October 26, 2023
Pages 657-658
Whole Number 38
THE LAST WILL OF 7.1 ISAAC SPARKS (died 1834)
OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO
(The following is a copy made from a photostat of the original will on file in Hamilton County, Ohio. Punctuation has been supplied and capitalization has been standardized for clarity, but the content and spelling has been copied exactly.)
Isaac Sparks, Senr., of Hamilton County, state of Ohio, being weak in body and in a declineing state of health for some time past, but of sound mind and memory, thanks be to God for it, do make this my last will and testamet in form as follows:
I will that my beloved wife have third of my real estate set off to her by three disintrested men, which shall be chosen one by my wife and one by my executors and the other by the two first chosen, whose duty is to lay off to her her third part in as equal a manner as the situation of the premises may admit, to be for my wife to live on and draw her support from during her natural life, after that to be sold and equally divided the money among my surviving children.
After the third has thus been laid off to my wife, the residue of the tract to sell for money with in one year after my decease and I authorize my executors thus to do and sell to the best advantage in their power, and the money arising from the sale of the land and personal property that may be sold, not other ways disposed of, to be, after paying all debts, divided as follows:
I will Folly Seward, wife of Obadiah Seward, my second daughter, one Hundred and eighty dollars.
My third daughter, Rachel Long, one hundred and forty dollars.
Nancy Cock, my fourth daughter, two hundred twenty dollars.
I will Sally Legget, my fifth daughter, two hundred and twenty dollars.
I will my two grand daughters, Elizabeth and Harriet McCash, forty two dollars each.
William Sparks, my eldest son, having had his full share of my estate, yet extra of that I will him twenty dollars.
I will my grand son, Frank Sparks, fifty dollars.
I will my wife her share of my personal estate: two beds and beding and bedstead, the two best cows, the gray mare and carriage with harness, the corner cubbart with its contents, English cubbard, brakfast table, best stand and big Bible, six chairs, best looking glass, pair of best shovel and tongs, her carpets and the clock, and one hundred and fifty dollars in money.
The lot I have in Mount Pleasant I will to Eria Sparks, my grandson; if he does not survive, then to Martha Sparks, his sister. The lot of ground and house that I bought of James Hole I will to my son, Isaac Sparks.
Some few other articles I will to my wife not before mentioned: all the new bed quilts, the two brass kettles, dinner pot, stew kettle, tea kettle, three coffee pots, the knives and forks and vinegar hogshead. My executors will understand that not withstanding I have set off certain sums of money to my four daughters, yet my meaning and intention is that they all be paid equal sums, taking into consideration what they have received from me. I will that all moneys after all xpenses are paid, not otherways disposed of, shall be divided to my surviving daughters as above stated. I nominate my good friends and appoint James McCash and Steward McGill, Eqs., my executors.
I revoke all other wills and codasals by me made up to this date. I here unto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of July 1834.
Witnesses: [Signed] Isaac Sparks (seal)
[signed] Reuben S. Compton
Samuel Johson
(Editor's Note: Little is know at present of the family of 7.1 Isaac Sparks whose will appears above. Since this will was written on July 15, 1834, and was filed on September 6, 1834, we know that Isaac Sparks died sometime between those two dates. We know that he was a resident of Hamilton County, Ohio, at least as early as 1798 for he was listed as a voter that year. Apparently he came from New Jersey because, according to the 1850 census, his daughter, Mary or Polly, was born in New Jersey ca. 1795. From his will, we know that Isaac Sparks had five daughters --the eldest was not named for she had died prior to 1834; apparently she had been married to FNU McCash (perhaps the James McCash whom Isaac named as an executor) and had left two daughters, Elizabeth and Harriet McCash.
The other four daughters were:
7.1.2 Dau1 Sparks, married FNU McCash
7.1.2.1 Elizabeth McCash
7.1.2.2 Harriet McCash
7.1.3 Polly Sparks, nickname for Mary, who married Obadiah Seward;
7.1.4 Rachel Sparks, who married FNU Long;
7.1.5 Nancy Sparks, who married Tunis Cox; and
7.1.7 Isaac Sparks, Jr.,
7.1.8 Thompson Sparks
7.1.9 Sally Sparks, who married FNU Legget.
7.1.10 Rhoda Sparks
Isaac Sparks apparently had two sons:
7.1.1 William Sparks who was probably the William Sparks who married Jane Wiggins (Note: this is incorrect. Please see below.) in Hamilton County on October 14, 1819; and
7.1.7 Isaac Sparks, Jr., born ca. 1805 who married Rebecca MNU and was still living in Hamilton County when the 1850 census was taken. The children of Isaac Sparks, Jr., and his wife Rebecca, as listed on the census, were:
