Nicholas Spencer III, born on September 19, 1633, in Cople, Bedfordshire, England, was a figure of notable prominence and influence in the early colonial history of America. His life, marked by significant achievements and a deep connection to the socio-political fabric of his time, began in an aristocratic English family long established in Cople. The Spencer family, related to the Northamptonshire Spencers, was distinguished in England, owning the manor of Rowlands at Cople for several centuries.

In the 1650s, Nicholas moved from London to Westmoreland County, Virginia, in British Colonial America. His relocation was not just a personal venture but a strategic move as he served as an agent for his cousin John Colepeper, 1st Baron Colepeper. Colepeper, a significant figure in the Virginia Company, had inherited a substantial portion of the Northern Neck of Virginia. Nicholas’s role in Virginia was multifaceted; he was not only managing his cousin’s estates but also took on the role of a customs collector. His administrative skills and pragmatic approach to governance were evident in his various appointments, including the First Burgess for Northumberland, Virginia, and later as the Secretary of State and Acting Governor of Virginia.

Nicholas’s life in Virginia was deeply intertwined with the socio-economic fabric of the colony. He witnessed and participated in the complexities of a society grappling with the institution of slavery, a burgeoning tobacco economy, and the tensions between religious and political factions. His correspondence reveals a man acutely aware of the challenges of colonial administration, particularly in the context of the volatile society that Virginia was during his time.

On July 18, 1662, Nicholas married Frances Mottrom in Coan, Northumberland, Virginia. Frances, the daughter of Colonel John Mottrom, brought her own distinguished lineage to the Spencer family. Together, they had a large family, including William, Mottrom, Nicholas II, John, Elizabeth, Mary, Frances, and Alexander Spencer. The family resided on a plantation called “Nominy” in Westmoreland County, a testament to Nicholas’s success and status in the colony.

Nicholas’s life was not just about personal achievements but also about significant contributions to the community and the colony. He was responsible for the education of Francis Wright after the death of Richard Wright and played a crucial role in the acquisition of 1100 acres of land at Piscattaway, on the Potomac, including Mount Vernon, in 1661 with his brother-in-law Richard Wright. His connection to the Washington family, through his cousin Lord Culpeper, the Governor of Virginia, and his marriage alliance with the Washingtons of Sulgrave, further cemented his status in the colony.

The backdrop of Nicholas’s life in Virginia was a period of significant historical events, including the English Civil War, which had profound impacts on England and its colonies. The Civil War, a series of conflicts over England’s governance from 1642 to 1651, culminated in the Battle of Worcester in 1651, marking a Parliamentarian victory. These events undoubtedly influenced Nicholas’s life and the decisions he made both in England and in Virginia.

Nicholas Spencer III passed away on September 23, 1689, in Westmoreland, Virginia. His death marked the end of a life that was deeply embedded in the fabric of early American colonial history. He was buried in Pebworth, Gloucestershire, England, leaving behind a legacy that spanned both continents. His life, a blend of aristocratic English heritage and American colonial enterprise, offers a unique window into the complexities and dynamics of the early colonial period in America.