See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1992, Whole No. 158, p. 3945:

"William Sparks, son of Elijah and Sally (Evans) Sparks, was bornabout 1833 in Floyd County, Kentucky. He was married to Louisa Blevinson September 15, 1855, in Johnson County, by Hardy Williams, a Baptistminister. William was 22 years of age and Louisa was aged 16 years. Herfather, Eli Blevins, gave his consent to the marriage. [JS Note: SQ p.817, marriage register for Johnson County states that the Oath was givenby Daniel Blevens.]

"On October 27, 1863, William Sparks enlisted in Company I, 47thRegiment Kentucky Infantry of the Union Army and served until the end ofthe civil war. (See page 3966 of this issue of the QUARTERLY for anabstract of the papers in his pension file [reproduced below].) Hereturned to his home near Flat Gap, Kentucky, and it was there that hedied on May 16, 1879. Louisa died near Bonanza, Kentucky, sometime after1900. They were the parents of seven children."

CIVIL WAR PENSION APPLICATION:

WILLIAM SPARKS (ca. 1833-1879), son of Elijah and Sarah (Evans) Sparks,was born about 1833 in Lawrence County, Kentucky. On September 15, 1855,he was married to Louisa Blevins in Johnson County, Kentucky. He died onMay 16, 1879. He served in Company I, 47th Regiment Kentucky Infantry.File Designation: Wid. Appl. No. 489,680.

"William Sparks died on May 16, 1879, at his home at Flatgap,Kentucky. His widow, Louisa (Blevins) Sparks, remained a widow until1885 when she was married to a man named Hill. On January 21, 1896,Louisa Hill, aged 56, a resident of Bonanza, Kentucky, applied for awidow's pension, using as her claim the military service of her late(first) husband, William Sparks. She stated that Sparks had served inCompany 1, 47th Regiment Kentucky Infantry. She and Sparks had beenmarried on September 15, 1855, in Johnson County, Kentucky, by HardyWilliams, a Baptist minister. She and Sparks had had five children whohad been under the age of sixteen years at the time of his death in1879. These were:

Sarah Catherine Sparks, born May 15, 1865
Elijah Sparks, born March 5, 1867
Eli Sparks, born November 29, 1871
Merida Green Sparks, born October 27, 1874
Eddy Cornelius Sparks, born March 8, 1877

"Mrs. Hill declared that she had remained a widow until 1885 when shehad been married a second time. She appointed Edgar T. Gaddis,Washington, D.C., as her attorney. Wm. W. Anderson and W. H. Robinsonwitnessed her make her mark on her application.

"On March 4, 1896, the War Department confirmed the military serviceof William Sparks. He had been enrolled on October 27, 1863, in CompanyI, 47th Regiment Kentucky Infantry, and he had served until he had beenmustered out with his company on April 12, 1865, at Lexington, Kentucky.He had been hospitalized at Paris, Kentucky, on February 29, 1864, andhad remained there until April 30, 1864, when he had been returned toduty.

"Six affidavits were filed on July 27, 1896, to support Mrs.Hill'sapplication. James A. McKinnon, 64, and Nancy J. McKinnon, 45, both ofFlatgap, Kentucky, testified that William Sparks had left his widowwithout any means of support and with a family of small children.Lafayette McKenzie witnessed the McKinnons' signatures. Angeline Sparks,44, and Jane Estep, 48, both of Flatgap, Kentucky, swore that they hadbeen present at the birth of Meredith Green Sparks in October 1874. Hewas a son of William and Louisa Sparks. William M. Conley and LafayetteMcKenzie witnessed these women make their marks on their affidavit.

"May Ann McKenzie, 61, of Flatgap, Kentucky, testified that she hadbeen present when her brother, William Sparks, had been married to LouisaBlevins about five years before the late war. She stated that they hadbeen married at the home of 'old Billy Blevins, grandfather of Louisa.It had been the first marriage for each of them. Wm. M. Conley andLafayette McKenzie witnessed her make her mark.

"Nancy E. Sparks, 39, of Bonanza, Kentucky, testified that she knewthe birthdates of the children of William and Louisa Sparks by being inthe home when they were born. She said the children had all stayed athome until they were fifteen years old. She gave the dates of birth ofSarah Catherine Sparks, Elijah Sparks, Eli Sparks, Merida Green Sparks,and Eddy Cornelius Sparks just as they had been stated on the originalapplication of Louisa Hill. William W. Anderson and C. T. Gillespiewitnessed her signature on her affidavit.

"On August 8, 1898, J. M. Preston, clerk of Johnson County, sent acopy of the marriage record of William Sparks and Louisa Blevins to thePension Office. The license had been issued on September 19, 1855, byJohn Howes, clerk of Johnson County. Eli Blevins, father of LouisaBlevins, had given his permission to the marriage.

"On March 5, 1900, the claim of Louisa Sparks, now Hill, was sent bythe Bureau of Pensions to the chief of the Southern Division with thefollowing notation: "The date of remarriage on the Claimant's declarationof Jan. 21, 1896, is not very plainly written and 1895 may have beenintended. Claimant seems to be neglecting both of her claims. It issuggested that final action be delayed to await such further evidence asshe may furnish in regard to remarriage."

"The final statement from this pension file was written on December23, 1904. It stated: "Clmt. & Atty. notified in regard to Rejection."

SQ p. 817: Marriage record of William and Martha (Salyer) Sparks,December 13, 1859, Johnson County, KY.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1992, Whole No. 158, pps 3939-40:

"On October 6, 1861, William Sparks went to Catlettsburg, Kentucky,where he enlisted in Company B, 14th Regiment Kentucky Infantry, UnitedStates Army. He served in this unit until January 1865; he wassubsequently granted a pension for his service. (See below for anabstract of the papers in his pension file.) Mrs. McC arty wrote thefollowing regarding his military service: "My father remembered hisgrandfather Sparks quite well. He was with Gen. Sherman on his campaignto take Atlanta, but he never got there because he was wounded in earlyAugust 1864. The bone in his right foot was badly shattered by a bullet,and he remained a cripple for the rest of his life. His toe nails grewquite funny, and he couldn't cut them himself, so he hired hisgrandchildren to cut them."

"William Sparks, son of Elisha and Susanna (Pridemore) Sparks, diedon October 18, 1913, and Martha died on December 15, 1915. They wereburied in the Sparks Cemetery on Sparks Branch. Of this cemetery , Mrs.McCarty has written: "The cemetery where William and Martha (and all butone of their children) are buried is also on Kentucky State Road 1092.Sparks Branch turns off the road and goes up a hollow a nd the cemeteryis located about one-half mile up the hollow and high on a hill. Thereis a road which is passable provided it hasn't rained the night before.William's headstone is the typical Civil War one, with his name and Co.D., 14th Ky. Inf. carved on it.

"In passing, I would like to say that my father's generation tookalmost fanatical care of that cemetery," Mrs. McCarthy continues . "Theymet faithfully every year at 10 a.m. on Decoration Day (now calledMemorial Day), regardless of the day of the week. They mowed the grass;cleaned up the fence row; and whitewashed the stones. Sunken graves werefilled in and fresh flowers were placed upon the mounds. In the absenceof fresh flowers, artificial flowers were made from crepe paper andplaced upon the graves. It was an all-day family affair which,unfortunately, is fast disappearing as a custom."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1992, Whole No. 158, pps 3963-5:

ABSTRACT OF PENSION APPLICATION FILE FOR WILLIAM SPARKS:

William Sparks, son of Elisha and Susanna (Pridemore) Sparks, was born onSeptember 17, 1836, in Lawrence County, Kentucky. He died on October 18,1913. He was married to Martha Salyer on December 14, 1859. He servedin Company D, 14th Regiment Kentucky Infantry. F ile Designations: Inv.Cert. No. 166,375; Wid. Cert. No. 769,506.

