SQ pg 2630: She was reared by her aunt Mary Ann (Sparks) Hanes . Shemarried William Stonebreaker. Their photograph is on page 2629.

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, p. 886 for the following marriage informationfrom Lawrence County, Kentucky, Marriage Bonds (1822- 1865):
Bethena Sparks & David Curnutte, September 27, 1855. (Book II, p. 96)

SQ p. 4642:
"Bethany Sparks, daughter of Garrett and Betsy (Boggs) Sparks, wasborn about 1836. She was married to David Curnutte on September 27,1853, in Lawrence County. He had been born about 1834 and was a son ofReuben ["Bobby"] and Zilpha (Holbrook) Curnutte. When the 1860 censuswas taken of Lawrence County, David and Bethany were shown with twochildren; there may have been others born to them later. We have nofurther information about this family."

.
!NOTES:
SQ 4068: She was married to Robert T. Hudson on June 23 1955, an dthey had two children, Richard and Randy.

.

!NOTES:
SPARKS QUARTERLY June 1985, Whole No. 130, DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM
SPARKS (1761-1848), pg 2749:

"Beverly Edgar ("Bedd") Sparks, son of James Hawkins and Elizabeth(McKnight) Sparks, was born on April 25, 1858, near Waco. He was rearedand educated in Texas and spent seven years at Trinity University inLimestone County which at that time was located at Tehuacana. It wasprobably there that he met annie Lelia Jones, and they were married inLimestone County on June 22, 1880. She was born on December 24, 1860, atKosse, Texas, and was a daughter of S. M. Jones, a native of Alabama.

"Following his marriage, Bedd Sparks returned to his boyhood home inMcLennan County where he managed his parents' farm until about 1891 . In1892, he was elected clerk of Texas District No. 19, and, in 1893, he waselected clerk of Texas District No. 54. He held these positions for fouryears. Subsequently he was engaged in the cotton business in Waco until1901 when he sold his farms in McLennan County and moved to Stamford ,Texas. There he entered into a law partnership with Judge L. M. Buie andformed one of the strongest land agencies in Jones County.

"Annie (Jones) Sparks died on March 27, 1912, at Stamford. BeddSparks survived her many years, dying on May 21, 1938. They were theparents of seven children.

(1) Edgar Milton Sparks was born on April 14, 1881. He died in 1884;
(2) James Albert Sparks was born on March 19, 1883. He marriedEthel Fanning;
(3) Erin Franlin Sparks wasa born on March 21, 1885;
(4) Anna Lelia Sparks was born on December 16, 1889;
(5) Rupert Trevlyn Sparks was born on December 16, 1889;
(6) Leslie Steinbeck Sparks was born on April 25, 1892;
(7) Perry Hawkins Sparks was born on August 10, 1898. He marriedFrieda Chastain on October 11, 1936."

!NOTES:
SQ 2524: "Birdie Ellen Sparks, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Morgan)
Sparks, was born on February 21, 1880, in Texas. She married Herber tReynolds
and they had a daughter, Birdie Reynolds, who married Thurman Wilde r(the son
of Birdie Ellen's sister Alice Irene Sparks (756), Thurman being Bird ie
Reynolds' first cousin. Thurman and Birdie had one child, T. C. Wild er."
A wedding picture of Thurman and Birdie Ellen (Sparks) Wilder appe arson
page 3313 of the QUARTERLY.

SQ pg 3403: They had four children: Harold, John, Emojean, andDorothy Skaggs.

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

SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1991, Whole No. 156, p. 3884:

BLANCHE (SPARKS) HOLMBERG DIES

It is with a personal degree of sadness that we report the death ofBlanche (Sparks) Holmberg who passed away on November 16, 1991, atLouisville, Kentucky. She was born on February 1, 1916, in ElliottCounty, Kentucky - - a daughter of David Ballard and Tina (Nickles)Sparks; a granddaughter of John Elliott and Elizabeth (Boggs) Sparks; anda great-granddaughter of Nelson and Margaret (Mauk) Sparks. (See the June1989 issue of the QUARTERLY, Whole No. 146, for further details aboutthis branch of the Sparks family. Blanche was most helpful in thepreparation of that article.)

We extend our sympathy to the surviving members of her family.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3701: His name might have been Buchanan.

See SQ p4855:

"Byrdine ["Bird"] Sparks was born on May 11, 1887. He was married toFiona Jenkins. He may have been the Bird Sparks who was shot and killedby Alex Frazier in 1916/1917. He was buried in an unmarked grave in theBill Sparks Cemetery."

Queen Anne's County Town Hundred, Census of 1776 taken from MarylandRecords, Vol 2, FHL 975.2 D29b, p 203:

Sparks, Caleb, Senr., 1 white male over 21; 2 white females over 21; 1white male 16-21; 1 white male 12-16; 2 white females 12-16; 3 whitemales less than 12, 1 white female less than 12; total: 6 males, 5females.

SQ 1702, 3230: Married Hannah O'Bryan, 19 Mar 1745, apparently had 10children.

See MARYLAND MARRIAGES 1634-1777, Compiled by Robert Barnes, Baltimore
1987, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. p. 168:

"Sparks, Caleb, 19 March 1745, Hanah (sic) O'Bryan"; citing 1QA-52 .The citation refers to the Records of St. Luke's Church, p. 52, QueenAnnes County, Maryland, copied in 1904/5 at the Maryland HistoricalSociety.

See also IGI for Maryland as of March, 1992, 7230711/51

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September 1970, Whole No. 71, pp 1336-1342:

"CALEB SPARKS OF LEWIS AND NICHOLAS COUNTIES, KENTUCKY"

"Caleb Sparks was born about 1785 and died about 1835 in Lewis County,Kentucky. He was married to Rebecca Wilson, daughter of Ephraim Wilsonon October 19, 1805, in Bourbon County, Kentucky. When the 1880 censuswas taken Robert Thomas Sparks, son of Caleb and Rebecca, stated that hisfather (Caleb) had been born in Kentucky and that his mother (Rebecca)had been born in Pennsylvania. There is some reason to believe, however,that Caleb Sparks was born in Virginia. He paid taxes in Lewis County,Kentucky, in 1811 and 1812, but he apparently moved to Nicholas County,Kentucky, about 1813 where he was listed on the 1820 census. Heapparently returned to Lewis County about 1828 and paid taxes there thatyear on land on Kinniconnick Creek. It was there that he gave hisconsent to the marriage of his daughter, Catherine, to Eli Nash in 1832.Our last record of his paying taxes in Lewis County was in 1835. Whenhis daughter Elizabeth was married to William Arthurs in 1837, however,it was her mother, Rebecca Sparks, who gave consent, thus indicating thatCaleb apparently died between 1835 and 1837.

"It is believed that Caleb and Rebecca (Wilson) Sparks had a largefamily of children, perhaps twelve in all, based on census records, butonly seven can be identified by name from the records. According tofamily tradition, a number of these children eventually moved toMissouri." (For a record of the children of Caleb and Rebecca (Wilson)Sparks, see their individual sheets.)

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

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1971, Whole No. 75, pp 1416-1418:

Additional Notes on Caleb Sparksof Lewis County, Kentucky

and his Descendants

In the QUARTERLY for September 1970 (Vol. XVIII, No. 3, Whole No. 71) wepublished an article on Caleb Sparks of Lewis County, Kentucky, and hisdescendants. Caleb Sparks was born about 1785 and died about 1835 inLewis County, Kentucky. He married Rebecca Wilson, daughter of EphraimWilson, on October 19, 1805, in Bourbon County, Kentucky. One of thesons of Caleb and Rebecca (Wilson) Sparks was Joseph Sparks, born March10, 1813. Since publishing the above article, we have receivedadditional information on this branch of the family from Mrs. Joseph V.Collins of Arvada, Colorado, a great-granddaughter of Joseph Sparks, andfrom Mrs. Doris L. Miller of Wauwatosa., Wisconsin, a great-great-granddaughter of Joseph Sparks." [JS: The balance of this article hasbeen placed under the notes of Joseph Sparks, son of Caleb and Rebecca(Wilson) Sparks.]

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

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1980, Whole No. 111, pp 2240-41:

FURTHER NOTES ON CALEB SPARKS OF LEWIS AND NICHOLAS COUNTIES,KENTUCKY

By Paul E. Sparks

(Editor's Note: In the September 1970 issue of the QUARTERLY, Vol. XVIII,No. 3, Whole No. 71) pp. 1336-42, we published an article about CalebSparks of Lewis and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky. Further data have beenuncovered in Fleming County, Kentucky, about Caleb Sparks which willundoubtedly interest descendants of this man. Fleming County adjoins bothLewis and Nicholas Counties.)

