SQ 3796: "Son, born ca.1790. This may have been William Z. Sparks (orWilliam S. Sparks) who was married (1st) to Elizabeth Gentry in 1813,and (2nd) to Mary Benge."

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Sparks Quarterly, September, 2000, Whole No. 191, pp. 5396-5403:

WILLIAM Z. SPARKS (ca. 1791-1858)

By Russell E. Bidlack

"William Sparks, who died in Queen Annes County, Maryland, in 1709,was the progenitor of the branch of the Sparks family that was and isclosely associated with Rowan County, North Carolina, and the severalcounties formed from it (e.g. Surry in 1770, Wilkes in 1777, Burke in1777, Iredell in 1788, Davidson in 1822, Davie in 1836, and Yadkin in1850).

"Two grandsons of William Sparks (died 1709) moved with members oftheir families from Frederick County, Maryland, to the Forks of theYadkin in Rowan County (now Davie County) in or about 1754. They wereWilliam Sample Sparks (ca.1700- ca.1765) who was a son of WilliamSparks, Jr., eldest son of William Sparks who had died in 1709; andSolomon Sparks (ca.1720-ca.1790) who was a son of Joseph Sparks (died1749). Joseph had been the youngest son of William (died 1709). (Seethe QUARTERLY of December 1989, Whole No. 148, for an article onWilliam Sample Sparks, and the issue for December 1955, Whole No. 12,for information on Solomon Sparks.)

"A major problem in tracing the descendants of William Sparks (died1709) is that the name William was
repeated among most of his sons and grandsons in choosing names fortheir children, often for their eldest son. Although William SampleSparks had a middle name, this was unusual in the Eighteenth Century.Middle names did not become common in America until the latter part ofthe Nineteenth Century, although, in order to distinguish betweentheir many cousins named William Sparks, middle initials weresometimes assumed by individuals bearing the name.

"A son of William Sample Sparks (he was probably the eldest son), wasalways known simply as "William Sparks"; he had been born about 1725and was married to a woman named Ann before his father and siblingsleft Frederick County, Maryland, for North Carolina in or about 1854.He remained in Frederick County for another decade, but in 1764 hebrought his young family to the Forks of the Yadkin, also. (For adetailed record of the life of this William Sparks, who died in1801/02, see the QUARTERLY of June 1991, Whole No. 154.)

"In either 1770 or 1771, Solomon Sparks moved to a new settlement,this time from the Forks of the Yadkin to a part of Rowan County thathad just been cut off to form Surry County. He settled on the NorthBranch of Hunting Creek. William Sparks, who had joined Solomon andhis other relatives in the Forks of the Yadkin in 1764, followedSolomon to Surry County in or shortly before 1772. (Solomon andWilliam were first cousins, once removed.)

"When Wilkes County was created from Surry County in 1777, thedividing line ran directly through Solomon Sparks's land. Although hishouse remained in Surry County, a readjustment of the line a littlelater meant that he then became a resident of Wilkes County, where hedied about 1790. William Sparks's land remained in Surry County, andit was there that he died between December 1801 and May 1802.

"It is our goal here to attempt to identify how a Wlliiam Sparks, whowas born about 1791 and who died in 1858, fits into the Sparks family.He lived near the village of Jonesville, just south of the YadkinRiver in what became Yadkin County in 1850. In later years, thisWilliam Sparks added the letter "Z"to his name as a middle initial,although it was sometimes written "S," and in many records he wascalled simply William Sparks.

"A study of extant tax and census records for Surry County during theearly 1800s reveals that there were two clusters of the Sparks familyliving in what is now Yadkin County. They were about eight milesapart. The group to which William Z. Sparks belonged lived near thevillage of Jonesville, with farms located near the waters of DeepCreek, Fall Creek, and Beaverdam Creek.

The other cluster of Sparkses in what became Yadkin County was headedby Matthew Sparks (ca.1752 -1819), who was a son of Wlliiam and AnnSparks. He and his several sons lived on Hunting Creek and itsbranches in the southwest corner of Yadkin County, about four milesnorth of the Iredell County line. Until 1850, this was, of course, inSurry County. Part of Matthew's land adjoined the dividing linebetween Surry and Wilkes Counties. (See the QUARTERLY of June 2000,Whole No. 190, for a detailed record of Matthew Sparks and hisfamily.)

"Just over the line in Wilkes County, but still on the North Fork ofHunting Creek, lived Solomon Sparks, Jr., a son of the Solomon Sparkswho had come to the Forks of the Yadkin in or about 1754. SolomonSparks, Jr. had purchased land there from William T. Lewis in 1791 andfrom George Denney in 1805. (See the QUARTERLY of March 2000, WholeNo.189 for an article on Solomon Sparks, Jr. and some of hisdescendants.) Then, in 1808, Solomon Sparks, Jr. purchased 150 acresover the line in Surry County, and from 1813 until 1818, his son,William Sparks, lived on and was taxed for this tract of 150 acres.Solomon Sparks, Jr. died in Wilkes County on December 18, 1817, afterwhich this tract in Surry County was sold. His son, William Sparks,then disappeared from Surry County tax records; he was not shown onthe 1820 census of either Surry or Wilkes County. We can onlyconjecture that he died in or about 1818 or, more probably, he movedout of the area after his father died. This William Sparks, son ofSolomon Sparks, Jr., must not be confused with William Z. Sparks, thesubject of the present sketch. Likewise, William Z. Sparks must not beconfused with William D. Sparks (ca.1790-1858), son
of Matthew and Eunice Sparks. (See the QUARTERLY of June 2000, WholeNo. 190, pp.5379-87 for a sketch of the life of William D. Sparks.)

