July 13, 2023
Pages 941-945
Whole Number 52
THE DESCENDANTS OF 38.1 ROBERT AND ELIZABETH (SHAW) SPARKS
OF NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA, AND ANOKA, MINNESOTA
(Editor's Note: This record has been supplied by Mrs. H. T. Hanson, Box 582, Anoka, Minnesota; Mrs. Hanson is a great-great-granddaughter of Robert Sparks. The photographs of Uriah and Elizabeth (McFarlane) Sparks have been supplied by Mrs. Duane Sudman of Minneapolis. She is a great-granddaughter of Uriah Sparks.)
38.1 Robert Sparks was born somewhere in England in June, 1804. Nothing is known of his family except that he had a half-brother named 38.4 Goodwin Sparks and sisters named:
38.2 Mary Sparks. She married Abiel Bonney.
38.3 Susan Sparks. She married FNU Murry.
38.1 Robert Sparks came to Canada as a youth and settled in New Brunswick. On October 8, 1829, he married Elizabeth Shaw, daughter of William and Jane Shaw. According to this marriage record, on record in Charlotte County, Province of New Brunswick, Robert was a resident of St. George Parish while Elizabeth lived in the adjoining parish of Pennfield. Elizabeth Shaw had also been born in Ireland and had accompanied her parents to Canada when she was three years old. She is known to have had brothers named Willie and George and a sister named Mary. Elizabeth was born in 1809.
In their later life, after their children were grown, Robert and Elizabeth Sparks moved from New Brunswick to Minnesota. He died November 30, 1880, and was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Anoka, Minnesota. Elizabeth died July 18, 1887, and was buried beside her husband. Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks were the parents of nine children:
38.1.1 Mary Sparks, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks, was born in Canada ca. 1830. She married Winthrop Goss; they were the parents of four children:
38.1.1.1 Robert Goss.
38.1.1.2 Joseph Goss.
38.1.1.3 Frank Goss.
38.1.1.4 Winnie Goss.38.1.2 Joseph Sparks, son of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks, was born in St. George Parish,New Brunswick, Canada, on May 1, 1833; he died at Sturgis, South Dakota, on March 6,1913. He moved from Canada to the United States in 1854. On October 28, 1861, he enlisted in the Union Army at Fort Snelling and served in the 1st Battery of Light Artillery from Minnesota until December 27, 1862, when he was discharged because of disability. He married, first, Mary MNU by whom he had two daughters,
38.1.2.1 Clara Sparks and
38.1.2.2 Emma Sparks.He married, second, Johanna (or Josie) Murry on November 16, 1879, at Crook City, South Dakota. Joseph Sparks had moved to the Black Hills in April, 1876. Johanna had come to Crook City in 1876. She had been born in London, England, on March 7, 1850, and had come to America with her parents at the age of three years. She spent most of her childhood in Michigan and Minnesota. Joseph and his family moved from Crook City to Bear Butte Valley in 1880 and in 1896 they moved to Sturgis, South Dakota. Johanna was a member of the Catholic Church; Joseph joined the Methodist Church in 1897. They were the parents of four children:
38.1.2.3 Mabel Sparks.
38.1.2.4 Henry Sparks; he lived at one time in Mitchell, S.D., and had a daughter named 38.1.2.4.1 Betty Jo Sparks.
38.1.2.5 Myrtle Sparks, married L. S. Fugate of Belle Fouche, S.D. Their children are:38.1.2.5.1 Mrs. Ted Cooper (Glenn Fugate) who has four children and lives at Miles City, Mont.;
38.1.2.5.2 Constance Fugate (Mrs. Ray Blevan) also lives south of Miles City, Mont.;
38.1.2.5.3 Tiny Jean Fugate (Mrs. Kenneth McCoid) has one child;
38.1.2.5.4 Phyllis Fugate; and
38.1.2.5.5 Shirley Fugate.38.1.2.6 Anna Sparks, married Wynn M. Bennett; she lives in Buffalo, S.D.; her children are
38.1.2.6.1 Betty Bennett,
38.1.2.6.2 Wynn Bennett, and
38.1.2.6.3 Donn Bennett.38.1.3 Clarissa C. Sparks, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks, was born in either St. Joseph's Parish, or St. George Parish, New Brunswick, on December 25, 1834. She married Elias Wright Pratt on June 24, 1854, at St. George, New Brunswick. He was a son of Elias and Adeline (Bassett) Pratt and had been born August 8, 1834, at St. Josephs, New Brunswick. He came to Anoka, Minnesota, ca. 1860, and in 1862 enlisted in Company A, 8th Minnesota Regiment. His first two years in the Union Army were spent fighting the Sioux Indians along the Western Frontier of the state. He saw his captain killed near Lake Kandiyohi by an Indian who hung over the side of his horse so that its body protected him and fired under the horse's neck.
