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Dorothy Sherwood Bevard of 451 Yates St., Denver, CO (80204) is seeking information regarding a SARAH SPARKS who is believed to have been born in Ohio ca. 1820. On August 17, 1840, she was married in Newark, Ohio (Licking County), to JAMES MADISON BEVARD who was born ca. 1818 in Ohio, a son of Jacob and Ann (Buckalzw) Bevard. The children of James Madison and Sarah (Sparks) Bevard were:
1. George Bevard, born December 9, 1842, in Licking County, Ohio. He married Catherine Kaler in 1865. He died February 4, 1925, in Smithfield, Illinois.
2. James Madison Bevard, born February 23, 1844, in Licking County, Ohio. He married Anna Baughman in 1872. He died on May 6, 1890, in Smithfield, Illinois from the bite of a mad dog.
3. William Bevard, born July 3, 1845, in Ohio. He died August 15, 1861.
4. Anna Bevard, born ca.1847. She married John G. Kaler and died in Illinois.
5. Mary Bevard, born ca.1849. She married Jeremiah Sires in 1865.
6. Levi Bevard, born May 26, 1852, in Illinois. He married Emma Maxson in 1880. He died December 6, 1906, in Smithfield, Illinois.
7. Sarah E. Bevard, born April 26, 1856. She married Abraham Kaler in 1871.
8. Andrew F. Bevard, born May 15, 1863, in Illinois. He died in 1869.
Who were Sarah Sparks's parents? What was the date of her birth and when did she die?
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QUERY
THOMAS B. SPARKS, BORN ca. 1765 IN MARYLAND
On the cover of this issue of the Quarterly, we have reproduced a photograph of Peter and Mahala Jane (SPARKS) Handshy that has been provided to us by Mark D. Waldemer of Crestwood, Missouri. Mr. Waldemer is a great-great-grandson of Peter and Mahala Jane (Sparks) Handshy.
We have been able to prove that 115.x Mahala Jane Sparks, who was born May 23, 1830, and died March 13, 1896, was a daughter of 115. Thomas B. Sparks (born ca. 1765) who was listed on the 1850 census of Madison County, Illinois. His age on that census was given as 85 and his place of birth appears as Maryland. With him in 1850 were living his second wife, Penelope MNU, age 56, and their four youngest children, including Mahala Jane.
Who were the parents of Thomas B. Sparks? He was listed on the 1810 census of Baltimore County, Maryland, but by 1812 he was in Christian County, Kentucky, and by 1830 he had moved to Caldwell County, Kentucky. According to the census of 1850, his three youngest children were born in Illinois, which means that he must have left Kentucky for Illinois ca. 1840. We have no record of him after 1850; we assume that he died before 1860. By occupation he was a farmer.
Thomas B. Sparks appears to have been married twice. His first wife, name Unknown, probably died ca. 1818, after which he married Penelope MNU. From census and other public records, we believe that Thomas B. Sparks had 9 children by his first wife and 9 also by his second wife, Penelope. Following are our limited data regarding these children.
