.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 2615: He lived at Bushnell. He went by the name of Burrell .He retired at Mountain Home, Arkansas. He had a son, Durward Spar ks,who taught school for a while at Peoria, Illinois, and a daughte r namedLucille.

!NOTE:
There is a listing in death records of Union County, KY FHL 976.98 85V38h on
page 14 of J. O. Sparks, born Oct 3, 1887 who died May 24, 1916. Hi sfather's
name was Ed Sparks and his mother was Belle Snodgrass. He was cathol ic.

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1986, Whole No. 134, p 2877:

"Eady Sparks, daughter of William and Mary (Fielder) Sparks, was bornon August 15, 1810, in Clarke County, Georgia. She was undoubtedly namedfor her father's sister, Eady Sparks. Eady (daughter of William) wasabout a year old when her parents left Georgia to go to the Territory ofMississippi. There she grew to womanhood and married James H. Simmons onJanuary 12, 1828, in Lawrence County. He had been born on February 15,1801, in Rowan County, North Carolina, and was a son of Jesse and CharitySimmons.

"(Editor's Note: The given name of Eady (also spelled Edy or Edie) isnot uncommon among the descendants of Matthew and Sarah (Thompson)Sparks. Four sons of Matthew and Sarah named a daughter "Edy" or "Eady." It was probably a nickname originally. Some descendants claim that itwas a shortened form of Edith; others say that it was derived fromIdris. In all probability, the exact derivation will never be known. Inthis article (and in others) we will try to use it just as we have foundit in the records.)

"The 1830 consus found the Simmons family in Yazoo County,Mississippi, but by 1831 the family was in neighboring Attala County.They were still there when the 1840 census was taken and appaarently theydid not go with the Sparkses to Texas in 1836. It was not until 1846(after the death of Charity Simmons and the settlement of her estate)that James and Eady Simmons took their family to Texas where they settledin Rusk County. Shortly after they arrived there, James Simmons and hiswife (along with others, unnamed) were named as heirs of Levi N. Sparks,who had died about 1848 without issue. They sold the 89 acres that theyhad inherited in Cooke County. A footnote to this transaction reads:"Levi N. Sparks was a son of William Sparks, Revolutionary soldier ofNacogdoches County. Mrs. Simmons was a daughter."

"The Simmons family continued to live in Rusk county until about 1861when they moved to Collin County. Three sons and a daughter were marriedby this time, and the country was on the eve of civil strife. All of thesons of James and Eady would serve in the Confederate States Army.

"James H. Simmons died in Collin County on April 16, 1879. His estatewas probated on May 28, 1880, with his wife serving as hisadministratrix. The inventory of his estate totaled abnout $3,140. Eady(Sparks) Simmons survived her husband nearly twenty years, dying on March2, 1897. She was buried beside her husband in the Fitzhugh Cemetery inCollin County. They were the parents of ten identifiable children."

**********

On July 30, 2002 an email was received from Patricia Ann West, Ph.D.(wiz@@websitewiz.com) to which was attached several pages of datarelating to the descendants of Edith Arminda Sparks and James H. Simmons,Sr. Notes provided by Dr. West will be prefaced with her initials(PAW). We are grateful for her help.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 4473: They had two children: Karolyn Nan and Barbara Jan Lawrence.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 2002, Whole No. 190, pp 5388-89:

"Edmond Jones Sparks (called Jones Sparks on the 1850 census), son ofWilliam D. Sparks, was born on October 4, 1837, in Surry County, NorthCarolina, and died on October 11, 1922, at Lindsay, Tulare County,California. He was married in Cooper County, Missouri, on December 25,1856, to Mary Duncan, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Sarah Jane (Fulton)Duncan.

"Mrs. Carol Hodge March whom we have quoted earlier, descends from EdmondJones Sparks; she is a granddaughter of Samantha Alice Sparks, bornAugust 5, 1862, who was one of the 12 children of Edmond Jones and Mary(Duncan) Sparks. Mrs. March has written the following regarding hergreat- grandfather:

"Edmond Jones Sparks was born in Surry County, North Carolina, in October1837, son of William D. and Priscilla Sparks. Before 1840 the familymoved to Cooper County, Missouri, where his father was a farmer. In April1852 Edmond Jones Sparks (often called "Jonas" or "E . J.") and hisbrothers, Richard and Martin, joined a wagon train in the Gold Rush toCalifornia. They may have served as scouts on the wagon train on thattrip west. Once there, I believe they did more prospecting for land thanthey did for gold; they spent at least one summer helping with a wheatharvest in the Capay Valley. They returned to Missouri via the Isthmus ofPanama.

"Edmond was married to Mary Eliza Duncan. in Cooper County on December25, 1856. Their first child was born in Missouri in 1858, and in 1858they started across the plains in a covered wagon and ox team forCalifornia. One account tells of the troubles they encountered en route.While fording a stream Edmond tied his only pair of shoes onto a horse tokeep them from getting wet; however, the horse ran away and was nevercaught, leaving my great-grand father to walk barefooted 1,000 milesuntil he could purchase shoes at a trading post in Nevada! In Californiathey settled first on the Beat River near Nicholas, Sutter County, thenlater purchased land on Coon Creek near Lincoln in Placer County, wherehe had a very successful grain and cattle ranch, and there he built alarge two-story Victorian home. He was elected Supervisor of PlacerCounty for two terms and was active in the Masonic Orders in that county.In 1895, he sold his ranch and moved to Redlands, San Bernardino County,California, due to his wife's poor health. After her death in 1904, helived with his son in Lindsay, Tulare County, California, where he diedon October 11, 1922, at the age of 85.

"The names of the children of Edmond Jones and Mary (Duncan) Sparks havebeen provided by Mrs. March as follows: [See the individual sheets forthese children)

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 4072: Edna Lee Sparks was born on March 21, 1934, and wa s atwin to Edward Sparks, next above. She was married twice. Her f irstmarriage was to James Sosbe by whom she had a daughter, Vernia L ee. Hersecond marriage was to Ray Trevitt. She died on May 24, 199 0.

SQ p. 1339:

"Edna Nafania Sparks, born February 10,, 1885., in Brady, Texas, diedMarch 4, 1955, in Brady. She married Chesley James Watters on December8, 1907, in Brady. He was born July 1, 1883, in Bosqueville, Texas.They had one daughter, Eula May Watters, born September 27, 1908, inMenard, Texas. She was married twice and by her first husband she hadone son, Robert Eugene Wall, born March 23, 1933. She married (second)Thomas Calvin Prince on June 4, 1935. He was born January 14, 1912, inWellington, Texas. They had one son, Jerry Lowell Prince, born April 16,1937, in Brady, Texas."

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 4072: He was married to Hilda Doris Stokes.

See UNION COUNTY, KENTUCKY GENEALOGY, VOL. 4., FHL 976.9885 D2h page120
which lists deaths of children which might be issue of Edward:
--- Sparks, s/o E S and M B Sparks, Sep 28, 1866 (sic)
Joseph, s/o E S and M B Sparks, Mar 12, 1880-Apr 10, 1880
Ruby, d/o E S and M B Sparks, Mar 18, 1883-July 9, 1884
These persons are buried in the Masonic Cemetary, Morganfield, UnionCo. KY. A book entitled UNION COUNTY KENTUCKY GENEALOGY, 976.988 5 D2hlocated in the Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah includes arecord of burials in St. Ann's Roman Catholic Cemetary in Morganfield andlists Ed S. Sparks 1851-1926.