"On June 3, 1865, William Sparks, age 27, a resident of Hoods Fork[now known as Hood Creek] in Johnson County, Kentucky, made applicationfor an invalid pension. He said that he had enlisted in Company B, 14thRegiment Kentucky Infantry, commanded by Col. George W. Gallup, onOctober 6, 1861, at Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and had served until January30, 1865. On August 3, 1864, his company had charged the skirmish linenear Atlanta, Georgia, and he had received a musket ball in the upperpart of his right foot which had shattered the bone and rendered him acripple and unable to perform any work as a farmer. He appointed J. F.Stewart, Louisa, Kentucky, as his attorney, and E. H. Conley and IraHale, both residents of Louisa, witnessed his signature. Conley and Halealso made an affidavit that they knew Sparks's statements were true forthey had been fellow soldiers of his. Judge John M. Clayton and Clerk R.F. Vinson, Lawrence County, Kentucky, officials, certified theapplication. Sparks was issued a pension under Invalid Certificate No.166,375.

"On November 19, 1981, William Sparks made a request for increasedpension benefits under the provisions of the 1890 Act of Congress. Hewas now 55 years of age and lived at Flat Gap, Kentucky. He stated thathe was unable to earn his support because of sore eyes, kidney disease,rheumatism, and chronic bronchitis brought on by military service. Heappointed B. H. Harris as his attorney, and M. H. Pack and R. M. Rosswitnessed his signature.

"On April 10, 1895, the Bureau of Pensions asked the Adjutant-Generalto furnish Sparks's medical history. Verification was received on April11, 1895. Sparks had served in Company D, 14th Regiment Kent uckyInfantry from October 20, 1861, until January 31, 1865. He ha d enteredthe General Hospital at Knoxville, Tennessee, on August 31 , 1864, with amusket wound in his right foot and had remained there until December 31,1864, when he had been sent to the hospital in Ashland, Kentucky. Otherperiods of medical treatment were for camp fever, March 7-18, 1863, andfor conjunctivitus, October 27-December 21, 1863. The Adjutant-Generalsaid the latter records had been found after an earlier report had beensent on September 25, 1871.

"William Sparks responded to a questionnaire from the Bureau ofPensions on December 29, 1897. He stated that he had been married toMartha Salyer on December 14, 1859, and to this marriage twelve childrenhad been born (here follows a list of the children and their birthdates.)

"William Sparks died on October 18, 1913, and his widow, Martha(Salyer) Sparks, made a declaration for a Widow's Pension under the 1908Act of Congress. She was 66 years of age and lived at Flat Gap,Kentucky. She furnished evidence that she and Sparks had been married onDecember 14, 1859, by a minister of the Church of Christ. it had beenthe first marriage for both. Henry Daniel and John Borders witnessed hermake her mark, and E. E. Crislip notarized the application. MarthaSparks was issued a pension under Widow's Certificate No . 769,506. Whenshe died on December 15, 1915, whe was receiving a pension of $12.00 permonth.

"On February 14, 1916, Samantha (Sparks) Murry, age 51, a resident ofFlat Gap, Kentucky, and a daughter of William and Martha (Salyer )Sparks, applied for reimbursement for nursing care that she had providedfor her mother. Four neighbors, Samuel Cordial, Garland Frazier, F. M.Lyon, and Rhoda Lyon, testified that the claim was true and just. Dr. P.O. Meade, the attending physician, also supported the claim. Whether shereceived payment is not known." (End of Abstract)

.

!NOTES:
THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, March 1994, Whole No. 165, p. 4273: "William
Sparks, son of Solomon and Susan Sparks, was born about 1837 in North
Carolina. We have no further information about him."

SQ p. 1317:

"William Sparks, son of James and Elizabeth (Gilman) Sparks, was bornabout 1833. Although he was not listed with the family on the 1850census of Clayton County, Iowa, he was listed as 18 years of age andliving with his mother in Olmsted County, Minnesota, when a special statecensus was taken there in 1857. "

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, March 1999, Whole No. 185, p. 5110:

"William Sparks, son of John and Caroline (-----) Sparks, was born onJuly 2, 1842, in Lewis County. (His photograph and that of his wifeappear on the cover page of the present issue of the QUARTERLY.) Helearned the trade of blacksmith from his father and worked with him inhis shop in Concord, Kentucky. William was married to Susan P. Sanbornin 1863. She had been born on March 14, 1845, in Meigs County, Ohio, andwas a daughter of Alexander and Mary G. (-----) Sanborn. She and Williamlived in Concord, and he died there on February 19, 1895. Susan survivedhim for over thirty years, dying on April 29, 1931. They were buried inthe Concord Cemetery. According to census records and descendants, theyhad ten children."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September 1986, Whole No. 135, p. 2951:

CIVIL WAR PENSION APPLICATION OF

WILLIAM SPARKS, son of John and Barbara (-----) Sparks, was born in May1845, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. There he married CatherineBarnes on March 3, 1870. He served in Co. D, 101st Regt.Pennsylvania Infantry. File Designation: Inv. Cert. No. 592,590.

"On July 18, 1890, William Sparks, aged 45, a resident of Portage,Cambria County, Pennsylvania, applied for an invalid pension. Ile statedthat he had enrolled on February 4, 1864, in Company D, 101st RegimentPennsylvania Infantry and had served until he was discharged at NewBerne, North Carolina, on June 25, 1865. He was now suffering fromBright's Disease and from rheumatism brought on by his military service.He appointed W. Wallace Hill of Washington, D.C., as his attorney. JohnH. Kennedy and Peter Seymour witnessed his signature.

"Sparks was asked to appear before an examining board on March 11,1891.
The board consisted of J. C. Sheridan, D. W. Evans, and T. J. Davison.
They found him suffering from a severe rheumatism and anchylosis of theleft hip and recomended that he receive a pension. He was issued InvalidCertificate No. 592,590 and placed upon the pension roll.

"On July 5, 1898, Sparks responded to a questionnaire from the Bureauof Pensions. He said he had been married to Catherine Barnes on March 3,1870, by J. Rodgers in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. It had been thefirst marriage for both of them. They had one child, Hugh Sparks, bornon April 28, 1870.

"William Sparks applied for increased pension benefits on May 27,1912, under the provisions of the 1912 Act of Congress. He stated thathe had enlisted in January 1862 in Company D, 101st Regiment PennsylvaniaVolunteers. He was taken a prisoner at Plymouth, North Carolina, onApril 20, 1864, and was released on March 3, 1865, and was mustered outwith his company on June 25, 1865, at New Berne, North Carolina. He hadbeen 6 feet tall, with fair complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair, and hewas a laborer at the time he was enrolled. He had been born in May 1845near Bloody Run, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, and in Cambria County,Pennsylvania.

"When William Sparks died on January 10, 1915, he was receiveing apension of $19.00 per month.

SQ pg 2649: He is said to have been killed while serving in theConfederate States Army.