In May, 1864, the 8th Regiment was mounted for the purpose of taking part in an expedition against the Sioux. They marched to the Missouri River where they joined General Sulley's command. A severe battle took place at Kilideer, Montana, and the Indians were purused through the Bad Lands and into Montana and Wyoming and were thoroughly whipped and demoralized. In October the regiment was ordered South and Elias Pratt saw a great deal of service before the war ended.
by occupation, he was a lumberman; he died March 29, 1902, following an accident in which a log fell on his chest. He was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Anoka, Minnesota. Clarissa (Sparks) Pratt died January 5, 1918, at the home of her son, Elias M. Pratt, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was buried beside her husband in Anoka, Minnesota. Seven children were born to this union:
38.1.3.1 Bessie Pratt, born in Minneapolis on March 29, 1858; she died August 3, 1863, in Anoka, MN, from the whooping cough.
38.1.3.2 Maria Jane Pratt, born across from Stillwater, MN, on the Wisconsin side, on March 31, 1856. She married David Stewart Gow on October 10, 1882. He was born in St. George, New Brunswick, on October 6, 1848, and was a blacksmith and carriage maker. He died July 28, 1933. Maria Jane died in Anoka on October 21, 1942, at the age of 86 years. Two children were born to this union:
38.1.3.2.1 Bertha Meriam Gow, born in Anoka on August 8, 1886; she is a retired teacher but still has charge of a study hall in the Anoka Junior High School.
38.1.3.2.2 William Henry Gow, born in Anoka on October 18, 1888; he married Ruth G. Smith in St. Paul on June 5, 1912; four children were born to this union:
38.1.3.2.2.1 David Gow (deceased);
38.1.3.2.2.2 Jean Gow;
38.1.3.2.2.3 Almeda Gow;
38.1.2.3.2.2.4 Jack Gow.38.1.3.3 Elmer Ellsworth Pratt, born in Anoka, MN, May 19, 1866; he married Mary Almeda Coggins in Anoka on July 4, 1891. In 1894 they moved to Rosebud, Montana, and lived on the Diamond Ranch at the time of the Indian outbreak. In 1898 they settled on a homestead near Sidney, Montana. He was one of the early freighters, driving Mondak, Glendive and the R.S. ranch on the Redwater. For a few years he operated a feed store at Crane. His wife died January 10, 1905, at the birth of the fifth child. He died at Savage, Montana, on October 22, 1939. They were the parents of five children:
38.1.3.3.1 Elmer Ellsworth Pratt;
38.1.3.3.2 Guy Everett Pratt;
38.1.3.3.3 Neale Wayland Pratt;
38.1.3.3.4 Dwight Linton Pratt;
38.1.3.3.5 Almeda Blanche Pratt.38.1.3.4 David Orlando Pratt, born in Anoka on August 27, 1868; he married Harriet Eliza VanNess on March 23, 1898. She had been born December 25, 1866, at East Orange, New Jersey, and died March 25, 1955, at Seattle, Wasnington. He died in May 1943 at Seattle. One child was born to this union, 38.1.2.3.4.1 Helen VanNess Pratt who married John I. Shotwell.
