SQ 3865: Robert Bruce Sparks was born on April 3, 1857. He wasmarried to Hanna Kelly on June 22, 1883. She had been born in January1867. She and Bruce (as he was called) had nine children: Henry,Martha, Julia, Sallie, Robert, William, John, Elijah, and Anna.

SQ 743 for marriage information.

SQ pg 3727.

Robert Gian ["Rob"] Sparks, son of James Alfred and Alice A. (Milstead)Sparks, was born on June 13, 1894, in Oklahoma Territory. On February 14,1916, he was married to Ollie Leah Wilkerson at Tecumseh, Oklahoma. Shehad been born on July 14, 1896. Rob and Ollie ran a dairy farm and Robhad a milk route near Shawnee, Oklahoma. Rob died on March 3, 1938, atthe home of his cousin, Bertie (Johnson) Musgrove, in Oklahoma City. Hewas there to be near his doctor who was treating him for colon cancer.Ollie survived him over fifty years, dying in 1989. She and Rob had fourchildren.

A photograph taken about 1914 appears on page 3728 and can be seen inhis scrapbook.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3727: They have five children: Jerry, Jacquita, Dale, Keit hand Stanley Sparks.

See SQ p4854"
"Robert L. Sparks was born on August 28, 1868. He was married toMollie Gambill in 1890 in Lawrence County. She had been born in April1871 and was a daughter of Chine Gambill. Robert Sparks died about 1940and was buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Boyd County, Kentucky. Heand Mollie had two children: Harrison Sparks and Lonnie Sparks."

He was called Robin in the 1870 census.

SQ p. 4731:

"Robert Lawrence Sparks was born on April 8, 1883, at Peach Orchard,Kentucky. He was a miner. Lawrence (as he was called) was marriedtwice. His first marriage was to Verna Mayfield by whom he had threechildren. His second marriage was to Sue Higgenbotham. They had nochildren. Lawrence died on June 5, 1956, at his home at Williamsburg,Kentucky. His children were: Geneva Sparks, George Earl Sparks, andRobert Sparks. (See p. 185 of the December 1956 issue of THE SPARKSQUARTERLY, Whole No. 16, for the obituary of Lawrence Sparks.) [See next]

"DEATH TAKES ROBERT LAWRENCE SPARKS

"Again we must report the death of a member of the Association. OnJune 5, 1956,, a heart attack proted fatal to Robert Lawrence Sparks ofWilliamsburg, Kentucky. Mr. Sparks was 73 years of age when he died.

"A native of Lawrence County, Kentucky, Robert Lawrence Sparks wasborn April 8, 1882, in the neighborhood of Peach Orchard on Nat's Creek.He was a son of George Graham and Elizabeth (Painter) Sparks; hisgrandparents were Hugh S. and Nancy (Curnutte) Sparks (see the December,1955, issue of the QUARTERLY, page 102.)

"Funeral services were conducted for Robert Lawrence Sparks on June 7,1956, at the First Baptist Church in Williamsburg and burial was in theHighland Cemetery. Members of Williamsburg Lodge No. 490, F. & A. M.were in charge of services at the grave.

"Mr. Sparke's widow, Susie (Higginbotham) Sparks, survives him as doeshis two sons, Earl Sparks of Corbin, Kentucky, and Robert LawrenceSparks, Jr., of Lexington. Three brothers and four sisters survive:Lester Sparks of Chicago; George E. Sparks of Indianapolis; Earl Sparksof Cincinnati; Mrs. Cecil Crowell, Mrs. Ethel Bowden, and.Mrs. HazelDonaldson, all of Hurst, Illinois; and Miss Elizabeth Sparks ofCincinnati."

Robert Sparks's family is found in the QUARTERLY in the September 1997issue, Whole No. 179, specifically on pg 4872. The family of his wife,Lousina Alice Lyon, daughter of Lewis and Polly (Sparks) Lyon, is foundin the QUARTERLY in the June 1996 issue, Whole No. 174, specifically onpage 4653.

.

!NOTES:
SQ 3277: "Robert McHenry Sparks, son of Jonas J. and Polly (Hanki ns)
Sparks, was born on May 21, 1858, at Baptist Valley, Virginia. He married
Martha Hester Maxwell on October 3, 1878. She was born in June 186 2 and
was a daughter of Frank and Evelyn Maxwell. She and Robert had 7 children:
(1) Silas Toby Sparks b. Jan 13, 1880; m. Lula Pruett Sep 9, 1903.
(2) Eva Sparks b. ca. 1882; it is likely that she died in infancy.
(3) Harriet A. Sparks b. Mar 24, 1885, at Baptist Valley, VA. Sh e m.
Walker Ringstaff on May 30, 1906.
(4) Ida May Sparks was b. Dec 1887.
(5) Margaret M. Sparks b. May 28, 1890. She was m. twice. Her fir stm.
was to C. H. Griffith on July 6, 1906, and her second m. was to
Raymond Ellis on Sep. 19, 1934.
(6) William Reece Sparks b. May 1895.
(7) Norman Sparks b. ca. 1904."

SQ p. 1399:

"Robert T. Sparks, born July 12, 1882, in Brady, Texas; he marriedEdna Stowe on April 9, 1912; she was born on April 25, 1892, and diedAugust 9, 1946. They had two children: Raymond T. Sparks, born January9, 1913, was killed in World War II on July 14, 1945; and Joe Bob Sparks,born August 19, 1918."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1970, Whole No. 71, p. 1337:

A fine photograph of Robert Thomas Sparks appears on the cover of WholeNo. 71 i.e. pg 1351.

"Robert Thomas Sparks, son of Caleb and Rebecca (Wilson) Sparks, wasborn in 1808 in Kentucky; he died on March 19., 1889., in Hancock County,Illinois. In a number of records he was called Thomas Sparks. Accordingto a granddaughter, Eula May Prince., who did research on the family in1956, Robert Thomas Sparks married in the late 1820's and had a daughterwho married a man named Riggs and lived in Lampasas, Texas. This firstwife of Robert Thomas Sparks died and on April 22, 1830, he was marriedto Mary Ann Wallingford in Lewis County, Kentucky. She was a daughter ofJohn Wallingford and was born about 1819 in Kentucky; she died onSeptember 9. 1860, in Hancock County, Illinois.

"In 1848, Robert Thomas Sparks and his family moved from Lewis County,Kentucky, to Illinois; he was listed on the 1850 census of HendersonCounty, Illinois, but by 1851 he was living with his family in DallasCity, Hancock County, Illinois, where he spent the remainder of hislife. According to Mrs. Prince, "He was an ardent Republican and was oneof the few pioneers who voted for both of the Harrisons. He was never sohappy as when arguing politics."

Robert Thomas and Mary Ann (Wallingford) Sparks were the parents of fivechildren."