SQ 1358: "William (Bill) Sparks, born March 27, 1852, in Arkansas anddied on March 10, 1943. He married (1st) Elizabeth Sells on Sept. 3O,1870. She was born in 1860 and died in May 1932, the daughter of WilliamMacDonald and Eleanor (Champion) Sells. He married (2nd) Alice (Swaim)Sanders , a widow, in 1892; she was born about 1865 and died in 1954.(Here lists children )"

In May, 2001, I received a letter from Jean Frederick (email address:fred0727@@netzero.net) of 3785 Byhalia Rd., Hernando, MS 38632. Itcontained three pages copied from the family bible. The first page beganwith the children of Jacobsen and Cynthia (Champion) Sparks. The oldestentry was: William Sparks was borned March 27 th 1852. (Could be24th). The first page of the record continued:
Eleanor C. Sparks was bornd February the 20th 1852
Moses Sparks was bornd June the 30th 1855
Fanny Sparks was bornd July the 21st 1857
Jonathan Sparks was bornd October the 26th 1859
Jacob Sparks was bornd October the 27th 1861

The record then recorded the births of William's children by his wifeElizabeth (Sells) Sparks as follows:

Albert S. Sparks was Born December the 18th 1871
James E. Sparks was Born May the 6th 1873
Margret Sparks was Born June 6th 1875
Allen A. Sparks was Born aug 12th 1878
Ben Sparks was Born aug 28th 1881
Jacob Sparks was Born December 23 1884

Beginning on the second page of the record we find information relatingto the children of William and his second wife Alice (Swaim) Sanders asfollows: (Data relating to the surname Elliott is omitted.]

Liz Sparks was born Aug 30, 1893
Pat Sparks was born May 3, 1894
Lucy Sparks was born Dec. 24 - 1900
Lever Sparks was born Nov. 29 - 1897
Hugh Sparks was born July 23 - 1904
Catharine Sparks was born Aug 3 1906
Horace Sparks was borned June 16 1908

Beginning on the third page the record is as follows:
James E. Sparks departed this life Sept the 25th 1887
Lever Sparks departed this life July 7 1899
Jake Sparks departed this life Aug 10 1908 (Jacob)
Pat Sparks departed this life March 19, 1916
Horace Sparks departed this life Dec 22 1926
Bill Sparks departed life March 10, 1943
Bud Sparks died Oct 20, 1932
Eliza Sparks died Feb 20 1936
Alice Sparks died April 23, 1954

See SQ p. 333 for birth information. In this record his parents arelisted as Wesly Sparks and Nancy Kisee.

See SQ p4855:

"William ["Bill"] Sparks, son of Wes and Nancy (Kozee) Sparks, wasborn on May 1, 1853. He was married to Malinda J. Stephens on October 2,1873, in Carter County. She had been born about 1856. She and Billlived on Warowhole Creek. They were buried there in the Bill SparksCemetery in unmarked graves. They had ten children."

SQ p 4878: "William Sparks, son of Reuben and Margaret (Pruitt)Sparks, was born in or about 1858, according to the censuses of 1870 and1880, although his nephew, William Reuben Sparks, stated in 1955 that hehad been born in 1854. He was probably the son of Reuben and MargaretSparks who was recorded as Nathan Sparks on the 1860 census of WashingtonCounty, Arkansas, age 3. Perhaps William's middle name was Nathan,although on the 1880 census, he was shown as William M. Sparks. He wasstill living with his parents ( "works on farm") in Crawford County,Kansas, in 1880, age 22."

SQ pg 4067: He was married to Mary Hamilton, and they had twochildren, Lenora and William.

SQ 2780: "William Allen Sparks was born on April 9, 1889, in RockSprings, Texas. He was married to Mollie Frances Rambin on December 12,1909, in Appleby, Texas. She had been born on March 10, 1893, and was adaughter of James and Anna L. (King) Rambin. William Sparks died onApril 19, 1968. He was a successful pioneer in egg and broiler chickenproduction. He and Mollie had six children: William C., James V., IrisL., Lester B., Ruby K. and Mary H."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1995, Whole No. 170, pg 4457:
"William Sparks, son of Millington and Rebecca (Brooks) sparks, wasborn on January 3, 1801, probably in Maryland. Few records have beenfound pertaining to him. Descendants say that his full name was W illiamAndrew Sparks. He may have been married twice. Apparently he was theWilliam Sparks, born 1800-1810, who was shown as head of a household onthe 1830 census of Lauderdale County, Alabama; however, there were nochildren enumerated in his household. With him was a female, presumedlyhis wife, born 1810-1815, and another female who had been born 1780-1790.
"Sparks may have been the William A. Sparks who was married toCordelia Thomas on June 30, 1840, in Lauderdale County. (The license hadbeen issued on June 20, 1840.) He may have been the W. Sparks shown onthe 1840 census. If this is correct, however, the census taker wasapparently given incorrect age information. This record is the lastofficial record we have found of this man; however, we have receivedfurther information from his descendants.
"A descendant, Mrs. Mildred (Sparks) Singleton of San Angelo, Texas,wrote in 1964 that William's middle name had been Andrew. She alsostated that he had a son named William Andrew Jackson Sparks who had beenborn about 1824. She shared the following account which had been givento her by her father, Emmette Elwood Sparks:
"We were always told that grandpa had the middle names AndrewJackson. As far as we knew, his name was that of William AndrewJackson Sparks. The William Sparks, son of William Millington Sparks andRebecca (Brooks) Sparks, is my great- grandfather. He was only sevenwhen his father married Ann Swanway; that is why he called her his motherto his children, this leading to the belief that his mother was AnnSwanway Sparks. I have always known that my great-great-grandfather wasWilliam Millington Sparks. I have been told that as long as I canremember , and that my great-great-grandmother was a Swanway before theymarried.
"I can remember, even though I was a little kid, Martin Van BurenSparks. I also remember that his brother was John Sparks, a Governor.Uncle Reuben Sparks said that Governor John Sparks came to see them whenthey lived in Thorndale in Milam County, Texas, and got grand-daddy tosign some papers that he would move to Nevada and settle on some land ,but grand-daddy didn't want to move to Nevada."
"Several years ago, another relative of William Andrew Sparks, namedJohn Baxter Sparks (1869-1958), stated that William Andrew Sparks and hisbrother, Samuel Sparks, had left Mississippi together and had moved toArkansas. They had lived near each other there until Sam left to go toTexas about 1857. William stayed in Arkansas until a bout twenty yearslater when he, too, moved to Texas. There he rented land from hisnephew, John Sparks (later to become Governor of Nevada) in WilliamsonCounty.
"From the statements given above, we believe that William AndrewSparks had at least one son, William Andrew Jackson Sparks."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1995, Whole No. 170, pg 4458:

"William Andrew Jackson Sparks, son of William Sparks , was born about1824 in Alabama, probably in Lauderdale County. He accompanied hisfather to Mississippi and then on to Arkansas. He was living in Texaswhen the Civil War broke out. He joined the Confederate forces, givinghis residence as Austin, Texas. A record preserved in the NationalArchives in Washington, D.C., states the following:

W.A.J. Sparks, private, Capt. Carrington's Company of Giddings'Cavalry Battalion. Residence: Austin, Texas. Appears on a Roll ofPrisoners of War of W.H.D. Carrington's Co. Giddings' Battn . Cav'y,Confederate States Army, commanded by W.H.D. Carrington , surrendered atNew Orleans, La. by General E.K. Smith, C.S.A . to Major General E.R.S.Canby, U.S.A. May 26, 1865. Roll not dated and parole not stated.

"Prior to the Civil War, W.A.J. Sparks had been married to Jackie AnnJoyner about 1854. She had been born about 1830 in North Carolina .After her husband returned from the war, they settled in Caldwell County,Texas. It was there that they were listed on the 1880 census, and it wasthere that W.A.J. Sparks died on March 10, 1900. We have found no recordof the death of his wife. They had six children.