"From circumstantial evidence, there is good reason to believe thatWilliam Z. Sparks was a son of George Sparks who had been born about1758/60 in Frederick County, Maryland. George had accompanied hisparents, William and Ann Sparks, in their migration from Maryland tothe Forks of the Yadkin in 1764. Although we have found no clue bywhich to identify the wife of George Sparks, we know from censusrecords between 1790 and 1830 that he had a family consisting,apparently, of three sons and four daughters. When the 1830 census wastaken, he was enumerated in the 60 to 70 age category, but there wasno female in his household of a similar age. The further fact that hemade no mention of his wife when he made his will on November 18,1833, suggests that she had died, probably before 1830.

"Although George Sparks referred to "all my children" in his will, henamed only his one unmarried daughter, Franky, and his son, GeorgeSparks, Jr. To George, Jr., he left all his land (300 acres),including his "still and stand" and his farming tools. His personalproperty was to be sold to pay his debts, with the remainder to bedivided among "all my children" except George,Jr. Two grandchildren,James and Wilson Edwards, were to receive their deceased mother'sshare. The name of this deceased daughter of George Sparks is notknown, but the provision in his will that the portion received bythese grandchildren "be paid into the Hand of Samuel Edwards" suggeststhat Samuel Edwards was probably their father. (See the QUARTERLY ofJune 1983, Whole No. 122, pp. 2520-24, for further informationregarding George Sparks, including the full text of his will.)

"George Sparks, in leaving all of his land to his son, George, Jr.,probably did so with the understanding that George, Jr. would care forhim during his remaining years. Perhaps he had already provided insome manner for his other two sons, including, we believe, WIlliam Z.Sparks.

"From census records, we know that William Z. Sparks was born about1791. He lived his entire life in the Jonesville area, and he diedthere in December 1858. His name flrst appeared on the 1812 tax listof Surry County; he owned no land then, but he was taxed for one poll(himself). (North Carolina law required at that time that all freemales between the ages of 21 and 50 pay an annual poll tax.) It was inCapt. Martin's District that William Sparks paid his poll tax in 1812.(The tax district at that time was the same as the militia district,and it was known by the name of the captain of militia in that area.)Two other men named Sparks appeared on Capt. Martin's list: GeorgeSparks with 700 acres of land and two polls, and Thomas Sparks with203 acres and one poll.

"This Thomas Sparks, who was taxed on 203 acres of land in 1812, was,like George Sparks, a son of William and Ann Sparks. Thomas had beenborn about 1766. He was married about 1787 to Rebecca ; there is apossibility that her maiden name had been Bell. After her death about1795, Thomas was married (2nd) to Diana Wilcox about 1800. ThomasSparks moved about 1817 to the area where Lee and Scott Counties,Virginia, adjoin; still later he moved, with his brother, JamesSparks, to Lawrence County, Kentucky. (For a detailed record of thelife and. family of Thomas Sparks, see the QUARTERLY of December 1991,Whole No. 156; March 1992, Whole No. 157; and June 1992, Whole No.158.)

"When the 1815 tax list for Capt. Martin's District was prepared,William [Z.] Sparks, the subject of this sketch, was listed as owning91 acres on Fall Creek, valued at $150. This tract was described asadjoining land owned by "N. Morrison." We have found a deed in SurryCounty which accounts for this 91-acre tract. Although dated March 1,1818, this deed refers to the land as having been "delivered" toSparks in 1815. By this deed (see Surry County Deed Book 0, pp.257-8), Nathaniel Morrison sold for "50 pounds current money" to"William Sparks," both of Surry County, a tract of 100 acres, beingthe south portion of a larger tract of which Morrison had sold aportion to William Jenkins in 1815. The witnesses to this 1818 deedwere Allen Sisk and Joseph Sparks.

"While described in the deed as comprising 100 acres, it appears that,for tax purposes, this tract was judged to be 91 acres in 1815 and 97acres after 1816.

"On January 16, 1817, "William S. [Z.] Sparks" obtained a grant ofland from the state of North Carolina for 50 shillings per hundredacres. On December 26, 1818, the grant was made official in theTreasury Office. The tract was described as being on Beverdam Creekand comprised 250 acres. It adjoined land owned by Wiley Craft,Jonathan Sparks, Benjamin Sparks, and Sebastian. (See Surry CountyDeed Book P, pp. 378-79.) That year (1817), William Z. Sparks wastaxed on 347 acres with a total value of $350. Before the 1818 taxlist for Surry County was prepared, however, William had disposed ofhis 250-acre grant which he had obtained the year before from thestate. In 1818, he was shown as owning only 97 acres valued at $150and adjoining the land of Allen Sisk. We have found no record toreveal how he had disposed of his 250 acres.

"When the Surry County tax records were prepared in 1819, what hadearlier been called Capt. Martin's District (identified as "CaptainJoshua K. Speer's District" in 1818), was now called the "District ofJonesville." Again, William Sparks was shown as owning 97 acres ofland; its value, however, was increased to $250. Allen Sisk was againshown as owning land adjoining that of William Z. Sparks, althoughSisk's land (103 acres) was described as adjoining the land of GeorgeSparks. George Sparks, himself, was shown on this 1819 tax list asowning 320 acres valued at $600. It was described simply as lying onDeep Creek.

"Four other men named Sparks were taxed in 1819 on land they owned inthe Jonesville District. They were: Jonathan Sparks, 220 acres valuedat $300 adjoining Wm. Rose; Benjamin Sparks, 186 acres ($400)adjoining Jonathan Sparks; Joseph Sparks, 244 acres ($300) adjoiningAllen Sisk; and Benja. Sparks, 93 acres ($300) adjoining Jesse Sisk.(Owners of land described as adjoining land owned by persons namedSparks were: Robert Burchel adjoining Benja. Sparks; John Edwardsadjoining George Sparks; Allen Sisk adjoining George Sparks; and JohnParks adjoining Jonathan Sparks.)