7.1.7.1 Alford Sparks, born ca. 1831;
7.1.7.2 Elizabeth Sparks, born ca. 1832;
7.1.7.3 Ermsley Sparks (female) born ca. 1834;
7.1.7.4 Sarah Sparks, born ca. 1842;
7.1.7.5 William Sparks, born ca. 1843;
7.1.7.6 Andrew Sparks, born ca. 1842;
7.1.7.7 Edward Sparks, born ca. 1847; and
7.1.7.8 Roda Sparks, born 1850.
Page 1009
Whole Number 55
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON 7.1 ISAAC SPARKS (died 1834) OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO
In the June, 1962, issue of the Quarterly, p. 657, Whole No. 38 we published the will of 7.1 Isaac Sparks of Hamilton County, Ohio. At that time we had no information regarding his date of birth nor his exact death date. Since then, Mrs. Howard K. Pierce, who descends from Isaac Sparks's daughter Mary (who married Obadiah Seward) has learned that the tombstone on the grave of Isaac Sparks still survives. It is located in a small cemetery called the McCrea Cemetery, located on the property of the Pillar of Fire, a religious organization at College Hill in Hamilton County, Ohio, near Cincinnati. Isaac Sparks's tombstone gives his birth date as November 24, 1768, and his death date as August 21, 1834. (He had written his will on July 15, 1834.) Isaac Sparks apparently married twice. There is a stone in the McCrea Cemetery which reads: "Sally Sparks, wife of Isaac Sparks, died December 17, 1825 in her 55th year." (She was thus born in 1871.) There is another stone which reads: "Sarah Sparks, wife of Isaac Sparks, died March 14, 1839, aged 31 years and 5 months." (She was thus born in October, 1807.) The latter must have been the wife whom Isaac Sparks mentioned in his will. There is also a stone in the McCrea Cemetery for Rhoda Sparks, daughter of Isaac and Sally Sparks, who died on November 1, 1825, aged 9 years.
In his will, Isaac Sparks mentioned his grandson, Frank Sparks, to whom he left $50.00. We have now learned that Frank Sparks, whose real name was 7.1.8.1 Francis M. Sparks, was the only son of 7.1.8 Thompson Sparks, who was a son of 7.1 Isaac and Sally Sparks. Thompson Sparks died on November 14, 1833, some eight months before his father, Isaac, made his will.
From the information now available, it appears that Isaac Sparks had the following children by his first wife, Sally: (order of birth not known):
7.1.1 William Sparks; he was probably the William Sparks who married Jane Wiggins in Hamilton County, Ohio, on October 14, 1819.
7.1.2 Elizabeth Sparks, born 1793 and died 1825. She married James McCash (1788-1871). She had daughters named
7.1.1.1 Elizabeth McCash and
7.1.1.2 Harriet McCash whom Isaac Sparks mentioned as his granddaughters in his will.
7.1.3 Mary ["Polly"] Sparks, born in New Jersey ca. 1795; she married Obadiah Seward, who was born in South Carolina ca. 1790 and came to Hamilton County, Ohio, ca. 1800. In 1824 they moved to Rush County, Indiana. They had children named:
7.1.3.1 Joseph Irvin Seward,
7.1.3.2 Samuel Seward,
7.1.3.3 Sarah Seward,
7.1.3.4 Elcy Seward,
7.1.3.5 Francis Seward,
7.1.3.6 Ruth Seward,
7.1.3.7 William Seward, and
7.1.3.8 Louann P. Seward
7.1.4 Rachel Sparks, married FNU Long.
7.1.5 Nancy Sparks, married Tunis Cox.
7.1.7 Isaac Sparks, Jr., born ca. 1805; he married Rebecca and was still living in Hamilton County, Ohio, when the 1850 census was taken. His children as listed on that census were:
7.1.7.1 Alford Sparks,
7.1.7.2 Elizabeth Sparks,
7.1.7.3 Ermsley Sparks,
7.1.7.4 Sarah Sparks,
7.1.7.5 William Sparks,
7.1.7.6 Andrew Sparks,
7.1.7.7 Edward Sparks, and
7.1.7.8 Roda Sparks.
7.1.8 Thompson Sparks, born in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1808 and died in Rush County, Indiana, on November 14, 1833. He was married in Rush County, Indiana, on February 2, 1832, to Lucy Jane Head. They had one son,
7.1.8.1 Francis M. Sparks.
7.1.9 Sally Sparks, married FNU Legget.
7.1.10 Rhoda Sparks, born ca. 1816 and died in Hamilton County, Ohio, on November 1, 1825.
Pages 1167-1169
Whole Number 63
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE DESCENDANTS OF 7.1 ISAAC SPARKS
(1768-1834)
OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO
In the Quarterly of June 1962, p. 657, Whole No. 38 we published the will of 7.1 Isaac Sparks (born 1768, died 1834) of Hamilton County, Ohio. Additional notes on Isaac Sparks appeared in the Quarterly of September 1966, pp. 1009-1010, Whole No. 55. In the Quarterly of March 1968, pp. 1135-1142, Whole No. 61 appeared an article on 7. William Sparks (died 1788) of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, who was Isaac Sparks's father.
