From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1461-1462
 
JOHN SPAIGHT.  The life of the subject of this review has been such as to bear 
aloft the high standard which has been maintained by his father, who was one 
of the early residents of this section of the Badger state, and whose life was 
signally noble, upright and useful, one over which falls no shadow of wrong in 
word, thought or deed.  Such was the type of men who laid the foundation and 
aided in the development of this state, and to their memories will ever be 
paid a tribute of reverence and gratitude by those who have profited by their 
well-directed endeavors and appreciated the lesson of their lives.
 
John SPAIGHT, successful farmer of East Troy township, Wisconsin was born here 
on April 14, 1853.  He is the son of James and Hanora (HAYES) SPAIGHT, natives 
of Ireland, from whence so many of our thrifty, courageous citizens came, and 
there they spent their childhood days, emigrating to the Untied States in 
1850, locating in Vermont where they were married and started life, coming on 
to Wisconsin in 1851, locating in East Troy township, where the father 
purchased forty acres of new land, and, setting to work with a will, he 
prospered later buying one hundred and seventy-five acres, the farm where the 
subject now lives.  On this he spent the balance of his life, dying in 1897, 
at the age of eighty-one years, his widow surviving him a number of years, 
dying on February 7, 1906, when about eighty years old.  They had become very 
well established through their industry and economy, and had a hand in the 
general development of the community.  Besides his home place, Mr. SPAIGHT 
also bought one hundred and twenty acres in Lafayette township.  They were 
devout members of the Catholic church.
 
John SPAIGHT was reared on the home farm and there he began working in the 
fields when but a boy, for in developing a farm in Wisconsin in his early life 
required the assistance of all the family.  He received such education as  he 
could in the district schools of his community, school No. 6, in East Troy 
township, and early in life turned his attention to farming for a livelihood, 
and he has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, owning a 
now a well improved and well cultivated farm of one hundred and seventy-five 
acres.  He keeps a good grade of live stock, and he has a pleasant home.
 
Politically, Mr. SPAIGHT is a Democrat, and he has held a number of the 
township offices, being now in his second term as township treasurer, the 
duties of which he has discharged most faithfully and satisfactory.  In 
religious matters he belongs to the Catholic church.
 
Mr. SPAGIHT was married in 1893 to Mary MURPHY, who was born in East Troy, 
this county, November 18, 1863, and here she grew to womanhood and received 
her education in the public schools.  She is the daughter of Dennis and Mary 
(PEPPER) MURPHY, both natives of Ireland, from which country they came to 
Walworth county, Wisconsin, in an early day and here became very comfortably 
established, and they are now living on a good farm in Troy township.  
Politically, Mr. MURPHY is a democrat, and a member of the Catholic church.
 
To Mr. and Mrs. SPAIGHT five children have been born, named as follows: 
Raphael, Nora, Veronica, Marguerite (deceased) and Rose.
 
Submitted by Carol