**********

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September 2000, Whole No. 195, pp. 5554-5559:

ROBERT THOMAS ANDMARY ANN (WALLINGFORD) SPARKS

FURTHERNOTES ON SOME OF THEIR DESCENDANTS

"In the QUARTERLY of September 1970, Whole No. 71, we published anarticle, beginning on page 1336, entitled "Caleb Sparks of Lewis andNicholas Counties, Kentucky." From a record found a number of yearsafter this article appeared, we learned that Caleb Sparks had been bornon December 3, 1786, in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and that he was a sonof a William Sparks who had died in Fleming County, Kentucky, prior toFebruary 10, 1800. It was on this date that Caleb and his brother, JosephSparks (born March 1, 1791), were apprenticed as orphans of WilliamSparks to William McCormack, a tanner by occupation, "to learn thebusiness of tanning and currying." (Fleming County, where William Sparkshad died, had been created from Mason County in 1798; Mason County hadbeen created from Bourbon County in 1789.)

Caleb Sparks had been 14 years old when his father died and had beenapprenticed to McCormack, while his brother, Joseph Sparks, had been 8years old. As was then customary, each boy was to end his apprenticeshipon his 21st birthday . (See the QUARTERLY of September 1980, WholeNo.111, pp. 2240-41, for the Fleming County Court records pertaining tothese two apprenticeships, as well as an explanation of the law then ineffect in Kentucky regarding orphans and apprenticeships.)

In the QUARTERLY of March 1999, Whole No.185, beginning on page 5116,appears an article entitled "Where Did the Sparkses of Early LewisCounty, Kentucky, Come From?" This article presented evidence that thegrandfather of Caleb and Joseph Sparks, who was also named WilliamSparks, had been a son of Joseph and Mary Sparks, and that he (William)had been born in Queen Annes County, Maryland, on April 27, 1738. ThisWilliam Sparks (born April 27, 1738) was a grandson of the Englishimmigrant, William Sparks, born in or about 1646 in, we believe,Hampshire County, England, who died in Queen Annes County, Maryland, in1709. (See the QUARTERLY of December 1992, Whole No. 160, for an articledevoted to William Sparks, the immigrant, pp.4025-34.)

Caleb Sparks was married in Bourbon County, Kentucky, on October 19,1805, to Rebecca Wilson, a daughter of Ephraim Wilson . They were theparents of as many as twelve children. Their second son was named RobertThomas Sparks. As an adult, he was often called by his middle name,Thomas, but here we will refer to him by his full name except inquotations where he has been called Thomas Sparks .

A great-granddaughter of Robert Thomas Sparks, Eula May (Watters) Prince,born on September 27, 1908, who had done research on this branch of theSparks family, was our principal source for the information on the familyof Robert Thomas Sparks appearing in the QUARTERLY of September 1970.

According to Mrs. Prince, Robert Thomas Sparks was married, first, in the1820s, to a woman (name unknown) who died not long after bearing adaughter. This daughter (name unknown) was believed to have been marriedto a man named Riggs and had lived in Lampasas, Texas. On April 22, 1830,Robert Thomas Sparks was married, second, to Mary Ann Wallingford inLewis County, Kentucky.

On page 934 of the QUARTERLY for September 1965, Whole No. 51, wereported a number of marriage
bonds for persons named Sparks in Lewis County, Kentucky, that had beencopied and placed In the library of the Filson Club in Louisviile,Kentucky. Included in this record is the bond for Robert Thomas Sparksand Mary Ann Wallingford with the date January 8, 1830. This date hadbeen copied incorrecfly, however, as is shown on the photographic copyobtained by Barbara H. Smith, a descendant of this couple, and reproducedon the following page . As seen, this proves that the marriage bond wasactuaily dated April 19, 1830, three days before the marriage.

This record in Lewis County reads as follows: "1830, April the 19th.No.637. Thomas Sparks to Mary Ann Wallingford. John Wallingford, Feepaid . Thomas Sparks over the age of 21 years as proved by his ownoath. And personal Consent of John Wallingford, Father of Mary Ann, givenbefore me Att. Jos. Robb Clerk. I do hereby Certify that ThomasSparks & Mary Ann Wallingford were joined together in holymarriage on the 22nd day of April 1830.
[Date recorded] April 27th 1830. [signed] Thomas Warring."

Some time late in the 1840s, Robert Thomas moved to Illinois, and whenthe 1850 census was taken, he was shown as heading his household inHenderson County, adjoining the Mississippi River. His name appeared asThomas Sparks on this census, as it had in the record of his marriage toMary Ann Wallingford . His age In 1850 was recorded as 40 and he wascalled a laborer. His wife was listed as Mary A. Sparks, age 30, but thiswas surely an error. She died on September 9, 1860, and on her gravestoneher age appears as 45. She must have been at least 35 years old (not 30)when the 1850 census was taken.

Four children had been born to Robert Thomas and Mary Ann Sparks when the1850 census was taken, as follows, all shown as having been born inKentucky:

Catherine S. Sparks, age 18
Lucretia Sparks, age 16
Sarah A. Sparks, age 7
Ephraim Sparks, age 3

Although census takers were directed in 1850 to report the names only ofthose persons living in each household as of June 1, 1850, other recordsprove that for the household of Robert Thomas and Mary Ann Sparks, thecensus taker recorded the names and ages of all four of their childrn,even though the two oldest daughters, Catherine and Lucretia, had beenmarried prior to 1850 and were living with their husbands when thatcensus was taken: Catherine in Hancock County, Illinois, and Lucretia inMonroe County, Missouri . A fifth child, named Rebecca Jane Sparks, wasborn to Robert Thomas and Mary Ann in 1851.

According to the obituary of Catherine Sparks (she died in 1897), she hadbeen born on November 9, 1831. It was In Adams County, Illinois, that shehad been married; the record reads: "Kitty Ann Sparks and Noel Datin weremarried on Nov. 9, 1848." ("Datin" was normally spelled Dayton.) For thefull text of her obituary, see pp. 1337-38 of the September 1970 issue ofthe QUARTERLY. It is interesting to note that Mary Elizabeth Dayton, theeldest daughter of Noel Dayton, was married on May 18, 1844, in MonroeCounty, Missouri, to Samuel Riggs, a brother of Stephen Riggs . StephenRiggs, as shown below, was married to Lucretia Sparks, sister ofCatherine.......