"Wiley Craft, mentioned in the 1817 grant of land to William Z. Sparksas owning adjoining land, had been married in Surry County to AgathaSparks (spelled "Auga thee") in 1812. The bond for this marriage wasdated January 28, 1812, and we can assume that the marriage occurredsoon thereafter. Allen Sisk served as bondsman. Wiley Craft thenserved as bondsman (on January 4, 1813) for the marriage bond forWilliam Sparks and Elizabeth Gentry. Although no middle initial wasshown on this bond for William Sparks, circumstantial evidence leadsus to believe that this was the first marriage of William Z. Sparks.We wonder whether the Agatha Sparks who had been married to WileyCraft in 1812 may have been a sister of William Z. Sparks. Anothermarriage bond of interest is that for Joseph Sparks and MarthaEdwards, dated January 28, 1815, with Richard Gentry serving asbondsman. Joseph Sparks, who was born about 1790 in Surry County, was,we believe a son of Thomas and Rebecca Sparks. Thomas Sparks(ca.1766-ca.1837), like George Sparks, was a son of William and AnnSparks. (See the QUARTERLY of December 1991, Whole No. 156,pp.3855-58.) It would seem likely that this Martha Edwards was relatedto the grandchildren named in the will of George Sparks in 1833 asJames and Wilson Edwards.

"William Z. Sparks was not listed as heading a household in SurryCounty when the 1820 census was taken. He was probably just missed bythe census taker, although it is possible that he and his family wereliving in someone else's house hold. (Only the heads of household wereactually named on census records prior to 1850.)

"When the 1824 tax list for the Jonesville District in Surry Countywas prepared, William Sparks's tract of 97 acres was described asadjoining land owned by William Jenkins. The 1825 tax list seems notto have been preserved, but that for 1826 shows William Sparks with194 acres adjoining James Morrison. This increase in his landownership is explained by a Surry County deed (Book T, p.63) datedNovember 29, 1825. On that date, "William Z. Sparks" purchased fromWilliam Jenkins a tract of 91 acres "on the waters of Fall Creek"adjoining his own land. (The witnesses to this deed were Richard H.Parks and Richard Guinn, both of whom were near neighbors of WilliamZ. Sparks.) In fact, this same tract had been noted in the deed bywhich William had purchased his original tract from NathanielMorrison; Morrison had stated in that deed that he had sold the northportion of his farm in 1815 to William Jenkins and the south portionto William Sparks. Sparks now (1825) paid Jenkins $150 for these 91acres adjoining his own land, giving him a farm that was described insubsequent tax records as comprising total acreage varying as follows:193, 194, 195, and 197. In 1838, 1840, and 1841, it was simply called200 acres.

"While the deed of 1825 clearly identified Sparks as "William Z.Sparks," in the body of the document he was called simply "WilliamSparks."

"When the 1830 census of Surry County was taken, William Z. Sparks waslisted as heading a household very near that of George Sparks. In theenumeration of his family, he, himself, was shown as between 40 and 50years of age (thus born be tween 1780 and 1790). A female, doubtlesshis wife, was enumerated as between 30 and 40 (thus born between 1790and 1800). There were seven children in their household enumerated asfollows: (Note that their ages would be in agreement with the marnagerecord noted earlier for William Sparks and Elizabeth Gentry in 1813.)

2 males between 10 and 15 [thus born 1815 -1820]
1 male between 5 and 10 [thus born 1820 -1825]
1 male under 5 thus born between [1825 -1830]
1 female between 15 and 20 [born 1810 -1815]
1 female between 10 and 15 [born 1815 -1820]
1 female between 5 and 10 [born 1820-1825]

"Because census takers proceeded from one house to the next ingathering their information, their records reveal who were nearneighbors to one another. The names on each side of William Z. Sparkson the 1830 census may prove useful in further research. They were asfollows:

Thomas Pettyjohn, William Cheek, Hannah Brewer, Charles Johnson,Charles Johnson, Jr., James
Jeffrey, Obediah Collins, David Woodruff, Henry Cook, George Sparks,Charles Ray, Charles
Russel, William Casey, William Z. Sparks, James Morrison, RobertsHowel, Benjamin Rose, Robert Perdew, Elizabeth Parks, JohnRose, Reuben Johnson, Micajah Becknal, Robert Burchett, ReubenUnderwood, Richard Guynn, Thomas D. Kelly, James Harris, RichardParks.

"When the 1840 census of Surry County was taken, William Z. Sparks'shousehold was enumerated as follows:

1 male (himself) age 40 to 50 (thus born 1790-1800)
1 male age 15-20 (thus born 1820-1825)
1 male age 10-15 (thus born 1825-1830)
1 male age 5-10 (thus born 1830-1835)
1 female (doubtless his wife) age 40 to 50 (thus born 1790-1800)
1 female age 15-20 (thus born 1820-1825)

"With the enumerations from these two census records for the family ofWilliam Z. Sparks, plus that of 1850 that will be mentioned later, wecan speculate that he was the father of seven children:
(Here lists children for which see their individual sheets.)

(The article continues:)

"William Z. Sparks apparently suffered some financial reverses in thelate 1830s. On March 12, 1838 (according to Surry County Deed Book X,p.62), he was forced to mortgage his farm (described as containing 195acres) on which he lived--also included in the mortgage was hislivestock ("one roan mare, three head of cattle, nine head of hogs,eight head of sheep") as well as his furniture, a still, and tubs. Themortgage was to be held by William C. De Journett and was to cover anote for $110.32 to H. S. Hampton dated October 24, 1837. In thismortgage, which William Z. Sparks signed by mark, his farm wasdescribed as adjoining land owned by James Morrison and BenedictCastevens. Witnesses were Wm. C. De Journett and H. S. Morrison.

"Apparently William Z. Sparks was able to pay off this mortgage, buton February 12, 1841, he again had to mortgage his farm (Surry CountyDeed Book Y, pp. 374-5) for a variety of debts (a total of $142.783/4) owed to Benedict Castephus, T. W. Cowles, Josiah Cowles, and to apartnership known as Cowles & Wilcox. Thomas Sparks, who was probablya son of William Z. Sparks, was identified as a joint-debtor with himfor one of the notes. William Z. Sparks's debt to Alfred Deniette wasshared with Axim Holloman.