SQ p. 5434:

"William Ashley Sparks, born June 24, 1841, served in the Army of theConfederate States in the Civil War, having enlisted in Company H of the12th Infantry Regiment of South Carolina. He was wounded in the battlecalled "Second Manassas" by the Confederates and "Second Bull Run" by theFederals, on August 29, 1862. He was discharged because of his woundsand died on March 5, 1863, from disease. He was unmarried."

See Sparks Quarterly pg 2662 for information on this family.

Paul Sparks refers to a 4 volume History of Kentucky, 1928, whichincludes a
biography of William Ballard Sparks, born 1869 listing Francis and MaryAlice as his parents and Solomon and Margaret (Simms) Sparks as hisgrandparents.
(See his letter to Dr. Russell Bidlack cc JJS dated Dec 1, 1990.)

DEATH:
See UNION COUNTY, KENTUCKY DEATH RECORDS 1911-1950, FHL 976.9885 V 38hat page 89: SPARKS, William Ballard, (b) April 22, 1869, (d) April 27,1940;
(father) Francis (Sparks), (mother) Alice Thomas, (buried) St. Anns.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1995, Whole No. 172, pp. 4567-8:

"William C. Sparks, son of Nathan and Nancy (Hancock) Sparks, was bornon October 6, 1815, in Tennessee. He was married to Sarah Justiss (orJustin) on May 16, 1848, in Wilson County, Tennessee, by the Rev. J. B.Moore, M.G. Sarah had been born on December 16, 1821, in Tennessee.William Sparks was an ordained Presbyterian minister. He and Sarah werein Wilson county when the 1850 census was taken, but after sellingWilliam's share of his father's estate to Samuel H. Porterfield on May27, 1850, they moved to Arkansas.

"William and Sarah remained in Arkansas until about 1858 when theymoved northward to Union County, Illinois, where they were enumerated onthe 1860 census of that county. William was described as a farmer withreal estate valued at $6,000 and personal property valued at $600. Thefamily remain- ed in Union County until about 1862 when they moved toAtchison, Kansas. Many years later, in 1937, Samuel Nathan ["S.N."]Sparks, a son of William and Sarah, reminisced about their next move. Hewrote:

'We remained in Kansas until 1870 at which time the family pulled upstakes again and facing toward the south, settled in Paris, Texas.Remaining there but a few months, we moved in the same year to BrownCounty and went into the cattle business with some little farming on the side. The closest settlement to us at that time was Brownwood,forty miles away with its little log courthouse and a few adjacent logbuildings. Our nearest post office was at Comanche, twenty-five milesaway. Our nearest neighbor was no closer than six miles. We lived in constant fear of an Indian attack.'

"Sometime prior to 1896, William and Sarah moved to the OklahomaTerritory where they settled in the area that became Carter County in1907. Sarah died at Springer, Oklahoma Territory, on August 4, 1896, andWilliam died a year later, on September 7, 1897, at Ryan. They were theparents of four children."

SPARKS QUARTERLY, December, 1955, Whole No. 12, p 103:

"George Washington Sparks and his brother John Sparks (sons of Reubenand Phoebe Sparks), were killed in service in 1863 in the Army ofConfederate States of America. Their brother, William C. Sparks, foughtwith the Union Army, serving with Company H, 10th Regiment of Cavalry,Tennessee Volunteers.
His honorable discharge, dated 1 Aug. 1865, gives his description asfollows:

"Said William Sparks was born in Wilks County in the state of NorthCarolina, is twenty years of age, Six feet -- inches high, faircomplexion, blue eyes, Black hair, by occupation, when enrolled, aFarmer." The following is taken from a newspaper clipping dated 1863,from THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, printed in
Washington, D. C. Some of the account is said to have been left out ,but here is what remains and, although incomplete, it gives aninteresting account of how William C. Sparks escaped and avoided captureduring the War.

"William Sparks also belonged to the company of stampeters, but beingsick, he was in the house when the excitement occurred in the yard, andhe asked Mrs. Bell to conceal him. She immediately raised a plank fromthe kitchen floor, and he crept under the kitchen, where he remaineduntil the rebels had finished their bloody work and returned to burn thehouse, which they first commenced by piling up clothes in the center ofthe floor, and setting them on fire, just over the cellar where the sickman had been concealed. The clothes not burning fast enough, theyprocured a straw-bed, and, placing it on the floor, they put a chunk offire into it: the smoke began to ascend in clouds, when they werecompelled to go out into the front yard to obtain fresh air. There weretwo rebels, which gave Sparks an opportunity to make his escape from thehouse. He crept out of the cellar through the smoke, and went throughthe back yard about ten steps from the house and concealed himself undersome dry weeds and vines in the garden where he remained until thebuildings were consumed, suffering intensely from the terrible heat ofthe fire.

"The rebels now went up the valley among their murdered victims forthe purpose of stripping them of their clothing. Miss Elizabeth Morrison, who lived in the neighborhood, and was at Bell's house during the wholetime of the dreadful excitement, procured a lady's dress, took it to thegarden where Sparks was concealed, and told him to put it on, and therebymost admirably disguised his sex. She then told him to walk along slowlyacross the fields and go to her father's house, telling him when he gotto the house her father would conduct him to a place of safety. She saidall of her family would at once know her bonnet, and that would furnishthem sufficient evidence that he was not a traitor.

"Sparks went on as the kind lady directed him, and was concealed andsaved; but he had been so terribly frightened that he did not recover hisproper faculties of mind for several days. the horrid scenes hewitnessed on that dreadful day surely can never be erased from his memoryuntil death shall have closed his earthly existence."

- - - - - - - - -

The following article appeared in THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June, 1976, WholeNo. 94, pp 1825-26:

UNION SOLDIERS, PENSIONS FOR SERVICE IN THE CIVILWAR

WILLIAM C. SPARKS,
son of Reuben and Phoebe (Blackburn) Sparks, wasborn on May 1843, in Wilkes
County, N.C. He died on May 30, 1930. He marriedPhoebe McCann on Dec. 19,
1878. He served in Company H, 10th RegimentTennessee Cavalry. File
Designation: Inv. Cert. No. 347,120 .

On Aug. 31, 1881, William C. Sparks, age 35, a resident of Traphill,N.C., made application for an invalid
pension. He said he had enlisted on March 1, 1864, in Company H, 10thRegiment Tennessee Cavalry
commanded by John Q. A. Bryant and was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., onAug. 1, 1865. At the time of his enlistment, he was 6 feet tall; he had afair complexion, blue eyes and black hair; and he was a farmer byoccupation. During the spring of 1865, while stationed at Pulaski, Tenn.,he contracted asthma and a disease of the heart and lungs for which hewas treated at the Washington Hospital, Memphis, Tenn. He was also takento the Gayoso Hospital where he stayed from Feb. 16, 1865, until June1865. Since his discharge from the service, he had been treated by Dr.Tyra York. He appointed A. B. McSebb & Co., Washington, D.C., as hisattorneys. Wesley Joines and Joseph P. Pruitt attested his application.

The War Department confirmed Sparks's military service on Aug. 22, 1883.He had enlisted for a period of three years at Nashville, Tenn., inCompany H, 10th Regiment Tennessee Cavalry and had been mustered out withhis company at Nashville on Aug. 1, 1865. He had been hospitalized fromFeb. 17, 1865, to April 30, 1865, at Memphis, Tenn., but the nature ofhis illness was not stated.

On Aug. 19, 1886, William V. Smoot, age 40, a resident of Traphill, N.C.,made an affidavit to support Sparks's claim. He said he was a comradesoldier of Sparks and that in October 1864, Sparks was stricken withchronic diarrhea for which he was treated in the regimental hospital.Then, in February 1865, Sparks took what the doctors called asthma andlung disease and was sent to Washington Hospital, Memphis, Tenn. Smootsaid that Sparks developed a severe cough and the right side of hisbreast sunk in with what the doctors said was a collapsing of the rightlung.