Although Robert Thomas and Mary Ann (Wallingford) Sparks were living withtheir younger children in Henderson County, Illinois, when an 1850 censustaker came to their home on September 30, they soon thereafter moved toadjoining Hancock County, and it was there that their last daughter,Rebecca Jane Sparks, was born. It was there, also, that Mary Ann died onSeptember 9, 1860, at Dallas City. Robert Thomas Sparks continued tolive In Hancock County for the remainder of his life . When the 1880census was taken, he was shown there in the household of his daughter,Sarah Ann, and her husband, Henry Gilbreth. He was called Thomas Sparksby the census taker in 1880 as in 1850. When he died in 1889, hisobituary was published in a Dallas City newspaper, a clipping of whichwas copied for us by Eula May Prince many years ago:

ROBERT THOMAS SPARKS was born in 1808, died March 19, 1889, age 81yrs. He was married to Miss Mary Ann Wallingford, in his native county,April 22, 1830. To them six children were born, five daughters and oneson, four of whom survive him . These are: Catharine [sic] (Kittie) AnnDayton, Nauvoo, Ill.; Sarah Gilbert, Dallas City, Ill.; Ephraim Sparks,Brady, Texas; and Rebecca Jane Walker of Carman, Ill. His wife died Sept.9, 1860. He came to Illinois about the year 1848, and has livedcontinually in Dallas City since 1851. He was an ardent Republican andwas one of the few pioneers who voted for both the Harrisons. He wasnever so happy as when arguing politics. When he was 12 yrs. old he wasafflicted with white swelling, which settled into chronic rheumatism whenhe was about 20 years old. From that time on he was a constant suffererof the disease until some fifteen years ago. The funeral was preachedfrom the residence, by Rev . Herzier, at 3 o'clock Wed. afternoon. Theremains were laid to rest beside his wife in the East Cemetery. Thefamily desire no flowers. Dallas City, Ill....."

(JS Note: Parts of this article are found under the notes for thedaughter of Robert Sparks, Lucretia.)

**********

Our thanks to Robert W. Sparks who provided us with the information wehave on his great-grandfather Calvin A. Sparks and his descendants.Robert lives at 21551 N. Heidi Drive, Edmond, Oklahoma, 73003 (405)341-7754, and his email address as of October, 2000, wasLTCSparks@@aol.com.

.

!NOTES:
SQ 2773: "Robert Wallace Sparks was born on January 12, 1870. H emarried
Mattie ---. Wallace (as he was commonly called) died in August 192 8 andwas
buried in Rockport Cemetary. He and Mattie had at least five childre n:
Darius, Nora, Hazel, Vera, and Theo."

Roetta Sparks was born on November 3, 1911. She was married twice. Herfirst marriage was to Carl Drysdale, and her second was to Clyde OtisWhite. She and Clyde had three children before Roetta's death on March28, 1944. After Roetta died, her three children went to live with theiraunt, Hallie ["Billie"] (Sparks) Estep. They were Wanda Lee White, JamesC. White, and Phyllis A. White.

SQ pg 3422: Rosa Belle Sparks, daughter of George and Lucinda(Sargent) Sparks, was born on July 13, 1891, at Gimlet, Kentucky. DuringWorld War I, she trained to be a nurse at Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Shemet Howard Lee Judy, and they were married on November 4, 1919, in BoydCounty, Kentucky. He was born on September 11, 1891, at Washington C.H.,Ohio, and was a son of Peter and Drucilla (Kimmey) Judy , natives ofOhio. He served in the Flying School Detachment, United States Army,during World War I. Rosa Belle and Howard worked in a state sanatoriumat Mt. Vernon, Ohio, until 1945, when they moved to Tucson, Arizona,because of health reasons. Howard died there on December 13, 1974, andRosa Belle died there on January 1, 1982. They had one child, SylviaPatricia Judy, born Dec 27, 1926. She is a retired teacher (1989). Shemarried Robert E. Lehner, a geologist. Of her mother, Sylvia wrote,"Mother was an avid reader and a marvelous cook. She enjoyed travel,flower gardens, sewing and music, and she was very fond of animals."

The year and place of her birth are uncertain.

SPARKS QUARTERLY, p. 4730:

"Rose Emily Sparks was born on May 19, 1885. She was never married,but she cared for several nieces and nephews when they were children. Shealso took care of her parents in their old age, until their deaths. Shedied on October 21, 1971, and was buried in the Sparks Cemetery onMorgans Creek in Lawrence County. (See p. 1452 of the December 1971 issueof the Quarterly, Whole No. 76, for her obituary. )

.

!NOTES:
SQ 3193: Roy Sparks was born on January 28 1890. He lived in Boo ne,
Nebraska.

SQ p. 2615: Roy Sparks lived at Bourbon, Indiana.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3701: She was married to a man named Paget.

SQ p. 2158:

Rufus M. Sparks, son of Samuel and Polly (Aaron) Sparks, was born about1829 in Adair County. He married Eliza A. Lawless, probably about 1855.She was born on April 14, 1835, in Russell County, Kentucky. On January16, 1866, Rufus and Eliza purchased 75 acres of land on Crocus Creek fromHenry and Sarah Antle for $350. They were listed on the 1860 and 1870censuses of Adair County, but when the 1880 census was taken, they livedat Creelsboro in Russell County, Kentucky. Rufus died about September 1,1884, and When his Will Was probated on September 16, 1884, it was foundthat he had left his entire estate to his wife. Apparently they had nochildren.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, March 1966, Whole No. 53, p. 977, for thefollowing:

DEATHTAKES RUFUS NEWTON SPARKS

It is with deep regret that we report the death inNovember, 1965, of Rufus Newton Sparks, of
Martha, Kentucky. Mr. Sparks died at the age of 88years following a long illness. Funeral services
were held in the Elizabeth Baptist Church at Marthawith the Rev. Herbert Phillips and the Rev.
Emerson Collier officiating. Burial was in the SparksCemetery there.

A retired merchant and farmer at Martha, Rufus NewtonSparks had been born there on February
24, 1877, a son of George W. and Linnie (Grizzell)Sparks. He was a descendant of John Sparks
(born 1753) of Wilkes County, North Carolina. (Seethe QUARTERLY of December, 1955, Vol. III,
No. 4, Whole No. 13, pp. 91-105.) The Bible recordof the family his his grandfather, Wiley Sparks,
appeared in the QUARTERLY of September, 1957, Vol. V,No, 3, Whole No. 19, p. 214.

Mr. Sparks is survived by his widow, Mrs. AnnaFurguson Sparks; three sons, O. G. Sparks of
Louisville, Kentucky; Dr. Aubrey L. Sparks, ofWarren, Ohio; and Douglas C. Sparks, of Martha;
seven grandchildren, and two sisters, Mrs. CynthiaLyon of Muncie, Indiana, and Mrs. Pearlie
Bailey of Ashland, Kentucky.

SQ June 2001, Whole No. 194, pp 5546-47:

Russell E Sparks died in Indian Creek Township Monroe County, Indiana, inthe month of January 1870 from "Absess on lungs." He had been born inIndiana and was 6 months old when he died. (Editor's Note: The censustaker noted that Russell E. Sparks had been a member of "Family 134" onthe population census for Indian Creek Township of 1870. This was thefamily of Nancy (Hanks) Sparks, age 51, a native of Tennessee. Nancy wasthe widow of William Sparks who had died on August 17, 1866. A record ofthis family can be found in the QUARTERLY of March 1969, Whole No. 65,beginning on p.1204; William and Nancy appear on p.1206. The John T .Sparks shown there as a son of William and Mary was actually named Jehue,not John, according to descendants.]