On the 10th day of February 1800, the County Court Clerk of FlemingCounty was instructed to care for the well-being of two sons of WilliamSparks who had died. The sons were Caleb Sparks and Joseph Sparks. Thecourt order, recorded in Court Book B, was as follows:

Ordered that the clerk of the court bind Caleb Sparkes and JosephSparkes, infant heirs of ----- Sparkes, deceased, to William McCormick tolearn the art and mistery of Tanning and Currying; whereupon an indenturebinding the said Caleb and Joseph to the said William McCormick wasproduced in court, acknowledgeed by Joshua Stockton, clerk, as aforesaidand the said William McCormick and ordered to be recorded.
The court order was signed by Richard Tilton, Commissioner.

The indentures were recorded on the same day as the court order and canbe found in Deed Book A, page 324 and page 325. The indenture for CalebSparks was recorded on page 324 and is identical to the indenture forJoseph Sparks which was recorded on page 325 with the single exceptionthat the term of Joseph's apprenticeship was for twelve years from thefirst day of March 1800. Here is the indenture copied exactly as itappears in the deed book.

This indenture made the tenth day of February Eighteen Hundred betweenRichard Tilton, Bryan Rout and John Mart, Gentlemen, Justices of theCounty Court of fleming of the one part and William McCormick of theother part wittnesseth that the said Justices by Virtue of the Powergiven them by law have placed and Bound out and by these presents doplace and bind out Kalip Sparks an infant orphan of William Sparks,Deceased unto said McCormick for full term of seven years from the thirdof next December ensueing the date heir of to be taught and instructed inthe Business of Taning and Currying and the said Apprentice to DwellContinue and serve the said Master from the date hereof until Seven Yearsfrom the third day of next December During all which time the saidApprentice his said Master Well and faithfully shall serve his Secretskeep and all his Lawful Commands everywhere ready obey he shall not do orsuffer to be done by others hurt to his said Master but in all thingsbehave himself well as a faithful Apprentice ought to during theaforesaid term of service and the said William McCormick is to Learn orcause him to be taught the said Apprentice the art or Mistery of theTanning and Currying Business and to procure and provide the saidApprentice Meat drink washing lodging and Wearing Aperal during the termof his Apprenticeship and also to learn the said Apprentice to Read Writeand Cipher to the Rule of Three in said Term and At the Expiration ofsaid Term of service to Pay said Apprentice fifty Dollars Worth ofClothing Likewise a Horse and Saddle worth twenty five pounds or otherproper to that amount in witness whereof said William McCormick hathhereby Set his hand and seal the Day and Year first above written.Execute in the presence of:

/s/ William McCormick

At a Court begun and held for Fleming County on the 10th Day of February1800, This indenture binding Caleb Sparks to William McCormick wasproduced in Court and acknowledged by said McCormick and ordered to berecorded.

/s/ Joshua Stockton C.F.C.

An indenture for a minor orphan was not uncommon in early America. Thecustom was for the court (or a judge) to apprentice the orphan to acitizen of the community who would teach him a trade. In turn, theapprentice would perform tasks for the master. Generally, the apprenticebecame, to all intents and purposes, a member of the household. The termof the apprenticeship usually lasted until the apprentice's twenty-firstbirthday, or until the master agreed to shorten the term.

According to the indenture of Caleb Sparks, his seven-year term ofservice was to end on December 3, 1807; thus he was born twenty-one yearsearlier, or on December 3, 1786. His brother, Joseph, was to serve atwelve-year apprenticeship which was to end on March 1, 1812; thus he wasborn on March 1, 1791.

Both boys (Caleb had just passed his thirteenth birthday; Joseph was soonto be nine) were to be taught to tan hides. A part of the process wasknown as "currying" which involved dressing the tanned hide by soaking,scraping, beating and coloring. In addition, they were to be taught toread, write, and cipher to the Rule of Three. The latter term was used inthose days to denote a method of finding a fourth term of a proportionwhen the other three terms were known.

William Sparks, father of Caleb and Joseph, was probably the WilliamSparks, Jr. who was in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in 1786 where he signeda petition asking the Virginia legislature to create a new county.William Sparks, Sr. also signed the petition. William Sparks, Jr. paidtaxes in Bourbon County from 1787 to 1797. He probably went with NicholasCounty when it was created in 1799.

We have no data concerning Joseph Sparks, brother of Caleb. In the June1970 issue of the QUARTERLY (Vol. XVIII, No. 2, Whole No. 70) pp. 1315-18we published an article about a Joseph Sparks of Lewis County, Kentucky.That Joseph Sparks, however, was born about 1777 and married in 1797 inBourbon County, Kentucky; Anne Wilson. A Joseph Sparks also served as asoldier in the War of 1812 from August 15 to October 14, 1812. He wasfrom Bourbon County, Kentucky.

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

EARLY KENTUCKY LAW PERTAINING TO APPRENTICES

In connection with the above record of two Sparks orphans having beenmade apprentices, it is of interest to note the provisions of theKentucky Act dated March 1, 1797, concerning "Guardians, Infants, Mastersand Apprentices." The following is taken from Laws of Kentucky 1797,printed by the Commonwealth, 1803:

Poor Orphans to be Bound to a Trade: Every orphan who hath no estatesufficient for maintenance out of the benefits shall by order of thecourt of the county in which he resides be bound apprentice until the ageof twenty-one if a boy or of sixteen years if a girl to some master ormistress who shall covenant to teach the apprentice some art, trade orbusiness to be particularized in the indenture, as also reading andwriting, and if a boy, common arithmetic including the rule of three andto pay him or her three pounds, ten shillings and a suit of cloathes atthe expiration of the time, which indenture shall be approved by thecourt and recorded.

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

SQ p. 233 shows Caleb Sparks 22, born KY, and Elizabeth Sparks, 26, bornKY in the 1850 census for Lewis County, KY.

SQ 3196-99: "The Civil War had a tragic impact upon the little familyof Reuben and Nancy Sparks. Their eldest son, Calton, now 19 years ofage,
enlisted on May 3, 1862, as a 3rd sergeant in Company I of the 61st Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Confederate States Army, on May 3,1862. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on June 9, 1863. Then, at theSiege of Petersburg, Virginia, he was killed on July 30, 1864.
"Parts of the story of the military service of Calton Sparks are toldby entries written in the family Bible of his parents. (The Bible is nowin the
possession of the Rev. Elmer Ray Sparks of Sparta, North Carolina. ) Thefirst record states that he (Calton) "became a Soldier May the 3rd 1862and left home on the 6 day of June 1862." Another record states that he"Returned home on furlough March 26, 1864 for 20 days leave." This isfollowed by the entry: "Calton Sparks fell in the Battle of Peters Burg30 of July 1864."

"The most poignant account of the death of Calton Sparks is found in aletter (also in the possession of the Rev. Elmer Ray Sparks) written on
July 31, 1864, by Solomon Fender to Calton's father. Here is the letterjust as it was written [over] 125 years ago.

"July the 31 1864 In the entrenchment near Peters Burg Va. Mr.Rubin Sparks Dear friend it is with pleasure that I seat my Self totry and write you a few lines to let you know how we are all getting along as to the health of our co it is tolerable good but we all are aseeing hard times here I can inform you that we had a severe fite hereyesterday we made a considerable Slaughter a mong the enemy and repusedthem in ever attempt but we Suffered considerable loss on our Side andamong them I haf to Say to you that your Son Calton was one among them hewas
killed dead on the field he was shot threw the neck with a minny ballhe was the ondly officer that was lost in our co and he was as good aofficer as ever could of been to his practice the loss of Lieut. C.Sparks is greate to his co it is awful nuse for me to haf to try toannounce to you but there is not doubt in my mind but which your loss ofhim is his eternal gain for there has never been a man in the army thatdid not conduct his Self any better than he did there is no doubt butwhat he is better off to day than any of us that is left in thisstroublesom world I Will Say to you Hay Wood Crowse is now gone toPeters Burg to get a coffin to Burry him in he will be put away as goodas we can do it here we will have his
grave marked and numbered Sow you can come and get him if you choose todo so.