Sparks was issued Invalid Certificate No. 347,120 and placed on thepension rolls.

On May 4, 1898, William C. Sparks responded to a questionnaire from theBureau of Pensions. He said his wife, Phoebe F. Sparks, had died on May30, 1896. They had five living children. They were:

Annie Bell Sparks, born Dec. 7, 1879
Cora E. Sparks, born May 9, 1883
George W. Sparks, born April 14, 1886
Tyra Clifton Sparks, born Feb. 14, 1891
Leftridge Blaine Sparks, born April 6, 1895

Sparks responded to another questionnaire on April 15, 1915. He said hewas born at Traphill, N.C., on May 25, 1843. He was married to PhoebeMcCann on Dec. 19, 1878, by J. F. Gentry, a justice of the peace. Afterthe death of his wife in 1896, he had not remarried.

On Oct. 20, 1924, William C. Sparks, now 80 years of age, made anapplication for additional benefits under the 1920 Act of Congress. Hesaid he was suffering from a gall bladder disease, which was probablymalignant, and from general debility due to old age. Dr. Ira G. Gambill,Elkin, N.C., and Annie B. Wilson, Traphill, N.C., witnessed his signatureand C. G. Arnfield notarized the application.

When William C. Sparks died on May 30, 1930, he was receiving a pensionof 90.00 per month.

(Editor's Note: For further details about William C. Sparks and hisbranch of the Sparks family, see the
December 1955 issue of THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, Whole No. 12.)

- - - - -

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 2782: He married Ina Chatham. She was born on Jan 4, 1881 .After his death, Ina married a man named Dawson. She died in 1948.

A photograph of William Calvin Sparks appears in THE SPARKS QUARTERLYon page 4068.

SQ p.2619:

"William Carlos Sparks was born on April 10, 1863. He worked for amining company, and he was killed in a snow slide in Montana. He nevermarried."

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3693:
"William Carroll Sparks, son of Isaac and Frances (Higginbotham) Sparks, was born on May 7, 1840, in Mississippi. He accompanied his parents to Texas and was living with them in Red River County when th eCivil War broke out. He served in the 9th Regiment Texas Cavalry , andafter he returned from the service, he was married to Susan Man nStephenson about 1865, probably in Titus County. She had been bor n onSeptember 28, 1848, in Texas, and was a daughter of William Man n andAmerica Jane (Riddle) Stephenson, natives of Campbell County, K entucky.Susan apparently died in the fall of 1866 when their only c hild was born.
"After the death of his wife, Carroll Sparks (as he was generall yknown) married her sister, Arelda Jane Stephenson, on July 1, 1867 . Shehad been born on May 14, 1846, in Texas. She and Carroll ha d ninechildren. She died on January 15, 1929, in Titus County.
"On August 14, 1905, William C. Sparks applied to the state of Tex asfor a pension based on his military service in the Confederate Sta tesArmy. He said he had enlisted at Mt. Pleasant, Texas, on Octobe r 14,1861, in Capt. Stewart's Company of the 9th Regiment Texas Cava lry andwas discharged in 1863. Since 1860, he had lived in Titus Co unty wherehe was a farmer. He was not (1905) unable to work becaus e of rheumatismand an old leg wound. His application was approved a nd he received apension until his death on April 6, 1923, in Titus C ounty."

William Curtis Sparks was born on May 17, 1880. He was a young man whenhe was killed in a logging accident.

Both being great-grandsons of William Sample Sparks, William D. Sparks isa first cousin of Solomon Sparks, Sr. born 1788, and a first cousinfourth removed of James Joseph Sparks.

SQ 3795: His wife's name was given as "Priscitta" on the 1850 census ofCooper County, Missouri.

***************

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY for December, 1965, Whole No. 52, pgs. 951-953:

SPARKSES IN THE WAR OF 1812

BOUNTY LAND AND PENSION APPLICATIONS

WILLIAM D. SPARKS, born in Surry County, North Carolina, about 1790; diedin Cooper County, Missouri, prior to 1860. Bounty Land Warrant File 54795-120-55.

On November 21, 1850, William Sparks, a resident of Cooper County,Missouri, appeared before a justice of the peace named Thomas M. Campbellin Cooper County to make application for bounty land. William Sparksstated that he was 52 years old, but from other records, including hisown later application, we know that he was actually 62 years old in 1850.He swore that he had served as a private in Capt. John Witcher’s Companyof the 5th North Carolina Regiment of detached infantry commanded by Lt.Col, Sam Hunter in the War of 1812. He swore that he had been drafted inSurry County, North Carolina, on or about July 15, 1814, for the term ofsix months and that he had continued in such service until he washonorably discharged at Norfolk, Virginia, on February 22, 1815. He addedthat it had not been until November 28, 1814, that he had been ordered toactive duty. He signed his name to the application as "William Sparks."

With his application, William Sparks sent his certificate of dischargewhich reads: "“n conformity to General Orders received the 22d of Feb.1815, William Sparks, a Private in Captain John Witcher’s Company of the5th North Carolina Regiment, in the Service of the United States, atNorfolk, is hereby honorably discharged from his tour of duty, he wasdetached to perform, under General Orders of the 28th November, 1814. [~signed] JohnWitcher, Captain

5th Regiment, North Carolina Militia

[signed]Sam Hunter, Lt. Col."

His application was approved and William Sparks was issued a bounty landwarrant for 40 acres.

On April 14, 1855, William Sparks appeared before Henry C. Lewis, Clerkof the County Court of Cooper County to make application for additionalbounty land under the new Act of March 3, 1855. He stated that he was now65 years old and still a resident of Cooper County. He gave the sameinformation about his service as he had in 1850 except he gave theregimental commander’s name as Col. Atkinson instead of Hunter.Apparently Atkinson commanded the regiment from which he had beendetached. He again signed his name in a clear hand as "William Sparks."Two men named Michael Son and Joseph H. Moore signed his application aswitnesses. Again his application was approved and William Sparks wasissued a warrant for 120 additional acres of bounty land.

(Editor’s Note: William D. Sparks was born about 1790 in Surry County,North Carolina. He was a son of Matthew and Eunice Sparks and a grandsonof William Sample Sparks who came from Frederick County, Maryland, toNorth Carolina, about 1760. Matthew Sparks made his will in Surry Countyon March 26, 1819, and named the following children: (1) Joel Sparks, (2)George Sparks, (3) Matthew Sparks, Jr., (4) William Sparks, (5) JohnSparks, (6) Nancy Smith, (7) Sally Bray, and (8) Peggy West. JoelSparks, son of Matthew and brother of William, also served in the War of1812 (see the September, 1961, issue of the Quarterly, Whole No. 35, Vol.IX, No. 3, pp. 579-80 for an abstract of Joel’s pension application.)

When Joel Sparks applied for bounty land, William Sparks made a swornstatement dated March 27, 1857, that he and Joel had served in the samecompany but that "Joel became so disabled on account of a rising in hisleft leg near the ancle as to be unable to continue in service." Headded that Joel had been discharged in Hillsboro, Orange County, NorthCarolina.

William D. Sparks signed both of his applications for bounty land simplyas "William Sparks." On many other occasions, however, he signed hisname as "William D. Sparks." He may have added the middle initial "D"after he became an adult to avoid confusion with the several otherWilliam Sparkses in Surry County - - there was a William S. Sparks and aWilliam Z. Sparks. On the 1818 tax list for Surry County, he was listedas William D. Sparks with 55 acres of land valued at $60 and located onNorth Hunting Creek adjoining his father’s land.

