September 22, 2003

Pages 2225-2239
Whole Number 111

PERSONS NAMED SPARKS WHO WERE LISTED ON THE 1900 CENSUS
OF THE INDIAN TERRITORY IN WHAT IS NOW THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
Taken from a Sound-ex Listing

By Johnella Boynton, 1979

Editor's Note: With the exception of the western strip of the state of Oklahoma that comprises the counties of Beaver, Texas, and Cimarron, the territory included today was the same as that set aside by Congress in 1834 under the name of Indian Territory, for the possession of certain Indian tribes. The western portion of the Territory was then ceded to the United States by the Indian tribes in 1866, but with the stipulation that it be reserved for Indians. At first, whites were forbidden to settle in the area, but in 1889 it was thrown open for settlement. In 1890, this portion of the Territory, together with the narrow strip north of Texas became Oklahoma Territory. In 1898 Congress passed an act providing for individual allotment of land to the Indians in what remained of Indian Territory and for a government administered by Washington. When the allotments were nearly all made, Congress authorized Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory to qualify for admission to the Union as a state in 1907.

As can be seen from the following census record of 1900, many whites settled in the Indian Territory before 1900. From the places of their birth, it can be seen that a large number of Sparkses from the southern states and Texas settled there in the 1890's.

Johnella Boynton has kindly copied for us a record of all the persons named Sparks that she has been able to find on the 1900 census of Indian Territory. At that time, it was divided into four Indian Nations, as shown on the map reproduced on page 2226. Subsequently, these Indian Nations were divided into counties, as follows:

Cherokee Nation: Washington, Rogers, Nowata, Craig, Mayes, Cherokee, Sequoyah, Adair, Delaware, and part of Ottawa.

Creek Nation: Creek, Okfuskee, Hughes, McIntosh, Okmulgee, Muskogie, Wagoner, and Tulsa.

Choctaw Nation: Bryan, Atoka, Coal, Pittsburg, Haskell, Leflore, Latimer, Pushmataha, Choctaw, and McCurtain.

Chickasaw Nation: Grady, McClain, Pontotoc, Stephens, Murray, Johnston, Marshall, Love, Jefferson, and Carter.

Although no key nor legend accompanied the copy of this census, it seems fairly obvious that letters were used to indicate the following: B - Black; Bo - Boarder; D - Daughter; D.L. - Daughter-in-law; E.D. - Enumeration District; F - Female; G.S. - Grandson;  G.D. - Granddaughter;  L - Lodger; M -  Male; N.R. - No record; S.L. - Son-in-law; Si.L. - Sister-in-law; W - White.

We shall welcome readers' identification of families appearing on this census.  We have added notes regarding individuals where that information has been known to us.

(Editor's Note:   The Solomon Sparks shown above as head of a family in the Cherokee Nation was a son of Joel and Mary (Shatley) Sparks and was born in Bates County, Missouri.  Mary Shatley was the second wife of Joel Sparks - - they were married in Wilkes County, North Carolina, in 1846.  Joel Sparks was born in Surry County, North Carolina, about 1774 and was a son of Matthew and Eunice Sparks.

Name	Race	Sex	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age	Place of Birth
E.D.13, sheet 21. Vol. 2.
SPARKS, Sam	W	M	hired hand	November 1877	22	Missouri
(enumerated with the family of Jessie T. Couch)
E.D. 18, sheet 7.  Vol. 2.
SPARKS, Columbus	W	M	head	September 1856	43	Texas
"          Mary		F	wife	June 1856	43	Arkansas
"          Eddie		M	son	May 1881	19	"
"          Pearl		M	son	March 1886	14	"
"          Ben		M	son	November 1889	12	"
"          Euma		F	dau.	September 1896	5	"
"          Nellie		F	dau.	January 1897	3	"

(Editor's Note:    This was probably the Columbus Sparks who was married to Mary Bower in Washington County, Arkansas, on September 12, 1875.)

(Editor's note:  Enumerated with the family of George Cole.  He was probably the Eddie Sparks, son of Columbus Sparks, listed above.)

(Enumerated with family of James Leap)

(Editor's note:  Grant Sparks was a son of John and Mary Jane (West) Sparks and was born in Barry County, Missouri.)