See also UNION COUNTY KENTUCKY DEATH RECORDS 1911-1950, FHL 976.98 85V38h at page 41:"SPARKS, Edward, (born) August 16, 1851, (died) December16, 1926, son of Solomon and Margaret (Simms) Sparks- Catholic (St.Anns). Diane (Sparks) Arnold sent me a photocopy of the certified copyof his death certificate which cooberates the foregoing. It lists noname for his spouse. It is probable that she predeceased Edward.

A copy of the death certificate of Edward Sparks states that he was bornon August 16, 1851 and died on December 16, 1926 at the age of 75 yearsand 4 mos of cancer of the stomach. His father was Solomon Sparks bornin Virginia and Margaret Simms born in Virginia. He was buried in theCatholic Cemetery (in Morganfield?) on December 18, 1826. The formindicates that he was single and not widowed or divorced. (I have nosource for his stated marriage to Belle Snodgrass.)

Sparks Quarterly pg1551:

ADDITIONAL SPARKS MARRIAGES IN KENTUCKY, continued:

BOYD COUNTY, KENTUCKY, MARRIAGE BONDS (1860-1905)

E. W, Sparks and Mary L. Miller, 1905. (Book 23a, page 493) He single,age 27, born in Elliott County, -Kentucky; father, G. W. Sparks, born inKentucky; mother, Louisa J. Creech, born in Kentucky. She, single, age15, born in Lawrence County, Ky.; father, William Miller, born inKentucky; mother, Alley Campbell, born in Kentucky. Witness, RettieSparks.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1989, Whole No. 148, pp. 3524-3525

Pension Application of Edwin Sparks, son of Levi and Zulima Craig(Moore) Sparks, was born on October 26, 1829, in Adams County, Ohio.He was married to Priscilla Spurgeon on March 31, 1851, at Dubuque,Iowa. He served in Company C, 21st Regiment Iowa Infantry. FileDesignations: Inv. Cert. No. 118,653; Widows Cert. No. 576,823.

"Edwin Sparks received a Certificate of Disability for Discharge onApril 4, 1863, at Memphis, Tennessee. He was a sargeant in Capt. JesseM. Harrison's Company C, of the 21st Regiment Iowa Infantry. He hadenlisted in the company on August 20, 1862, at Dubuque, Iowa, to servefor three years. He had been born in Adams County, Ohio; was 32 years ofage; was 6 feet tall; had a fair complexion, blue eyes and light hair;and he was a farmer. Surgeon William L. Orr certified that Sparks wasincapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of the loss ofall the fingers of his right hand by amputation as the result of agunshot wound.

"On April 17, 1871, Sparks applied for an invalid pension stating thatthe loss of his fingers prevented him from earning his support. He saidthat he lost his fingers as the result of an accidental gunshot woundwhich he received while preparing to march from Houston, Missouri, toWest Plains, Missouri. Since leaving the service, he had lived atDelaware County, Iowa, and Kossuth County, Iowa. He appointed H. S.Vaughn as his attorney, and Thomas Henderson and Gillespie M. Parsonswitnessed his signature.

"Invalid Certificate No. 118,653 was issued to Edwin Sparks, and hewas placed upon the pension roll. Sometime about 1875, he moved to thestate of Washington where he died at Vancouver on February 19, 1891.

"On March 21, 1891, Sparks's widow, Priscilla Sparks, applied for awidow's pension. She said she was married to Sparks on March 31, 1851,at Dubuque, Iowa, by Elder Mobley. She was married under her maiden nameof Priscilla Spurgeon. It was the first marriage for both. JamesSnodgrass and William Cahill witnessed her make her mark.

"Apparently the pension application of Priscilla Sparks was notapproved, for on February 23, 1901, she reapplied under the provisions ofthe 1900 Act of Congress. She was now 68 years of age, and still aresident of Vancouver, Washington. She appointed Milo B. Stevens & Co.,Washington, D.C., as her attorneys. Sarah J. Sharp and E. M. Greenwitnessed her make her mark.

"On June 10, 1901, the War Department confirmed Sparks's militaryservice. He had been enrolled on August 19, 1862, in Company C, 21stRegiment Iowa Infantry and was discharged on April 9, 1863, on aSurgeon's Certificate of Disability. He had been wounded in the righthand at the Battle of Houston on January 8, 1863, and the injurynecessitated the amputation of all fingers.

"Three affidavits were made on June 7, 1901, to support PriscillaSparks's claim. Arthur H. Nichols, aged 56; Roxy Cramer, aged 70; andMary Dean, all residents of Vancouver, testified that Edwin Sparks andPriscilla Spurgeon had been married in 1851 and had lived together as manand wife until his death in 1891. Since his death, she had notre-married. On the same day. Dr. J. R. Smith testified that he was thefamily physician of Edwin Sparks and had treated him during his lastillness and that Sparks had died from a siege of grippe which lastedabout one month.

"Widow Certificate No. 576,823 was issued to Priscilla Sparks, and shewas placed upon the pension roll. When she died on January 15, 1919, shewas receiving a pension of $25.00 per month.

"[Editor's Note: Edwin Sparks was a son of Levi and Zulima Craig(Moore) Sparks of Adams County, Ohio, and Dubuque County, Iowa. Hispaternal grandparents were Solomon and Catherine (Hillegas) Sparks, alsoof Adams County, Ohio. He was a great-grandson of George and Mary Sparksof Washington County, Pennsylvania. For further details of these people,see the June and September 1963 issues of the QUARTERLY, Whole Nos. 42and 43, respectively; also the issue for March 1971, Whole No. 73, andthat for March 1984, Whole No. 125.

From other sources, we have learned that Edwin and Priscilla (Spurgeon)Sparks had twelve children. Their names, birthdates, and the names oftheir spouses (if any) are given below:

1. Ella Ann Eliza Sparks, born March 16, 1852; she married Charles E. Wheelock in 1873.
2. Walter Winfield Sparks, born December 22, 1853; he married MaryE.
Spurgeon in 1883.
3. Edwin Sparks, Jr., born November 23, 1855; he died in 1880, un-
married.
4. Marian Porter Sparks, born April 25, 1858; she married Harry C.
Dannals in 1880.
5. Marshall Rowe Sparks, born October 7, 1860; he married Alice D.Sharp
in 1884.
6. Sarah Zulima Sparks, born August 21, 1862; she married MatthiasC.
Sharp.
7. Mary Ramsey Sparks, born April 2, 1864; she married (1st)Ernest H.
Haack and (2nd) Joseph Clark.
8. Leo Charles Sparks, born February 2, 1866; he married MarianClark.
9. Catherine Emma Sparks, born January 3, 1868; died on December5, 1879.
10. Mabel Nancy Sparks, born April 4, 1869; she married GrantColfax Bacon in 1887.
11. John Oliver Sparks, born February 7, 1871; he married EllaProebstel
in 1893.
12. Matthias Elias Spurgeon Sparks, born April 4, 1873; diedDecember 1,
1879.

"The above information on the children of Edwin and Priscilla(Spurgeon) Sparks appears in a photostat copy of 25 hand-written chartsprepared by Lieutenant Commander Dean Brooks. He presented these to theInstitute of American Genealogy on November 14, 1949; he was then livingin Los Angeles. This collection of charts has the title "RevolutionaryVeteran Solomon Sparks of Pennsylvania and Some of His Descendants to1925." The Institute of American Genealogy ceased to exist many yearsago, and your editor was able to purchase this copy of Lt. Comdr. DeanBrooks's charts when its collection of records was sold.
[JS: But see SQ p. 4049 amending the source of the collection to JudgeWalter Sparks, cousin of Dean Brooks.]

