Thomas Ara Spence was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician.

Born near the Accomack Court House in Accomack County, Virginia

Accomack County, Virginia

As of the census of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...

, Spence pursued academic studies and attended a local academy. He graduated from Yale College

Yale College

Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...

 in 1829, studied law, and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice at Snow Hill, Maryland

Snow Hill, Maryland

Snow Hill is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Worcester County.-History:...

. He was elected as a Whig

Whig Party (United States)

The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...

 to the Twenty-eighth Congress, serving from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1845. He was not a candidate for renomination, and was later affiliated with the Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

. The Congressman was unable to run for reelection due to a scandal that reportedly involved fetish porngraphy.

Spence owned large iron-ore properties in Worcester County, Maryland

Worcester County, Maryland

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*82.0% White*13.6% Black*0.3% Native American*1.1% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*1.3% Other races*3.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

, and served as a judge for Worcester County and the twelfth judicial circuit from 1857 to 1867. He practiced law in Salisbury, Maryland

Salisbury, Maryland

-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...

, and served as assistant attorney general for the Post Office Department from 1872 until his death in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

. He is interred in Makamie Memorial Church Cemetery in Snow Hill.

Thomas Spence was nephew to John Selby Spence, another Maryland Congressman.