[JS note: The above facts are inconsistant. If Russell was 6 months oldat the time of his death in January 1870, he would have been born aboutJuly 1869. However, the above article states that his father, WilliamSparks died on August 17, 1866. Another source indicated that Russellwas born in 1862.]

Ryan Joseph Sparks weighed 10 pounds 12 ounces at birth and was 22 1/2inches long.

The following information was received on March 25, 2000 by email fromJean Feaster, (blujean@@southwind.net) of Augusta, Kansas, a descendantRudolph Feaster, who was raised by Silas and Julia (Kerr) Sparks, forwhich information we are grateful:

This article appeared in the Winfield (Cowley County, Kansas) Courier onTuesday, June 13, 1893:

HORRIBLE!

A Young Man Dragged by a Lariat Rope the Distance ofTwo and a Half Miles

Yesterday evening a terrible accident occurred to Ed Sparks, a youngman about 22 years old who resides with his father, two and a half milesfrom the Odessa school house, southwest of this city.
Young Sparks went out to take some of the horses to water. He put arope on one which had been used during the afternoon and on one of whichwas a loop. He got the rope on the horse and accidentally stepped intothe loop. The horse started throwing Sparks down. This frightened theanimal which started to run coming this way.
During the afternoon Jim Bridges had been down to the Magnolia farmwhere he purchased some stock of Col. Greene, who sent John Templar toWinfield to help drive the stock. As Templar was going home he met therunaway horse and taking in the situation tried to stop the animal butwithout avail. He then started to run his pony along side the runawayhorse but had gotten on the wrong side and dropped back but quicklygained the side on which the rope was and succeeded in cutting it whilerunning.
Sparks was taken to Mr. Lambert's one mile beyond Odessa and Dr.Holcomb was summoned. Sparks had been conscious and could give a clearaccount of the accident, but during the night would come delirious attimes. He was lacerated all over. The cuts and bruises were not deepbut Dr. Holcomb says there was not a spot the size of a person's hand onhis body that was not badly lacerated. He did not think there were anyinternal injuries and strangely enough there were no broken bones. Therewas no circulation however and the shock to his system was terrible. Thedoctor worked all night with the patient and came home. He was sent forand went back this forenoon and at 3 o'clock this afternoon he was sentfor again and went out, taking Dr. Emerson with him.
It is Dr. Holcomb's belief that Ed will die, 'though he says if thecirculation can be restored he may survive the reaction.
----------------------

Again, in the Winfield Courier for June 16, 1893 appeared thefollowing article:

EdSparks Dead

Ed Sparks, the young man who met with the horrible accident of beingdragged for over two miles by a horse a few days ago, died to-day at 11o'clock. Funeral tomorrow at Odessa School house at 8 o'clock a.m. Willbe buried in Union Cemetery.

SQ pg 3940: They had at least one child, a son, Elzie. They livednear the Upper Franks Creek School in Johnson County (KY).

SQ p. 4635:

"Samantha Ellen Sparks was born on January 25, 1860. She was marriedto William ["Bill"] T. Hutchison in 1891 in Lawrence County. She died onDecember 5, 1936. She and Bill had two children, Orca Hutchison and RebaHutchison."

SQ p 5387:

According to family tradition there were actually 13 children of RicahrdM. and Mary C. (Duncan) Sparks, two of whom died young. One of those wasa daughter named Samantha Nevada Sparks, born April 25, 1855, diedNovember 29, 1857. Her gravestone was found many years ago by John W.Bull in an old private cemetery called the Greenbaigh Cemetery, located 5or 6 miles from New Palestine in Cooper County, about 314 miles fromRoute B. The stone identifies her parents as "R. M. and M. Sparks."

SQ p. 688:

Samuel Sparks, born in 1745, died in Surry County, North Carolina, in1811. As a fifteen-year-old boy he apprenticed himself to James Frasherto learn to be a carpenter. He settled in South Carolina on the Pee DeeRiver with his brothers, but about 1794 he moved to Surry County, NorthCarolina. He married Lucy - - - - -. Since, in his will, he left hisproperty to his nephews and nieces, it would appear that he had nochildren.

See pages 701 to 704 in the SPARKS QUARTERLY for additional informationregarding the descendants of Samuel Sparks.

SQ 386 mentions marriage to Mary Alvey about 22 Oct 1814 and birth of 12children.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June, 1959, Whole No. 26, p386:

"SAMUEL SPARKS. Samuel Sparks, fourth son of Solomon and CharitySparks, was born early in the 1790's (he gave his age as 58 on the 1850census) in Wilkes County, North Carolina. It was he who administered thefinal settlement of his father's estate in 1829. Samuel Sparks marriedMary Alvey, daughter of William Alvey, in 1814 (the Wilkes Countymarriage bond is dated October 22, 1814; Wiseman Alvey, bondsman). Mary(Alvey) Sparks was born about 1793 in Wilkes County and died about 1851.Samuel Sparks married, as his second wife, Sarah Ellis in 1852 (theWilkes County marriage bond is dated October 26, 1852; William Redding,bondsman). "Samuel Sparks died in 1858--he made his will on January29, 1858, and it was probated in May of the same year. In his will hementioned his wife, Sarah, and the following children: (1) SolomonSparks; (2) Reuben Sparks; (3) Joseph Sparks; (4) Elias Sparks; (5)Ransom Sparks; (6) Noah Sparks; (7) George Sparks; (8) Matilda Gray; (9)Mary Goforth; (10) Malinda Chambin; and (11) Jane Adams. He also had ason named Samuel, born about 1837, who apparently died before 1858."

See page 608 of the SPARKS QUARTERLY for census records of Wilkes County,North Carolina -- 1850 census:
p. 329, 1174-1174
Sparkes, Samuel 58 (M) Wilkes Co. N. C. Farmer $400
Mary 57 (F) "
Noah 21 (M) " Farmer
Elias 19 (M) " Farmer
Ransom 17 (M) " Farmer
George 15 (M) " Farmer
Samuel 13 (M) "
Mary 11 (F) "

Comparing the children named in Samuel's will we note that thefollowing children are not shown in the 1850 census as living with Samueland Mary: Solomon, Reuben, and Joseph. On page 607 of the SQ is thecensus for Wilkes County at p. 302, 779-779 is found the name of JosephSparkes, 27 with his spouse Mary 24, and children Martha 5, and Rachel 9months. Also on page 607 of the SQ on the census p. 310, 894-894 is aReubin Sparkes, 31 with his spouse Nancy, 34, and their daughter,Catherine, 6. And on page 608 of the SQ there is a census record on page348, 1429-1429 of a Reubin, 20, his spouse Belinda, 21, and theirchildren William, 4, and Martha, 9 months.