Following is a portion of the article on the pension application ofWilliam Henry Sparks, father of Edwin McMasters Sparks, as related byPercival "Pete" Sparks, William's grandson. It appears in the SPARKSQUARTERLY, December, 1977, Whole No. 100, p.1942:

"Pete Sparks relates that his father, Edwin McMasters Sparks, "taughtschool one year at Tollesboro (Kentucky) and lived in Sand Hill; hewalked nine miles each way, each day. He was supposed to have gotten ahouse to rent, but the deal fell through." Regarding his grandfather,Pete recalls: "Bill Henry lived in a valley, Bill Henry's brother,Thornton Sparks, lived on top of the hill (Mowery Precinct), and eachSunday Thornton would drive past Bill Henry's house on his way to church.Old Bill Henry would be sitting on his front porch. Thornton would say'Good morning, Will' Bill Henry would nod his head and grunt. They mightnot see each other for another week, when the same exchange would takeplace."

Pete Sparks's father, Edwin McMasters Sparks, was killed by a train whenPete was only two years old, and his mother then returned to the home ofher parents, Samuel and Alice Wilson. Pete relates that "the Wilsons atone time owned ten square miles in that area, given them by GeorgeWashington, and my mother's mother always felt the Wilsons were betterthan the Sparkses. Like the Hatfields and the McCoys, the Wilsons livedin the river bottom, the land was more tillable, and they were moreprosperous than the Sparkses who lived in the hills where grazing landwas about all they had. Old Bill Henry had a flat area on top of thehill back of his house, where he had a race track, to work out hisharness horses.

The center of the track was the vegetable garden and one of my earliestrecollections was riding; in my Uncle Willie's lap, riding, around thetrack, and waving to the twins (daughters of Myrtle Sparks Houston) whowould be pickin pole beans, or whatever, in the garden." "

* * * * *

SQ 2447:

"Edy Sparks, daughter of Absalom and Lydia (Elsberry) Sparks, wasBorn about 1806. She was undoubtedly named for her father's sister, EdySparks, who is thought to have married Randolph Traylor, probably about1785, and who moved to Lawrence County, Mississippi.

"Edy Sparks may have moved to Texas with her parents, and they mayhave died there, leaving her as the head of the family. Whatever thecircumstances, in 1833 she was given a land grant in Washington County,Texas, of about 4,600 acres as the head of a family. the grant wascertified to her on March 22,
1838, after she had furnished proof that (1) she had arrived inWashington County in 1833, and (2) she was the head of a family.

"The latter statement is puzzling in view of the fact that Edy Sparksmay never have married. It is a matter of record that a license wasissued on April 21, 1838, in Washington County, Texas, by John Power, ajustice of the peace, authorizing the marriage of Edy Sparks and DruryMcGee. Apparently,
the license was never returned. Several years later, in 1874, affidavitswere made by knowledgable persons that "Edy Sparks died without children."

"Edy Sparks died prior to September 1849, and her estate was dividedamong her sisters and brothers. The administration of the estate tookseveral years, and as late at 1874 affidavits were made to prove herheirs. That year, Benjamin Polk, of Johnson County, Texas, and WillisSparks, of Bosque County Texas, swore that Edy Sparks had died withoutchildren and that her heirs were: Matthew Sparks, Willoughby Sparks,Elsberry Sparks, Lydia Boatright and Fanny Tidwell."

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3409: They had five children: Jerry, Barbara, Mary, Nancy ,and Laurie Richardson.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3694:
"His first marriage was to Gennette "Nettie" Franklin on Februar y 25,1906, and they had one child, Ethel America.
"His second marriage was to Dora Frances Wright on May 10, 1916, a tCheyenne, Oklahoma. Elam and Dora had four children: Hazel Cather ine,Nellie Ruth, Ruby Carol, and Johnnie Arelda."
His photograph appears with that of his cousin, Dora Sparks, on pa ge3694.

SQ p. 332 for birth information.

SQ 3797: She was married to Peter Mauk in 1818.

SQ 3859: "Eleanor "Nellie" Sparks, daughter of Thomas and Rebecc aSparks, was born on February 15, 1791, in Surry County, North Carol ina.She was married to Peter Mauk on June 8, 1818, in Scott County ,Virginia. He had been born on April 14, 1781, and this marriage ma yhave been his second. He was a son of Frederick and Margaret Mauk . Heand Nellie came to Kentucky shortly after their marriage and se ttled inthat section of Lawrence County that became a part of Carte r County in1838. Nellie died there in March 1858, and Peter died o n February 13,1859. They were buried in the Mauk Cemetery in what i s now ElliottCounty. They were the parents of eight children."

SQ p. 4637:

"Eleanor Sparks, daughter of Garrett and Betsey (Boggs) Sparks, wasborn on February 8, 1829, and was a twin of Reuben David Sparks. She wasmarried to Wiliam Lyon about 1850, probably in Lawrence County. He hadbeen born on July 4, 1825, and was a son of William "Redhead" and Sarah(Holbrook) Lyon. William and Eleanor lived for a while on Keaton Fork ofBlaine Creek, but later moved to the Middle Fork of the Little Fork ofLittle Sandy River about 1865. We have not been sent a record of thedeath of Eleanor Lyon. William died on May 30, 1905. They had ninechildren according to a descendant."

!NOTES:
SQ 1359: "Eleanor Caroline Sparks, daughter of Jacobson and Cynthia
(Champion) Sparks, was born February 2O, 1854, and died September 12 ,1943; she
married Wince Carlton, born December 6, 1848."

SQ pg 2623: She went by the name Josephine. She was married toFrederick Wilson Hirst on September 13, 1875, in Fulton County, Illinois. He was born about 1848 in the state of New York to parents whowere natives of England. In the early days of the Union PacificRailroad, he was in charge of the district at Ogden, Utah. Later hetaught school. He and Josephine had three children.

* * * * *

On November 11, 2001, an email was received from C. Fred Busch(FrednBonBon@@netzero.com] in which he provided information relating toEleanor Josephine Sparks, his great-grandmother and her descendants inhis line. He stated that she was:

"My Great-Grandmother: Eleanor Josephine Sparks Hirst, born December5, 1854-Died July 17, 1938 in Ogden, Utah.

Born in Praire City, Illinois and daugher of Joseph Sparks and SusanDeFord Sparks. Married Frederick Wilson Hirst in 1875 in Fulton City,Illinois. Frederick was born in 1848, in New York State, the son of JohnFrederick HIrst and ? Wilson. Moved to Fort Bridger, Wyoming in 1876 withher husband, who was a collector of specimans for the SmithsonianInstitute and manager for the Union Pacific Railroad. They moved to OgdenUtah in 1893. He died in 1889. She started her teaching career in Iowaand continued teaching in Fort Bridger for 16 years, from 1876 to 1893when she moved to Ogden, Utah. In Utah, she served as both a teacher andas a Principal and was active in community and women's organizations upto the time of her death. She had two daughters, Florence Josephine andEthel Louise Hirst. Florence married a man named ? Newcomb and lived,and died in Ogden, Utah. She was an educator, like her mother, EleanorJosephine Sparks Hirst."

!NOTES:
SQ 3870: Eleanor "Nellie" Sparks was married to William Craft o nOctober
13, 1852, in Greenup County, Kentucky. He had been born about 1828 .Nellie
died on December 17, 1909. She and William had nine children:
a. Sarah Craft was born about 1854. She was married to William Riggle.
b. Ada Craft was born about 1856. She was married to Patrick Ans on.
c. Charles Smith Craft was born on July 25, 1857.
d. Mary Ellen Craft was born about 1860. She married John Reynol ds.
e. Martha A. Craft was born about 1864. She married to James Douglas.
f. Willis Craft was born about 1867. He married Belle Salyers.
g. John Craft was born about 1869. He married Sarah Crance.
h. William Ellis Craft was born about 1871 and died when he was young.
i. Henry Craft was born about 1875. He married Frances Bunch.