In March, 1819, probably in anticipation of his aprroaching death,Matthew Sparks gave land to a number of his children. On March 26, 1819,he deeded 70 acres to his son William "in consideration of the naturallove and affection that a parent hath towards a child." This land wasdescribed as being on the north side of Hunting Creek in Surry County andadjoining a tract that Matthew gave on the same day to his son George. Italso adjoined the Wilkes County line. By the time the tax list was madefor Surry County (Capt. Denney’s District), Matthew Sparks had died andWilliam D. Sparks was taxed on 115 acres valued at $260 on Hunting Creek,which was described as adjoining the land owned by his mother, UnicySparks. He was listed regularly on the Surry County tax lists through1839, and he was always listed with the middle initial "D".

On August 11, 1827, William D. Sparks sold the land he had received fromhis father, along with 30 additional acres from an adjoining tract he hadacquired earlier, to Wilie Felt for $250. He signed the deed as "WilliamD. Sparks." On September 24, 1827, he sold 5 acres to Philip Holcomb; hesigned this deed as "W. D. Sparks." On November 2, 1832, he purchasedfrom David Chappel for $1.00 per acre 65 acres "on the head waters ofHunting Creek near the Brushy Mountain," adjoining the land of CharlesJohnson. In this deed he was named was William D. Sparks. On September22, 1839, he sold this tract to David Money and signed the deed as "VVm.D. Sparks." His brother, Joel Sparks, signed both of these deeds as awitness. This deed of 1839 is the last deed on file for William D, Sparksin Surry County and it is belived that he moved about this time toMissouri.

There is no marriage bond on record in Surry County for William D.Sparks. (Only about one third of the marriages in North Carolina at thistime were legalized through a bond, a much more common practice beingthat of crying banns, in which cases no record of the marriage was madein the courthouse.) Possibly he was the William Sparks who marriedLethey Speer in 1816 (bond dated August 1, 1816) or the William Sparkswho married Elizabeth Gentry in 1813 (bond dated January 4, 1813). On the1850 census of Cooper County, Missouri, however, his wife’s name wasgiven as Priscitta Sparks (perhaps intended for Priscilla).

On the 1850 census of Cooper County, Missouri, William D. Sparks islisted as aged 52, whereas he was actually aged 62. It is curious that inthis census and well as in his application for bounty land of 1850 heshould have made this mistake. According to this census, he was a farmerand owned land valued at $500. His eldest son, Richard M. Sparks, wasmarried by this time and living on a nearby farm, but his other childrenwere still at home. His wife’s age was given as 48.

William D. Sparks died sometime prior to 1860. He is known to have beenthe father of the following cnildren:
(1) Richard M. Sparks, born May 4, 1829; married Mary C. Duncan. He diedApril 17, 1893.
(2) Martin Sparks, born about 1832.
(3) Almeda Sparks, born about 1836; she married Mark Kelly.
(4) Edmond Jones Sparks (called Jones Sparks on the 1850 census) bornOctober 12, 1837.
(5) Louisa Sparks, born about 1839.

Abstracts of the applications for bounty land and pensions made by otherSparkses who served in the War of 1812 will be continued in the nextissue of the Quarterly.

***************

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 2000, Whole No. 190, pp. 5379-5386:

"William D. Sparks, son of Matthew and Eunice Sparks, was born in SurryCounty, North Carolina, about 1790. This estimate is based on the factthat, late in his life, he gave his: age on two documents that he signedunder oath before the clerk of the Cooper County, Missouri, Court--thathe was 65 in an affidavit dated April 14, 1855, and 67 in another datedMarch 27, 1857. Being under oath when he signed his name on theseoccasions, we believe that he would have been certain of his age, thusplacing his year of birth as about 1790. Following his death on August 7,1858, in Cooper County, Missouri, a tombstone was carved for him indicating that he had died in his 71st year (i.e., age 70). This wouldplace his year of birth as 1788 or 1789. These affidavits and histombstone will be described in greater detail later in this article.

"At the outset of this sketch of William D. Sparks, this writer mustacknowledge the research done by Carol Hodge March of Los Altos Hills,California, and her generosity in sharing her findings.

"We are handicapped in our searching for and identification of William D.Sparks in Surry County records because of the popularity of the name"William" in this branch of the Sparks family. It is a tradition amongsome descendants of William that his middle name was David, but in norecord contemporary with his life, have we found a middle name for him;he often signed his name as "William D. Sparks," but on other occasionshe signed simply as William Sparks. In his father's will of 1819, he wascalled simply "William Sparks."

"There were two other men named William Sparks in Surry County, NorthCarolina, with whom William D. Sparks can be easily confused. A distantcousin of William D. Sparks, known simply as William Sparks, was bornalso about 1790. He was a son of Solomon, Jr. and Charity Sparks; he evenlived in the same militia and tax district as did William D. Sparks. (Seethe March 2000 issue of the QUARTERLY, Whole No.189, p.5310.) AnotherWilliam Sparks, who was sometimes called William Z. Sparks and sometimesWilliam S. Sparks, and who had been born about 1791, lived nearby on DeepCreek. There can be little doubt that he was a son of George Sparks,brother of Matthew Sparks, and thus a first cousin of William D. Sparks.An article on this William Z. [or S.] Sparks will be included in theSeptember 2000 issue of the QUARTERLY.

"The earliest tax list in Surry County on which the name "William D.Sparks" appeared was that for 1818. In Capt. Ely Denney's District he wasshown as owning 55 acres of land located on North Hunting Creek adjoiningland owned by his father and valued at $60.00. He was taxed as one poll(himself). Unfortunately, we can find no deed in Surry County by whichWilliam D. Sparks had acquired these 55 acres.

"On March 26, 1819, Matthew Sparks signed deeds giving each of his fivesons a portion of his 752-acre plantation, having reserved 352 acres forhis wife during her widowhood. It seems apparent that Matthew knew thathe did not have long to live when he made these gifts; he made his willshortly after signing the deeds. To his son, William, he gave a tract of70 acres which was the north west corner of his plantation, bordering onits east side the 60 acres Matthew gave to his son named Matthew Sparks,Jr. as well as a portion of the land reserved for his wife, EuniceSparks. The south side of William's land adjoined the tract Matthew gavehis son George, while the west side bordered the Wilkes County line. Onthe north, apparently, lay the 55 acres he had acquired before, perhapsthrough marriage. (Surry Co. Deed Book 0, pp.370-1)

"Eight years after receiving his 70 acres from his father, William D.Sparks sold the tract to a neighbor named Wiley Felt (or Felts). However,the tract was now described as comprising 100 acres. Apparently the 30acres that had been added were taken from the 55-acre tract on which hehad been taxed in 1818. As noted above, we can find no record to accountfor William's acquiring the 55 acres. A possible explanation could bethat he had acquired this tract through marriage. There can be littledoubt that William D. Sparks was married in Surry Count since that iswhere his children were born, but there is no record of a marriage bondfor him, meaning that his marriage must have been through the crying ofbanns," for which no official record was customarily made. On the 1850census, William's wife's name was given as Priscilla, but we have no clueregarding her maiden name. She could have been a second wife. The oldestchild of William D. Sparks was born in May 1829; his second child was notborn until 1833.

