Claude E. Spencer was a historian and writer who played a key role in the establishment of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society. His work to assemble and preserve the foundational books and journals of the Stone-Campbell movement created the core collection of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society.  

Spencer was born on March 13, 1898, in Scotland County, Missouri. Both his grandfather and great-grandfather served as Church of Christ preachers. In 1917, he enrolled in Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, as an education major. He married Maud Mullin in 1923, and the couple had one child.

Upon receiving his BA in education, Spencer became the College’s first full-time librarian in late 1923. While serving in this role, he began to collect materials related to Thomas and Alexander Campbell. The collection eventually grew to contain over several thousand bound volumes, pamphlets, and materials. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Spencer began talking of a historical society that could house the source materials that he had collected. 

Several years later, J. Edward Moseley visited the library at Culver-Stockton College. He was impressed with the collection that Spencer had built and, with the help of Spencer, began working towards the formation of a historical society sponsored by the International Convention. In May 1941, the Disciples of Christ Historical Society was organized, with Moseley as the first president and Spencer as curator. In 1946, arrangements were made with Culver-Stockton College to transfer the collection Spencer built into the custody of the Historical Society. This initial contribution served as the foundation of the Society’s collection. 

In 1952, the Historical Society moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and Spencer accepted a full-time curatorial position there. He held this position until 1960 and finished his career at the Vanderbilt Divinity School as a research assistant in church history. Claude Spencer died on July 5, 1979, at the age of 81.