We discuss the spectral energy distributions and physical properties of six galaxies whose photometric redshifts suggest they lie beyond a redshift $zsimeq$9. Each was selected on account of a prominent excess seen in the Spitzer/IRAC 4.5$mu$m band which, for a redshift above $z=9.0$, likely indicates the presence of a rest-frame Balmer break and a stellar component that formed earlier than a redshift $zsimeq10$. In addition to constraining the earlier star formation activity on the basis of fits using stellar population models with BAGPIPES, we have undertaken the necessary, but challenging, follow-up spectroscopy for each candidate using various combinations of Keck/MOSFIRE, VLT/X-shooter, Gemini/FLAMINGOS2 and ALMA. Based on either Lyman-$alpha$ or [OIII] 88 $mu$m emission, we determine a convincing redshift of $z$=8.78 for GN-z-10-3 and a likely redshift of $z$=9.28 for the lensed galaxy MACS0416-JD. For GN-z9-1, we conclude the case remains promising for a source beyond $zsimeq$9. Together with earlier spectroscopic data for MACS1149-JD1, our analysis of this enlarged sample provides further support for a cosmic star formation history extending beyond redshifts $zsimeq$10. We use our best-fit stellar population models to reconstruct the past rest-frame UV luminosities of our sources and discuss the implications for tracing earlier progenitors of such systems with the James Webb Space Telescope.
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