115.1 Zeriah Sparks, born ca. 1792, married Jacob Morris in 1812 in Christian County, Kentucky.
115.2 Sarah ["Sally"] Sparks, born ca. 1795, married Martin Savage in Christian County, Kentucky, in 1819.
115.3 Susan Sparks, born ca.1800, married Richard Savage in Christian County, Kentucky, in 1819.
115.4 Aisly Sparks, born ca.1802, married James Bourland in Christian County, Kentucky, in 1820.
115.5 Son1 Sparks, name not known, was born ca.1804.
115.6 Matthew Sparks, born ca.1806, married Mary Henrietta McKnight in Christian County, Kentucky, in 1829; daughters,
115.6.1 Susan Sparks and
115.6.2 Harriet Sparks.He died ca.1846.
115.7 Jane Sparks, born ca.1811, married Sherwood Savage in Caldwell County, Kentucky, in 1828.
115.8 Mary Ann Sparks, born ca.1814, married William Ervin in Caldwell County, Kentucky, in 1833.
115.9 Son2 Sparks, name not known, was born ca.1816.
115.10 Thomas Sparks, born ca.1820, married Dortha MNU, who had been born in Germany. He apparently died before 1860 and, from Madison County, Illinois, census records, it appears that his widow, Dortha (or Dorothea) married William Grigsby as her second husband. Thomas Sparks's children appear to have been named:
115.10.1 Sampson Sparks,
115.10.2 Julia Sparks,
115.10.3 Hellena Sparks, and
115.10.4 William Sparks,
born between 1850 and 1860.115.11 Hardy Sparks, born January 1, 1821, in Christian County, Kentucky, died September 12, 1900, in Bond County, Illinois. He married (first) Elizabeth Alien Randle on September 15, 1842, and, following her death, he married (second) a widow named Sarah E. (Crowder) Willis on January 31, 1893. He served in the Union Army in the Civil War and received a pension (an abstract of the papers pertaining to this pension will be published in a future issue of the Quarterly). His children were named
115.11.1 Sampson G. Sparks, born ca.1842.
115.11.2 Levi S. Sparks, born ca.1844.
115.11.3 James P. Sparks, born ca.1846;
115.11.4 Henry C. Sparks, born ca.1849; and115.12 Dau1 Sparks, name not known, born ca.1823.
115.13 Dau2 Sparks, name not known, born ca. 1825.
115.14 Sampson Sparks, born ca. 1827, in Kentucky, married before 1850 Mary Amanda MNU who had been born in Maryland. He was in Macaupin County, Illinois, in 1870 and 1880 with his wife and family. From census records, his children appear to have been named
115.14.1 Letitia C. Sparks, born ca. 1852;
115.14.2 Thomas Sparks, born ca. 1854;
115.14.3 John Sparks, born ca. 1857;
115.14.4 Mary Sparks, born ca. 1859;
115.14.5 Adele (or Adeline) Sparks, born ca. 1861; and
115.14.6 Sampson F. Sparks, born ca. 1866.115.15 William Sparks, born ca. 1829 in Kentucky. No further information.
115.16 Green Sparks (listed as W. Green Sparks on the 1850 census), born May 23, 1830, in Illinois, died May 14, 1896, in Missouri. He married Rebecca MNU. He was severely wounded while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War and received a pension. (The papers pertaining to this pension will be abstracted for publication in a future issue of the Quarterly.)
115.17 Mahala Jane Sparks, born May 23, 1830, in Illinois, died March 13, 1896. She married Peter Handshy and they had 10 children. On May 10, 1887, Peter Handshy and Mahala, aged 61 and 55 and residents of Carpenter, Illinois, made a joint affidavit to support the pension application of Mahala's brother, Green Sparks. (See photograph on the cover of this Quarterly.)
115.18 James Sparks, born ca. 1834 in Illinois, died in Madison County, Illinois, on April 4, 1877. He married Wilhelmina Schwartz in 1856 at Highland, Illinois. They had one child:
115.18.1 Eddie F. Sparks.
James Sparks served in the Union Army in the Civil War. An abstract of the papers pertaining to his widow's application for a pension will be published in a future issue of the Quarterly.
Your editor, Russell E. Bidlack, and the President of the Association, Paul E. Sparks, are anxious to correspond with descendants of Thomas B. Sparks in an attempt to learn more regarding him and his 18 children.
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A member of the Association who frequently copies for us items pertaining to Sparkses that he happens across, has copied the following items found among the records of the Thayer Cemetery located in Neosho County in the south-eastern part of Kansas:
| 1.2.1.2.1.2.4.4.5 Joel W. Sparks, 1852-1920 Adelaide (Stevens) Sparks, 1855-1934 |
(husband and wife) Webmaster added Family Number and maiden name |
| 1.2.1.2.1.2.4.4.5.1 Cora B. Sparks, 1878-1947 | (daughter of Joel W. and Adelaide) |
| 1.2.1.2.1.2.4.4.5.3 Lula Ann Sparks, 1884-1941 | (daughter of Joel W. and Adelaide) |
| 1.2.1.2.1.2.4.4.5.2 Evert B. Sparks, 1879-1972 | (son of Joel W. and Adelaide) |
| Jimmie L. Sparks, 1873-1945 | (wife of Evert) |
Mr. Thomas reports that Evert B. Sparks and Jimmie L. Sparks were said to have a daughter, Margaret Peterson, living in Inverness, Montana.
Webmaster: See KY Marriages and an article in Whole No. 190 for information on this family.
Anyone having knowledge of this family is requested to write to the Editor, Russell E. Bidlack, 1709 Cherokee Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan (48104).