"Calton has some few little notions here that Haywood Crowse willtry to Save for you he will Send them to you the first opportunity if
you dont come down after his boddy come down if you can I cannot givea correct account of our losses Lieut was all the man that was killedin our co we had onelly 2 men wounded in our co Doc Caudle andMeredeth Cheek they was severely wounded it is thought by the most ofthe enemy we taken about 1000 prisners the lines is quiet thiss morningbut it is thought that the yankies is a reen forcing veryy fast as Icant tell much more at this time I will close write to mee as soon asyou get this send it to Peters Burg VA so no more onelly I remainyour friend til death thiss from Solomon Fender

TO Ru Bin Sparks and family
"I onlely hope that thiss will find you all well and doing well Ifear that you cant read thiss for it is the warmest time here that I ever
saw and I am a Swetting So that my paper is wet with swet and I cantwrite on it you may be sure that I am in bad order for writing
this morning for I am very feeble this morning no more at this time Sofare well for the present
"S. Fender to R Sparks."

"(Editor's Note: The Union Army's Petersburg Campaign began in June 1864and laster until May 1865. General Grant's object was to capture theConfederate stronghold at Petersburg (a vital communications center forthe Confederates) and then to move on Richmond from the south of theJames River. The incident on July 30, 1864, in which Calton Sparks losthis life, followed an attempt by the Yankees (under the command ofGeneral Burnside) to construct a mine beneath a Confederate battery andtrenches. The mine was dug between June 25 and July
23, 1864, and extended from the Union trenches some 511 feet with twolateral galleries 75 feet long--it was 20 feet beneath the surface. Eightthousand pounds of black powder were then placed in this mine. Theexplosion came at 4:45 a.m. on July 30, creating a crater 170 feet long,60 to 80 feet wide and 30 feet deep; at least 278 Confederates werekilled or wounded. In the battle which followed, the Union forces failedto take advantage of their dr amatic surprise; by 8:30 a.m., over 15,000were engaged in the area of the crater.

The assault cost the Union army 3,798 casualties (out of 20,708 troopsengaged) while the Confederate army's casualties were about 1,500 (out of11,4 66) engaged. Writing of this event in his memoirs, General Grantstated : "The effort was a stupendous failure..." General Burnside wasrelieved of his command during the investigation that followed.Petersburg did not fall to the Union army until April 2, 1865."

SQ 100:
"Calvin Sparks, born 9 Nov. 1806; married 1828, Sarah Lyon ."

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, p. 886 for the following marriage informationfrom Lawrence County, Kentucky, Marriage Bonds (1822-1865):
Calvin Sparks & Sally Lyon, June 16, 1828. (Book I, p. 48) Married byStephen Wheeler, Baptist minister.
SQ p. 4647:

"Calvin Sparks, son of Levi and Sarah (Lyon) Sparks, was born onNovem-ber 9, 1806, in Wilkes County, North Carolina. He received a goodeducation in the local schools and was a good-sized lad when heaccompanied his parents to Kentucky. Descendants say that he taughtschool near the village of Martha in Lawrence County. He was married toSarah ["Sally"] Lyon on June 19, 1828, in Lawrence County by StephenWheeler, a Baptist minister. Sally had been born on July 10, 1806, andwas a daughter of John and Mary ["Polly"] (Holbrook) Lyon.

"Calvin and Sally lived on the Right Fork of Big Blaine Creek wherethey reared six children. Sally died there on August 29, 1876. Calvinmade his home with his son, Nelson Sparks, until his death on February26, 1894. He and Sally were buried in the Dobyns Cemetery located nearthe mouth of Wiley Branch."

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, March, 1969, Whole Number 65. The cover bearsa picture of Calvin Sparks (1823-1903) and his wife Mahala (Carmichael)Sparks (1824-1910). Notes regarding Calvin and Mahala taken from anearlier issue of the Quarterly appear under the notes for his grandson,William Granvil Sparks.

In THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, p. 1206 of Whole No. 65 we find the followingabout Calvin:

"Calvin Sparks, son of Hardy and Susannah (Brown) Sparks, was born inNorth Carolina on December 3, 1823, and died at Hoag, located nearBeatrice, Nebraska. On January 1, 1846, Calvin Sparks was married inMonroe County, Indiana, to Mahala Carmichael (Book B, p. 98). She wasborn on April 7, 1824, and died on March 5, 1910. Their portrait appearson the cover of this issue of the Quarterly. Both are buried in theSparks Cemetery at Beatrice, Nebraska. Calvin Sparks was the firstCounty Commissioner of Perkins County, Nebraska, where he had moved withhis family about 1881. Calvin and Mahala (Carmichael) Sparks were theparents of ten children."

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

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September 1994, Whole Number 167, p. 4363 in anarticle entitled UNION SOLDIERS NAMED SPARKS WHO APPLIED OR WHOSE HEIRSAPPLIED FOR PENSIONS FOR SERVICE IN THE CIVIL WAR:

CALVIN SPARKS, son of Hardy and Susannah (Brown) Sparks. was born onDecember 3, 1823, in Ashe County, North Carolina. On January 1, 1846, hewas married to Mahala Carmichael in Monroe County, Indiana. He served inCompany C, 97th Regiment Indiana Infantry. File Designations: Inv. Cert.No. 74,594; Wid. Cert. No. 586,105.

Calvin Sparks received a Certificate of Disability for Discharge on April8, 1864. He had enlisted as a private on August 12, 1862, in Company C,97th Regiment Indiana Infantry, commanded by Capt. Joseph W. Young, toserve for three years. For two months prior to his discharge, he hadbeen a patient in the Madison General Hospital, Madison, Indiana, with ageneral paralysis of his extremities caused by the kick of a mule in June1863. Dr. D. A. Morse, Assistant Surgeon, stated that Sparks was totallydisabled and unfit for field service or for entering the Invalid Corps.Sparks was then 37 years of age; he had been born in Ashe County, NorthCarolina; he was 5 feet, 9 inches tall; he had a dark complexion, blueeyes, and dark hair; and he was a farmer. His address was Hoffyville,Indiana.

On November 27, 1866, Calvin Sparks was granted an invalid pension of$6.00 per month under Invalid Certificate No. 74,594. On May 11, 1868,Sparks (now aged 42 and a resident of Stanford, Indiana), applied for anincrease in his pension claiming that he was now paralyzed in his leftside and in his hip joints, and he was unable to perform any manuallabor. Since leaving the service, he had lived in Greene and MonroeCounties, Indiana. He appointed Hennelin & Johnson, Indianapolis,Indiana, as his attorneys. John R. East and R. A. Fulk witnessed hissignature on this application.

The War Department sent the Bureau of Pensions a copy of Sparks'smilitary records on February 16, 1877. He had been enrolled in Capt.John W. Carmichael's Company in Greene County, Indiana, on September 20,1862, to serve for three years. He had been absent without leave duringNovember and December 1862. He had been absent sick at LaGrange,Tennessee, in February 1863. In June 1863, he had been at WileysPlantation, Mississippi. In January and February 1864, he had beenabsent sick at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Du ing March and April 1864, hehad been absent sick at Madison, Indiana, and he had been dischargedthere on April 8, 1864.

On May 24, 1898, Sparks responded to the questionnaire which the Bureauof Pensions sent to all pensioners that year. He stated that he had beenmarried to Mahala Carmichael on January 1, 1846, by James Carmichael, ajustice of the peace of Monroe County, Indiana. It had been the firstmarriage for both. Children born to this marriage who were now (1898)living were:

Matilda Jane Sparks, now Collett, born September 5, 1846
William Riley Sparks, born December 27, 1847
Dianna Sparks, now Carter, born December 23, 1849
Susanna Sparks, now Weaver, born July 23, 1852
Maria Elizabeth Sparks, now Thompson, born March 4, 1857
Joseph Hardy Sparks, born December 24, 1859
Calvin Sparks died on July 3, 1903, in Gage County, Nebraska, and onSeptember 21, 1903, his widow, Mahala Sparks, applied for a widow'spension under the 1900 Act of Congress. She was 79 years of age, and aresident of Hoag, Nebraska. J. W. Howard and D. Sparks witnessed her makeher mark on this application. A few days later, the Monroe County Clerk,Joseph H. Campbell, sent to the Bureau of Pensions a record of hermarriage to Calvin Sparks on January 1, 1846.
The Bureau of Pensions issued Widow Certificate No. 586,105 to MahalaSparks. When she died in March 1910, she was receiving a pension of$12.00 per month.