"Six weeks after selling the 100 acres of land on North Hunting Creek(Book 6, p.146), William D. Sparks sold 5 acres to Philip Holcomb for$15.00. This small plot was described as beginning at a red oak at thecorner of George Sparks's "Red Oak on the Old Line." This must havereferred to the strip of land that his brother, George, had acquired in1824 (see p.5368), the "Old Line" meaning the original dividing linebetween Surry and Wilkes Counties that was moved slightly west in 1792.Joel Sparks, brother of William D. and George, witnessed the deed, as didWilliam Cook. Curiously, this deed was not proven in the Surry CountyCourt until November 1850, nearly a quarter century later. (Book 7, p.96)At that time, Wiley Felts appeared before the Court and testified underoath that he recognized Joel Sparks's signature on the deed. Neither ofthe Sparks brothers was still living in North Carolina in 1850.

"William D. Sparks's name does not appear on the 1830 census of NorthCarolina as head of a household, yet we believe that he was still inSurry County at that time. People were sometimes missed when a census wastaken, but his non-appearance as head of a household may have beenbecause he, along with his youngest brother, John Sparks, were livingwith their mother in 1830, managing her large farm and slaves for her.Eunice Sparks was shown as head of her household, age between 70 and 80,and there were two males, both in the 30 to 40 age category, as well as afemale between 20 and 30. The latter may have been the wife of William.We know how ever that the first child of William D. Sparks had been bornin May 1829, and no infant male was enumerated in Eunice Sparks'shousehold.

"During the May 1831 meeting of the Surry County Court, William D. Sparksfound himself in a highly embarrassing situation which must have broughtdistress to his aged mother and other family members. uring that Courtsession, an unmarried woman named Sally Ladd had been brought before theCourt charged with either being pregnant with, or having given birth to,an illegitimate child. (The child may have been a year or two old; seethe explanation of North Carolina law pertaining to this kind ofsituation on page 5391 of the present QUARTERLY.) When placed under oathand ordered to name the father, Sally Ladd identified William D. Sparksas that person. Rarely could a man defend himself when so accused by awoman naming him under oath. Sparks was served with a warrant orderinghim to post bond, agreeing with the Court that the child should neverbecome a financial burden to the county. Because William D. Sparks didnot have much wealth, a fellow bondsman was required; James Mack (orMonk) became his co-bondsman. We may wonder whether a first wife mighthave died following the birth of William's son, Richard M. Sparks, in1829, and that William might have been unwed at the time of this incident.

"It is of interest to note that on the 1830 census of Surry County, thehousehold enumerated immediately following that of Eunice Sparks washeaded by Happy Ladd; she was one of the females therein between the agesof 20 and 30; another female was enumerated as between 15 and 20, andthere was a boy under 5 years of age. Twenty years later, when the 1850census was taken in Surry County, Happy Ladd, then 51 years old, stillheaded her own household, which included Sarah Ladd, age 44. Living withthem in 1850 was a young man named Franklin Ladd, age 18, called a"laborer."

"On November 2, 1832, William D. Sparks again purchased land in SurryCounty, North Carolina, a tract containing only 65 acres for which hepaid David Chapel $65.00. (Deed Book U, pp.374-5) Located on the headwaters of Hunting Creek near the Brushy Mountains," it adjoined land landowned by Charles Johnson, husband of a distant cousin of William. Hisbrother, Joel Sparks, also lived near by. (On today's map of YadkinCounty, Yadkin having been cut off from Surry County in 1850, this65-acre tract would be found in Knobs Township, a large portion of whichcomprises the Brushy Mountains, sometimes spelled in the singular.)

"Eunice Sparks died in either late 1837 or early 1838. As noted earlier,Joel Sparks, as executor of his father's estate, sold the 352 acresremaining of his father's plantation to Miles Wells for $700 on May 28,1839. William D; Sparks's share of his father's estate probably amountedto about $200. On September 22, 1839, William sold to David Money for$200 the land near the Brushy Mountains that he had purchased in 1832from David Chapel. Although the description of the tract was the same in1839 as in 1832, a new survey gave the acreage as 76. William's brother,Joel Sparks, signed the deed as a witness, as did Wiley Felts. It wasWiley Felts's testimony in November 1841 that enabled David Money to havehis deed proven in Court and recorded in Book 2, pp.45-6, both of theSparks brothers having moved away from Surry County by that time.

"With his inheritance and the $200 realized from his sale of land,William D. Sparks set off with his family for a new frontier in CooperCounty, Missouri. He and his household were shown on the 1840 censusthere, with his own name appearing as "W. D. Sparks." His familyconsisted of himself (age 40 to 50) and his wife (age 30 to 40), and atotal of five children: a boy between 10 & 15; a boy and a girl between 5& 10; a boy and a girl both under 5.

"By December 1843, William D. Sparks had purchased a 50 x 150 foot citylot, #14, on Sun Street in the town of Palestine, Missouri (later calledOld Palestine and now nonexistent) for which he paid $50. Earlier,William D. and Priscilla Sparks had apparently acquired other acreage inCooper County for in June 1844 they sold 40 acres in the S.W. part of theS.E. Quarter of Section #10, Township 47, Range 18. Then in November thatsame year, William D.Sparks bought 80 acres located just west of PetiteSaline Creek in Cooper County. He sold 20 of these acres in December 1852.

"When the 1850 census was taken, it being the first U.S. census in whichthe name of each household member was included, with age, birthplace,etc., William D. Sparks was shown as age 52, although we believe he wasmore nearly 60. He was a farmer with real estate valued at $400. Hiswife was shown as Priscilla Sparks, age 48, a native of North Carolina.William's oldest son, Richard M. Sparks, was living with his wife a shortdistance from his father. His age was 21; his four sibflngs still withtheir parents were: Martin Sparks, age 18; Almeda Sparks, age 14; JonesSparks, age 13; and Louisa Sparks, age 11.

"William D. Sparks had served in the War of 1812 in the same NorthCarolina Regiment as had his older brother, Joel Sparks. It was not untilSeptember 23, 1850, that the U.S. Congress passed an Act granting freeland (called "bounty land") to all veterans of that war who had served atleast 14 days, regardless of their financial need. Proof of service wasrequired and if approved by the War Department, a warrant for "vacantland" in certain western territories was issued for from 40 to 160 acres,depending upon the veteran's length of service. Then, on March 3, 1855,Congress authorized all veterans who had served at least 14 days to beeligible to receive the full 160 acres; for those who had alreadyreceived fewer than 160 acres, an amount could be added to make 160 inall, upon their reapplication.

"On November 21, 1850, William D. Sparks appeared before a justice of thepeace in Cooper County, Missouri, to apply for bounty land based on hisservice as a private in Capt. John Witcher's Company of the 5th NorthCarolina Regiment of detached infantry (militia) commanded by Lt. Col.Sam Hunter. He swore that he had been drafted in Surry County on or aboutJuly 15, 1814, for the term of six months, but had not been ordered toactive duty until November 28, 1814. He had been discharged at Norfolk,Virginia, on February 22, 1815. With his application, he enclosed thesmall discharge that he had received, and it is preserved with hispension papers at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. A photo copyfollows: [Here apppears a photograph]

"The justice of the peace, Thomas M. Campbell, who drew up theapplication, gave Sparks's age as 52, which would place his year of birthas about 1898. This was surely an error, even though Sparks signed theaffidavit. His application was approved, and William D. Sparks was issueda bounty land warrant for 40 acres.

"On April 14, 1855, William D. Sparks appeared before County Clerk HenryC. Levens in Cooper County to apply for additional bounty land under thenew Congressional Act. On this document, his age appears as 65. Thiswould place his birth in or about 1790. William gave the same informationregarding his service as he had in 1850, except he stated that it hadbeen a Col. Atkinson rather than Lt. Col. Hunter who had commanded theregiment in which he had served, Michael Son and Joseph H. Moorewitnessed him sign the application. As in 1850, he signed his name simply"William Sparks." He received a warrant for 120 additional acres ofbounty land. We imagine that he, like most of his fellow veterans, soldhis warrant or gave it to a relative interested in going to a newfrontier. (His bounty land file at the National Archives has the number54-795-120-55.)