In his will dated July 15, 1834, Isaac Sparks mentioned each of his nine children, one of whom he called "Nancy Cock, my fourth daughter," to whom he left $220.00. Until recently we had only this one reference to Nancy, daughter of Isaac Sparks, but a few months ago a new member of the Association, Mrs. David Gibbs, was able to provide detailed information on Nancy (who was Mrs. Gibbs' s great-great-grandmother).
7.1.5 Nancy Sparks, daughter of Isaac Sparks, was born in 1800, probably in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Her mother was Isaac's first wife, Sarah (or Sally), whose tombstone still stands in the McCrea Cemetery at College Hill in Hamilton County, Ohio, on property now owned by the Pillar of Fire, a religious organization.
According to her tombstone, "Sally Sparks, wife of Isaac Sparks, died December 17, 1825, in her 55th year." Her maiden name was Sarah Hankins (or Hawkins). Isaac Sparks's tombstone in the same cemetery gives his birth date as November 24, 1768, and his death date as August 21, 1834. Isaac Sparks brought his family to Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, sometime prior to the spring of 1818. He was a justice of the peace in Hamilton County from 1818 until 1820. One of his earliest acts as a justice of the peace was to judge a case in which Alexander Campbell brought suit against Robert William to pay a debt of six dollars and three shillings. This was the Alexander Campbell who, with his father, Thomas Campbell, Walter Scott and Barton W. Stone, founded the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church). Isaac Sparks was a convert to this church and was custodian of the "Ministerial Funds" for the Christian Church of Colerain Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, from 1822 to 1829. (Many of the records kept by Isaac Sparks are now in the possession of a great-great-grandson, Mr. Buell McCash, of Columbia, Missouri. A sketch recently located of the life of a grandson of Isaac Sparks contains the interesting statement that Isaac Sparks "swam the Ohio River at one time in order to escape from Indians." (History of Miami County, Ohio, Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co., p. 580.)
7.1.5 Nancy Sparks, fourth daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Hawkins) Sparks, was often called "Anna" as a nickname. She was married on November 2, 1820, in Hamilton County, Ohio, to Tunis Cox. The name Cock was often spelled Cox [Webmaster Note: have changed all instances to Cox.], and Tunis and his descendants adopted the "Cox" spelling. Tunis was a son of William G. Cox, a stonemason, who was born in New Jersey in 1778 and settled in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1809. He died on October 9, 1860. Tunis Cox's mother's name was Mary; she died March 9, 1852. (See Henry A. Ford's History of Hamilton County, Ohio, published in 1881, page 372.) Tunis Cox was nine years old when his father brought the family to Ohio. Following his marriage to Nancy Sparks, they lived for two years at North Bend Fort. They then "settled in Springfield near New Burlington, where he [Tunis Cox], kept the old Eleven-mile House, or Farmer's Rest, on the Hamilton Pike, which was known as one of the best hotels of the county outside the city." (See Ford's History of Hamilton County, page 372.)
Tunis and Nancy (Sparks) Cox were the parents of the following children:
7.1.5.1 William Cox, born October 7, 1821.
7.1.5.2 Thompson Cox, born November 29, 1822; married Susan Patterson in 1845.
7.1.5.3 Mary Ann Cox, born June 21, 1824; married Nicholas Goshorn (?)
7.1.5.4 Sally Cox, born December 6, 1825; married a Titus.
7.1.5.5 Gresham Cox, born March 18, 1827.
7.1.5.6 Andrew Jackson Cox, born 6 February 1829.
7.1.5.7 Elizabeth Cox, born December 12, 1830.
7.1.5.8 Isaac Cox, born March 17, 1832.
7.1.5.9 Martha Jane Cox, born September 1, 1834.
7.1.5.10 Harriet Cox, born January 8, 1836, died June 25, 1868; married Alexander Dom, Sr. Alexander and Harriet (Cox) Dom, Sr., were the parents of the following children:7.1.5.10.1 and 7.4.10.2 Twins, died in infancy.
7.1.5.10.3 Alma Dom, married FNU Wolfram.
7.1.5.10.4 William Dom.
7.1.5.10.5 Alexander Dom, Jr., born February 12, 1865, in Piqua, Ohio, died January 10, 1930; he married Catherine Smith on June 14, 1887. Mrs. Gibbs is a granddaughter of this union.
7.1.5.10.6 G. Ivan Dom, born 1866.After Harriet's death, Alexander Dom, Sr., married Anna Chick by whom he had five children.