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

SQ p. 5310:

Samuel Sparks, fourth son of Solomon, Jr. and Charity Sparks. We believethat he was born in the early 1790s in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Hewas appointed by the Wilkes County Court to administer his father'sestate in 1829 following his mother's death, his father having givenCharity full use of much of his estate during her lifetime. She died in1828. Samuel Sparks had been married, at about the time he came of age,to Mary Alvey, daughter of William Alvey, in 1814. The Wilkes Countymarriage bond for their marriage was issued on October 22, 1814, and wemay assume that the ceremony took place soon thereafter. Wiseman Alveyhad served as bondsman. Mary had been born about 1793 in Wilkes County;she died there about 1851. Samuel Sparks was married, 2nd, to Sarah Ellisin 1852. The marriage bond in this instance is dated October 26, 1852,with William Redding serving as bondsman. Samuel Sparks died in 1858,having made his will on January 29, of that year. It was entered forprobate at the meeting of the Wilkes County Court at its May 1858 term.In his will, Samuel mentioned his second wife, Sarah, and his followingchildren:

(1) Solomon Sparks,
(2) Reuben Sparks;
(3) Joseph Sparks;
(4) Elias Sparks;
(5) Ransom Sparks;
(6) Noah Sparks;
(7) George Sparks;
(8) Matilda (Sparks) Gray;
(9) Mary (Sparks) Goforth;
(10) Malinda (Sparks) Chambin;
(11) Jane (Sparks) Adams.
He also had a son named Samuel, born about 1837, who apparently diedbefore 1858.

SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1979, Whole No. 108, p. 2157:

Samuel Sparks, son of Josiah and Susannah (Phillips) Sparks, was born onSeptember 27, 1800, in South Carolina; he was thus a sizable youngsterwhen his parents moved to Jefferson County, Tennessee. He grew tomaturity there, and it was probably there that he met and married Mary("Polly") Aaron about 1822. She was born on October 2, 1802, in Virginia.Samuel paid taxes in Jefferson County in 1822, but by 1827 he had movedhis family to Adair County, Kentucky.

Samuel and Polly (Aaron) Sparks lived on Cedar Creek in southeasternAdair County, near the Russell County boundary. It was there that hepurchased 50 acres of land from George and Sarah Saunders on September 8,1829. The consideration was $90. Eleven years later, Samuel and Pollysold this land to Isaac West for $150. The deed was recorded on April 16,1841. Both Samuel and Polly signed the deed.

Samuel Sparks died on June 22, 1845, just five days before his youngestchild was born. He left Polly with seven children and the unborn child.His daughter Catherine, had married Zachariah Collins three yearsearlier, and it was Collins whom the Adair County Court appointed asadministrator of Sparks's estate. The estate was not settled untilFebruary 2, 1852. From census data and from information furnished byrelatives, it appears that Samuel and Polly had nine children. She diedin Adair County on June 8, 1858.

SQ 3861:

"Samuel Sparks, son of Allen and Elizabeth (Kozee) Sparks , was bornabout 1823 in Lawrence Co., KY. It was there that he was married toNancy Skaggs on November 11, 1847, by Lewis Skaggs. She had been born inNovember 1823 in Kentucky and was a daughter of Lewis Skaggs who gave hisconsent to the marriage. Samuel and Nancy lived on Meadow Branch ofBrushy Fork of Blaine Creek where they bought 425 acres of land in 1857.There they reared seven children.

"On May 21, 1864, Samuel Sparks enlisted as a captain in Company B ,8th Regiment, Kentucky Enrolled Militia and served until he was musteredout on June 22, 1864. (See abstract below) He died on April 12, 1885.Nancy died sometime after 1900. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetaryon Caines Creek in Lawrence County. There follows information abouttheir children.

CIVIL WAR PENSION APPLICATION (p 3881)

"Samuel Sparks, son of Allen and Elizabeth (Kozee) Sparks, was bornabout 1823 in Lawrence County, KY. He was married to Nancy Skaggs thereon November 11, 1847. He served in Company B, 68th Regiment KentuckyEnrolled Militia. File Designation: Wid. Appl. No. 553,737.

"On November 24, 1891, Nancy Sparks, a resident of Blaine, KY., fileda Declaration for Widow's Pension. She stated that she was the widow ofSamuel Sparks who had enlisted as a captain in Company B, 68th Regiment,Kentucky Enrolled Militia on May 21, 1864 and had served until he hadbeen released at Louisa, Kentucky. She had been married to Samuel Sparkson December 12, 1847, by Lewis Skaggs under her maiden name of NancySkaggs. Her husband had died on April 12, 1885, and she was withoutmeans of support except through her own manual labor. She appointed B.H. Harris of Flat Gap, Kentucky, as her attorney. H. H. Gambill and E.W. Boggs witnessed her make her mark.

"The War Department confirmed the military service of Samuel Sparks onFebruary 2, 1892. He had been enrolled on May 21, 1864, to serve as acaptain of Company B, 68th Regiment Kentucky Enrolled Militia and hadbeen mustered out on June 22, 1864.

"On January 8, 1895, Robert Dixon, clerk of the Lawrence County[Kentucky] Court, stated that he was the custodian of the county'smarriage records. He was unable to find a record of the marriage ofNancy Skaggs to Samuel Sparks.

"On April 16, 1895, A. M. Holbrook, aged 58; Teresa Swetnam, aged 83;and William Edwards, aged 70, all residents of Blaine, Kentucky,testified that they had been well acquainted with Samuel Sparks,deceased, and with Nancy Sparks, his widow. Their marriage had been thefirst for both of them. Nancy Sparks had not remarried since the deathof her husband.

"On June 18, 1895, Milton P. Griffith, aged 45, and R. L. Griffith ,aged 42, testified that they had been present when Samuel Sparks died andhad helped prepare him for burial. Prior to his death, the deceased hadcomplained of severe pain caused by rheumatism in his legs. Theattending physician stated that the desease was the cause of Sparks'sdeath.

"On February 24, 1896, the War Department again confirmed that SamuelSparks had served in the 68th Regiment (as above).

"The last document (in chronological order) among the "selectedpapers" sent us by the National Archives from the file of Samuel Sparksis a general affidavit of his widow, Nancy Sparks, dated March 21, 1896.She was now 73 years of age and still a resident of Blaine, Kentucky. Shestated that she could not furnish any medical evidence of her husband'streatment while in the military service, since the regimental surgeon wasnow dead. Neither could she furnish a death certificate since suchrecords were not kept in her home county. The affidavit was witnessed byLincoln Sparks and Lewis Sparks.

"No pension was authorized for Nancy Sparks, probably due to the factthat Samuel only served for 30 days and the 1890 pension law of Congressrequired a minimum of 90 days of military service for a widow to beeligibile."

SQ 1501:

Samuel Sparks, son of Jonas and Elizabeth (Knox) Sparks, was born about1829; he was married to Abigail H. McVey, daughter of John McVey, in 1854(Nicholas County marriage bond dated July 18, 18514). She was born about1836, On May 20, 1857, Samuel and Abbey assigned "all our right in JonasSparks, dec ‘d., land to James Young." From census records, it wouldappear that they had the following children: (See family group sheet.]

