John Canfield Spencer (1788-1855) was the firstborn son of Ambrose Spencer, A graduate of Union College, he passed the bar in 1809 and practices in Canandaigua, New York. He served in the War of 1812 and numerous political offices including postmaster, U.S. Representative (1817-1819), the New York assembly (1820-21, 1831-32) New York state senate (1824-28), Secretary of State of New York (1839), U.S. Secretary of War (1841-43) and Secretary of the Treasury (1843-44). President John Tyler appointed Spencer to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the U.S. Senate rejected the nomination.