SPARKS QUARTERLY, March 1994, Whole No. 165, p. 4276:

"Eli Sparks, son of Jesse and Nancy Sparks, was born on March 24, 1838, and was a twin of Eda Sparks. He was married to Rebecca Rice, and theyhad seven children: Isabella, Amanda, Boone, Mary Ellen, John , Sarah andFleming."
On the internet, on Nov 2, 1997, I received some Email from a child ofFleming whose name was Nila Moore, 2301 W. Grecourt, Toledo, OH 43615.She sent me information on her family which has been input. I sent her acopy of my book.
(Sequel Dec 19, 1998, impeachment day, Day 2 Iraq bombing: I receivedworksheets from Nila Moore which I have incorporated into the familypages of Eli Sparks.)
(Another sequel: Reviewing some old notes I found the following:

US Census Record, Martinsburg (Now Sandy Hook), Elliott County, Kentucky,7 June, 29 June (?) 1870 (FHL 976.9255x286:
127. Alexander Sparks 34 $100 Born KY
Rebecca 36 "
Mary 9 "
Landon 6 "
Mary (sic) 5 "
John 3 "

They are living next door to Nelson (and Sarah) Sparks, his fourthcousin, once removed.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1986, Whole No. 134, p. 2889:

"Eli G. Sparks, son of William and Mary (Fielder) Sparks, was bornabout 1814 in Mississippi. He apparently went to Texas with his parents,but did not participate in the Texas-Mexican War. According to theearliest record we have found of him, he was single when he arrived inNacogdoches County in March 1837. He was taxed there in 1839 and 1840 asone poll with a saddle horse. He applied for a land grant on June 7,1839, and was granted 640 acres.

"On January 9, 1840, Eli G. Sparks was married to Evalina Hall inNacogdoches County. She was born on June 11, 1823, and was a daughter ofJohn Hall, a resident of Nacogdoches County. (Some records refer to hergiven name as "Ebalina.11) Eli was listed on the 1840 census ofNacogdoches County, but apparently he died shortly thereafter. He andEvalina had no children. After Eli's death, Evalina married (2nd) JohnThomas McDaniel.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June, 1873, Whole No. 82, pg. 1556:
ELIJAH SPARKS (born about 1770, died 1815) OF EARLY INDIANA

"(Editor's note: We have found few Sparks men whose lives touched asmany records as did that of the Rev. Elijah Sparks. A hasty andincomplete count by the author of this article reveals that data havebeen collected from nearly fifty sources. One of the earliest and mostbiographical of these sources was written by a contemporary and fellowminister, the Rev. Allen Wiley, who wrote a series of articles entitled"Medhodism in Indiana." These articles first appeared in the TRI- WEEKLYSTATE JOURNAL between August, 1845, and November, 1846. They wererepublished in the INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY, Volume XXIII, 1927. )

"Although several persons have contributed data relative to thisarticle, three descendants of Elijah Sparks who have shared materialsthat they had collected and preserved over a long period of time shouldbe given special notice. (Here are names and addresses of contributers.)

"One of the early religious and political leaders of the IndianaTerritory was Elijah Sparks, who settled in Dearborn County. In theshort period of time from his arrival in 1806 until his untimely death in1815, he was "one of the prominent instruments of the planting, spreadingand symetry [sic] of Methodism in Indiana," according to the Rev. Mr.Wiley. In addition, he was a practicing lawyer and Judge of the ThirdCircuit Court of the Territory, a most unusual combination of talentseven in those early days.

"We have been unable to learn the names of the parents of ElijahSparks. In a letter to President Madison dated February 23, 1813, inwhich he explained why some of his friends had applied to have himappointed Judge, Sparks wrote, "It was my misfortune (if it be proper tocall it such) to be deprived of Parents in very early life; and from theLaw of Primogenitr & other miscarriages, I was thrown on the worldhelpless and unlearned." His reference to the Law of Primogeniture as amiscarriage (i.e. misfortune) indicates that the had an older brotherwho, under the Law of Primogeniture, had the right to inherit hisparent's property. From several sources, we know that Elijah had abrother named Robert Sparks; perhaps he was the older brother who hadinherited all of this father's real estate.

"We have been able to learn very little regarding Robert Sparks. Aswill be noted in more detail later in this sketch, Elijah Sparks died in1815 while on his way to visit his brother, Robert, who was then livingon the Eastern Shore of Maryland. According to information received fromThe Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of theUnited Medhodist Church, records prove that "Robert Sparks was aSupernumerary Preacher in the Philadelphia Conference in 1808." TheDelaware District and dorchester are also mentioned with his name. Hisname also appears in the Philadelphia Conference records in 1810, but noinformation is given.

"The Rev. Allen Wiley confessed that he knew nothing of Sparks'sparentage or early training, which appears quite strange since he hadapparently been well acquainted with him. Wiley was born in 1789 inFrederick County, Virginia and came to Kentucky in 1797; he then went toDearborn County, Indiana, in 1804. Wiley joined the Methodist Church in1810, became licensed to preach in 1813, and spent the rest of his livein the ministry. He died in 1848.

"We are also uncertain regarding the place of birth of Elijah Sparks.The Rev. Mr. Wiley wrote that Sparks had been born in Queen Ann's County,Virginia, about 1770. There was never a county by that name in Virginia,however, and Wiley's statement is further contradicted by anothercontemporary and fellow minister, the Rev. Henry Boehm. According toBoehm, Elijah Sparks was born in Maryland; he also mentions Elijah'sbrother, Robert Sparks, and stated that he was still living in Marylandat the time he wrote, which was about 1840. Boehm's ministry took him toMaryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, including all of theplaces where Elijah Sparks had lived and preached, so it might seem thathe should have been in a position to know his birth place. (See hisREMINISCENCES OF SIXTY-FOUR YEARS IN THE MINISTRY.)

Undoubtedly, the Rev. Mr. Wiley was well acquainted with Elijah Sparksand it can be assumed that Wiley was well acquainted with the area inVirginia in which he himself grew up. Why, then, did he make referenceto Queen Ann's County, Virginia, when in fact there is not and never wassuch a county in Virginia? Could he have meant Queen Annes County,Maryland, where in 1778 there were twenty-seven Sparks families?

Was Elijah Sparks a native of Frederick County, Virginia? In a sketchof David Sparks, Elijah's grandson, published in a HISTORY OF DEARBORN,OHIO AND SWITZERLAND COUNTIES, INDIANA in 1885, Elijah was said to havebeen born in Fredericksburgh, Virginia. Fredericksburgh is inSpotsylvania County, Virginia, but it would have been a natural error toconfuse Frederick County, with Fredericks- burgh. In addition, theCOMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHY OF PROMINENT & REPRESENTATIVE MEN OF INDIANAPOLIS& VICINITY, published in 1908, states that Elijah Sparks was a native ofWinchester, Virginia. This town is in Frederick County, Virginia.

It was in Frederick County, Virginia, that Elijah Sparks was marriedto Elizabeth Weaver on August 8, 1793. There were also two other Sparksmarriages in Frederick County at about the same time. On March 1, 1785,Ann Sparks was married to William Ross, while on august 15, 1795, WilliamSparks was married to Mary Robinson. We also know that there was aSparks family in Frederick County at an earlier date. In 1754, SamuelSparks, from Frederick County, enlisted in Colonel George Washington'sregiment and was in the battle of Great Meadows. He reenlisted in 1780during the Revolutionary War. (See VIRGINIA COLONIAL MILITIA LISTS byGrozier, 1935, pg 36.) We also have a record of another Sparks marriagein Frederick County many years later; on May 30, 1836, Maria Sparks wasmarried to Baxter Thornton.