-4364-

CALVIN SPARKS, CIVIL WAR PENSION, continued:

[Editor's Note: Calvin Sparks was a son of Hardy and Susannah (Brown)Sparks. A record of this family was published in the March 1969 issue ofTHE SPARKS QUARTERLY, Whole No. 65. Pages 1206-08 pertain to CalvinSparks, and a photograph of him and his wife, Mahala, as an elderlycouple, appears on the cover of that issue. At the time that material onCalvin Sparks was published, we did not have an exact record of the namesand dates of his and Mahala's children, and our readers are urged to makeappropriate changes on pages 1206-08, as follows: Dianna Sparks wasobviously the same child as Annie; Maria Elizabeth was the same child asLizzie; while Theodosha Sparks and Sitha Sparks had died, apparently,prior to March 1898 when Calvin listed his living children.)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Calvin Sparks and his family are included in the 1860 census for GreenCounty, Indiana. See SQ p. 4450.

SQ 4878: "Calvin Sparks, son of Reuben and Margaret (Pruitt) Sparks,was shown as 8 months old and born in Kentucky on the 1850 census ofLawrence County. If the census taker calculated ages as of June 1, 1850,as the forms instructed him to do, this would place Calvin's birth inOctober (possibly November) 1849. Calvin was still living with hisparents when the 1870 census was taken of Crawford County, Kansas, but hehas not been found on the 1880 census. As noted earlier, however, a sonof Calvin named William Reuben Sparks of Columbus, Kansas, writing in1955, stated that he (William Reuben Sparks) had been born in 1876 inCrawford County, Kansas."

The following obituary notice was published in the Girard Free Press,Kirard, Kansas, March 16, 1922, and was sent by Robert W. Sparks, agreat-grandson of Calvin A. Sparks.

Death of Calvin Sparks

Calvin Sparks was born in Lawrence County, Kentucky, January 16, 1850.He died at his home, 206 North Osage Street, Girard, March 15, 1922, atthe age of 72 years. Mr. Sparks moved with his parents to Allencounty, Kansas, in 1864. On August 30,1874, he was united in marriagewith Miss Antha Mitchell at Joplin. Soon there after they movedto Cherokee and have lived there and in Girard ever since.
Mr. Sparks is survived by his wife, two sons, William of Miami,and Frank of Radley; two daughters, Mrs. Martha Kuhn of Girard,and Miss Mary, at home, There are also nine grand children andone great grandchild.
He has been a member of the Christian Church thirty years,funeral services will be held at the Christian Church, Friday, at2:30 p. m. Rev. W. E. Babb officiating.

See SQ p4853:
"Caney Sparks was born on May 19, 1874. He was married to CalistaJane Ramey in 1894 in Lawrence County. She had been born in August 1877,and was a daughter of Daniel Ramey. She died on March 9, 1942, and Caneydied on May 21, 1943. They had nine children. They were: Bertha Sparks,Cora Sparks, John Wesley Sparks, Daniel Garfield Sparks, Mary Sparks,Della Lea Sparks, Laban T. Sparks, Edna Sparks, and Gladys Sparks."

See the SPARKS QUARTERLY, pg 1977:

"Carleton Joseph Sparks, son of Levi Carlton and Bertha C. (Ludwig)Sparks, was born in Valentine, Nebraska, on November 30, 1898, and diedin El Cajon, California, on September 12, 1970. He married ValentineQueen Shaw of Valentine, Nebr., by whom he had one daughter, Patricia AnnSparks. They were divorced and he married (2d) Dorothy Harms ofValentine on June 18, 1934--one adopted daughter, Doris Margaret Sparks.He and his second wife were also divorced. He was educated at a militaryacademy and at the University of Nebraska. He became a metal lather andworked in various sections of the U.S., returning to Valentine in 1933 tohelp run the Ludwig Lumber Yard.

"While living in Valentine, Charleton Joseph Sparks was very active inlocal politics, serving several times as mayor and several terms on theCity Council. He was also active in St. John's Episcopal Church, in theAmerican Legion, and the Firemen's organization. While Joe and hisbrother Dan were both partners in the Ludwig Lumber Yard, the term SparksBrothers again came into common use in Valentine, this time referring tothese two nephews of the original Sparks Brothers."

!NOTES:
SQ 3867: Carlos B. Sparks was married to Bertha Ann Barber abou t1911. She
had been born on October 22, 1890, and was a daughter of John T. an dTrinvilla
(Crane) Barber. She and Carlos had five children: Alberta, Edgar, Glenna,
Eldon and Howard.

The information concerning the descendants of Benedict Joseph Sparks wasreceived on 9/11/00 from his granddaughter, Carolyn Mason (Sparks) Gentryby email. Address: 1950 McCowans Ferry Rd., Versailles, KY 40383-9028,phone 606-873-9585. Her email address is (2000)
Carmsgen@@aol.com. She is the second cousin once removed of James J.Sparks

Marriage recorded in Carroll County, GA., Book H, page 383.

SQ p 2869: They lived in Visalia, California.

.
!NOTES:
SQ 3200: "Cassie Sparks, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Rose) Sparks,
was born about 1821 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. She married Br ooks
about 1844. He was born in 1924 and was a son of Stokes and Claruss a(Rey-
nolds) Brooks. Hardin and Cassie lived in Alleghany County, North Carolina.
She died there in 1902, and he died in 1903. According to LOG CABI NFAMILIES
OF STONE MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA written in 1981 by Harden and Virgi nia
Royall, they had ten children. As described in the Royalls' book, he reare
the children: (here are named children and their descendants)."

SQ p. 1341:

"Catherine Sparks, daughter of Caleb and Rebecca (Wilson) Sparks, wasborn about 1811. She was married to Eli Harrison Nash on September 6,1832, in Lewis County, Kentucky. He was born April 2, 1808, in Kentucky,and was the son of James and Mary (Brackney) Nash who came to Kentuckyfrom Alleghany County, Pennsylvania. His brother, Jesse Nash, marriedCytha Ann Sparks in 1834 in Lewis County. Catherine (Sparks) Nash diedabout 1855; her husband, Eli., died in 1885 at the age of 77. Accordingto the 1850 census, they had the following children: (see theirindividual sheets)

SQ pp. 2157-58:

Catherine Sparks, daughter of Samuel and Polly (Aaron) Sparks, was bornabout 1824 in Tennessee. On December 17, 1842, she married ZachariahCollins in Adair County. He was born about 1822 in Kentucky and was acarpenter by trade. His mother's given name was Catherine and she wasborn about 1807 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Zacaariah and Catherine(Sparks) Collins had eight children.

Catherine was born the day following the death of her father.

SQ pp 5377-78:

Catherine Sparks, the last child of Matthew and Sarah (Elmore) Sparks,was born on May 16, 1834, according to the family record contained in aBible that was kept by Catherine's daughter, Olive McGary. This Bible isnow owned by a descendant; a photocopy of the family record that itcontains has been obtained for us by Stefani W. Arnesen of West Jordan,Utah. The death of Catherine is given in this record as June 29, 1914.
The census taker of Cass County, Missouri, in 1850, while giving NorthCarolina as the state in which the other Sparks children had been born,wrote "Ia." as the state where Catherine had been born. This could meanIowa, although Iowa, which became a territory in 1838, was not admittedto the Union as a state until 1846. Many census takers in 1850, however,used the abbreviation "In." to represent Indiana. We can only speculatethat. perhaps, Matthew and Sarah Sparks moved from North Carolina toIndiana for a brief time around 1834, then moved back to Surry County,although this seems unlikely. The census taker may simply have made amistake.

In his will, dated March 26, 1853, Matthew Sparks provided that, upon thedeath of his wife, Sarah, to whom he had left half of his Oregon Claimland, livestock, and personal property, her inheritance should then bedivided between his two youngest daughters, Lucinda and Catherine,neither of whom was married at that time. By the date of Matthew's death,how ever, Catherine had been married to Garrett Washington McGary of PolkCounty, Oregon.

Because Matthew Sparks had not named an executor in his will, the PolkCounty Probate Court was required by law to appoint an administrator forhis estate. Garrett W. McGary, Catherine's husband, was appointed toperform this task. Garrett had been born on June 17, 1822. He andCatherine were married on October 11, 1853.

Mrs. Arensen, whom we quoted above, has noted that Catherine andGarrett's first home was in Lafayette, Yamhill, Oregon, and that it wasin Oregon that six of their children were born. The family moved to SanJose, California, between 1866 and 1869, and after 1876 to Los AngelesCounty, where both Garrett and Catherine died, Garrett on December 20,1897, and Catherine on June 28, 1914.
According to Mrs. Arensen, Garrett W. and Catherine (Sparks) McGary werethe parents of ten children (See their sheets).