"Joel Sparks, William's brother, now living in Cass County, Missouri,bordering the state of Kansas, had not applied for bounty land under theAct of 1850, probably because he doubted that his very brief period ofservice was sufficient for him to qualify, but with the more generous Actof 1855, and, perhaps learning of the success of his brother, he now didso. Unfortunately, however, he had lost the written discharge that he hadreceived when his sore leg caused him to leave the service after only twoor three weeks. Furthermore, the record of Capt. John Witcher's Companyon file at the War Department did not include Joel's name. Hisapplication was rejected. Joel appealed his rejection, however, and askedhis brother to
make a statement on his behalf. William consented and because hisdeposition contains interesting information about himself as well as hisbrother, we quote it here in full. William again went to the CooperCounty Clerk, Henry C. Levens, to prepare the document in proper legalform.

State of Missouri )
County of Cooper ) On this 27th day of March AD 1857personally appeared before me the Clerk of the County Court within andfor the County of Cooper aforesaid, William Sparks who having been by mefirst duly sworn on his oath states that he is the identical WilliamSparks now aged sixty seven years--Who was a private in the Companycommanded by Captain Witcher, in the 5th Regiment of North CarolinaMilitia commanded by Col. Atkinson in the War with Great Britain,declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812: that he wasdrafted in or about the month of July AD 181 [sic] for the time of sixmonths and continued in actual service in the said war for the term ofmore than fourteen days.

This affiant further states that at the time he was drafted inthe County of Surry and state of North Carolina' his brother whose claimNo. 207,286 for bounty land is said to be suspended--was drafted and tothe Certain Knowledge of this afflant served as a private in the sameCompany, same Regiment and same war for a period of more than fourteendays: And that whilst said service was being performed the said JoelSparks as aforesaid, he said Joel, became so disabled on account of arising in left leg near the ancle [sic] as to be unable to Continue insaid service. And that on account of said disability said Joel Sparks washonorably discharged by said Commander of said Regiment. This affiant waspresent and saw said Joel Sparks honorably discharged for the reasonaforesaid, in the town of Hillsboro in Orange County, and State of NorthCarolina, and that he saw the said discharge afterwards in the possessionof said Joel Sparks. And that he has no interest in this claim of saidJoel Sparks for bounty land and further this afflant saith not. Swornand subscribed to before me on the day and year above written: and I theClerk aforesaid do certify that I have long known the said William Sparkspersonally and that he is a credible person, and that I have no interestin this application for Bounty Land...

[Signed] William Sparks
(followed by the signature of the County Clerk,Henry C. Levens)

(This article is continued under the notes for the spouse of WilliamD. Sparks)

SQ p. 1978: His middle name is believed to have been Darius.

SQ pg 3905:
"William D. Sparks, eldest child of John Henry and Bertha (Pack)Sparks, was a highly successful educator and attorney in easternKentucky. He was elected Lawrence County Attorney while still in thearmy in Europe during World War II. Subsequently, he was elected asCommonswealth's Attorney (State Attorney General?). In 1955, he was elected as judge of the 24th Judicial District of Kentucky, a position heheld until his retirement in 1976. He and his wife, the former Mary LouBranham, had four children: Martha, William, Janie, and Daniel . Hedied on October 16, 1988. His photograph appears at the top of page3906, SQ.

SQ 2524:

"William David Sparks, son of George and Elizabeth (Morgan) Sparkswas born on November 3, 1874, in Georgia. He died on November 2, 1948.He married Belle Weisome and they had eight children:

(1) Frank Sparks. He was married twice. His first marriage was toCarrie
--- by whom he had one child, Daniel Sparks. He married, second, Mary DeLila
(Sparks) English (widow of Henry English and daughter of John HenrySparks,
brother of William David)
(2) Tyne Leroy Sparks. He married Roberta Nichols and they had fourchildren: Samuel, D. Tyne, Jr., Marion R. and Truman M. Sparks
(3) Dollie Sparks. She died at the age of eighteen years.
(4) Lorne Sparks. She married and had a daughter, Cora Bell.
(5) Grady Sparks.
(6) Nora Sparks. She married Earl Shanchez and they had a daughter,Erlene.
(7) Anna Bell Sparks. She married and had a son Patrick.
(8) George Sparks. He married Ruth---.

A Wedding Picture of William David Sparks and Belle (Weisome) Sparksappears
on page 3313 of the QUARTERLY.

The variations above from the QUARTERLY article referred to werecorrected by the above Truman M. Sparks by email received on Feb. 10,2000 (tmsparks@@flash.net).

SQ 2785: "William Doyle Fielder Sparks, son of Thomas and Milly(Smith) Sparks, was born on September 25, 1862. He married JosieFlorence Tubbs, probably about 1884. She had been born on July 4, 1871,and was a daughter of Joe C. and Nancy Jane (Lockhart) Tubbs. Joe Tubbsis said to have been a full-blood Indian. William Sparks died onNovember 27, 1898, at the age of 36 years, and Josie married (2nd) Bero("Nib") Shaw. She died on June 17, 1937. She and William had fivechildren.
(1) Walter Thomas Sparks was born on January 27, 1885.
(2) Etta Lee Sparks was born on April 30, 1889.
(3) Willie Neva Sparks (daughter) was born on April 15, 1893.
(4) Millie Marie Sparks was born on August 29, 1895. She wasmarried twice. Her first marriage was to J. E. Beard on January 26,1913, and her second marriage was to J. Y. Slayden on August 28, 1935. By her first marriage she had, she had five children: Samuel, J. E .Jr.; Hazel M.; Eunice L.; and Wilson A.. She had no children by hersecond marriage.
(5) Audie Ophelia Sparks (son) was born on October 11, 1897. Hedied on March 23, 1960, and was buried in Bosqueville Cemetary."

SQ p. 4641:

"William Edison Sparks was born on May 16, 1874. He was a veteran ofthe Spanish-American War. He was graduated from the Louisville[Kentucky] Medical College in 1907 and practiced medicine at Sandy Hook,Kentucky, for more than forty years. He was married three times;however, we have learned nothing about his third marriage. His firstmarriage was to Tabitha ["Bithy"] Moore in 1894, in Lawrence County. Shehad been born in July 1875. She and William had at least three childrenbefore they were divorced. The children were: Oscar Sparks, WilliamEdison Sparks, Jr., and Mary Sparks.

"William Edison Sparks's second marriage was to a woman named Skaggs.They were divorced after a short marriage. William was a member of theSandy Hook Methodist Church and had just returned to his home on Sunday,May 4, 1947, after attending a church service. As he stepped up on tohis porch, he was shot by a man he hardly knew but had treated one timeas a patient. Sparks lingered for about four weeks, but never recoveredfrom the shooting. He died on May 31, 1947, and was buried in the familycemetery at Martha, Kentucky. (See also page 17 of the September 1993issue of the East Kentuckian.)

SQ pg 4557: They had one child: Hollie Sparks. See SQ p. 4669 for aphoto of William and three siblings.

SQ p. 2633:

"William Ellsworth Sparks was born on July 10, 1873; he died about1937. On May 26, 1892, he was married to Millie Ferrier. She was born onMarch 9, 1873, and was a daughter of John and Mary Jane (Shaffer)Ferrier. William and Millie lived in Cutler, Indiana. They are known tohave had five children, with the possibility of a sixth (perhaps namedOrval) who probably died young."