October 8, 2023
Pages 3478-3481
Whole Number 147
[Editor's Note: A portion of the September, 1986, issue of The Sparks Quarterly, Whole No. 135, was devoted to an article about the descendants of Joseph Sparks, who died in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in 1809. One of his children was Sarah Sparks who was born ca. 1768 in Maryland. She was named in Joseph's will (he left her 3 pounds), but we had no other information about her except that she married FNU O'Neil. Since the publication of that article, we have received further information about her, largely through the interest and efforts of a descendant, Harry Smith. Mr. Smith lives at 2419 Donlon Road, Chatham, Wilmington, Delaware, 19803.
We now present the information furnished by Mr. Smith. For the sake of uniformity, we have continued the same alpha-numeric outline system used in the earlier article.
1.2.5.2.4 Sarah Sparks, daughter of Joseph and Mary (McDaniel) Sparks, was born ca. 1768 in Frederick County, Maryland. Originally, we believed that she was born ca. 1758, but in view of the five children born to her between 1800 and 1810, we have changed her probable year of birth to 1768. These data are also in better agreement with the order by which her father named his daughters in his will, and also with the census records.
Sarah grew to womanhood in the home of her parents, and it seems likely that she accompanied her brother, Solomon Sparks, to Bedford County, Pennsylvania, ca. 1784. It was probably there that she met and married Peter O'Neal ca. 1784.
Peter O'Neal was born ca. 1754, probably in Maryland, and was a son of John and Margaret O'Neal (or O'Neil). (John O'Neil was born in Antrim County, Ireland, ca. 1719 and came to Maryland ca. 1749.) Peter was in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, as early as 1780, and he served in the Pennsylvania Continental Line during the American Revolution. He bought a 100-acre tract of land in Providence Township in Bedford County in August 1781 and paid taxes there as a single male in 1783 and 1784.
The family of Peter and Sarah (Sparks) O'Neal was listed on the 1790, 1800, and 1810 censuses of Bedford County, and from these records and from probate records, we know that they were the parents of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters. Peter died in the early fall of 1832. Earlier that year, he had made his will on April 11th. As recorded on page 20 of the Bedford County Will Book No. 3, here is the will:
In the name of God, Amen. I, Peter O'Neal of Providence Township, Bedford County, being in sound mind, memory and understanding, do make and publish this my last will and testament as follows:
Item. I desire after my decease that all my just debts be paid and my body decently buried, and if my wife, Sarah, should survive me to have all my estate, both real and personal, during her natural life.
Item. After the decease of myself and my wife, I give all my real estate to be equally divided among all my children, except Solomon O'Neal, my son, I give him nothing as he has been otherwise provided for.
Item. My son, Joseph O'Neal, I give an equal share with the rest of the children of the tract of land I live on and my personal estate, but any of my other lands, I give him no part.
Item. I give my two sons, David and Samuel O'Neal, fifty dollars more than any of my other children and each of them as they have continued to live with me.
Item. I desire my executors hereafter mentioned to sell all my real estate to the best advantage as soon as convenient after myself and my wife's decease and convey the same, fee simple, and as I have sold a tract of land to my son, William, if I should die before I convey the same to him, I hereby empower my executors to convey the same to him agreeable to the agreement between us.
Item. I appoint my two sons, John and James O'Neal, executors of this my last will and testament to carry out the same in effect.
Witness my hand and seal the 11th day of April 1832.
Witnesses: Charles Ashcom, William Burton. Probated October 5, 1832.
1.2.5.2.4.1 John O'Neal was born ca. 1786. He married Priscilla Bussard.
1.2.5.2.4.2 Chloe O'Neal was born ca. 1788. She married James Shaw.
1.2.5.2.4.3 Joseph O'Neal was born ca. 1790. He married Delilah Nycum.
1.2.5.2.4.4 James O'Neal was born ca. 1794. He married Catherine Snowly.
1.2.5.2.4.5 Solomon O'Neal was born ca. 1796. He married Eva Beltz.1.2.5.2.4.6 William O'Neal was born September 30, 1798, in Bedford County. He married Arah Ann Robinson on March 1, 1828, in Monongalia County, Virginia. She was born on September 30, 1803, in Virginia and was a daughter of James Robinson. William died on March 24, 1881. He and Arah Ann were buried in the Frame Church Cemetery near Clearville, Pennsylvania. They had five children.
1.2.5.2.4.6.1 James R. O'Neal was born September 26, 1831.
1.2.5.2.4.6.2 Reuben P. O'Neal was born August 26, 1834.
1.2.5.2.4.6.3 William Rizoe O'Neal was born July 5, 1840.
1.2.5.2.4.6.4 John Elza O'Neal was born February 5, 1843. He served in Company D, 138th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War. After the war ended, he moved to Pasadena, California.
1.2.5.2.4.6.5 Rachel Sarah O'Neal was born August 26, 1846. She married Harvey Grubb on December 18, 1866. He was born March 11, 1843, and was a son of John and Mary Grubb. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War and received a pension for his service in later years. He died on December 1, 1917, and Rachel died on July 21, 1924. They were buried in the Frame Church Cemetery. They had five children.1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1 Ann Amelia Grubb was born September 11, 1867. She married Hiram G. Smith on June 8, 1892. He was born on November 2, 1860, and was a son of Hillery and Leah Ann (MNU) Smith. She was a school teacher. He died in December 1934, and Ann died on July 1, 1963. They had seven children:
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.1 Charles Smith,
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.2 William Smith,
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.3 Harvey Smith,
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.4 May Smith,
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.5 Donald Smith,
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.6 Lloyd Smith, and
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.1.7 Estella Smith.1.2.5.2.4.6.5.2 Ira Grubb was born March 21, 1869.
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.3 Albert L. Grubb was born October 29, 1874.
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.4 Ida Grubb was born May 7, 1879.
1.2.5.2.4.6.5.5 Pearl Jane Grubb was born September 8, 1884.1.2.5.2.4.7 Margaret O'Neal was born ca. 1800. She married William Cornell.
1.2.5.2.4.8 Mary O'Neal was born ca. 1802. She married FNU Hixon.
1.2.5.2.4.9 Samuel O'Neal was born ca. 1804.
1.2.5.2.4.10 Susan O'Neal was born ca. 1806.
1.2.5.2.4.11 David O'Neal was born ca. 1808. He married Elizabeth MNU
1.2.5.2.4.12 Elizabeth O'Neal was born ca. 1810. She married William Robinson.