See SQ pgs 2597-98: (See photograph on page 2597 and in scrapbook)

"Catherine ("Katie") Sparks, daughter of William and Catherine(Huckley) Sparks, was born on June 3, 1843, near Thorntown, Indiana.Although she was unable to attend very much school, she managed to get agood education for those days, and her penmanship was excellent. Shemarried John Widmer on December 17, 1863, i n Tippecanoe County,Indiana. He was born on August 16, 1836, in Berne, Switzerland, andbecame an American citizen in 1858. He was a farmer. He and Catherinewere members of the United Brethren Church.

About 1877, Catherine and John Widmer moved to Missouri where theylived near St. Louis about five years. During her absence, her fatherwrote to her frequently and one of his letters has been preserved . Somespelling, punctuation, and grammar have been changed in the copy thatfollows in order to give it better readability. Here is the letter:
"January the2nd 1880

Well Catherine, my daughter, I have not forgotten you yet though weare miles apart. There is not a day that passes but I think of you. Ihave the pleasure of writing to you and letting you know that I am intolerably good health at the present, though my crippled limbs hurt mevery much when the weather is damp. The weather here yesterday wasfoggy and drizzling rain.

The rest are all well and I hope when you get this letter it wil lfind you and your family all well and doing well. I would like to seeyou and your family, and I want you to be faithful. The race is notalways to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. I think it will thawout before it freeses again.

The times here are quite dull. Wheat is one dollar and thirteencents per bushel and corn is twenty cents per bushel. I think they[sic] will do better than they did last year for they have more wheatand corn than they had last year. As for the work here, it is veryscarce and wages are low. The boys are talking of making another kilnof brick this coming summer. Their young stock of cattle looks good.

Well, the republicans are shipping Negros into the state of Indianaby the thousands and it is for no good they are doing it. the talk isthat they are bringing them here to vote in the next election, but theyneedn't think they can deceive the old democrat, for he is watching them.

Well, my loving daughter, I will bring this letter to a close. Everremaining, your loving father.

WilliamSparks"

John Widmer died on April 15, 1889, and was buried in the GreenbushCemetery in Lafayette. Catherine survived him nearly forty years, dyingon November 9, 1926. She, too, was buried in the Greenbush Cemetery. Sheand John had ten children, including two who died at birth."

!NOTES:
SQ 3869: Catherine Sparks was married to James Harvey Cook.

SQ 3873: Catherine "Katie" Sparks was married to Frank Lester Maultin 1911. He had been born in Scioto County, Ohio, and was a son of George W. and Harriet S. (Titus) Mault. Katie died on April 14, 1970. Shehad on e child, Georgia Marie.

SQ 4067: She was married to Samuel Osborne.

See SQ p. 3871:

"Catherine "Katie" M. Sparks was born on June 12, 1869. She wasmarried to George Washington Brown about 1888. He had been born in July1857 in Kentucky. George and Katie lived at Seymour, Kentucky, wherethey had six children. Katie died in 1905 and was buried in the Brownfamily cemetery about one mile south of Rowletts, Kentucky. Goerge diedabout 1935. We have learned the names of only three of their children:"(see family page).

SQ p. 752:

"...Catherine was graduated from Dennison University, Granville, Ohio,while the Rev. Mr. Hills is a graduate of Northwestern University andLouisville Seminary in Kentucky. He is Director of the PresbyterianLarger Parish and is in charge of nine churches. They are the parents offive children: ..." See Family Page.

They are found in the 1930 census for St. Louis. His parents were bothborn in Sweden. He is an office worker in a retail department store andshe is employed in a wholesale embroidery business. They have nochildren. I believe they were later divorced and she moved to Nevadawhere she died in Henderson about 2000.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September 1970, Whole No. 71, pp. 1337-8:

"Catherine Sparks (called Kitty), daughter of Robert Thomas and MaryAnn (Wallingford) Sparks, was born on November 9, 1831, in Kentucky; shedied on June 6, 1897, in Nauvoo, Illinois. She was married in 1848 to J.Noel Datin and they settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, the same year. Followingis the obituary of Catherine (Sparks) Datin which appeared in a Nauvoonewspaper at the time of her death (this clipping was sent to theAssociation by Eula May Prince in 1956):

" 'Mrs. Catharine A. Datin, one of Hancock County's highly respectedpioneers has passed away. At 6:30 o'clock Thursday morning, June 6(1897), death came to close forever the eyes of a noble and true woman,one widely beloved and respected--Mrs. Catharine A. Datin, widow of thelate J. Noel Datin., at one time mayor and prominent citizen of Nauvoo.The end was not unexpected, yet it came as a surprise to manyacquaintances. Mrs. Datin had been confined to the house since lastNovember. Up to that time she had been a woman of robust health and itwas confidently expected that she would master this illness in due time.However, last Monday night she received a paralytic stroke which was thecause of her death. She passed peacefully away.

'The deceased's maiden name was Catharine Ann Sparks. She was born inKentucky on November 9., 1831, making her age at the time of her death 75years, 6 months and 27 days. She was married in 1848 to J. Noel Datin,and they came to Nauvoo in the same year. For many years they resided ona farm in Sonora Township, but moved into town about twenty-five yearsago.

'Mrs. Datin is survived by eleven children, her husband and fourchildren having preceded her in death. The children living are: Mrs. W.P. Powers, Iowa City, Iowa; Mrs. J. W. Breeden, Stuart, Iowa; Mr. Wm.Datin, Des Moines, Iowa; Mr. J. J. Datin, Inkster, N. Dakota; Mrs. GeorgeHeberer, Sonora township; D. D. Datin, Guthrie, Oklahoma; Mrs. JamesPitt, Los Angeles, California; Mrs. G. W. Wyatt, Guthrie, Oklahoma; Mrs.M. S. Walther, Keytesville, Mo.; Miss Anna Datin, George V. Datin,Nauvoo. There are thirty grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

" 'The deceased belonged to that class of sturdy pioneers who helpedblaze the trail for civilization and advancement. With her, home wasabove everything else. Her family life was of unexampled happiness. Shewas of a bright and sunny disposition, of kind heart and generousimpulses. She was possessed of an unceasing industry, an eye that sawonly good in others, a spirit for light and truth, a tongue that spokeill of no one, and a mind forgetful of self and concerned for the welfareof others. Her life was as pure and blameless as it was useful. Herloss is deeply mourned, for she was a most estimable woman. Therelatives have the sincere sympathy of the community in their sad loss.The funeral will take place from her late residence this afternoon at 2o'clock.' "

SQ 4734:
Cecil Merle Sparks was born on May 6, 1900, in Knox County, Kentucky. Shewas married twice. Her first marriage was to Netter Stewart on February15, 1919, at Marion, Illinois. He had been born on June 8, 1894, atCentral City, Kentucky, and he was a son of Marshall and Elizabeth(Gregory) Stewart. Cecil and Netter were divorced in 1939. She wasmarried (second) to Earl Crowell. She died on December 2, 1964. She andNetter Stewart had two children:

George Marshall Stewart and William Earl Stewart.

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

The following announcement appeared in the March, 1965, issue of theSPARKS QUARTERLY, Whole No. 49, p. 889:

DEATH TAKES MRS. CECIL CROWELL

It is with regret that we announce the passing ofMrs. Cecil Crowell, widow of Earl Crowell, of Orient, Illinois. She wasa charter member of The Sparks Family Association. Mrs. Crowell was bornMay 30, 1900, and died December 2, 1964. She was a daughter of Georgeand Elizabeth (Painter) Sparks, and a granddaughter of Hugh and Nancy(Curnutte) Sparks of Carter and Lawrence Counties, Kentucky. By her firsthusband, Netter Stewart, Mrs. Crowell had two sons who survive her,George Stewart and William Stewart.
She is also survived by three sisters, Mrs. HazelDonaldson, Mrs. Ethel Bowden, and Mrs. Elizabeth Pressler. Mrs.Donaldson and Mrs. Bowden live in Hurst, Illinois, while Mrs. Presslerlives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

.
!NOTES:
SQ pg 3470: He was married four times and had a son, Kenneth Spar ks,by his second marriage.

SQ p. 3553:

DEATH TAKES CECILE (SPARKS) CURSON

It is with regret that we report the death of one of our most interestedmem bers, Cecile (Sparks) Curson, who passed away on November 16, 1989,at her home in Monroe, Michigan. She is survived by her husband, Carl F.Curson; two sons, Charles W. Curson and Dennis C. Curson; and a daughter,Cathy Ann (Curson) Spalding, all of Monroe.