Records have been searched of both Queen Annes County, Maryland, andFrederick County, Virginia, for the origin of Elijah Sparks, but noconclusive evidence had been found. Until other records are uncovered togive definite proof, his place of birth must remain a matter ofconjecture. There is one other fact, however, that would suggestVirginia as his birthplace. As noted earlier, in 1813 Elijah Sparksreferred to the "Law of Primogeniture" as having been one of the causesof his poverty in early life. Since he was a lawyer, Sparks probablyreferred to primogeniture correctly in its legal sence. If so, Virginiawould have to have been his birthplace rather than Maryland because inMaryland the law of primogeniture had been repealed in 1715, long beforeElijah's birth. This law was not repealed in Virginia, however, untilearly in the Revolutionary War. (See Evelyn Cecil's PRIMOGENITURE, ASHORT HISTORY OF ITS DEVELOPMENT AND ITS PRACTICAL EFFECTS, London, J.Murray, 1895, pp. 75-76.) Inherited from England and adopted in a numberof the colonies as law, primogeniture is the right by which the oldestson of a family, regardless of the father's wishes, succeeds to thefather's real estate in preference to, and to the absolute exclusion of,the younger sons and daughters. Thomas Jefferson, who greatly opposedthe law, referred in his autobiography to its abolition in Virginia atthe beginning of the Revolution, saying that its end "removed the feudaland unnatural distinctions which made one member of every famiy rich andall the rest poor." Its effect was, of course, to keep farms andplantations from being cut up into small parcels.

"The law of primogeniture was in effect for only six or eight yearsafter Elijah Sparks was born, so his father would have had to die whenElijah was very small for the law to have effected him. Note, however,that Elijah did say in his lettre to President Madison in 1813 that hehad been "deprived of Parents in very early life."

"Prior to his marrige to Elizabeth Weaver, Elijah Sparks had committedhimself to religious work. The Rev. Allen Wiley wrote that when he(Sparks) was about nine- teen or twenty years old "he became a professorof religion and in 1792 became a traveling preacher." There is someuncertainty about his preaching assignment, but he was "on trial" (thefirst step toward becoming a Methodist minister) in 1792 when he is putdown for the Rockingham Circuit. Rockingham Circuit undoubtedly refersto a church circuit related in some way to Rockingham County, Virginia,located a little further up the Shenandoah Valley from Frederick County.

"As stated earlier, Elijah Sparks was married to Elizabeth Weaver inFrederick County, Virginia, on August 8, 1793. An account of themarriage as recorded by Elizabeth Timberlake Davis in FREDERICK COUNTY,VIRGINIA, MARRIAGES, 1771-1825, page 15, gives Elizabeth's name as Eliza,and her father as Francis Weaver, but the latter statement is incorrectfor it was Elizabeth's mother Frances Weaver, who gave her consent. JohnB. Tilden wa surety for Elijah Sparks.

"According to data sent to us by Miss Firnhaber, Elizabeth Weaver wasborn on December 1, 1772, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, one of sevenchildren born to George and Frances (Brechbuhl) Weaver. George Weaverwas born about 1733 and was a son of Jacob and Anna (Bowman) Weaver, orWeber, who come to Penn- sylvania about 1715-1730 from Switzerland andsettled on 3,000 acres of land in Weaver Valley (Weber Thal), EarleTownship, Lancaster County. Jacob Weaver and brothers John and Henry,had acquired the land from William Penn. Frances Brech- buhl, orBrackbill, was born about 1738, a daughter of Ulrich and Frances (Herr)Brachbuhl.

"George Weaver, father of Elizabeth (Weaver) Sparks, died in May,1782, leaving his widow with seven minor children, according to LANCASTERCOUNTY MISCELLANEOUS BOOK 1782-84, page 46. His administrators, John andBenjamin Brechbuhl, sold 125 acres which George had purchased from hisbrother, Henry, in 1763. They also disposed of two tracts of landcomprising 230 acres, including a dam and grist mill on Conestoga Creek.

"On May 14, 1787, Frances Weaver, widow of George, sold 200 acres ofland which she had inherited from her father's estate in April, 1759, andshortly thereafter moved to Middletown, Frederick County, Virginia.There, on June 8, 1790, she purchased 135 acres of land from MartinCartmell; however, by 1797, she had moved to nearby Stephensburgh, nowStephens City.

George and Grances (Brechbuhl) Weaver were the parents of thefollowing children:
1. Henry Weaver, born October 10, 1763; married Mary Good in1788.
2. Ann Weaver, born December 25, 1765, married Matthias Shirk.
3. Frances Weaver, born May 10, 1768, married a Mr. Perry in1796.
4. George Weaver, born December 20, 1770; married Mary V.Wilson in Stephensburg, Virginia. They moved to Lawrenceburg, Indianawhere George died in1853.
5. Elizabeth Weaver, born December 1, 1772; married ElijahSparks, the subject of this sketch.
6. Samuel Weaver, born October 15, 1775; died October 4, 1808,in Natchez, MS.
7. John Weaver, born May 21, 1777; married Rebecca Cartmell inStephensburg,Virginia; they moved to Dearborn County, Indiana, prior to1806, where John was a U. S. Captain of Troops commanding blockhouses inthat area. He died in Lawrenceburg, Indiana in 1841.

"The will of Joseph Stephens of Frederick County, Virginia, datedFebruary 1, 1776, was witnessed by Elizabeth Sparks, Henry Weaver, andJohn McGivins. We assume that this Elizabeth Sparks was Elijah's wifeand that Henry Weaver was her oldet brother. (See Will Book 5, pg. 87.)

"Following the marriage of Elijah Sparks and Elizabeth Weaver, thereare few official records to be found of them for several years.According to the HISTORY OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, Elijah Sparks andAndrew Nichols were clergymen of the Fairfax Circuit Methodist Church in1794. Membership consisted of 540 whites and 50 colored. A son, HamletSparks, was born to Elijah and Elizabeth about 1796 (according to the1850 census of Dearborn County, Indiana), which brought more familyresponsibilities to Elijah. As the Rev. Mr. Wiley wrote, "the opinionprevailed generally with preachers and people, that no young man ought tomarry and remain a travelling preacher; and if this had not been theopinion, the means of support were so very limited, that necessity wouldhave driven such to desist from the work."

"Whatever the reason, Elijah Sparks left the active ministry and wentinto the mercantile business, according to Wiley. He did not meet withgreat success, and in 1798, he moved to Kentucky with some law books andcommenced the study of law. In the fall of 1800, he began the practiceof law in Campbell County, Kentucky. It was also tat that time that hepaid taxes in that county on 200 acres of land on Bank Lick Creek. Healso paid taxes on two blacks and one horse. He continued to pay taxeson the land until 1806, but by that time he had disposed of the slaves.On September 23, 1810, Elijah and Elizabeth Sparks sold the 200 acres ofland to William Massie, but by that time they were living in DearbornCounty, Indiana, where two of Elizabeth's brothers were also living.

"Elijah Sparks continued to maintain an active interest in preachingfor, according to METHODISM IN KENTUCKY, by W. E. Arnold, published in1802, he was living and preaching in the bounds of the Salt River Circuitwhich consisted of Jefferson, Nelson, and Shelby Counties, Kentucky.This is confirmed by an entry in THE JOURNAL OF THE REV. FRANCIS ASBURYOF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AUGUST 7, 1771 TO DECEMBER 7, 1815,which states: "Next day (September 10, 1805) I called on Elijah Sparks,at Newport, and baptised two of his children. ... I rejoiced to find anew circuit had been formed and there were several growing societies."