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3692: They had eight children. However, we have learned th ename of only one of them, Samuel Sparks, Jr.

SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1979, Whole No. 108, p. 2159:

Samuel A. Sparks, son of Samuel and Polly (Aaron) Sparks, was born onJune 2, 1836. He served in Company A., 3rd Regiment Kentucky Infantryduring the Civil War. (See page 2166 of this issue of the QUARTERLY foran abstract of his pension papers.) After the war, he went to RockcastleCounty, Ky., where he practiced his trade of carpentry. It was there thathe married Lucinda P. Ashley on August 21, 1870. She was born on February6, 1849, and was a daughter of Uriah and Dianah (Newell) Ashley.

Samuel worked as a carpenter in Rockcastle, Lincoln, and Adair Countiesuntil his death on August 5, 1889. Lucinda died on December 25, 1940, andwas buried in the Ragan Cemetery near the Adair-Russell Countiesboundary. She and Samuel Sparks had three daughters who reached maturityand married three brothers.

**********************
SQ p. 2167-68:

UNION SOLDIERS NAMED SPARKS WHO APPLIED, OR WHOSE HEIRS APPLIED, FORPENSIONS FOR SERVICE IN THE CIVIL WAR

(Editor's Note: From time to time we have been publishing abstracts ofthe pension files of Union soldiers who served in the Civil War. Readersare referred to page 2110 of the June 1979 issue of the QUARTERLY, WholeNo. 106, for an explanation of these abstracts.)

SAMUEL A. SPARKS, son of Samuel and Mary (Aaron) Sparks, born June 2,1836, in Adair County, Ky., died Aug. 5, 1889. He married Lucinda P.Ashley on Aug. 21, 1870, in Rockcastle County, Ky. He served in CompanyA, 3rd Regt. Kentucky Infantry. File Designation: Inv. Cert. No. 312,737.Wid. Cert. No. 300,523.

Samuel A. Sparks was living in Lincoln County, Ky., when he filed anapplication for an invalid pension on Sept. 8, 1879. He was 43 years old;5 feet, 8¾ inches tall; and had a fair complexion, blue eyes and lighthair. He stated that he had enlisted in Company A, 3rd Regiment KentuckyInfantry Volunteers, commanded by Joseph Russell, on Aug. 10, 1861, andhe was discharged at Louisville, Ky., on Oct. 13, 1864, at the end of histerm of service. On April 18th or 19th, he had received a gunshot woundin his right thigh at Corinth, Mississippi, and shortly thereafter he hadcontracted pneumonia because of exposure. In September or October, 1863,at Chattanooga, Tenn., he contracted scurvy from having eaten improperfood. At Atlanta, Ga., in August 1864, he contracted scrofula from theeffects of the scurvy and was treated for the latter at Hospital No. 4,Louisville, Ky. Since his discharge he had practiced his trade as acarpenter in Adair, Rockcastle, and Lincoln Counties, Ky. John Haggardand William Haggard, both of Crab Orchard, Ky., attested to his statementwhich was witnessed by D. B. Edmiston and L. M. Pennington.

Apparently the application was approved and Samuel A. Sparks received apension under Invalid Certificate No. 312,737. On Aug. 13, 1883, theAdjutant General's Office confirmed his military service and stated thatthe company roster for March, April, May, and June 1862 was not on file,but added that the 3rd Regt. Kentucky Infantry was at the siege ofCorinth, Miss., from May 1 to 30, 1862.

Samuel A. Sparks died on Aug. 5, 1889, and on the 19th of that month hiswidow, Lucinda P. Sparks, made application for an Accrued Pension. Shestated that her husband had been paid up to June 4, 1889, but that shewas applying for that portion of his pension which had accrued from thatdate until the date he died. She said that she had married Samuel A.Sparks on Aug. 21, 1870, under her maiden name of Lucinda P. Ashley.Laura Miller and Mollie Miller, both of Crocus, Ky., attested to herstatement. On December 14, 1889, H. G. Howard, age 52 years, of Brodhead,Ky., and a former justice of the peace of Rockcastle County, Ky., made anaffidavit that on Aug. 21, 1870, he had married Samuel A. Sparks andLucinda P. Sparks in Rockcastle County. J. G. Frith, a justice of thepeace, attested to the affidavit and the Rockcastle County Clerk, M. C.Miller, recorded the affidavit.

Lucinda P. Sparks survived her husband fifty-one years and died onChristmas day, 1940, at Glens Fork, Adair County, Ky. According to thecertificate of death, she was born in Rockcastle County, Ky., on Feb. 6,1849, and was a daughter of Uriah and Dianah (Newell) Ashley. She wasburied in the Ragan Cemetery. On Jan. 24, 1941, a son-in-law, GranvilleT. Aaron, made a claim for her burial expenses under her pensioncertificate No. 300,523, stating that the burial expenses were $160 andthat the deceased had left only $60 in cash in the way of property. TheVeteran's Administration asked for additional information which wassupplied by Aaron on March 12, 1941. He stated that he was 63 years oldand a resident of Glens Fork, Ky. His mother-in-law had been bedfast fromDecember 1939 until her death and had been nursed by Mrs. May Aaron andhimself with whom she had made her home. Her final expenses had all beenpaid except those of the undertaker in the amount of $160. WilliamCheatham attested to the correctness of the statement which was sworn tobefore L. W. Tabor, a notary public. Dr. W. J. Flowers completed aportion of the form reserved for the attending physician and stated thathe had seen the deceased regularly for many months prior to her deathwhich was a result of general arterioschlerosis. There is nothing in thefile to indicate the action which the Veteran's Administration took onthe application.

.

!NOTES:
SQ 3277: "Samuel B. Sparks, son of Jonas J. and Polly (Hankins) Sparks,
was born about 1861. He married Emma Griffith on November 2, 1885 . She
wasa a daughter of Tazewell Griffith. According to the ANNALS OF TAZEWELL
COUNTY, they had nine children: Mattie, Frank, Roy, Glenn, Newton, Walter,
George, Robert and Joseph."

SQ pg 2923-2924 supplys information on Samuel, his wife and ninechildren stating in part: "Samuel Barkley Sparks, son of John and Rebecca(Wareham) Sparks, was born on October 6, 1848, at the Old Sparks Mill inBlack Valley on a part of the land claim settled by his grandfather{Joseph (494)} a t the time of the American Revolution. He married MaryMagdalene Stayer on July 4, 1874. She was born in 1856 and was a daughterof Aaron and Mary (Defibaugh ) Stayer. Samuel died on September 1, 1914,and Mary died in 1932. They were b uried in
the Indian Springs Cemetary at Everett (in Bedford County, PA). The yhad nine children.