Cecile Sparks was born on December 2, 1919, at Sparta, Tennessee, and wasa daughter of William Samuel Heston and Loretta Ann (Robinson) Sparks,both natives of Putnam County, Tennessee. William S. H. Sparks was a sonof Joseph Z. and Mary Frances (Stewart) Sparks and a grandson of Williamand Rachel Delina (Lee) Sparks. (See the September 1982 issue of theQUARTERLY Whole No. 119, for further details of this branch of the Sparksfamily.)

We extend our sympathy to her husband, her children, and to other membersof the family.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, p.398:

"Charity Sparks, daughter of Solomon and Isabella (Swaim) Sparks, wasborn about 1817. She married Daniel Snider in Wells County, Indiana, onFebruary 16, 1839. She had died before the settlement of her father'sestate. In the division of the rental money among the heirs, Charity'sbrother Solomon signed for "the heirs of Charity Snyder." In 1857 hesigned "for the heirs of Daniel Snyder." These receipts reveal thatDaniel and Charity (Sparks) Snyder had children, but their names have notbeen discovered."

**********

See SQ p. 5298:

Charity Sparks, daughter of Solomon and Isabella (Swaim) Sparks, wasprobably born between 1820 and
1825. We believe that she was the female in the age category of 5 to 10(thus born 1820-25) in Solomon's household when the 1830 census was takenin Randolph County, Indiana. She was married on February 16, 1839, toDaniel Snyder (or Snider) in Wells County, Indiana.

Charity (Sparks) Snyder had died a number of years prior to thesettlement of her father's estate. Solomon had made no mention of her orher children in his 1854 will, but, as we have noted earlier, he hadactually named but few of his children or grandchildren in that document.However, Charity's "heirs" were noted in the later documents pertainingto the division of Solomon's property by his executor, Albert Draper. Forexample, in 1857, at which time Solomon's land had been rented and therental income was divided among the heirs, each to receive $13.25, theson of Solomon and Isabella also named Solomon signed a receipt "for theheirs of Daniel Snyder," which indicates that both Charity and Danielwere deceased. The farm was rented for a number of years, and in 1860when $13.07 was paid to each of the children or their heirs, thefollowing receipt has been preserved among the Wells County Court records:

Rock Creek Township. March 8, 1860. Received $13.07 of AlbertDraper, executor of the estate of Solomon Sparks, deceased, it being theshare of rent for the year 1860 belonging to the heirs of CharitySnider. [signed] Solomon Sparks.

When the 1860 census of Rock Creek Township in Huntington County,Indiana, was taken, two Snyder children were living in the household ofAlbert and Rachel (Sparks) Draper: Catherine Snyder, age 17, and RachelSnyder, age 8; both were shown as natives of Indiana. They may well havebeen children of Charity Sparks, thus being nieces of Rachel. An IsaacSnyder was living with John and Rebecca (Roberts) Sparks in 1860. IsaacSnyder was shown as 18 years old, born in Indiana, and he was called a"common laborer."

According to Lincoln Sparks (JLSparksSr@@aol.com) as of 3/7/00 the addressof Charity Jane (Sparks) Pennington was 180 Sparks Lane, Minford, Ohio45653-8649.

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, June 1963, Whole No. 42, p. 731:

GEORGE SPARKS AND WILLIAM SPARKS, WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA:

"The most intriguing reference to William Sparks among these VirginiaCourt records is that dated March 3, 1777, when it was recorded thatHenry Nelson "came into Court and complains that William Sparks had in anillegal manner taken away his child and unjustly detains the same withouthis consent." William Sparks was then summoned to appear at the nextCourt to answer this complaint, which he did on April 8, 1777, when itwas recorded: "William Sparks appeared before this court, and having nothad an opportunity of convening his evidence ordered that it lay overunto the next Court & that the child continue in the care of WilliamSparks until that time." There is no further record of this dispute, soperhaps it was settled out of court. There can be little doubt, however,that this Henry Nelson was the same Henry Nelson who, on February 9,1773, had been allowed 45 pounds by the Orphans Court of Bedford County,Pennsylvania (which then had jurisdiction under Pennsylvania law overthat area which became Washington County), for "clothing, educating &maintaining the following children of Charles Sparks, decd.:
"For Absolm Sparks for 1 year at 3 £ per annum --- £3-0-0
"For Phebe Sparks for 3 years at 6 £ per annum & one quarterschooling ------ £18-5-0
"For Charles Sparks for 3 years at 8 £ per annum -- £24-0-0

------------

£24-5-0."

"Only two other records have been found pertaining to this CharlesSparks, father of Absolom, Phebe, and Charles, Jr. One is a BedfordCounty Court record dated July 22, 1771, granting letters ofadministration on the estate of Charles Sparks to Robert Moore. Then, in1773, Robert Moore was taxed, as administrator of the estate of CharlesSparks consisting of 100 acres of land in Providence Township, BedfordCounty. (Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, Vol. 22, p. 261). CharlesSparks must have been related to William and George Sparks, and it my besignificant that a Robert Moore was administrator of Charles Sparks'sestate while William Sparks had married Martha Moore. (A Robert Moorereceived a Virginia certificate in 1780 to a tract of land n t is nowRobinson Township,, Washington County, Pennsylvania.) The child whomHenry Nelson accused William Sparks of taking from him may have been oneof these children of Charles Sparks. Both Charles Sparks, Jr., andAbsolom Sparks, sons of Charles Sparks, served in the Revolution.Charles, Jr., served as a Ranger on the Frontier between 1778 and 1783(Pennsylvania Archives,, 3rd Series, Vol. 23, pp. 214 @@ 218.) AbsolomSparks was a member of Capt. William Scott's company in the 4thBattalion of Washington County Militia and later in Lt. Harned'scompany. (Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series, Vol. 2, pp. 158-59 and 242.)

See SQ 2914 for an article on Charles's brother Joseph (428) whichmakes reference to Charles, his siblings and parents. In re Charles itsays "Three other sons of Joseph Sparks, George, Charles and William,went to Pennsylvania where they settled in what ultimately becameWashington County (See the June 1963 issue of the SPARKS QUARTERLY, wholeno. 42, pp. 731-34, for a further account of these three men.[Thisarticle has been copied in the notes for William and George Sparks].)

SQ 3230: Married Margaret --- abt 1754. Children: Absalom, CharlesJr., Phoebe and Margaret. Have letter from Russell Bidlack dated Nov 24, 1990 which mentions Charles (page 4) and the above children.

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

See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1990, No. 150, pp. 3674-3681:

CHARLES SPARKS (ca. 1730-ca. 1771) OF MARYLAND &PENNSYLVANIA.

["In the following article, Dr. Paul E. Sparks, president of ourAssociation, traces another of the seven sons of Joseph and Mary Sparksof Maryland. Joseph Sparks was a son of William Sparks who came fromHampshire County, England, to the Colony of Maryland in or about 1663; hedied in Queen Annes County, Maryland, in 1709. (See SQ of March 1971,Whole N o. 73, pp 1381-89, for further information regarding WilliamSparks. ) As the youngest son of William Sparks, Joseph was not yet ofage when his father's estate was settled in 1709. He had been born about1689. Sometime after 1738, Joseph Sparks moved his family west to thearea of Maryland that became Frederick County in 1748, and it was therethat he died in the spring of 1749. (See SQ of March 1990, Whole No. 149,pp. 3554-3561, for a biographical sketch of Joseph Sparks, and note onpage 3561 of that article the record of what has been published in the SQthus far on each of the seven sons of Joseph, including Charles.)]."

"Joseph Sparks, father of Charles Sparks, died intestate. In thesettlement of his estate, it is fortunate that all of his twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, were named in a Frederick County, MD.,Court memo which was approved at the August 1750 term of the Court. Thismemora ndumread as follows:

"Memorandum this day towit: The twenty second day ofAugust Anno
Dom seventeen hundred and fifty. Mary Sparks, Col. HenryMunday and
Thomas Wilson (Toms Creek) of Frederick County enteredinto and exec-
uted a certain writing obligatory in one hundred and fiftythree pounds,
one shilling, current money, to be paid unto Solomon,Joseph, Charles,
Jonas, Jonathan, William, George, Merum, Mary, Ann,Rebecka, and Sarah
Sparks on condition that the above bounden Mary Sparks, orsome person
on her behalf, shall and do well satisfie and pay unto theabove named
Solomon, Joseph, Charles, Jonas, Jonathan, William,George, Merum, Mary,
Ann, Rebecka, and Sarah Sparks, their executors,administrators , assigns
or lawful guardian or guardians, their respective parts orportions of
Joseph Sparks, deceased, his estate according to Act ofAssembly in such
cases made and provided."