(Editor's note:  From other sources, we know that Pete Sparks was born in May 1869, thus he was actually 31 years old.  He was born in Barry County, Missouri, and was a son of John and Mary Jane (West) Sparks.  Glenna was born in February 1879 and was thus aged 21 in 1900.)

(Editor's Note:  From other sources, we know that George Sparks was born in January, 1871, in Barry County, Missouri, and was a son of John and Mary Jane (West) Sparks.  He was thus actually 29 years old in 1900.  Ockrie was aged 24.)

(Editor's Note:   From other sources, we know that William Sparks was born in 1867 in Barry County, Missouri, and was a son of John and Mary Jane (West) Sparks.  He was thus actually 33 years old in 1900.  dora was born in 1874; Charley was born in 1893, and Jerry was born in 1896.)

(enumerated with the family of Maley Stidham.)

(See Editor's Note following family of Russell Sparks)

*(Editor's Note:  Russell Sparks was a resident of Randolph County, Arkansas, when the 1880 census was taken; his place of birth was then given as Tennessee, which we believe to be correct.  He and his wife, called "Rena" on the 1880 census, were living with his widowed mother, Haly Sparks (age 59 in 1880, thus born ca. 1821, with birth place South Carolina).."Haly" was a nickname for Mahala, who was the same Mahala Sparks, born 1821, listed above with niece Clara Sparks and living in the household of a daughter named Maley Stidham in 1900.  Mahala was the widow of Ira Sparks, who, according to the 1850 census of Marion County, Tennessee, was 35 years old in 1850, thus born ca. 1815, and a native of South Carolina.  When the 1850 census was taken in Marion County, Tennessee, Ira and Mahala Sparks were listed with children named Sarah, age 5, born in Alabama; William, age 2, born in Tennessee; and Russell, age 1, also born in Tennessee.  When the 1880 census of Randolph County, Arkansas, was taken, besides her son Russell Sparks, sons John, age 23, and James, age 19, as well as daughters Permelia, age 18, and Louisa, age 16, were living with Mahala ("Haly") Sparks.  The son of Russell and Serena Sparks shown on the 1900 census, above, as Judge Sparks was actually named Judson Doke Sparks, born, according to a granddaughter, on February 6, 1885, rather than 1886 as shown on the 1900 census.  Serena, wife of Russell Sparks, had the maiden name Serena Daughtrey.)  

(Editor's Note:  We believe that this John Sparks was the three-year-old grandson shown in the family of Mahala ("Haly") Sparks on the 1880 census of Randolph County, Arkansas.  Two other grandchildren were identified as living with Mahala on that census, Celeste Sparks, age 1, and Nellie Sparks, age 2 months, both born in Tennessee.  They were probably the children of Russell and Serena (Daughtrey) Sparks who were also living with Mahala Sparks in 1880. See above Editor's Note.)

Name	Race	Sex	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age	Place of Birth
E.D. 47, sheet 11.  Vol. 5. City of Sallisaw.
SPARKS, James H.	W	M	head	July 1860	39	Alabama
"           Mary D.		F	wife	December 1859	40	"
"           Charles W.		M	son	July 1883	16	"
"           Robert M.		M	son	December 1885	14	"
"           James W. M.		M	son	April 1888	12	Texas
"           Pearly		F	dau.	September 1889	10	"
"           Nettie B.		F	dau.	August 1891	8	"
"           Mattie E.		F	dau.	March 1895	5	Indian Terr.
"           Frank Z.		M	son	August 1897	2	"       "
"           Ivy O.		M	son	April 1900	1/12	"        "
Upchurch, Marion		M	boarder	September 1861	38	Alabama
"         Arcola		F	boarder	December 1890	9	Texas

(Editor's Note:  We believe that James H. Sparks was a brother of Russell Sparks (see note above).  We believe he was born in Tenn., not Alabama as shown.  On the 1880 census of Randolph County, Ark., Mahala Sparks, widow if Ira, was shown as head of her family that included a son James, age 19, single, and born in Tenn.)

