Owen County Commissioners' Record, Book 13, p.  342



In March 1891, James H. Spense of Owen County asked the Board of
Commissioners to have his son, Willie Caldwell Spense, a person of feeble
mind, admitted to the state asylum for feeble-minded children.  The court
determined that James Spense had been a resident of Owen County for about 20
years and that Willie was always a resident of Owen County.  As such, the
Board found that Willie was a proper subject for admission to the asylum and
James Spense was unable to pay for Willie's support.