He served as a trumpeter in Captain McClellan's light horse company of York in 1799. He was county commissioner in 1800, postmaster of York from 1795 to 1812, deputy surveyor of York County, Pennsylvania, 1796 to 1815, and again county commissioner in 1814.
Spangler was elected as a Republican to the Fifteenth Congress and served until his resignation on April 20, 1818. He was surveyor general of Pennsylvania from 1818 to 1821. He became commander of the State militia, with title of general. He was the chief escort of General Lafayette from York to Harrisburg on his visit to the United States in 1825. He served as clerk of the York County Court until 1830, and again served as surveyor general of Pennsylvania from 1830 to 1836.