"Charles Sparks was born about 1730 and was probably married inFrederickCounty about 1752. His wife's given name was Margaret; however,we have not learned her maiden name. It was also about this time thatJoseph agreed to buy a 50-acre tract of land which was a portion of alarger tract known as "Brothers Agreement." Whether he ever lived on thetract, we have not learned, but ultimately it was purchased by hisbrother Joseph Sparks, on November 17, 1761. Here is an abstract of thisdeed:

"Book G, Page 271. Recorded 18 Nov. 1761. Rachael Taneyof St . Marys
County, Gentleman, to Joseph Sparkes of Frederick County,21 Pds . (i.e.
pounds) all that tract or parcell of land laid out forCharles Sparkes
being part of the resurvey on Brothers Agreement beginningat the two
bounded white oaks of a tract of land layed out for thesaid Joseph
Sparkes. 50 acres. Signed: Raphael Taney. Witnesses: JohnDarnall &
George Dickson. Proven 17 November 1761.

"About 1770, Charles Sparks, probably with his brothers, George (427)and William (433), moved from Frederick County, Maryland, westwar dacross the mountains where they settled in an area then claimed by bothPennsylvania and Virginia. Virginia had organized this area into WestAugusta District. Then, in 1776, Virginia divided what it h ad calledWest Augusta District into three counties: Ohio, Yohogania, andMonongalia.

"In 1780, when the boundary between Pennsylvania and Virginia wasfinally settled, Pennsylvania received as its share what now consitutesthe Pennsylvania counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Greene andWashington, along with part of old Westmoreland. The portion that wentto Virginia now consists of the following counties in West Virginia:Brooke, Doddridge , Hancock, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio,Pleasants, Preston, Randolph, Tucker, Tyler, and Wetzel. (See SQ June1963, Whole No. 42, for a more detailed article about this disputedterritory, pp. 735-37; that issue also contains an article pp. 727-734,about George and William Sparks, brothers of Charles, although at thetime this was written, we had not learned that they were sons of JosephSparks who died in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1749. George andWilliam lived in what was or ganized in 1781 as Washington County,Pennsylvania, although when they settled there they assumed they were inVirginia.)

"Sometime prior to 1770, Charles Sparks had acquired 100 acres of landin Bedford County, Pennsylvania, and it was there, apparently, that hedied, probably early in 1771. From later records, it appears thatCharles and Margaret Sparks had five children at the time of his death.He did not leave a will.

"On July 21, 1771, the Bedford County Court granted Letters ofAdministration of Charles Sparks's estate to Robert Moore. (The Moore andSparks families had been closely associated for a number of years.William Sparks, brother of Charles, had married Martha Moore, daughter ofAlexander and Margaret Moore.)

"In 1773, Robert Moore was taxed, as administrator of Sparks's estate,described as comprising 100 acres of land in Providence Township, BedfordCounty. On February 9, 1773, the Orphans Court of Bedford County alloweda man named Henry Nelson 45 pounds for "cloathing, educating andmaintaining" three children of Charles Sparks. The three children wereidentified as Absalom Sparks, "maintenance for one year"; and PhebeSparks and Charles Sparks, [Jr.], "maintenance for three years."

"From the records referred to above, it seems apparent that some ofthe children of Charles Sparks were approaching the age of independencewhen their father died. If this assumption is correct, we believe thatthe son named Absalom was born about 1753 and would thus have been 21years of age in 1774; Charles Jr. was probably born about 1755, and wouldthus have been 21 in 1776; and Phebe Sparks was probably born about 1760.

"From subsequent records, we know that the Henry Nelson, who wasallowed 45 pounds from the estate of Charles Sparks for maintaining threeof his orphaned children, had been married to Margaret Sparks, widow ofCharles Sparks.

"As was noted earlier, between 1776 and 1780, Virginia had dividedwhat she had earlier called West August District into the counties ofOhio, Yohogania and Monongalia. During those four years, the land whichGeorge and William Sparks claimed was included in Virginia's Ohio County,although after 1780 it was determined to be in Washington County,Pennsylvania . Court records were maintained in what Virginia calledOhio County from January 6, 1777, to September 4, 1780, and these havebeen published (see RECORDS OF THE DISTRICT OF WEST AUGUSTA, OHIO COUNTY,AND YOHOGANIA COUNTY, VIRGINIA , Ohio State University PrintingDepartment, Columbus, Ohio, 1970). Accordi ng to these records, on March3, 1777, when the five justices of the Ohio County Court met, "HenryNelson Came into Court and Complains that Wm Spark s had in an illegalmanner taken away his Child & unjustly detains the same without hisconsent." The justices then ordered that "the sd Sparks be summoned toattend our next Court & and answer make to the above complaint." (Seepage 11 of the printed minutes for the Ohio County Court.)

"When this Court met on April 8, 1777, William Sparks appeared asordered, but "having not had an opportunity of Convening his Evidence,"the Court "ordered that it lay over unto the next court & that the ChildContinue in the Care of Wm Sparks until that time." (page 12)

"The Ohio County, Virginia, Court next met on June 2, 1777, but thereis no reference in the minutes of that meeting to the charge that hadbeen made by Henry Nelson against William Sparks. William Sparks wasmentioned in those minutes of June 2, 1777, however, as having beenappointed ensign of the county militia, under David Shepherd as colonel.

"In the minutes of no subsequent meeting of this Court was there everany further reference to the charge by Henry Nelson that William Sparkshad "taken away his Child." The following record is found, however, inthe Court's minutes for its meeting on August 3, 1778 (p.26):

"Absolum Sparks vir Jas Jno Carpenter, P.S. Then came the parties &the Defendant pleads the general Issue & the same is ordered to lye overtill tomorrow until the defendant has the benefit o f his evidence.

"The Ohio Court minutes for August 4, 1778, contains the followingentry (page 32): "The issue Absolum Sparks against John Carpenter, incase, by petition & summons is ordered for a hearing. Then came theparties and Pleads upon the Issue joined in Debt for one Deer skin, & theCourt gives a Judgment for the plaintiff to have his account of 1 pound10 shillings & costs in his behalf Expended. Henry Nelson an Evidence, 2days attendance allowed.

"Whether the charge brought by Henry Nelson against William Sparks wassettled out of court or simply dropped, we do not know. The "child " inquestion must surely have been one of the children of Charles andMargaret Sparks who had been removed from the child's stepfather's hometo that of the child's uncle, William Sparks. It is possible that this"child " had come of age by 1778 and thus no longer subject to HenryNelson's authority.

"The final disposition of the property of Charles Sparks in BedfordCounty, Pennsylvania, appears in that county's Deed Book D, page 37 2. Itis this document which proves that the widow, Margaret, had married HenryNelson and that there were five children of Charles and Margaret Sparks,although the youngest son was not named. Following is an exact copy,except for the addition of punctuation:

"Know all men by these Presents that I Absalam Sparks, CharlesSparks, Feby Sparks, Margret Nelson, Henry Nelson, Margret Newall & JamesNewell, all of us of the one part And John Paxton, Junr. of BedfortCounty of the other part, Witnesseth that I Absolm Sparks and all therest of the heirs aforesaid Do Bargain and given unto John Paxtonaforesaid all our write and Title of that place formerly knowen by thename of Charles Sparks's place at Tuseys narrows on Juneata Creek andBedford County, we aforesaid Absolm Sparks and the rest of the Heirs Dogive and make over all our right, Title, and Clam of said place from usOur heirs and assigns unto sd John Paxton His heir or Assigns all ourRite, title, and Claim of said place, the Receit of which We DoAcknowledge to Be Good for our pay . I Absolm Sparks Do Bind me by me,my heirs or assigns in the pannal sum of forty pounds penn. currincy tokeep him undamaged from the youngest Heire when he comes of age, I willPay unto sd Paxton The sum of forty Pounds if ever the youngest hei rDoes Breach This Bargain, to which we have hereunto Set our hands andSeals this 23rd Day of November, 1786.
his his
Absolm A Sparks (seal) Henry X Neilson(s)
Witness Present: mark mark
Samuel Paxton his her
Charles C Sparks (seal) MargretX Neilson (s)
mark mark
her Feby X Sparks (seal)
Margret M Newell (seal
mark
James Newell (seal)

Bedford County to wit: Samuel Paxton, Junr. Personally came Beforeme the subscriber, one of the justices of the peace in and for the saidcounty and on his solemn oath saith that he saw the within named SolomonSparks, Charles Sparks, Margret Newe l, James Newel, Margret Nilson, FebySparks, Sign, seal, and Deliver the within Instrument of Wrightng.
Sworn and Subscribed the 18 Day of January1788. Before James Martin, Esq. Recorded and compared with the original28 day of April 1795.
David Erfield [?] Recorder Samuel Paxton

"As can be seen from the above deed, the heirs of Charles Sparks soldhis land in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, on November 23, 1786 to John Paxton, Jr. These heirs consisted of the widow of Charles no married toHenry Nelson and four of the five children of Charles Sparks. Absolomwas obviously the eldest son; the other three were Charles, Jr. ,Margaret, and Phebe (or Feby). Henry Nelson (or Neilson), the secondhusband of the widow, Margaret, also signed the deed as did James Newell,husband of the daughter, Margaret. The daughter named Phebe had notmarried when this deed was prepared. Because he was not of age in 1786,the youngest child of Charles Sparks, a boy, could not enter into thelegal sale, but Absalom agreed to repay Paxton the 40 poun dsPennsylvania currency which the heirs had received from Paxton if at anyfuture time this younger son should challenge his sibling's and mother'sright to sell the land.