"The financial situation of William Z. Sparks apparently worsened, andon September 25, 1841, according to Surry County Deed Book 1, p.363)he was forced to mortgage his still plus all the brandy that he wouldbe able to make from his fruit trees during the following fall andwinter. In this instance, his creditors were identified as IsaacAustil, T. W. Carter, and Josiah Cowles. In connection with one ofthese debts, Thomas Sparks (doubtless his son) was again named asjoint-debtor.

"The 1850 census was the first federal census to list by name allmembers of each household, along with their ages, occupations (ifmales over 16), and places of birth. The household of William Z.Sparks appeared as follows in Surry County in 1850:

Name Age Occupation Real Estate Birth
William Z. Sparks 58 Farmer $150 NC
Mary Sparks 37 NC
James Sparks 21 Farmer NC
Uriah Benge 10 NC

"From this listing, it appears that the first wife of William Z.Sparks had died be tween 1840 and 1850, and that he had remarried, hissecond wife's name being Mary. The 21-year-old James Sparks livingwith William Z. Sparks was doubtless his youngest son, born about1829.

"The presence of the 10-year-old Uriah Benge in this family providesan important clue. There is a marriage bond in Surry County datedSeptember 5, 1844, for William Sparks and Mary Benge, with GeorgeSparks as bondsman and James E. Hough as witness. We may be quite surethat Mary Benge was a widow with a small son named Uriah at the timeshe was married to William Z. Sparks. We know that a Benge familylived near the Sparkses in the Jonesville area.

"William Z. Sparks died in December 1858. He did not leave a will. InApril 1859 his widow, Mary, requested the County Court to appoint ajustice of the peace and three freeholders (i. e., landowners) "toview the personal estate of her said deceased husband and out of thecrop, stock & provisions on hand to allow & set apart to yourpetitioner a sufficient support for herself & family for one year..."The documents pertaining to William Z. Sparks's estate are verylimited in number. In these documents, summarized below, only the name"William Sparks" appears, without any middle initial.

"The Court complied with the widow's request, and a justice of thepeace named Moses Gross, along with S. S. Arnold, Stephen Evans, andHenry Marshel, were appointed to prepare an inventory of the estateleft by William Z. Sparks, with in structions to determine what shouldbe "set apart" for his widow.

"William Z. Sparks obviously had few worldly goods when he died. Infact, when these four men completed their inventory, they noted: "Thewidow is very poor in deed; we charge no pay." (Men appointed toperform this task by the Court were entitled to payment for their timefrom the estate.) In the end, they "set apart" the following items forMary Sparks:

two beds and furniture
one Small Cupboard and two Chests and one Table
one Lot of Gear and farming tools one Sythe and Cradle
also the present Crop of growing wheat
also one spotted Sow and five Shoats
also Sevinty [sic] Dollars in Cash if to be found.

"When the 1860 census was taken of Yadkin County, which had been "cutoff" from Surry County a decade
earlier, Mary Sparks, 44 years old, was listed as heading a household.Living with her was Uriah Benge, now age 21. A man named RobertFreeman (age 21), called a "Farm Laborer," was also living with MarySparks in 1860, with his wife, Bethilda (age 17), and theirsix-month-old son, George W. Freeman.

"We believe that James Sparks, the youngest son of William Z. Sparksby his first wife, was the same James Sparks who was married toMelicia Harris in Yadkin County in 1855. Their marriage bond was datedFebruary 1, 1855, with B. B. Benham as bondsman. This marriage bondalso contains the record that James Sparks and Melicia Harris weremarried on February 8, 1855, by S. D. Swaim, Minister of the Gospel.

'Melicia Harris' full name seems to have been Mary Melicia Harris, forher name on the 1860 census of Yadkin County appears as "Mary M.Sparks." James Sparks and his household were shown on the 1860 censuswith their post office as Jonesville. This record is as follows:

Name Age Occupation Birth
James Sparks 30 Farm Tenant NC
Mary M. Sparks 29 NC
Elizabeth E. Sparks 5 NC
Thos. Sparks 3 NC
William Sparks 1 NC

'Mary Sparks, widow of William Z. Sparks, did not appear on the 1870census of Yadkin County, North Carolina, nor did James Sparks and hishousehold.

"[Editor's Note: We hope that a descendant of William Z. Sparks mayread this attempt to sketch his life here and share with us furtherinformation about him and his descendants.

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.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3697: They had three children: Jeanette, Joe and Dale. H ewas a carpenter and also a minister for the Pentecostal Church. H edied in 1986.

SQ pg 3421: Willis Lanford Sparks was born on March 13, 1885, inElliott County. He died on September 18, 1975. According to hisobituary, he was a school teacher when he opened and operated atheater of silent movies in Olive Hill. He was also a constructioncontractor, an oil well driller, and a farmer. He was a member of theGrundy Masonic Lodge in Elliott County.

Willis Sparks was married twice. His first wife was Ella Boggs towhom he was married about 1910. They had four children. Ella died in1927, and Willis married (2nd) Grayce Brinegar, probably about 1938.She was born on June 3, 1903, and was a daughter of Lillie (Way )Brinegar. Grayce died on August 28, 1981. She and Willis had twochildren.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3421: They have four children: Rhonda, Timothy, Theresa, a ndChristopher Sparks.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1982, Whole No. 119 pg 2446:

"Willoughby Sparks, son of Absalom and Lydia (Ellsberry) Sparks, wasborn about 1802 in Georgia. He married Mary ("Polly") Harrell,probably about 1825 in Arkansas. She was born about 1809 in Illinois. In 1821, Willoughby joined his father and brothers in presenting apetition to the President and Congress asking for their help inkeeping possession of their land in the Arkansas Territory. When the1830 census was taken, he was in Pope County, Arkansas, with his wifeand three children.