Name	Race	Sex	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age	Place of Birth
E.D. 96, sheet 28.  Vol. 5 City of Sallisaw
SPARKS, Jack W.	W	M	head	March 1857	43	Georgia
"           Idona		F	wife	October 1872	27	Tennessee
"           Ethel		F	dau.	January 1887	13	Arkansas
"           Lester		M	son	December 1888	11	"
"           Frank		M	son	January 1891	9	"
"           Noah		M	son	December 1892	7	"
"           Vernon		M	son	May 1895	5	Indian Terr.
"           Earl		M	son	August 1896	3	"        "
"           Clyde		M	son	February 1900	3/12	"        "

[Note: "...the actual name of this individual (the above head of household) was Jack Sparks, a son of Ira and Mahala Sparks.....Jack's wife was Idona.  Her maiden name was Brumlow. The son of Jack and Idona born in May 1895, who is shown as "Verna Sparks" was actually Vernon."]

(enumerated with the family of Jas. W. Crawford.  Probably the same Dick Sparks with the family of Nicie Taylor - see E.D. 135.)

(Editor's Note:  The above John Sparks was born in Jackson County, Alabama, and was a son of James and Mary Ann (Mathews) Sparks.  His full name was John Harvey Sparks; he was born December 6, 1830 and died on December 11, 1919 in Berwyn, Oklahoma.  For more information on this family see the Quarterly of March 1959, Vol. VII, No. 1, Whole No. 25, pp. 368-9.)

(Editor's Note:   Nancy Sparks, head of above family was the widow of James Sparks, son of Joshua and Catherine (Edgemon) Sparks, of Newton County, Ark.  A photograph of Nancy and her 10 children appeared on the cover of the Quarterly of June1978, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, Whole No. 102; data on James Sparks and his family appeared on page 2012 of the same issue.)

(Editor's Note:  Jay Sparks, nickname of Jason, and William T. Sparks were sons of Nancy Sparks; see note following listing family of Nancy Sparks, above.)

                                      (enumerated with the family of William H. Chitman.)

(Added information from the census:  Andrew R. Sparks married 11 years; parents born in Texas.  Wife, Ida, mother of six children; parents, born in Texas.  This census record is in error, however.  The father of Andrew R. Sparks, William Sparks, was born in Georgia, and his mother, Hanna (Weeks) Sparks, was born in Illinois.  Andrew R. Sparks was born in Titus County, Texas (we believe.)  William J. Sparks, father of Andrew R. Sparks, was born January 24, 1807, in Georgia; his parents were John and Sarah (Brooks) Sparks, his grandparents were Matthew Jr. and Margaret Sparks, and his great-grandparents were Matthew and Sarah Sparks about whom we published an article in the  Quarterly of June 1961, Vol. IX, No. 2, Whole No. 34.)

Name	Race	Sex	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age	Place of Birth
E.D. 153, sheet 6. Vol. 9. City of Chickasha
SPARKS, William J.	W	M	drayman	October 1866	33	Texas
"          Alice		F	wife	March 1875	25	"
"          Albert		M	son	April 1893	7	"
"          Fannie May		F	dau.	August 1894	5	"
"          Johnnie		M	son	September 1896	3	"

(He, married 9 years; parents born Georgia and Mississippi.  Wife, Alice, mother of three children.)  Editor's Note:  This William J. Sparks was born either in Titus or Franklin County, Texas; he was a son of William J. and Martha (------) Sparks.)

Name	Race	Sex	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age	Place of Birth
E.D. 153, sheet 11. vol. 9.  City of Chickasha
SPARKS, John A.	W	M	farmer	January 1840	60	Tennesssee
"          Mary A.		F	wife	January 1860	40	Texas
"          Ulah Belle		F	dau.	September 1887	12	"
"          Audrey May		F	dau	December 1889	10	"
"          Alice		F	dau	April 1891	9	Indian Terr
"          Effie		F	dau	June 1892	7	"        "
"          Bernice		F	dau	January 1894	6	"        "
"          Guy		M	son	February 1898	2	"        "

(He married 20 years; parents born in North Carolina.  Wife Mary A., mother of nine children, seven living; parents born in Georgia.)

(He married 7 years; parents born in Texas.  Wife, May A., mother of 2 children, living.  Editor's note:  Census is in error:  his father was born in Georgia, his mother was born in Illinois.  James B. Sparks was born, we believe, in Titus County, Texas; he was a son of William and Hannah (Weeks) Sparks - - see note regarding his brother, Andrew R. Sparks, on page 2233.  James B. Sparks was James Buchanan "Buck" Sparks; he was born, according to a family record, on October 13, 1856 and died December 7, 1932.)