7.1.5.11 George Washington Cox, born December 27, 1837; married Rebecca Ayres in 1858; he married (second) Mrs. Martin (Hole) Smith in 1868.
7.1.5.12 Catherine Cox, born June 5, 1839.
Nancy (Sparks) Cox, wife of Tunis, died on June 7, 1841. Tunis married as his second wife Sarah Sauter on April 7, 1842.
Mrs. Gibbs has generously loaned us a daguerrotype of Harriet Cox (born 1836, died 1868), daughter of Tunis and Nancy (Sparks) Cox. With her in this picture is her husband, Alexander Dom, Sr., who was born in 1834 and died on June 28, 1898. This was probably their wedding picture.
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| Alexander and Harriet (Cox) Dom |
Page 1420-1421
Whole Number 75
 |
| Photostatic copies of two documents, beneath which is the following caption: |
| Photostatic copy of entries made by Isaac Sparks, Sr. (1768-1834) in his hand Bible, purchased by him in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 1819 for the sum of $4.50. The Bible is owned by Mr. Buell McCash, Columbia, Missouri, who is the great-great-grandson of Isaac Sparks, Sr., whose daughter, Elizabeth Sparks, married James McCash, the paternal great-grandfather of Buell McCash. |
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON ISAAC SPARKS (1768-1834)
In The Sparks Quarterly for March 1968 (Whole No, 61, p. 142) we noted that Mr. Buell McCash of Columbia, Missouri, owns a Bible that had been owned originally by his great-great-grandfather, 7.1 Isaac Sparks, who was born November 24, 1768, and died in or near Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 21, 1834. The will of Isaac Sparks was printed in the Quarterly of June 1962, p. 657, Whole No, 38 and additional notes appeared in the Quarterly of September 1966, pp. 1009-1010, Whole No. 55). We were positive that Isaac Sparks was the eldest son of William and Rachel Sparks of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, but we did not have a written record to prove this relationship beyond any possible doubt. Mr. McCash has now provided this positive written record from the pocket Bible of Isaac Sparks.
Mr. McCash had reported earlier that the front fly-leaf of this small hand-Bible bears an inscription in Isaac Sparks's handwriting that he had bought it "at Cincinnati in the year 1819 price $4.50." Likewise, Mr. McCash had copied the record on the same fly-leaf of three deaths, that of his 9-year old daughter, Rhoda Sparks on November 1, 1825; that of his married daughter, Elizabeth (Sparks) McCash, on December 7, 1825; and that of his first wife, Sally (Hankins) Sparks on December 17, 1825. Until recently, however, Mr. McCash believed these to be the only entries in the Bible, and because of the carbonization of the paper, he was reluctant to handle it. Recently he thumbed through it, however, and to his surprise and delight, found three additional entries on the reverse side of the flyleaf marking the commencement of the New Testament. One of these entries is a record of Isaac Sparks's own birth date, November 24, 1768, which we had found earlier on his tombstone. The next entry, however, is of major importance, because there Isaac Sparks not only recorded the maiden name of his first wife, but also the names of his own parents. This entry reads: "Isaac Sparks, son of Wrn. and Rachel Sparks, married Sally Hankins May 6th 1790." The final entry records the death of his first wife as also appears at the beginning of the Bible, but in this second entry, Isaac Sparks gave her age at death as " the fifty-fifth year of her age," thus she was born ca. 1770, but he also gave the time of her death, "at 5 oclock Saturday morning."
Photostatic reproductions of these entries in the handwriting of Isaac Sparks have been reproduced on page 1420. We are grateful to Mr. McCash for providing these for use in the Quarterly.
Continue to Still More info on Isaac Sparks
In the December, 1973 issue of the Quarterly, pp. 1604-1611, Whole No. 84, appeared "Still More Data on the Family of Isaac Sparks (1768 -1834)". In this article, as in previous notes on this family, we indicated that 7.1 Isaac Sparks's first wife was Sarah Hankins; they were married May 6, 1790. Sarah was born either February 20, 1770, or February 20, 1771, and died on December 17, 1825. Mrs. David Gibbs of Holton, Indiana, has provided us with proof of the parentage of Sarah (Hankins) Sparks. In Will Book 7, page 347, in Hamilton County, Ohio, is recorded the will of Richard Hankins, dated April 5, 1808, and probated March 29, 1825. In this will, Richard Hankins refers to his wife as Rachael Hankins, a son named William Hankins, and daughters named Sarah, Elizabeth, and Jane Van Dike. The executors were William Hankins (his son) and Isaac Sparks. We believe that the daughter Sarah was the Sarah Hankins who married Isaac Sparks (1768-1834), who was named an executor of Richard Hankins' will.
7.1 ISAAC SPARKS (1768-1834) - - AN ADDITIONAL NOTE