38.1.3.5 Uriah Sparks Pratt, born in Anoka, Minnesota, on August 19, 1872; he married Della Mae Jacobs on February 22, 1899, in Anoka. Before his marriage he was a woodsman, driving teams for a lumber company. After his marriage, he and his bride went to Montana where they lived on the Howard Ranch at Saber. They stayed about three years and lost heavily, due largely to grasshopper invasions. They returned to Minnesota. In 1918 he was elected sheriff of Anoka County and held this office for sixteen years. In 1934 he went to work at the Federal Cartridge Company as a guard where he remained until his retirement in 1951. While sheriff he was instrumental in solving many murders and bank robberies. He died in Anoka on July 11, 1954. Uriah and Della (Jacobs) Pratt were the parents of three children:
38.1.3.5.1 Gladys Maria Pratt, born at Saber, Montana, on November 10, 1899; married Carl E. Nelson;
38.1.3.5.2 Vivian Russell Pratt, born at Saber, Montana, on November 25, 1901; married Oscar W. Gustafson;
38.1.3.5.3 Jessie Fern Pratt, born at Spencerbrook, Minnesota, on April 25, 1903; married Hartwick Theodore Hanson.38.1.3.6 Clarissa S. Pratt, born in Anoka, Minnesota, on September 19, 1876; she married John P. Middlebrook on May 1, 1901, at Anoka; she died April 1, 1956, at Seattle, Washington. Her husband, who was born August 20, 1868, at Mankato, Minnesota, is still living. Six children were born to this union:
38.1.3.6.1 George P. Middlebrook;
38.1.3.6.2 Verna Maud Middlebrook;
38.1.3.6.3 Katherine Ruth Middlebrook;
38.1.3.6.4 John Gordon Middlebrook;
38.1.3.6.5 Francis Marion Middlebrook;
38.1.3.6.6 Helen Clarissa Middlebrook.38.1.3.7 Elias M. Pratt, born in Anoka, Minnesota, on June 6, 1878; he married Clara Reem in Champlin, Minnesota, on January 28, 1903. (She was born April 13, 1884, daughter of W. L. and Amy A. Reem.) He was a shoe salesman in St. Paul. He died in St. Paul on June 13, 1920.
38.1.4 Sophronia Sparks, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks, was born ca. 1836, probably in St. George, New Brunswick, Canada. She married Philo Hanson and they had four children:
38.1.4.1 Reitha Hanson.
38.1.4.2 Lida Hanson.
38.1.4.3 Minnie Hanson.
38.1.4.4 Marion Hanson.
38.1.5 URIAH S. SPARKS (1839-1917)
son of 38.1 Robert SparksELIZABETH (McFARLINE) SPARKS
Wife of Uriah S. Sparks
38.1.5 Uriah S. Sparks was born at St. George, New Brunswick, Canada, on December 22, 1839. When he was nineteen years old he came west to Wisconsin hoping to prepare the way for his family to migrate there. Things did not work out and he returned home. At the age of twenty-four he married Elizabeth McFarlane. She was born February 25, 1845, and died in August, 1931. In 1884, they migrated to Bear Butte, South Dakota. He was a deacon in the Baptist Church and in 1905 he and his wife and seven others united to form the first Baptist Church in Sturgis, South Dakota. He died at the age of 78 and was buried in Bear Butte Cemetery. Uriah S. and Elizabeth (McFarlane) Sparks were the parents of eight children.
38.1.5.1 Mary Elizabeth Sparks (called Mame); she married Irving Johnson and they were the parents of six children:
38.1.5.1.1 Arthur Johnson, married Anna MNU;
38.1.5.1.2 Elizabeth Johnson, married Harry Blair;
38.1.5.1.3 Walter Johnson, married Elizabeth MNU
38.1.5.1.5 Marion Johnson, married William Middlebrook;
38.1.5.1.6 Clarence I. Johnson, married Marion MNU38.1.5.2 Lena Augusta Sparks, born May 10, 1870, died in Fargo, North Dakota, on August 18, 1937. She married Frank G. Cornwell in Bear Butte Valley on June 30, 1891. He died September 22, 1904, in Sturgis, South Dakota. Both are buried in the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis. They had two children:
