Grace V. Spinney, GW #179 

Grace was born on 21 October 1895 according to her Social Security application, but all census records point to 1893.  Her parents were Herbert H. and Bessie H. (Mitchell) Spinney of Princeton, Maine.  Her family moved around throughout the years.  According to Grace’s brother Archie’s obituary, the family had been in Baltimore when Archie was young.  Her parents were later found in the census in Missouri and in their later years were living in New Jersey with a grown child.  Did Grace learn of the Gospel Workers while in Baltimore?  Perhaps.  The family remains illusive in the 1900 census but they are in Presque Isle, Maine in 1910.  By 1920 Grace is living in Struthers, Mahoning County, Ohio as a boarder in the home of the Stoner family.  Though she was 29 years old, “none” is listed as her occupation.  Grace is still living with the Stoners in 1930 and her occupation is listed as Sales Lady for an insurance company.  In 1940 Grace was living in Cleveland with Clara M. Jones who is also on the list of Gospel Workers.  Both of them have “Evangelist for a church” as their occupation.  Grace’s formal education went as far as one year of college.  Grace and Clara worked 52 weeks with an income of $0 (zero) with other income.  In 1950 they were still in Cleveland but with a different street address.  Their occupation is listed as “minister” in “ministery [sic] church.  Did the census taker intend to write “Missionary Church?”  When were Grace and Clara Gospel Workers?  It is not likely that the 1940 and 1950 census entries indicate their belonging to the Gospel Workers.  They both died in 1951 but are not buried in the Brooklyn Heights Cemetery with the other Gospel Workers.  Clara’s obituary states that she was the founder and director of a mission in Cleveland.  Grace died on 20 July 1951 in Cleveland after a long illness, according to her obituary published in “The Tribune” in Seymour, Indiana.  Apparently she travelled to Indiana on occasion for ministry.  Notice the title “Rev.” attributed to her in the obituary.  Her burial place remains unknown to me.