"Sometime during 1806, Elijah Sparks moved his family to DearbornCounty, Indiana, and settled on Second Street in Lawrenceburgh. DearbornCounty had been established on March 7, 11803, by a proclamation ofWilliam H. Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory. The county wastaken from Clark County, and embraced portions of what is now Fayette,Franklin, Jefferson, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland, Union, and WayneCounties. In all likelihood, the move was a happy one for ElizabethSparks, for she now rejoined her mother and brothers, George and John.

"Elijah Sparks was apparently successful as a lawyer-politician, butit most surely must have been strenuous work. The sparseness of thepopulation and settlements required a lawyer to extend his legalknowledge and energy to places far from home. As now, the courts wereheld at the county seats, and the lawyers traveled from county tocounty. The legal circuit that included Dearborn County, Indiana, alsoincluded the counties of Franklin and Jefferson. Travel was by horsebackor carriage, and the lack of roads probably made the former thepreferable method.

"Sparks's ability and reputation as a lawyer attracted the attentionof Governor Harrison as well as that of the Indiana Territory GeneralAssembly, and on November 27, 1810, he was appointed one of thecommissioners to fix the county seat of the newly-created county ofFranklin. Less than a month later, he was appointed the commissionerfrom Dearborn county to meet with other county commissioners to fix theseat of government (i.e., the capital) of the Territory. The countyseat of Franklin County was fixed at Brookville while the first capitalof the Territory (and of the state of Indiana) was fixed at Corydon inHarrison County. On May 11, 1811, Elijah was admitted to practice law inFranklin County, and on December 22, 1812, he was named its prosecutingattorney.

"In the meantime, Elijah's friends had been at work persuadingGovernor Harrison to appoint him to the post of Attorney-General of theTerritory, and on July 27, 1813, he received the appointment. Accordingto Mrs. Skinner, he was sworn into office by Governor Dunn, agreat-grandfather of Miss Caroline Dunn, Secretary of the IndianaPioneers Society.

"The appointment as Attorney-General to the Territory apparently wasan unrewarding one to Elijah Sparks for, in reality, the enforcement oflaw and regulation was still left to other officers of the Territory. OnSeptember 27, 1813, he wrote to Governor Harrison to question hisduties: "Does the appointment conferred upon me take from the Governor,the right exercised under the ordinance to appoint an Attorney-Generalfor the Territory or does it unite with the General Court so far only ,as I hold Federal District powers?" Whether or not he ever received ananswer is not known.

"In the spring of 1814, Elijah Sparks decided to run for Congressagainst his friend (and incumbent) congressman Jonathan Jennings. Theresult of the campaign must have been disappointing to Sparks for whenthe votes were counted in August, he was soundly defeated. According toa newspaper account (Vincennes Western Sun), June 11, 1814) there were noparticular issues involved. Jennings simply pointed to his record ofservice during the four and one-half years he had been a delegate toCongress. Sparks stated that his only ambition was "to assist in raisingand establishing the equal rights of men -- of all men, above the irongrasp of tyranny, the yoak [sic] of despotism and the drudgery ofoppression."

Another account of the election is given in BIOGRAPHICAL & HISTORICALSKETCHES OF EARLY INDIANA, by William W. Woblen, 1883, which records theevent thusly: "In 1811, Mr. Jennings was reelected to Congress, hisopponent being Waller Taylor, the same man who, two years before, hadtried to provoke him to mortal combat. In 1811, he was again elected,his competitor this time being Judge Elijah Sparks, a very worthy andpopular man."

"Part of Elijah's disappointment over his defeat may have beenmitigated when he received word of his appointment, on September 14,1814, as Judge of the Third Circuit court of the Indiana Territory. Theappointment had been slow in coming, but it was a popular one. InTERRITORIAL PAPERS OF THE UNITED STATES, Vols. 7 & 8, several pages arefilled with the names of persons who petitioned congress in 1813 to makethe appointment. His political rival, Jonathan Jennings, had recommendedthe appointment to the Secretary of State on April 25, 1812, and to thePresident (James Madison) on March 1, 1813. The judgeship put to an endhis appointment as Attorney General of the Territory, however, and hewrote to President Madison on January 3, 1815, to express hisdisappointment at being relieved of that appointment.

"Probably the first court over which Elijah Sparks presided as aFederal Judge was at Vevay, the county seat of the newly-formedSwitzerland County. The INDIANA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY, Vol. 20, page 198,reveals that the first term of the Circuit Court of Switzerland Countywas held on Friday, October 28, 1814, with the Hon. Elijah Sparks, thecircuit and presiding judge in the Third District, presiding. It wasthere that he also presided over what was probably his last Circuit Courtsession on March 27, 1815.

"In the Spring of 1815, according to the Rev. Mr. Wiley, Elijah Sparkswent east (to Pennsylvania) to attend to a legacy of about eight or tenthousand dollars left to his wife by a relative, and also to visit hisbrother, Robert Sparks, who was a traveling Methodist preacher of manyyears' standing in the Philadelphia Conference, but who had located in1812 on the Eastern shore of Maryland. After attending to his businessin Pennsylvania, Elijah started to his brother' s home and went as far asthe "heart of the Elk," when he became sick and confined, and afterlingering a few days, expired far from home and wife and friends.

"The "heart of the Elk" probably is meant to be the "head of the Elk",for the Elk River has its source just east of New Hollard, LancasterCounty, Pennsylvanis, and flows southward until it empties inotChesapeake Bay in Cecil County, Maryland.

"The cause of Elijah Sparks's death is unknown; however, almost twoyears earlier, he had confessed in a letter to Governor Harrison, that hewrote with great difficulty, "having been confined for two weeks by apretty severe attack of the Fever." Perhaps it was a reoccurrence of thedreaded "ague-fit" fever that overtook him in Pennsylvania on April 30,1815. (See INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS: HARRISONS LETTERS.)

"His death was recorded officially by the Washington (D.C.)INTELLIGENCER of June 14, 1815, as follows: "Elijah Sparks, PresidingJudge of the Third Circuit of Indiana Territory, died April 30 near NewHollard, Pennsylvania." On May 25, 1815, the vacancy created by hisdeath was filled by the appointment of James Noble.

"Elizabeth (Weaver) Sparks spent the rest of her life (nearly fiftyyears) in wodowhood and died on March 13, 1864, at Moores Hill, Indiana,at the home of her son, Hamlet Sparks. On the marriage of Elijah andElizabeth, the Rev. Mr. Wiley wrote: "As a husband and a father, he(Elijah) was most affectionate and kind, and did all that his means andopportunities permitted to make them wise, pious, and happy; hence hisfamily felt his loss in no ordinary degree."

"We are certain that Elijah and Elizabeth (Weaver) Sparks had sixchildren, three sons and three daughters, who reached maturity. Thereare indications tht there was at least one other child whodied young.The Rev. Mr. Wiley wrote: "Here is a man superior in piety, gifts andusefulness, intending to adjust his temporalities so as to devote theevening of his days to the interest of religion and God's glory; but,just when everything seemed to say, he may go abroad in the vineyard ofthe Lord, death overtakes him far from home, his family and friends.While one of his children lies dead and the burial is delayed so that hemight see the body of his beloved child before it is consigned to thegrave, he being expected home every minute, a letter arrives informinghis wife and children that their father is no more an inhabitant of thisworld..." We have no other record of this child.