(Editor's Note:  According to a family record, George Sparks was born November 26, 1868, and was a son of William J. and Hannah A. (Weeks) Sparks.  He was born in Cooke County, Texas.  See Editor's Note regarding his brother, Andrew R. Sparks, on page 2233.)

[Note:  According to p. 4561-2 (Whole No. 172) George was born one year after the death of William J. Sparks in December 1867 and was the son of Hannah A. (Weeks) Sparks and Thomas Sparks. William J. Sparks and Thomas Sparks were second cousins.]

(Jacob Sparks married 36 years.  Mary A. Sparks, mother of 5 children, 3 living.  Her parents born Tennessee.)

(Columbus Sparks married 10 years; parents born Alabama; Wife, Annie, mother of 5 children; father born in Tennessee, mother born in Arkansas.)

(Callie Kelley married; two children, none living; parents born in Alabama and Georgia.  Panola Sparks, relationship illegible, but either niece or sister; married; parents born in Georgia and Alabama.  Children's father, born in Kentucky.

(Harrison Sparks married 6 years; parents' birthplace unknown.  She, no children; parents born in Georgia and Illinois)

(His parents were born in West Virginia and Virginia.  She was the mother of three children, all living; her parents were born in Virginia.)

                                (enumerated with the family of James LaGran)

(Editor's Note:  Margaret sparks was the widow of Thomas E. Sparks who was born ca. 1845.  He served in the Union Army from Arkansas during the Civil War.  See pp. 2115-16 of the  Quarterly for June 1979 (Vol. XXVII, No. 2, Whole No. 106) for an abstract of his pension file.  He was a son of Isaiah Hale and Sarah (Clayborn) Sparks, a grandson of Hardy and Mary Sparks, and a great-grandson of Matthew and Sarah Sparks about whom we published an article in the  Quarterly of June 1961 (Vol. IX, No. 2, Whole No. 34).  Margaret Sparks of this census record was the second wife of Thomas E. Sparks;  her maiden name was Margaret J. Adams and she was married to Thomas E. Sparks in Newton County, Arkansas, on June 26, 1887.  The first wife of Thomas E. Sparks was named Martha Curtis and she died after the birth of their son, Joseph Henry Sparks, who was born April 20, 1886 (not July 1887 as given in the census).  Margaret was the mother of the first three children listed on the census as given above; the rest were her step-children.)

                             (enumerated with the family of William C. Compton)

                              (enumerated with the family of Brass Walter (?))

(Editor's Note:  Nathan F. Sparks was a son of William B. and Martha (-----) Sparks who were living in Franklin County, Texas, when the 1880 census was taken.  Nathan was then 8 years old and there were three other children:  Mary age 6, Sarah, age 4, and William, age 2.)

                           (enumerated with the family of Clarence Stokes)

(Editor's Note:  Jacob Sparks was a son of Uriah Sparks who was born ca. 1800 in Kentucky and died about 1825, probaby in Jackson County, Indiana.  When the 1850 census of Jackson County was taken, Jacob was living with his grandparents, Stephen and Catherine (Padgett) Sparks.)

Name	Race	Sex	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age	Place of Birth
E. D. 53, sheet 17, Vol. 15.  Northern District
SPARKS, Jacob W.	W	M	head	September 1873	26	Illinois
"          Mollie L.		F	wife	October 1883	16	Missouri
"          Roy W.		M	son	June 1896	3	Indian Terr.
E. D. 57, sheet 21, Vol. 15.
SPARKS, Edgar	W	M	boarder	November 1855	44	Illinois
E. D. 59, sheet 15, Vol. 15.
SPARKS, William R.	W	M	head	October 1867	32	Arkansas
"          Mary A.		F	wife	May 1872	28	Missouri
"          Berthena		F	dau.	July 1889	10	Arkansas
"          Gracy		F	dau.	May 1893	7	"
"          Daisy		F	dau.	March 1896	4	"
"          Truly		F	dau.	January 1900	5/12	Indian Terr
E. D. 67, sheet 16, Vol. 16
SPARKS, Mac C.	W	M	head	March 1846	54	Alabama
"          Jimmie		M	son	August 1881	18	Texas
"          Willie		M	son	January 1883	17	"
E. D. 188, sheet 2, Vol. 16
SPARKS, Ben B.	W	M	head	June 1840	N.R.	Arkansas
"          Phoebe		F	wife	April 1865	35	"

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