"On November 5, 1832, Willoughby Sparks and his wife, Polly Sparks ,late Polly Harrell, of Hot Springs County, Arkansas, sold 320 acres ofland which formerly belonged to Polly Harrell. The buyer was EliasRector of Pulaski County, Arkansas. Willoughby Sparks paid taxes inHot Springs County in 1834, and in Sevier County, Arkansas, in 1837and 1838; however, when the 1840 census was taken, he and Polly wereback in Hot Springs County with their seven children.

"Willoughby Sparks apparently moved to Tennessee about 1841 where twoof his children were born, but by January 1847, he was in Texas wherehe settled in Limestone County. It was there, on September 15, 1849,that he sold his share of the estate of his sister, Edy Sparks, forone dollar and other considerations. He was listed there on the 1850census.

"Falls County, Texas, was formed in 1850 from a part of LimestoneCounty and Milam County, and Willoughby Sparks became a resident ofthe newly formed county. There, according to the school census of1855, he was the guardian of three school children, John Nelson,Willoughby Nelson, and Manerva Jane Nelson, all probably hisgrandchildren. He probably died about 1860 . He and Polly apparentlyhad ten children.

1. Levi Sparks was born about 1825 in Arkansas.
2. An unnamed daughter was born between 1825 and 1830.
3. An unnamed daughter was born between 1825 and 1830. She mayhave married a man named Nelson by whom she had three children forwhom Willoughby Sparks was serving as guardian in 1855. (See above)
4. William Sparks wqas born about 1832 in Arkansas. He married M.A. ---, and they had two children when the 1860 census was taken ofFalls County, Texas.
5. An unnamed daughter was born between 1830 and 1835.
6. Tillman Sparks was born about 1836 in Arkansas. He marriedAley (or Alcey) Peaveyhouse in Falls County, Texas, in 1861, and theyhad at least four children.
7. Clarinda Sparks was probably born about 1840 in Tennessee. Shemarried James D. Erskine in 1858 in Falls County, Texas.
8. Nancy C. Sparks was born about 1842 in Tennessee.
9. Bailey M. Sparks was born about 1847 in Texas. He marriedMandy ---.
10. John Sparks was born about 1848 in Texas. He married RebeccaBrown on December 29, 1870, in Falls County, Texas."

SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1989, Whole No. 147, pps 3463-3472:

"Willoughby Sparks was born about 1802 in Clarke County, Georgia , andwas a son of Absalom and Lydia (Elsberry) Sparks and a grandson ofMatthew and Sarah (Thompson) Sparks. Absalom Sparks was in ClarkeCounty in 1802 when he gave an affidavit to the Clarke County Courtpertaining to the losses he and his mother, Sarah Sparks, had sufferedfrom the uprisings of the Creek Indians in 1793-94.

"Willoughby Sparks accompanied his parents to the Illinois Territoryabout 1807, and it was there that he grew to manhood. He also wentwith his parents to the Territory of Arkansas when it was opened upfor settlement in 1819, and it was probably there that he married Mary"Polly" Harrell about 1825. She was born about 1810 in IllinoisTerritory.

"Willoughby joined his father, Absalom Sparks, and his brothersElsberry Sparks, William Sparks, and Matthew Sparks, in Miller County, Arkansas, in 1825 in presenting a petition to the President and tothe U.S. Congress asking for help in keeping possession of their landin Lovely County, Arkansas Territory, which lay just north of MillerCounty and which later became a part of Oklahoma Territory. Thefederal government, in a treaty, had ceded the land to the ChoctawIndians that included the farms belonging to the Sparks families.Willoughby was in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1829, but by 1830 hewas living in Pope County. It was there, on October 17, 1830, that hewas given replacement land by the federal government. On the 1830census, he and his wife were shown has having three children, a sonand two daughters.

"On November 5, 1832, Willoughby and his wife, Polly, of Hot SpringsCounty, Arkansas, sold 320 acres of land to Elias Rector of PulaskiCounty, Arkansas. In this deed, Willoughby's wife was referred to as"Polly Sparks nee Harrell." Willoughby paid taxes in Hot SpringsCounty in 1834, but by 1837, he was in Sevier County, Arkansas, wherehe paid taxes in 1837 and 1838. By 1840, he was back in Hot SpringsCounty, and then on the 1840 census, he and Polly were listed therewith seven children. The following year, he moved over into Tennesseewhere four more children were born. In all probability, he moved toCarroll County, Tennessee, to be near his uncle Isaac Sparks, although he also had an uncle, Nathan Sparks, in Wilson County,Tennessee, and and uncle, Jesse Sparks, in Hickman County, Tennessee.

"Willoughby did not remain very long in Tennessee, and by 1845, he wasin Robertson County, Texas, where he paid taxes that year. His moveto Robertson County may have been prompted by the fact that he had abrother and four sisters already there. His uncle, William Sparks,was also there, along with several cousins who had participated in theTexas-Mexican War in 1835-36; they had been granted land for theirservices.

"Edy Sparks, sister of Willoughby, died shortly after he moved toTexas, and, since she apparently had never married nor had anychildren, her estate (consisting of a rather large tract of land) wasdivided by her brothers and sisters. On September 8, 1849, Willoughbysold his share of the estate for one dollar and "other considerations." He also apparently traveled to Scott County, Arkansas, to obtainthe releases of Edy's estate from his brother, Elsberry, and also fromElsberry's son, Willis Sparks. The releases were signed on November27 1851, but by 1853 Willoughby was in Falls County, Texas, where, onMarch 5th, he witnessed the release of his sister, Lydia (Sparks )Boatright, to her share of Edy's estate.

"The family of Willoughby Sparks was listed on the 1850 census ofLimestone County Texas; however it was in that portion of the countythat became a part of Falls County that same year. In August 1850,Willoughby was one of the petitioners who asked for a voice inlocating the new county seat. The following year, he served as ajuror for the Falls County Commissioners Court, and at the December8th session of the court he was appointed to "review" the road fromSpringfield, Texas, to Marlin, Texas.