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

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY September 2002, Whole No. 200, pp 5774-5777:(JS the last full article printed in the SPARKS QUARTERLY)

SAMUEL B. SPARKS (Born October 8, 1848) OF WEST PROVIDENCE,PENNSYLVANIA

(Died September 1, 1914)

We are grateful to N. C. Smith of Bickerington, Ohio, for sharing with usa biographical sketch of Samuel B. Sparks (1848-1914) of West Providence,in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Smith reports that he was able toprocure this record from a publication called the Biographical Review ,Vol. 32, page 321, published in Boston in 1899. Following this sketch, wewill add an editor's note giving the ancestry of Samuel B. Sparks, withsources in the QUARTERLY where data pertaining to his branch of theSparks family have been published. Mr.Smith reports that Samuel was hisown great-grandfather on his mother's side.

SAMUEL B. SPARKS is a prominent farmer and an extensive lumbermanufacturer and dealer of West Providence, Pa., where he was born onOctober 8, 1848, and where his paternal grandfather, Joseph Sparks, whofought in the Revolutionary War, was a pioneer settler.This townshipwas also the place of birth of his father, the late John S. Sparks, Esq.The Sparks family, it is said, originated In England.

John S. Sparks was influential in business and political circles,andduring his entire life was actively identified with the highestinterests of the township. For thirty years prior to his death,which occurred in August, 1876, he served as Justice of the Peace, andwas familiarly known as Squire Sparks. A leader among the Whigs inhis earlierdays, he was a staunch supporter of the Republican party fromthe time of its formation. He married Rebecca Wareham, who was born inFranklin County, Pennsylvania, eighty three years ago, and isnow[1899] in Clearville, Bedford County, being one of the oldest and mostrespected women of that town. She is a member of the Lutheran church,to which her husband also belonged. Of their children, five are nowliving, as follows: Joseph, of Clearville, Pa.; John C., also ofclearville; Samuel B., the subject of this sketch; Abraham W., a residentof the State of Washington; and Mary, wife of Aaron Stayer, of Monroe,Pa.

Samuel B. Sparks in common with the companions of his youth obtainedhis education in the district schools. Beginning life for himself at anearly age, he selected farming as an occupation, and in addition tofollowing the industry, he has also operated a saw-mill, as a lumbermanufacturer and dealer meeting with excellent success. In the managementof his farm of two hundred and twenty-seven acres and in the work of themill he is kept well employed, as is fully shown by the neat andattractive appearance of his premises. A man of broad and generousspirit, he is a promoter of enterprises that are calculated to advancethe prosperity of the town or county. In politics he is a firmRepublican, and has served as School Director of the township two terms,and has also been a member of the Board of Elections.

Mr. Sparks married Mary Stayer, daughter of the late Aaron Stayer,ofWest Providence, Pa. They are the parents of six children, namely:Rebecca, wife of Frank Wicht; John C.; Russell B.; Joseph P.; Abraham W.;and Charles C.

Editor's note: Samuel B. Sparks was noted in an article entitled "JosephSparks (ca.1730-1809) of Frederick County, Maryland, and Bedford County,Pennsylvania," by Paul E. Sparks, in the QUARTERLY of September 1986,Whole No. 135, pp. 2913-2928.)

On page 2923 of this 1986 article, Paul E. Sparks stated that the middleinitial ("B.") stood for "Barkley." The Joseph Sparks (1730-1809)featured in this article was the great-grandfather of Samuel B. Sparks.Based on informationtamed from descendants, Paul E. Sparks wrote asfollows regarding Samuel B. Sparks (page 2923).

Samuel Barkley Sparks, son of John and Rebecca (Wareham) Sparks, was bornon October 6, 1848, at the Old Sparks Mill in Black Valley on a part ofthe land claim settled by his grandfather at the timeof the AmericanRevolution. He married Mary Magdalene Stayer on July 4, 1874. She wasborn in 1856 and was a daughter of Aaronand Mary (Deflbaugh) Stayer.Samuel died on September 1, 1914, and Mary died in 1932. They were buriedin the Indian Springs Cemetery at Everett. They had 9 children.

(a) David Sparks, born about 1875, died at age 7 years.

(b) Rebecca Jane Sparks, born December 1, 1876, was married to JeremiahFranklin Weicht on July 4, 1892.

(c) John Sherman Sparks, born April 14, 1878, was married to Dora BelleAmick on April 10, 1901.

(d) Samuel Russell Sparks, born February 25, 1880, was married to SarahBelle Karns in December 1904.

(e) Joseph Patterson Sparks, born November 4, 1882, was married to AnnaPearl Beck on April 8, 1908.

(f) Aaron Sparks, born about 1884, died in infancy.

(g) Abram Wareham Sparks, born September 29, 1886, was married to EdnaVirginia (Krouse) Davis on January 1, 1908.

(h) William Sparks, born about 1888, died in infancy.

(i) Charles Calvin Sparks, born on October 30, 1892, never married.

Further information about the children of Samuel B. Sparks who lived toadulthood can be found on pp. 2323-24 of the September 1986 QUARTERLY.

Samuel B. Sparks was a great-great-great-grandson of the William Sparkswho migrated in 1662 from Hampshire County, England, to Maryland. WilliamSparks died in Queen Annes County, Maryland, in 1709. (See the QUARTERLYof March 1971, Whole No. 73, pp. 1381-89, and that of December 1992,Whole No. 160, pp 4025-4034, for biographical data on William Sparks.)We believe, but lack precise documentary proof, that William Sparks (died1709) was a son ofThomas and Joane (Davis) Sparks who were married inFareham Parish, Hampshire County, on October 19, 1635. Among theirchildren, according to the Baptismal Record of Fareham Parish, was a sonnamed William who was baptized on August 6, 1646.

William Sparks (died 1709) was the father of four sons, the youngest ofwhom Joseph Sparks, born about 1690 in Talbot County, Maryland; Josephdied in Frederick County, Maryland in 1749. (Talbot County had beencreated from Kent County in 1662, and until 1706, it included what wasthen cut off to form Queen Annes County.) See the article entitled“Joseph Sparks (Born ca. 1690, Died 1749) of Maryland” in the QUARTERLYof March 1990, Whole No. 149, pp. 3554 3561. Joseph’s wife’s name wasMary, but we have not discovered her maiden name. Joseph Sparks was thegreat-great-grandfather of Samuel E. Sparks.

This Joseph Sparks. who died in 1749. also named a son Josenh who wasborn about 1730 and died in 1809. An article about this Joseph, entitled"Joseph Sparks (ca.1730-1809) of Frederick County, Maryland, & BedfordCounty, Pennsylvania" appeared in the QUARTERLY of September 1986, WholeNumber 135, beginning on page 2914; it, also, was complied by Paul E.Sparks.

At the time Paul E. Sparks wrote the 1986 article, we did not have proofthat Joseph Sparks (ca. 1730-1809) was a son of the Joseph who died inFrederick County, Maryland, in 1749; later we found that proof.

