William Spencer Heath was called 'Spencer'. He was the son of Richard Blue Heath and his wife Sarah Elizabeth Jordan who married 1823 in Cabell Co VA (now WV). His family migrated from Cabell Co Va into early Benton Co MO in 1839. His father Richard had owned 159 acres in Township 40-N, Range 22-W, Sect 20 in Benton Co. MO. He also recorded another 107.52 acres in 1844 in Township 40, Range 22-W, Sect 17 and 79 acres in Township 40, Range 22 Sect 19 in 1845. His parents decided to leave Missouri and move into early Texas. There was a great push on for Missourians to come to Texas to battle the Mexicans and gain the land for the U.S. They were promised 'great opportunity' to get land. He was brought to early TX as a young 10 yr old child by his parents in 1846.

How William Spencer Heath met his future wife is a great family story. Alice was the daughter of Hiram Rainbolt who had a store in downtown Meridian, believed to be a dry-goods store. His daughter Eva Rizor had a millinery shop in part of the store. William Spencer Heath was enroute in 1861 from Hill Co. TX to join the Civil War, and his contingent of volunteers stopped at a store in Nacogdoches, TX that was at that time owned by her father Hiram Rainbolt. Alice Rainbolt, daughter of Hiram was sitting out on the front porch of the store when the group rode up. On leaving, Wm. Spencer Heath said to Alice: 'I'm coming back to marry you.' And sure enough, he did. They were married in 1867 after the war. Their firstborn Walter Lee Heath was born in Mineral Wells, TX. 1868. William Spencer Heath did fight for the Confederacy in the Civil War. He was a Private in the 12th Texas Cavalry which listed 1625 names in the Civil War index. He joined Oct. 1861. His brothers Frederick G. Heath, George Webster Heath, and James Thomas Heath all volunteered at the same time and went with the Parson's Mounted Volunteers, 12th Regiment, Texas Cavalry.

When Alice Rainbolt's father (Hiram Rainbolt) died, his widow Alice's mother wrote the following letter to her:

Dear Alice,

It is with an aching heart and trembling hand I try to write you a few lines. I will try to apoligize for not sending for you. I thought it doutful whether you could get here before his death. I told Evy you was so feeble I was afraid it would kill you. I am verry sorry they did not let you know. Opphellia sent a telegram to her ma and she come, got in just a few minutes before the breth left him. He never could talk much after he was taken, they sung for him, he slaped his hands, apeared to be happy, he never got freted at anything. I think he is at rest. I hope to be with him soon. If my health will admit I will come out there next sumer. Your pa had sold out his goods a month before. He said he was going thare next summer for my benefit. I will try to do better next time. May the Lord bless you all.
Your loving mother,
H.A. Rainbolt

William Spencer Heath married 4 Sept 1867 in Hill Co. TX, Alice Toleta Rainbolt b. 30 Sept 1844, the daughter of Hiram Rainbolt. William Spencer Heath and Alice Rainbolt lived in Hill Co. TX until 1883, when they bought 160 acres, about 3 miles NE of Mineral Wells, TX in Palo Pinto Co, paying $200 down and signing two notes for $150 apiece. The farm cost $3.12 per acre. This land was section 10-T&P survey, east of the Brazos River. The acreage was 'U-shaped' and cornered three sides of McAdams square 160 acres, whose eastern border was the Parker County line. William Spencer Heath and Alice Rainbolt were the 2nd owners of the land that their home was on., a T. Clements was 'patentee.' In 1986 110 acres of the original 160 acre piece were still in family hands. However William Spencer Heath only lived one year after the purchase of the new farm home. It was just a mile or so from the Staggs Prairie Cemetery where he was buried.

Together they had 8 children before his death in 1884.Their son William Richard Heath died 18 April 1890 when a horse fell backwards on him while he was visiting his Uncle Marion Rainbolt, who had a ranch near Eolian, TX. His brother, Newton 'Newt' Heath was also visiting this same uncle when he died of pneumonia on 3 Sept 1891. He is buried beside his brother about a mile from the Uncle's ranch near Eolian, TX in Stephens Co.

Walter Lee HEATH born 24 Sept 1868
Franklin HEATH born 1869 (does not appear w/ family in 1880 census)
Henry Bascom Heath born 16 Oct 1871
William Richard HEATH born 1874
Newton 'Newt' HEATH born 1875
Mary Azzie HEATH called 'Azzie' born 9 July 1876
Effie Ella HEATH born 11 Jan 1881
Annie Olive HEATH born 26 July 1882

At the time of William Spencer Heath's death their children were ages 15, 12, 10, 9, 7, 3 and 1 yr.

His widow Alice Toleta (Rainbolt) Heath remarried the local schoolteacher on 30 Nov 1885 Cincinnatus Marion 'Nat' Zinn. At the time of her remarriage her children with from her 1st marriage were 16, 13, 11, 10, 8, 3 and 2. She had 3 additional children with her 2nd husband: (John Forsyth Zinn born 2 Feb 1886, Finis Cincinnatus Ewings Zinn born 7 Oct 1887, and Alma Alice Zinn born 16 Dec 1890.) Alice's 2nd husband predeceased her. Alice T (Rainbolt) (Heath) Zinn had started attending the Cumberland Presbyterian Church which was the church the Zinns attended, however after the death of her 2nd husband she returned to the Methodist faith and began attending the First Methodist Church of Mineral Wells which she was still a member of up to the time of her death.
When she died, she was buried between first and 2nd husbands.

William Spencer Heath is my g-g-g-grandfather.