August 4, 2023
Pages 2847-2848
Whole Number 133
PARENTAGE OF ESSENETH or Asineth (GREEN) SPARKS
WIFE OF STEPHEN SPARKS
In the Quarterly of March 1972, Whole No. 77, we published an article by Kenneth E. Sparks entitled "The Life of Stephen Sparks (1808 -1899)," pp. 1457-65, and in the Quarterly of December 1974, Whole No. 88, we published a supplement to the earlier article, also written by Ken Sparks (pp. 1692-94). In those articles, it was noted that 27.2.6 Stephen Sparks was the sixth child of 27.2 William and Mary (Palmer) Sparks and was a grandson of 27. Zachariah and Mary Sparks of South Carolina. Stephen Sparks was born July 6, 1808, in either Laurens County, South Carolina, or Union County, Indiana Territory. There has been some uncertainty as to when Stephen's parents moved to Indiana Territory.
Stephen Sparks was married in Fayette County, Indiana, in 1828 and moved soon thereafter to Rush County, Indiana. In 1845, the family moved to Platte County, Missouri, then in 1854 they moved to Leavenworth County, Kansas, near the town of Easton. Stephen died there on February 11, 1899. The first wife of Stephen Sparks and the mother of all eight of his children was Esseneth (Greene) Woolverton; she died in Kansas in September 1858. Stephen then married Margaret Emma Piper in May 1859; she died in May 1860. His third marriage was to Mrs. Elizabeth McGee on October 15, 1860.
When the articles cited above were published, we had little information regarding the first wife of Stephen Sparks. The marriage bond, dated July 10, 1828, in Fayette County, Indiana, gives her name as "Asenith Woolverton." (The name "Esseneth" has been spelled a great variety of ways.) We knew that she was a widow of Thomas Woolverton whom she had married in Fayette County on November 2, 1825. Thomas Woolverton had made his will on October 22, 1827, and had died before November 13, 1827, when it was probated.
Esseneth's maiden name was Green (or Greene), and there has been a family tradition that she was related to General Nathaniel Greene of Revolutionary War fame. We were unable to identify Esseneth's parents, however, when the above articles were published.
Recently, Donna Meszaros of 2123 No. Madelyn Ave., Tucson, Arizona (85712) sent us an item that identifies Esseneth's parents along with her brothers and sisters. It also explains her connection with General Nathaniel Greene. (The general often signed his name as "Green" rather than "Greene, " but his biographers have adopted the "Greene" spelling. There is, of course, no genealogical significance to whether in a given record prior to about the middle of the 19th century the name is spelled with or without a final "e".)
As will be seen below, Esseneth's birth occurred on May 15, 1801. She was thus seven years older that her second husband, Stephen Sparks. While the spelling of her name is given as "Ascena," there can be little doubt that this was Esseneth (Green) Woolverton who married Stephen Sparks. Her father, Thomas Green, gave distinguished service in the Revolutionary War making his descendants eligible to join the D.A.R. and the S.A.R.
The following is taken from Sketches of Rush County, Indiana, edited by Mary M. Alexander and Capitola Guffin Dill. It was printed in Rushville, Indiana, by the Jacksonian Publishing Company. The following appears on page 88.
GREEN, THOMAS, born Rhode Island, 1760, died near Brookville, Indiana, 1822. He enlisted in Rhode Island Regiment under his cousin, General National Green, and made the trip between the North and South Army overland, passing through the British lines without detection or capture 85 times. He served as captain two years, 1st Lieutenant two years, 2nd Lieutenant two years, sergeant two years. He was made Judge Advocate and Land Commissioner of Territory of Indiana and located at Ft. Brookville, Indiana. He was accidentally drowned. Rev. Nat. DAR no. 69498. He married Elizabeth Matthews. Children were--
[1] Daniel Green, born October 17, 1783, married Nancy Vardaman and Peggy Bell Lair;
[2] Elizabeth Green, born February 11, 1785, married John Wagoner;
[3] Susanna Green, born March 7, 1787, married John Scott;
[4] Agnes Green, born August 13, 1788, married Henry Harmon ;
[5] Nancy Green, born April 11, 1790, married Thomas Hill and William Whitsett;
[6] Ransbird Green, born February 25, 1792, married Ruth Morgan;
[7] Drusilla Green, born November 25, 1793, married Levi Cooper;
[8] James Green, born April 11, 1795, married Mary Ewing and Martha Ewing;
[9] Samuel Green, born February 5, 1797, married Betsy Hittle;
[10] Lot Green, born April 15, 1799, married Anna Cooper and Sarah Huston;
[11] Ascena [i. e. Esseneth] Green, born May 15, 1801, married Thomas Woolverton and Stephen Sparks.Descendants - - Florence Green Moore (J.W.), Alpha Green Eads (J.B.), Stella Green Rucker U.M. ), Patience Rucker, Lottie Green Tatman (C.E.), Nellie Green Schrader (Conrad), Mary Brann Smith (A.P.)