Joseph Sparks (ca.1730-1809) was the great-grandfather of Samuel B.Sparks. He married in Frederick County, Maryland, about 1752 to MaryMcDaniel, daughter of James and Rebecca McDaniel. They were the parentsof 9 children:

a. Joseph Sparks, III, born March 25, 1754.
b. James Sparks, born about 1755.
c. Mary Sparks, born about 1757.
d. Sarah Sparks, born about 1758.
e. Solomon Sparks, born June 13, 1760.
f. Rebecca Sparks, born about 1762.
g. Susannah Sparks, born about 1764.
h. Elizabeth Sparks, born about 1766.
i. Chole Sparks, born about 1770.

Further information about these children of Joseph and Mary (McDaniel)Sparks given In the QUARTERLY of September 1986, cited above, beginningon page 2919, and continued in the issue of December 1988, Whole No. 144,pp. 4458-50.

As shown above, the eldest son of Joseph and Mary (McDaniel) Sparks, wasalso named Joseph, born March 25, 1754. Here we will designate him as"Joseph Sparks, III," though in his biographical sketch beginning on page2919 of the September 1986 issue of the QUARTERLY, we called him "JosephSparks, Jr." became the grandfather of Samuel B. Sparks.

Though Joseph Sparks, III, spent his youth in Frederick County, Maryland,when he was about 20 years old, he and his two brothers set out acrossthe Appalachian Mountains to seek the cheap and fertile lands that theyhad heard were available in Pennsylvania. Joseph, III, was about 20 yearsold, James was about 19, and Solomon about 15. All three settled inBedford County, Pennsylvania. This was on the eve of the RevolutionaryWar, and when the conflict commenced, all three joined the AmericanRangers to defend the frontier against hostile Indians who were allies ofEngland. His gravestone in the Indian Springs Cemetery has an inscriptionstating that he had been a soldier in the Revolution.

By the year 1800, the brothers’ father, Joseph Sparks (ca.1730-1809)followed him to Bedford County, their mother, Mary, having died earlier.

Joseph Sparks, III, was married about 1778 to Elizabeth, and they werethe parents of eight children. Following the Revolutionary War, he becamean extensive land owner on Clear Ridge in Bedford County. His wife,Elizabeth, whose maiden name we have not discovered, died there on March16, 1803, at age 39. She was buried in the Indian Springs Cemetery nearthe village of Everett. Their children were:

(1) Solomon Sparks, born September 13, 1780; his wife’s name was Rachel.

(2) Christianea Sparks, born September 21, 1782.

(3) Mary Sparks, born about 1784; she was married to Elijah Morris.

(4) Joseph Sparks, born about 1785, died in 1862. He served in the Warof1812 and later received bounty for that service. In his will, he left hisestate to the sons of his brother, John C. Sparks.

(5) Elizabeth Snarks, born June 24. 1787. and died on July 28, 1858. Shedid not marry.

(6) James Sparks, born about 1788, was married to his cousin, MarySparks, daughter of James and Nancy (Rogers) Sparks. He served in theWar of 1812 and received bounty land for that service.

(7) Barbara Sparks born about 1791. She was apparently physicallyhandicapped and died on May 30, 1838. Her father provided for her welfarein his will.

(8) John S. Sparks was born April 4, 1799, and was married to Rebecca A.Wareham. See below.

Joseph Sparks, III, died on September 18, 1827, and was buried beside hiswife, Elizabeth, in the Indian Springs Cemetery, in Bedford County.

John S. Sparks, youngest son of Joseph, III, and Elizabeth Sparks, wasnot yet 4 years old when his mother died. Apparently he was reared by hisolder siblings. He was married about 1840 to Rebecca A. Wareham, who hadbeen born on May 16, 1816. They were the parents of Samuel B. Sparks andwere mentioned prominently in Samuel’s biographical sketch reprinted onpage 5774of the present Issue of the QUARTERLY.

John S. Sparks lived out his life in Bedford County, dying there onAugust 30,1876. His widow, Rebecca, survived John for nearly thirtyyears, dying on August 15, 1905. They were the parents of nine children:

(a) Joseph H. H. Sparks, born February 9, 1841. He was married twice,first to Mary Bussard and second to Georgia E. Casteel. He appliedsuccessfully for a pension for his service in the Civil War. (See theMarch 1986 issue of the QUARTERLY, Whole No. 133, for an abstract of hispension papers.)

(b) Sarah E. Sparks, born September 24, 1842. She was married to WilliamDavis.

(c) John Clay Sparks, born April 25, 1844. He applied successfully for apension based on his Civil War service. (See the QUARTERLY of December1985, Whole No. 132, for an abstract of his pension file.) He did notmarry.

(d) Matthew P. Sparks, born March 11, 1846; he died on March 24, 1858, atthe age of 12.

(e) Samuel Barkley Sparks, born October 6, 1848.

(f) James Sparks, born May 26, 1853; he died at age 5 on November 15,1858.

(g) Abraham W. Sparks, born about 1855. He did not marry, and died onApril 11, 1916.

(h) Phineas Sparks, born February 29, 1856. He died on March 10, 1856.

(i) Mary Catherine Sparks, born May 24, 1857. She was married to AaronStayer. She died September 10, 1927.

More detailed information regarding several of these children of John S.and Rebecca A. (Wareham) Sparks may be found on pages 2922-24 of theSeptember1986 issue of the QUARTERLY, Whole No. 135.

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

.
!NOTES:
SPARKS QUARTERLY, ppg 4468-9:
"Samuel Buren Sparks, son of Van and Betty (Newton) Sparks, was bo rnon January 5, 1879, in Lampasas, Texas. He became a Baptist minis terand served for a time in a church in Santa Fe, New Mexico; he wa s alsochaplain for the New Mexico Senate, in the state legislature . OnNovember 17 1910, he was married to Mayme Lou Harper in Bell Co unty,Texas. She had been born on September 11, 1891, and was a daug hter ofLee Walker and Lora Elizabeth (Hoover) Harper. Buren (as h e is called)Sparks died on December 13, 1948, at Burnet, Texas. May me died there onDecember 18, 1973.
"The Rev. Buren Sparks made his last appearance as a clergyman in J une1946, according to an account written in a book, Home to Texas b yStanley Walker, 1954, about the funeral of Walker's mother. Walke rwrote: Sparks was dying of cancer and could hardly see, but he wa sstill a delight. He was religious, make no mistake about that, bu t henever forgot that he was a human being. He could tell wonderfu l westTexas and New Mexico cow-country stories. He was a pretty goo d writer;he was a dead shot; and if he felt like it, he would tak e a drink ofwhiskey without apologizing to anyone. His remarks at m y mother'sfuneral were brief, sensible and terribly moving; merciful ly free ofmawkishness and false eloquence. He spoke of her pionee r girlhood, herrugged life, her devotion to her family, her friend s and neighbors, andto her church, and he reminded his listeners o f their loss. That wasit."