"When John Weaver, Elijah's Sparks's brother-in-law andcourt-appointed administrater (Elijah left no will), appeared in DearbornCounty Court for the purpose of "transacting orphan's busines," he statedthat Sparks had left six children. (See Deed Book AA, page 109, Recordedon November 7, 1719.) He also stated that Elijah did not leave enoughpersonal estate to satisfy all of his debts and asked permission to sellland owned by Elijah and Elizabeth Sparks.

"Reference was made earlier in this article to a letter that ElijahSparks wrote to President Madison on February 23, 1813. This waspublished in the TERRITORIAL PAPERS OF THE UNITED STATES, Vol. VIII,TERRITORY OF INDIANA, 1810-1816, pp. 240-41. Because this letter isquite revealing in regard to Elijah's personality and outlook on life, itis reproduced below:
Lawrenceburgh 23d February, 1813
VENERABLE SIR, Unbend your mind for a few Moments, from national, andvastly more interesting considerations; and look over a candid address,from a former acquaintance. The acquaintance being very partial, as topersonaltity, is now without doubt, in every trace, effaced from yourrecollection. A knowledge of your own candour, induces me to write, forwhich I have a Claim on your goodness, for Pardon. This I shall obtain,when it is understoo, that I thus act, in justice to myself. Every manowes a degree of justice to himself. My friends have twice laid my namebefore you, as a Successor, to the late Judge Vanderburg of thisTerritory. While that appointment was in suspense, I was not at libertyto say a word to you on the Subject; but as that appointment is conferedupon another (as it is said) the restraint is removed, and I am free toexplain the motives which influenced many of my friends to Solicit forme, and myself to accept the place if bestowed. These motives were alittle out of fashion,-- they were not popular, and lucrative. IfPopularity was the object, a much more wide and certain Path, hath beenopened, in which I might have walked; -- and if Richers, the Barr wouldnot be exchanged for the Bench.

For many years past, I have thought it my duty to Preach the Gospel ofGod. This I have done, & still do at all opportunities, withoutpecuniary fee or reward; and I believe not in vain. Many think that thePractice of Law, & Preaching the Gospel, are incompatible -- I am not oneof those; but there is this inconvenience, they interfere in Point oftime, & attention; the former requiring too large a portion, for theLatter -- It was thought that the Bench, would in some measure, removethe inconvenience -- I practice Law from necessity, to Procure acompetency (a competency is all I covet) for a Lady who put herself undermy protection some years ago, in the county of Frederick, Virg. and arising family -- it was my misfortune (if it be proper to call it such)to be depriced of Parents in very early life; and from the Law ofprimogenture & other miscarriges, I was thrown on the world helpless &unlearned. I turned my attention to Science, devoted every spare, &prudent Moment, by day & by night, until I acquired a sufficient degreeto Commence the Study of Law -- I have been as successful in theprofession, as ordinary -- I have not sought to be known, much beyond mysphere of exercise -- I am content in obscurity -- With Politicks Iconcern, nothing more than I think every good Citizen should do." (Outof space; continued under notes for his wife, Elizabeth Weaver.)

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

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1969, Whole No. 67, p. 1256:

THE FAMILY BIBLEOF ELIJAH SPARKS, born July 28, 1778

Recently we learned that a family Bible that had once been the propertyof Elijah Sparks (born 1778) had been owned at a later time by a mannamed Samuel Clark of Linwood, New Jersey. A letter addressed to SamuelClark happily fell into the hands of Miss Emma Clark of 318 PoplarAvenue, Linwood, New Jersey. Miss Clark is a granddaughter of SamuelClark, to whom we had written. Samuel Clark, we learned, has been deadfor many years.

Upon receiving our letter, Miss Clark called her aunt, Mae Babcock ofPleasantville, New Jersey, to inquire whether she had ever heard of aSparks family Bible. Mrs. Babcock had not only heard of such a Bible, butreported that she now owned it. Miss Clark very kindly examined this oldBible and in the process determined that Elijah Sparks, who had onceowned it, was her great-great-grandfather.

From the entries in the Bible, copied for us by Miss Clark, it isapparent that Elijah Sparks, who was born in 1778, married twice. Hisfirst wife was named Nancy and died between 1811 and 1815. His secondwife was named Rebecca. The oldest daughter of Elijah Sparks, whose namedwas Mahala, married William Clark. The births of the children of Williamand Mahala (Sparks) Clark are also recorded in this Bible.

At this time, our knowledge of Elijah Sparks is limited to theinformation contained in the Bible which he once owned. We assume that helived in New Jersey. Following is the record as copied for us by MissClark:

This Bible belongs to Elijah Sparks, born 28th July 1778.
Mahala Sparks, daughter of Elijah and Nancy Sparks - born March 17, 1797.

Mary Ann Sparks, daughter of Elijah and Nancy Sparks - born 1811.

Sally Ann Sparks, daughter of Elijah and Rebecca Sparks - born May 30,1815.

John Merret Sparks, son of Elijah and Rebecca Sparks - born Feb. 23,1818.

John Clark, son of William and Mahala Clark, born Sept. 22, 1823.

George Clark, son of William and Mahala Clark, born April 7, 1827.

William Clark, son of William and Mahala Clark, born August 1832.

Susanna Clark, daughter of William and Mahala Clark, born March 26, 1835.

Samuel Clark, son of William and Mahala Clark, born June 19, 1829.

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

See SQ 2567 for mention of this man and his marriages:

"Elijah Sparks, son of Nathan Sparks, Jr., was born between 1775 and1794, according to the 1820 census of Queen Annes County, Maryland, andwe place his year of birth as close to 1780. He was born at or near thevillage of Church Hill. Most of the information that we have about himcomes from letters written by his son, Clinton C. Sparks. In the letters,Clinton mentioned three marriages of his father, but apparently he wasmarried a fourth time. (See the Editor's Note at the beginning of thisarticle.)The name of the first wife of Elijah Sparks was unknown toClinton Sparks; however, she may have been Nancy Hinds, an heir of IsaacHinds. She was named as the wife of Elijah Sparks in the
disposition of land in Queen Annes County in 1802. The marriage probablytook place about 1801, and
only one child was born to this union....

"Elijah Sparks married, second, ----- Davis, probably about 1812. Tothis union three children were born, two daughters and one son....

"The third marriage of Elijah Sparks was to Elizabeth Davis,probably about 1820. She was a sister of his second wife and the motherof his son, Clinton Sparks, mentioned above. Four children were born tothis marriage, the oldest being Clinton....

"Elijah Sparks married Henrietta Davis on May 15, 1828, in QueenAnnes County. This was probably his fourth marriage. We have not learnedwhether Henrietta was related to his other wives who had the name Davis.Elijah probably died sometime during the 1830's."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1995, Whole No. 172, p. 4581:

NEW INSIGHT INTO THE LIVES OF SOME DESCENDANTS OFELIJAH SPARKS (1778-ca.1830+)

OF QUEEN ANNES COUNTY, MARYLAND

"[Editor's Note: Information about Elijah Sparks (1778-ca.1830+) ofQueen Annes County, Maryland, has been published earlier in two issues ofthe QUARTERLY. The first information was on page 1256 of the September1969 issue, Whole No. 69, and consisted of records from a Bible thatElijah had owned. The second piece of information was on pages 2567-68of the December 1983 issue, Whole No. 124, and was an account of Elijahand his family.

