Pages 3366
Whole Number 145
John ["Jack"] W. Sparks, Springfield, Missouri, 65807, has sent us a xerox copy of the family record appearing in a Bible once owned by his grandmother, Carrie Edna (Dailey) Sparks. This Bible had been presented to Carrie by her father, James Dailey, at Terre Haute, Indiana, on January 1, 1884. This was two years following her marriage to Hardin H. Sparks. We are pleased to give here a transcription of the data from this record pertaining to the family of Hardin H. and Carrie Edna (Dailey) Sparks. The Bible passed into the hands of Carrie Caroline Sparks, the youngest child of Hardin H. and Carrie Edna sometime after Carrie's death in 1901. It remained in this daughter's possession until her death in 1967.
Jack Sparks notes that among the descendants of Hardin H. Sparks, there has always been a question regarding whether he spelled his name Harden or Hardin. In the Bible, it is spelled Harden, but we have his signature from other records where it is apparent that he used the Hardin spelling. Perhaps he actually changed the spelling at some point in his life. In our commentary here, we shall use the Hardin spelling.
Hardin H. Sparks was a son of 32.4.8.1 George William Griffey Sparks and his wife, Sarah (Hodges) Sparks; he was a grandson of 32.4.8 Ezra and Catherine (Griffey) Sparks. His great-grandfather was 32.4 Walter Sparks, born ca. 1760, died ca. 1727, to whom much of the Quarterly of December 1987, Whole No. 140, was devoted. See page 3149 of that issue for biographical data on George W. G. Sparks. See also pp. 3165-66 of the same issue for an abstract of the Civil War pension application of Sarah (Hodges) Sparks based on her husband's service in the war--for which her son, Hardin H. Sparks, wrote an affidavit.
Hardin H. Sparks was born April 15, 1855, and died on March 31, 1924. His wife, Carrie Edna (Dailey) Sparks, was born October 30, 1861, and died on March 4, 1901. They lived in Vigo and Sullivan Counties, Indiana. The first entry in the family record section of this Bible reads: "Harden H. Sparks was Married to Carrie E. Dailey February the 19, 1882." Their children's births were recorded as follows:
James Moody Sparks, Son of Harden and Carrie Sparks was borned [sic] January the 9, 1883
Mollie May Sparks, dauter [sic] of Harden and Carrie Sparks was born April 30, 1885
Charles Harden Sparks, son of Harden and Carrie Sparks was born October 8th 1887
Walter Dailey Sparks, Son of Harden and Carrie Sparks was born September 17th 1889
Myrtle Maud Sparks, dauter of Harden H. Sparks and Carrie Sparks born Janary [sic] 4th 1892
Carrie Caroline Sparks, Dauter of Harden and Carrie Sparks was born July 2th 1897.
In the section of the Bible record reserved for marriages, the following entries appear
Chas. H. Sparks married Golda Kendell, May 4, 1910
Myrtle Maud Sparks was Married September 6, 1911 to Herman S. Bolinger
James M. Sparks was married October 19, 1912 to Fay Arninta Tillotson
Carrie Caroline Sparks was Married October 6th 1915 to Clarence M. Walters
Mollie May Sparks was Married December 8th 1917 to Abadiah Lester
Walter Dailey Sparks was Married April 24, 1920 to Elizabeth Bailey
Jack Sparks has also supplied us with a copy of a record maintained by his Aunt Carrie of the children and many of the grandchildren of each of the above unions, but because our editorial policy is to limit the publishing of Sparks records to those descendants born prior to about 1900, we cannot copy that record here. Should anyone desire a copy, however, your editor will be glad to xerox a copy for you.