcock and Almira Burdick Babcock, was born near Adams Center, N. Y., January 18, 1844, and died at Toledo, Ohio, April 21, 1931.
June 29, 1863, she was married to John G. Spicer of Hopkinton, R. I. In the fall of 1864 they went to West Hallock [IL] to live, and in that beautiful prairie country they made their home for nearly forty years, till Mr. Spicer's death, February 9, 1903. In 1905 Mrs. Spicer removed to Plainfield, N. J., where she made her home until August of last year when she removed with her son and his family to Toledo.
At the age of fourteen years Mrs. Spicer was baptized by the Rev. James Summerbell and united with the Adams Center Seventh Day Baptist Church. When they removed to West Hallock she joined the Southampton Church, and on moving to Plainfield transferred her membership to the church of her faith in that city.
Through a long life she lived a faithful, consistent Christian. She was interested in the work of the church and of the denomination. Her special religious activity in the Plainfield Church was in connection with the Woman's Society for Christian Work. It was her great joy to render service in this society just as long as she was able to be of service.
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Spicer, of whom only one son survives, Clarence W. Spicer who lived in Plainfield for many years, but who removed to Toledo, Ohio, last summer. Besides the son she is survived by one brother, Malone S. Babcock of Battle Creek, Mich., four grandsons and two great-granddaughters.
Funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Theodore F. Adams, pastor of the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church of Toledo, and the body was taken to West Hallock for burial beside her husband and their three children in the old West Hallock Cemetery. A. J. C. B.

"The Sabbath Recorder", Vol 59, No 9, p 131, Mar. 2, 1903.
John G. Spicer, the tenth in the family of twelve children of Joseph and Content Potter Spicer, was born in Hopkinton, R. I., Jan. 14, 1839. Five brothers are still living, viz: Geo. H. of Hopkinton, R. I., Edward D. of Adams, N. Y., Noyes, of New York City, Joseph Denison, of Plainfield, N. J., and Albert H., of Westerly, R. I.
He received his education in the public schools of Rhode Island, and in a select school at Adams, N. Y. He becan life when a young man as a farm laborer, but in 1865 he came West, settling in Illinois, where he secured land and began business for himself. He was married June 29, 1863, to Cornelia Babcock. Four children were born to them: Minnie, who died in 1895, in her 26th year, Clara, who died when seventeen months old, Clarence, their only living child, who is now pursuing a course in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University, and Earnest, who died when three years of age.
In 1871, Mr. Spicer and his wife settled on the farm in Hallock township, where they have since resided. It consists of 160 acres of the most fertile prairie land to be found in Illinois or the West, provided with a beautiful and commodious residence, large barns, two tenement houses, and a creamery, with thoroughly up-to-date machinery, including apparatus for the manufacture of ice. The farm is often spoken of as the best to be found in Peoria county.
Upon this farm Mr. Spencer has been engaged in the dairy business for about thirty years, producing a quality of butter that has gained wide attention for its excellence. Previous to 1893, when Mr. Spicer gave more attention to public exhibits for advertising purposes than he has sonce found it necessary, he received more premiums and awards at state and county and other exhibits than did any other competitor. At the World's Fair in 1893 his butter received the highest average markings on a continuous exhibit for the whole period of the Fair, receiving a percentage of 96 3/4.
We speak thus definately and at length in regard to Mr. Spicer's dairy products, because in itself it is no small honor to stand at the very top in one's chosen calling, and to be able to command recognition from the highest authorities. It is as great an honor to make butter, and make the very best butter, or to make the best sermons. We speak of this also, because it stands as an index to the character of the man. Honesty, thoroughness, progressiveness, were his leading characteristics. Like the products of his labor, the man himself was genuine through and through, standing in the forerank of men of noble character.
Mr. Spicer cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. In 1862 he volunteered his services in the defence of his country, but was rejected on account of ill health. In the town and county of which he was a resident he has held various positions of trust and honor. He also served several terms as director of the State Dairymens' Association.
When about fourteen years of age he gave his heart to Christ and united with the Second Hopkinton Seventh-day Baptist Church. In 1865 he removed his membership to the West Hallock church, of which he has served as a trustee and clerk for many years. He has ever been one of the strongest pillars of the church, always in constant attendance upon its services, a teacher in the Sabbath-school and foremost to aid by his counsel, hands and means every needy interest of church, community or demonination.
He was a strong temperance advocate, and more than once has given his influence and aid to close up some den of vice. He was a man of cheerful disposition, greatly devoted to his home and his church. Upon his death bed he called his hired help and neighbors about him and counselled them earnestly, as he had often done in health, to give their hearts to the Lord Jesus and attend the services of church. "The church," said he, "is the best investment I ever made."
In his twelve weeks' long sickness previous to his death he was patient and unmurmuring. When informed by the physicians that his end was near, he awaired death calmly and without fear, only regretting, he said, that he could not stay to work for his family and church, although personally he desired to "depart, and be with Christ, which is far better."
The funeral services were held at the residence and in the West Hallock church February 12th, conducted by the pastor, who took fo his text Phil. 1:21, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." A large concourse of relatives and friends were in attendance. F. E. P.