"[As noted below, Elijah Sparks was born in Queen Annes County,Maryland, on July 28, 1778. He was a son of Nathan Sparks, Jr. who hadbeen born about 1760, also in Queen Annes County. The parents of NathanSparks, Jr. were Nathan, Sr. and Eliza (Bolton) Sparks. Nathan Sparks,Sr. was a son of James and Elizabeth (Barkhurst) Sparks. James Sparks,who had been born about 1710-1715, and Elizabeth Barkhurst were marriedin Queen Annes County on February 9, 1737. As Paul E. Sparks pointed outin his article in the QUARTERLY of December 1983, cited above, there canbe little doubt that James, who made his will in Queen Annes County onMarch 21, 1775, and died shortly thereafter, was a grandson of WilliamSparks who died in Queen Annes County in 1709. Circumstantial evidencepoints strongly to James Sparks having been a son of William Sparks, Jr.and his wife, Margaret Hamilton. Readers interested in this Sparks lineare urged to review the articles cited above, as well as articlesregarding William Sparks (died 1709) and his family appearing in theQUARTERLY of March 1971, Whole No. 73, and that of December 1992, WholeNo. 160.

"[Now, thanks to the keen interest and careful reading of theevidence, Mary Lee Konz, a relative of Elijah Sparks (1778-ca.1830+), weare able to add to the earlier information that we have of this man. Forthe sake of uniformity, we have retained the same alpha-numeric outlineused in the earlier articles.]

"Elijah Sparks, son of Nathan Sparks, Jr., was born in Queen AnnesCounty, Maryland, on July 28, 1778. Apparently, he was married fourtimes. His first marriage was to Nancy Hinds about 1796, probably in thecounty of his birth. She was an heir of Isaac Hinds; in fact, she maywell have been his daughter. According to the Bible record cited above,she and Elijah had two daughters, Mahala and Mary Ann....."

"The second marriage of Elijah Sparks was to Rebecca Davis about1814. They had three children: Sarah, Elmina, and John Merritt....."

"The third marriage of Elijah Sparks was performed about 1820 when hewas married to Elizabeth Davis. She was a sister of Rebecca Davis, thesecond wife of Elijah Sparks. She and Elijah had four children...."

"Elijah's fourth marriage was to Henrietta Davis on May 15, 1828, inQueen Annes County. The Rev. Walton performed the marriage ceremony. Wehave no further information regarding this couple."

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

See SQ pp. 226-7 for a copy of the Johnson County, Kentucky - 1850Census showing Elijah and Sarah (Evans) Sparks and 8 of their children.

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, p. 886 for the following marriage informationfrom Lawrence County, Kentucky, Marriage Bonds (1822-1865):
Elijah Sparks & Sarah Evans, October 19, 1832. (Box 3) Consent of herfather, Wesley Evans. Witnesses: Daniel Sparks & E. E. Stikes.

SQ 3797: He was married in 1832 to Sarah Evans.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1992, Whole No. 148, pg 3945:
"Elijah Sparks, son of Thomas and Dianah (Wilcox) Sparks, was bornabout 1811 in North Carolina and was about ten years old when his parentsarrived in Lawrence County, Kentucky. It was there that he was marriedto Sarah "Sally" Evans on October 19, 1832, with Wesley Evans, father ofSally, giving his consent. Daniel Sparks, brother of Elijah, was awitness along with E. E. Stikes. Sally had been born in Virginia onSeptember 14, 1811. She and Elijah lived on the Puncheon Fork of HoodCreek in northwest Johnson County where they reared nine children.Elijah died between 1870 and 1880. Sally died on October 4, 1891."

See SQ p. 232 for birth information and p. 946 for marriage information.

SQ pg 2632:

"Elijah Rogers Sparks, son of Allen and Nancy (Rogers) Sparks, wasborn on November 6, 1843, near Colfax, Indiana. He was obviously namedfor his maternal grandfather. He was a farmer, a teacher, and also anattorney. He served in the 3rd and 8th Regiments, Indiana Cavalry in theCivil War. (See page 2637 of this issue of the QUARTERLY for an abstractof his pension file.) He was married twice. His first marriage was toElizabeth Barker on April 19, 1866, in Boone County, Indiana. She wasborn on December 20, 1846, and was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth(White) Barker, natives of North Carolina. She died on November 5, 1887.

"Elijah Sparks was elected a justice of the peace of Clinton County,Indiana, in 1876. He was apparently licensed to practice law about 1880.As noted in his father's obituary, Elijah specialized in assisting CivilWar veterans in preparing their applications for the pensions provided bythe U.S. government. He was a member of the Methodist Church and in hispolitics, he was a Republican.

"On March 18, 1891, Elijah married (2nd) Jennie Jordan in TippecanoeCounty, Indiana. She was born about 1851. They had no children.

"Elijah died on January 14, 1916, in the Indiana State Soldiers'Home at Lafayette, Indiana. According to records known as the "RogersIndex," which are housed in The Filson Club, Louisville, Kentucky, andalso from a copy of the Bible record of the births of his children keptby Elijah Sparks that has been provided us by Irma (Cory) We lls, Elijahand Elizabeth (Barker) Sparks were the parents of eight children."

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

See SQ pps 2637-8 for the abstract of his pension file:

"ELIJAH ROGERS SPARKS, son of Allen and Nancy (Rogers) Sparks. H eserved in Company H and Company M, 3rd Regiment Indiana Cavalry an dCompany M, 8th Regiment Indiana Calvary. File designations: Inv. C ert.No. 489,980; Wid. Cert. No. 816,397.

It is known that Elijah Rogers Sparks filed an application for aninvalid pension with the Bureau of Pensions on June 7, 1889; however, nocopy of the application was sent from his pension file in the packet ofmaterials supplied us by the National Archives. His military service wasconfirmed by the War Department on November 30, 1889 . He was enrolledin Company H, 3rd Regiment Indiana Calvary on August 27, 1862. He wastransferred to Company M, same regiment, on September 1, 1864, and toCompany M, 8th Regiment Indiana Cavalry on May 1, 1865. He was capturednear Fayetteville, North Carolina, on March 10, 1865, and confined atRichmond, Virginia, on March 28, 1865 . He was paroled at Boulware HoxisWharf, Virginia, on March 30, 1865, and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, onApril 2, 1865. He was mustered out on June 9, 1865.

Invalid Certificate No. 489,980 was issued to Elijah Sparks, and hewas placed upon the pension roll.

On March 6, 1899, Sparks responded to a questionnaire from the Bureauof Pensions. He stated that (here follows his marital information andthe names and birthdates of his children).

On May 28, 1912, Elijah Sparks, now aged 68 and a resident ofLafayette, Indiana, applied for an increase in his pension under an Actof Congress of 1912. He said that he had enrolled in Company H, 3rdRegiment Indiana Cavalry on August 27, 1862, at Indianapolis, Indania,and had served until he was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, on June 9,1865. At the time of his enlistment he had been 5 feet, 10 inches tall;he had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair, and he was a farmer.He had been born on November 6, 1843, near Colfax, Indiana. ClarenceBooth and C. P. White witnessed his signature. His pension was increasedfrom $24 to $30 per month. Elijah Sparks died on January 14, 1916, atthe Indiana State Soldiers Home, Lafayette, Indiana. He was described onthe death certificate as "retired pension attorney." The name of hisfather was given as Allen Sparks.

On January 26, 1916, Jennie J. Sparks, aged 60, applied for a Widow'sPension. She stated that she had been married to Elijah Sparks on March18, 1891, at West Lafayette, Indiana. It was her first marriage, but herhusband had been married previously. John Tankerley and James N. Hugheswitnessed her signature. She was issued Widow Certificate No. 816,397 bythe Bureau of Pensions and placed upon the pension roll."

See SQ p. 227 for a copy of the Johnson County, Kentucky - 1850 Censusshowing Elisha and Susanna (Pridemore) Sparks and 8 children.

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, p. 886 for the