38.1.5.2.1 Frank George Cornwell, born September 22, 1898; he married Loreta Griffin on September 7, 1922.
38.1.5.2.2 Gus Harold Cornwell, born February 21, 1903; he married Emily Moore on June --, 1927.38.1.5.3 David McFarlane Sparks; he married a nurse in Forest Grove, Oregon, and they had a daughter named:
38.1.2.5.3.1 Anna Elizabeth Sparks who married Dale Fuller.
38.1.5.4 Clara Lorena Sparks, born December 9, 1873, in St. George, New Brunswick. She married Robert Shoun on January 22, 1902. They were the parents of the following children:
38.1.5.4.1 Cora Ethel Shoun, born January 14, 1904, married Richard Moeller on March 16, 1932;
38.1.5.4.2 Allen Shoun, born July 26, 1906;
38.1.5.4.3 Carl Vernon Shoun, born September 6, 1913.38.1.5.5 Robert Frederick Sparks, born June 15, 1875; he married Ava Zentz. They had no children.
38.1.5.6 Ada Sophronia Sparks, born June 25, 1877. She married Frank Wilson at Vulcan, Alberta, Canada, They had two children:
38.1.5.6.1 Edward Wilson, born March 5, 1906, unmarried;
38.1.5.6.2 Maude Wilson, born in 1908; she married Charles Bales of Alberta, Canada, and they had three children:38.1.5.6.2.1 Frank Bales,
38.1.5.6.2.2 Helen Bales, and
38.1.5.6.2.3 Irene Bales.38.1.5.7 Lulu Ethel Sparks, born May 30, 1879. She married Charles Seggelke on April 16, 1911, at Chalk Buttee, South Dakota. They had one child,
38.1.2.5.7.1 Charles Henry Seggelke who was born November 6, 1919; he married Mary Ellen and lives in Denver, Col.
38.1.5.8 Roy Elmer Sparks, born February 23, 1881. He married Marie Lorang on February 2, 1906, and lived in Sturgis. They were the parents of four children:
38.1.5.8.1 Blanche Sparks, born December 13, 1906, married William Baker;
38.1.5.8.2 Elmer Sparks, deceased;
38.1.5.8.3 Floyd Sparks, born September 27, 1910;
38.1.5.8.4 Doris Annette Sparks, married Joseph McKenna.38.1.6 Melissa (or Minnie) Sparks, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks; she married Jake L. Reed who was born in 1877 and died September 23, 1903. Melissa died on March 1, 1901.
38.1.7 Henry Sparks married Jennie MNU. He was a carpenter and built houses in Anoka, Minnesota. They had a number of children, including:
38.1.7.1 Birdie Sparks, born January 24, 1880.
38.1.7.2 Tina Sparks, died in Minneapolis, MN, in November, 1963.
38.1.7.3 Bess Sparks, died in Hollywood, California, in December, 1964.
38.1.7.4 Pearle Sparks, died in Los Angeles in 1953.
38.1.7.5 Robert S. Sparks, married Edith MNU; he died in Los Angeles. He had a son named38.1.7.5.1 Richard Sparks.
38.1.8 Anna Sparks, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks, was born at St. John, New Brunswick. She married Alexander McGregor in 1870. He died in 1875 from wounds he had received during the Civil War. There were two children:
38.1.8.1 George A. McGregor.
38.1.8.2 Charles McGregor, died at the age of three.Anna married (second) Dr. FNU Allen in 1878. She had one daughter by this marriage, 38.1.8.3 Reitha Allen who married L. Laing of Alliance, Missouri. Anna died December 27, 1930, and was buried in Aurora, Missouri. Her granddaughter, Jean (Mrs. John) Hofferber, lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
38.1.9 Jane Sparks (called Jennie), daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Shaw) Sparks; she married Seth E. Abbott who was born January 25, 1845, and died April 17, 1887. She spent most of her life in the East and after her death in May, 1931, her body was returned to Anoka, Minn,, for burial beside her husband. Jane and Seth Abbott were the parents of two children:
38.1.9.1 J. Roy Abbott, born October 23, 1881; died May 4, 1887.
38.1.9.2 Vera B. Abbott, born January 1, 1883; died June 6, 1887.