"As frequently happened, the witness to this deed, Samuel Paxton , whowas doubtless a relative of John Paxton, Jr., did not swear before acounty official that he had witnessed the signing until later. SamuelPaxton did so on January 18, 1788. In listing the names of the heirs whohad made the sale, it is interesting to note that Samuel Paxton gavefirst the name "Solomon Sparks" and omitted entirely the name of AbsalomSparks. He may simply have made a slip of the pen, although the use ofthe name of Solomon may suggest that the minor son of Charles andMargaret Sparks who was not named in the deed may have had the nameSolomon. Charles Sparks had a brother named Solomon, and this name wa sused by several of his siblings in naming their own children.

"This deed was not recorded in the Bedford County Courthouse untilApril
28, 1795. Such delays were frequent in those days.

"As has been noted, the children of Charles and Margaret Sparks were as
follows: (here follows details on each child for which see the child' snotes.)

SQ p. 688:

Charles Sparks, born probably early in the 1740's; he died in 1797 inAnson County, North Carolina. Like his brother, Daniel, he wasapprenticed by his father to learn the carpenter's trade in 1752. He alsosettled on the Pee Dee River in South Carolina, but at an early date hemoved further up the river into North Carolina. He married twice. Hisfirst wife's name was Gracilla; his second wife’s name was Jane.

See pages 696 to 701 in the SPARKS QUARTERLY for additional informationregarding the descendants of Charles Sparks.

SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 1990, Whole No. 152, pp 3679-3680:

"Charles Sparks, Jr. was identified as a son of Charles Sparks,deceased, in the 1786 deed in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, by which theland once owned in Bedford County by this elder Charles Sparks was soldby his heirs. He was born between 1755 and 1760. He served in theWashington County, Pennsylvania, militia at the time of the AmericanRevolution, as did his older brother, Absalom. Charles was shown as aprivate in Lieutenant Harned's company in a roster printed in thePENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES, Sixth Series, Vol. II, p. 242. In another roster(page 245) he was shown as a member of Sergeant Leatherman's Party. In apetition from a group of "Inhabitants of the Old Northwest" to thePresident of the continental Congress, dated April 11, 1785, CharlesSparks's name appears with that of his brother Absalom, and also his twouncles living in Washington county named George Sparks and WilliamSparks. A David Sparks is also shown in this listing. (See Vol. IV, page4939, of THE PAPERS OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, 1774-1789.)

"As we noted in the sketch of Absalom Sparks, above, [for which seehis notes] we believe that it is probable (but NOT proven) that bothCharles and Absalom, following the settlement of their father's estate in1786, moved from Washington County, Pennsylvania, southward to thegeneral area where present-day Virginia, North Carolina and Tennesseemeet. Two of their father's brothers Solomon (356) and Jonas (354),along with several cousins, had moved to this area some 30 yearsearlier. A Charles Sparks was living in Wilkes County, North Carolina,from about 1789 to 1806 whom we believe to have been this same CharlesSparks, Jr.

"His name first appears in the land records of Wilkes County when hewitnessed a deed between Abraham Cook and John Dawson on March 22, 1796.(Book D, p. 14) He signed by mark.

"Charles Sparks purchased land for the first time in Wilkes County,North Carolina, on March 2, 1797. He paid 30 pounds for a tract of 200acres which had been granted to Rosannah Roberts by the state in 1784.Charles purchased this tract from Rosannah Roberts. It was described aslying on the Duggars Branch of Hunting Creek and adjoined land owned byLuke Adams, Leonard Sales, and Widow Williams. John Williams and JamesRoberts served as witnesses. (Deed Book D, p. 202) [JS note: WilliamSparks IV (199), second cousin of Charles Sparks, Jr. {and the 4thgreat-grandfather of James J. Sparks,} lived on the North Branch ofHunting Creek just across the county line in Yadkin County from 1771until 1780 when they moved to Brushy Mountain to live near William V,their oldest son, where they lived out their lives.]

"Charles Sparks's name appeared on the 1800 census of Wilkes County,his household consisting of only himself (aged between 26 and 45) and onefemale aged between 10 and 16. This may suggest that he was a widower.

"On November 27, 1802, Charles Sparks sold to John Walker for 42shillings, 81 acres from the 200 acres which he had purchased in 1797. Inthis deed, Duggars Branch was called Duggars Creek, and the adjoiningland owners were named Luke Adams, Leonard Sales, and ----- Cook. JohnWilson and John Harrison were the witnesses. Again, Charles Sparkssigned by mark. (Deed book F-1, p. 368) We have not been able to learnif or when Charles Sparks sold the remainder of his land.

"Our last record of Charles Sparks in Wilkes County, North Carolina,is found in a file preserved at the North Carolina State Archives inRaleigh. This is a record of "Bastardy Bonds" and is marked File C.R.104.102 . At that time, when an illegitimate child was born to an unwedmother, North Carolina law required that she be brought before the countycourt and asked to identify the father, pay a fine, or be placed injail. If the father was identified, he was required to sign a bond withtwo responsible citizens serving as securities pledging that the childwould not become a financial burden to the parish.

"On August 6, 1807, Charles Sparks acknowledged in court that he wasthe father of a son named Archibald Felts born to Polly Felts . The twomen who signed the bond as securities were Thomas Ferguson and IshamHarvel. Then on August 8, 1807, Charles Sparks was again brought beforethe Wilkes County Court and acknowledge that he was the father of NathanFelts, also born of Polly Felts, except that she was called Mary Felts.(Polly is a common nickname for Mary.) The securities for this secondbastardy bond were John Wilcox and Wm. Chambers.

"Charles Sparks was not listed on the 1810 census of Wilkes County norin any other North Carolina county that we have found. Perhaps he movedout of the state following the scandal of his two illegitimate children."

SQ p. 265:

"Charles Sparks, born July 7, 1858, at Pleasant Grove, Minn.; died onDec. 10,1951, in Colorado Springs, Colo. He married, first, Otie RosettaLee, who was born in Fredonia, Kansas, and died in Chandler, Okla., onAug. 20, 1895. They were the parents of two children:
(1) Albert Sparks, born Jan. 28, 1891, at Fredonia; and
(2) Syble Sparks, born Aug. 20, 1893.

"Charles Sparks married, second, at Chandler, Okla., on Dec. 28, 1898,Madge Evelyn Funk, who was born Aug. 8, 1874, in Stark County, Illinois.They were the parents of the following children:
(3) Phyllis Sparks;
(4) Jennie Sparks; and
(5) Isaac Sparks.

"(Madge Evelyn (Funk) Sparks, second wife of Charles Sparks, was thedaughter of Edgar Mortimer Funk, born Sept. 23, 1848, near Peoria, Ill.,and Jennie Sharer, born near Laceyville, Penna., on Feb. 26, 1849. Theywere married at Toulon, Stark Co., Ill., on Sept. 23, 1869; both diednear Vernon, Colo., and were buried in Chandler, Okla. Edgar MortimerFunk was the son of Jesse Funk, born in Fayette County, Ohio, and hiswife, Cynthia (Hanes) Funk, born in Brooks County, Va., near NaturalBridge. Jennie (Sharer) Funk was the daughter of Samuel Sharer, born inthe state of New York, a Baptist minister, who died in Ewart, Iowa, andhis wife, Jerusha (Smith) Sharer who was born in Pennsylvania, a schoolteacher, of the Quaker Faith.)