"Sometime in 1852, Willoughby and Polly Sparks were in Parker County,Texas, where their last child, Rachel, was born on April 7th, but bythe spring of the following year they were back in Falls County whereWilloughby witnessed the release of his sister Lydia for her share ofEdy's estate (see above).

"Willoughby was also active in buying and selling land in Falls Countyduring the 1850s; he was a party to at least five transactions. Hebought (and sold) land in July 1854, August 1854, August 1855 ,December 1857, and March 1858. Among the persons involved in thesesales and purchases were: David Clark and John A. Goudy of Big Creek;James Burton and John H. Walker of the Pin Oak Branch of Brushy Creek;Samuel D. Barclay, James Cook, James Long, and Isaac Cook of RockyCreek; and D. F. Garrett.

"When a special school census (called "The Texas Scholastic of 1854-1855") was taken, Willoughby Sparks was in Limestone County.School-age children in his household included his own children:Clarinda, Nancy, Bailey, and John, and also three other children withthe surname of Nelson: John, Willoughby, and Minerva. The latterthree children were probably his grandchildren.

"By 1959, Willoughby Sparks was back in Parker County; however, he didnot appear on any 1860 census of Texas counties. He may have beenmissed by the census- taker because he was making one of his frequentmoves between Parker County and Falls County. These moves were theresult of the frequent Indian uprisings during the period 1849-1865,and Willoughby was following a pattern adopted by the pioneer settlers in this area of Texas. Simply stated, these families wouldsettle along the Brazos River in the general area of Parker, PaloPinto , and Jack Counties. Periodically, the Indians would "go on arampage," and the settlers would return to the relative safety ofFalls and Limestone Counties until order was restored, after whichthey would return to their former homes.

"Willoughby Sparks apparently died between March 1858 (when heparticipated in his last land transaction) and 1862 (when his wife,Mary , apparently received a tax exemption in Parker County, probablybecause of her widowhood.) Mary may have died the following year.She was buried in an unmarked grave in the Hills Cemetery in ParkerCounty . Some relatives believe that Willoughby was also buried there.

"(A great many years ago, two great-grandchildren of Willoughby andPolly (Harrell) Sparks, Frank Sparks and Segonia (Sparks) Pritchett ,found Mary's (Polly's) grave in Hills Cemetery. It had a headstonemarker then which read "Polly Sparks, 1813." When they revisited thecemetery the following year for the purpose of replacing the marker,someone had removed it.)

"For a photograph of Willoughby and Polly Sparks, see SQ pg 3465.

"They had an unidentified daughter between 1825 and 1835 and anotherbetween 1830 and 1835. She may have been named Minerva. She may alsohave married S. Nelson and perhaps she was the mother of the threechildren who were living in the household of Willoughby Sparks when aspecial school census was taken in 1855. The names of these childrenwere: John Nelson, Willoughby Nelson, and Minerva Jane Nelson . Theyhad another unidentified daughter born between 1830 and 1835."

SQ 5619-20:

"Wimoth J. Sparks was born on April 10, 1828, and was, without doubt,a daughter of Bailey and
Martha (Noland) Sparks. She was enumerated on the 1830 census as under5 years of age. She was
married in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, on January 27, 1848, toWilliam Gentry. As in the marriages
there for Susan A . Sparks and Martha Sparks, Wilmoth and William weremarried by a justice of the
peace named William M. Pollan , as recorded in Marriage Book A.

Wilmoth J. Sparks was doubtless named for Wilmoth (Noland) Sparks,wife of Bailey's brother, Isaac
Sparks. Isaac and Wilmoth also named a daughter Wilmoth, but she wasgiven the middle initial "P. "
(See page 5630 of the present issue of the QUARTERLY for furtherinformation regarding Wilmoth P.
Sparks.

Much of the information that we have regarding Wilmoth J. Sparks cameto us in 1983 from Margie
Bates Nelson (Mrs. J. H.), of Kingwood, Texas, a great-greatgranddaughter of Wilmoth. From Mrs.
Nelson, we learned that Wilmoth's middle initial, "J.," was for Jane,and that family records reveal
that she had been born on April 10, 1828, in Tennessee. Wilmoth diedon May 17, 1896, in
Limestone County, Texas, and was buried in the Hyden Cemetery nearLimestone. The source for
Wilmoth's birth and death dates were copied by Mrs. Nelson from hergravestone .

William and Wilmoth Jane (Sparks) Gentry moved from Yalobusha County,Mississippi, to Choctaw
County. Mississippi, shortly after their marriage. Apparently it wasin Choctaw County that their only
child, Sarah Ann Gentry, was born on December 1, 1849, and it wasthere that her father died either
shortly before or soon after Sarah Ann's birth. William Gentry wasrecorded on Mississippi's
Mortality Schedule for 1850 as having died in Choctaw County at theage of 26, and that he had
been born in Alabama. It was as part of the 1850 federal census that amortality schedule was used
to record the deaths in each county during what was called the "censusyear," i.e., deaths between
June 1, 1849, and May 31, 1850.

Wilmoth (Sparks) Gentry has not been found on the 1850 census ofChoctaw County, nor on any
other 1850 eensus, but we next find her in Limestone County, Texas ,where she must have gone
with her infant daughter shortly after her husband's death . It wouldseem probable that a relative
assisted her in this move. It was not long after William Gentry'sdeath that his widow was married,
second, to a widower with three small children named Alexander Hyden.We can imagine that
Hyden needed a wife to care for his motherless children, whileWilmoth, a young widow , had need
for a provider and protector. Marriages of convenience were often inthat day a solution to such
problems. Mrs. Nelson copied for us an account of this marriagewritten by a man named Hampton
Steele who recalled that he had gone to school with Hyden's children.His account was published in
A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson,Limestone, Freestone,
and Leon Counties [Texas] published in 1893, as follows:

Alexander Hyden came to the county [of Limestone] about the latterpart of 1846. When he came here he
stopped and lived in a cedar log house that William Anglin built,about a mile north of Groesbeck. He was a widower and he had threechildren, a boy and two girls. They were James and Jemima and Lydia.We used to go to school together. I think he lived there three or fouryears before he moved down in the timber below Groesbeck. He waselected County Commissioner in 1852 and again in 1854 and again in1856 and again in 1858. About the year 1850, he married the widowGentry. They had five children, 3 boys and 2 girls. There are now[1893] just two of them living, Bailey Hyden and Jake Hughes' wife.After Alexander Hyden came here, he helped Anton Sharp build a gin,the second gin built in this county; hewed out all the timber for thegin and Bailey says he has that old broadaxe yet. . . "

Mrs . Nelson provided us with a list of the children of Wilmoth JaneSparks by her two husbands , the first, Sarah Ann, by William Gentry,and the other five by her second husband, Alexander Hyden. They were:" [JS Note: See their individual sheets.]

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 2001, Whole No. 196, p.5630.

SQ 1984: "Wilson Sparks, son of Cornelius and Susannah (Stevens)Sparks, was born in Berrien County, Michigan, on April 19, 1830. Hewas the second white child born in the county. He died on June 23,1922. He was married in Berrien County on June 5, 1864, to Mary Gray-- both were identified as residents of Oronoko, Michigan, in themarriage record. She died on June 14, 1920. In a HISTORY OF BARRIENCOUNTY, written by Judge Orville B. Collidge published in 1908, WilsonSparks was described as having 'a vivid recollection of Indians whocame to his parents' house to trade berrys for something to eat .Their papooses were tied to a flat stick. He states that the lot nowoccupied by the Dean Drug Store was once offered to his father forfifteen dollars.' A clipping containing his obituary has beenfurnished by Miss Helen Sparks and reads as follows:
'Wilson Sparks, 92 years of age, and one of the first, if not thefirst, white children born in Barrien County, died at his home hereFriday night , June 23 [1922]. He had been unusually active for oneof his age until last January when he suffered a broken hip in a fallwhich confined him to his home and caused a gradual decline. Mr.Sparks' parents came to Michigan in 1828, settling near Niles where hewas born April 19, 1830. With the exception of two years, his entirelife was spent in Berrien County. In 1864 he was married to Mary Graywho passed away two years ago, since when he has made his home withhis nieces, Mrs. Nellie Park and Mrs. Fannie Miller, in this village,coming here from Benton Harbor where he resided for 30 years. He isalso survived by one son, Ralph, in Alaska, whose two daughters residein the state of Washington; also C. R. Sparks and Miss Nina Sparks ofthis villiage [BerrienSprings], grandnephew and grandniece of thedeceased. Mr. Sparks was the last of eleven children, five of whomlived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversaries. Funeralservice was held Sunday afternoon conducted by Rev. J. M. Jenkins.Interment in Rosehill cemetary.' Census records indicate that Wilsonand Mary (Gray) Sparks had the following children (1) Inez Sparks,born about 1865; (2) Ralph Sparks, born about 1867; (3) Fred Sparks,born after1870."

See SQ p. 2927:

"Wilson W. Sparks, son of David and Sarah Ann Sparks, was born about1841. He served in Company K, 208th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantryduring the Civil War. (See the June 1977 issue of the QUARTERLY for anabstract of his pension file [which is reproduced below].) On February7, 1866, he married Mary C. Williams in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.She was born about 1842.

"Wilson W. Sparks was one of the original incorporators of the CrystalSpring Camp Meeting Association, an early Methodist Church Camp,established in 1886. He also served as a trustee of the organizationuntil his death. The camp is located just east of the Bedford Countyline in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, about four miles south ofBreezewood. The Association celebrated its centennial in August 1986.

"Wilson W. and Mary C. (Williams) Sparks had at least two children,Bertha W. Sparks, born ca.1867, and Ross A. Sparks, born ca.1875.Wilson died on November 16, 1898, and Mary died on August 17, 1932.He left his estate to his wife, Mary C. Sparks, and to his son, RossA. Sparks, and his daughter, Bertha W. Sparks who had married -----Harter.

***************
See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY for June, 1977, Whole No. 98, pp.1914-15 forthe following:

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

WILSON W. SPARKS, son of David and Sarah ( ----- ) Sparks, was bornabout 1841 in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He died on Nov. 16, 1898.He was married to Mary C. Williams on Feb. 7, 1866. He served inCo. K, 208th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry. File Designations: Inv.Cert. No. 447,628; Wid. Cert. No. 478,616.

"Wilson W. Sparks, age 47, a resident of Everett, Pennsylvania,appeared before the clerk of the Common Pleas Court of Bedford County,Penna., on Dec. 20, 1888, and made an application for an invalidpension. He stated that he had enrolled as a 2nd Lieutenant on Sept.12, 1864, in Co. K, 208th Regt. Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry,commanded by Adam Weaverling, and was discharged on June 1, 1865, atAlexandria, Virginia. While commanding his company at Petersburg,Va., on April 2, 1865, he received an injury to his back and spinefrom a shell, thrown by the enemy, which burst under him. He saidthat he was thrown several feet and was unconscious for about an hour. Because of his injury, he was now greatly disabled and unable toperform his job as a farmer.

"During the month of February 1889, three of Sparks's former comrades:Joseph Avey, age 67, and Joseph S. Bussard, age 50, both residents ofEverett, Penna., and William Davis, age 45, a resident of Graceville,Penna., made affidavits to support Sparks's application. They statedthat Sparks was in charge of their company in front of Petersburg,Va., and on April 2, 1865, he was standing on a platform when a shell,thrown by the enemy, exploded and injured him. They said that Sparksdid not stay in the hospital after treatment, but continued to performhis military duties until the company was discharged. All of the mensaid that they had continued to see Sparks after his discharge andthat he was laid up and unable to perform his work as a farmer. G. W.Richey and James Sparks witnessed the affidavits.

"On March 1, 1889, Sparks made an affidavit to support hisapplication. He said that on April 2, 1865, they had engaged in abattle with the enemy in front of Petersburg and had captured a smallfort. He was inside the fort, standing on a platform, and was urginghis men to do their duty and trying to encourage them when the enemythrew a shell which exploded under the platform. The explosion threwhim about ten or twelve feet and rendered him unconscious. When hecame to, he was unable to walk and he was examined by the FieldSurgeon who ordered him to be taken back to camp. He was able torejoin his company the next day, but continued to suffer, more orless, all the time until he was discharged. When he returned home hewas treated by Dr. James Henry until about 1867 when he went to Dr. E.J. Miller who had continued to treat him for the injury until thepresent. G. W. Richey witnessed the affidavit.

"The following day (March 2nd) Dr. E. J. Miller, age 52, a resident ofEverett, made a supporting affidavit to Sparks's application. He saidhe had treated Sparks for an old back injury in 1867 which hadgradually grown worse until he was now what could be classified as aconfirmed invalid. At first, Sparks was able to perform about a halfday's work at easy labor by conforming to a most rigid discipline andwith the help of favorable weather, but if he over-exerted himself, hesuffered from a paralysis of his lower extremities. At the presenttime, he was entirely disabled and confined to his bed most of thetime. His back muscles were now atrophying and he was suffering fromcurvature of the spine all of which in his (the doctor's) opinion wasa direct result of the earlier back injury.

"On March 2, 1889, the War Department confimred Spaxks's militaryservice. He was mustered in at Bloody Run, Penna., as a 2ndLieutenant in Co. K, 208th Regt. of Pennsylvania Volunteers on Sept.12, 1864, to serve for one year. He was present for duty until May20, 1865, when he was recorded as "present-sick." He was "absent-sick" from May 27 to the 29th, 1865, in the Regimental Hospital andthen was recorded "present-sick" on May 30 and 31. He. was musteredout with his company on June 1, 1865. The regiment was in action onApril 2, 1865, at Petersburg, Virginia.

"Sparks was issuedInvalid Certificate No. 447,628 and he was placed onthe pension rolls. He died on November 16, 1898.

"On December 29, 1898, Mary C. Sparks, age 55, widow of Wilson W.Sparks, made an application for a widow's pension. She said she hadbeen married to Sparks under her maiden name of Mary C. Williams onFeb. 7, 1866, by the Rev. J. W. Leckie at Rainsburg, Penna. It wasthe first marriage for both of them. She said they had no childrenunder the age of sixteen years. J. H. Appel and J. M. Staileywitnessed her application.

"Mary C. Sparks was issued Widow's Certificate No. 478,616 and she wasplaced on the pension rolls. On February 13, 1929, her pension wasincreased from $40.00 per month to $50.00 per month by a special Actof Congress. She died on August 17, 1932.

(Editor's Note: Wilson W. Sparks was a son of David and Sarah Sparkswho appeared on the 1850 census of Bedford County, Penna., in WestProvidence Township. David Sparks (born about 1809, died 1869) was ason of James and Nancy (Rogers) Sparks, and a grandson of JosephSparks, Sr. (born ca. 1730, died 1809) and his wife, Mary (McDaniel)Sparks, natives of Frederick County, Maryland. For further details onthese families, see the September 1961 issue of the QUARTERLY, WholeNo. 35, page 587).

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3404: They had one child, Peggy Ann Sparks.

SQ 2783: "Zora Elizabeth Sparks was born May 23 1877. She wasmarried
to Lovet ("Boaz") Chatham on August 27, 1896. She was boiling waterto wash
clothes when her dress caught on fire, and she was burned to death onOctober
1, 1897. They had no children."

.
!NOTES:
See Vital Record of Rhode Island for entry in Kent County Death Records,
Vol 2, pg. 82, "Elizabeth, wife of gorton, died, age 21y 8 mos, Feb 1, 1775."

.

!WILL:
WILL BOOK 6-7 (1797-1816) WARWICK, KENT COUNTY, RI, pp 28-39, FH L925457.
Last will of John Stafford dated 19 March, 1798. Mentions his wife Martha
his sons Thomas Rice Stafford, to whom he leaves his dwelling place ,his
grist mill and his schooner Sally which is "now at sea" and one thousand
dollars when he reaches 21 years of age, Henry Rice Stafford, "my farm or
lot of land lying in Warwick adjoining the main Road Leading from th eCom-
post --- of East Greenwich to the Trilling Mill, (so called) with th edwell-
ing house and other buildings thereon standing", to his daughter Betsy
Greene two hundred dollars, to his four single daughters Marbarry, Betty,
Polly and Nancy, two hundred dollars each when they reach eighteen .Hementions his "Honored and aged Mother Elizabeth Stafford and lea vesher
one hundred dollars. He leaves the residue to Thomas Rice Stafford and his
wife Martha Stafford and names them as the executors of his will. Witnesses:
D. Howland, Jr., Bowen Arnold and T. Howland. The will is certified as filed
by his daughter's brother-in-law, James Jerauld, Council Clerk on April 7,
1798 and recorded the 3rd day of August, 1798 by James Jerauld.
His estate was inventoried by Gorton Jerauld and John R. Arnold valued at
$5,489.98 in addition to his real property holdings and his schoone rSally.
The inventory was filed by James Jerauld on September 10, 1798.

!PROBATE:
See PROBATE PROCEEDINGS WARWICK, KENT CO., RI., Book 1 (1804-1820 )FHL
925450, p 152. Proceedings dated 20 March, 1809. Copy is light an ddiff-
icult to read. Dutee Arnold is appointed guardian of Mary Stafford and Hacey
(?) Stafford "minors under the age of eighteen years daughters of John
Stafford.."

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 2667: She married John Woods.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 2667: She married a man named Johnson.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 2667: She married a man named Gilley.