October 14, 2023
Pages 4412-4436
Whole Number 0
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT JAMES E. AND MARY ["POLLY"] SPARKS
OF EARLY NICHOLAS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
by Paul E. Sparks
[Editor's Note: In the December 1981 issue of The Sparks Quarterly, Whole No. 116, we published a query about the parents of 67. James E. Sparks (ca.1782-1854) of early Nicholas County, West Virginia. Additional information about some of his descendants was presented in the June 1985 issue of the Quarterly, Whole No. 130. Since the publication of these articles, however, we have received additional information about 67. James E. Sparks and his descendants that we now share with our readers. Our readers are reminded that until 1863, Nicholas County was a part of the state of Virginia.]
West Virginia marriage records kept in county courthouses in the 1800s frequently included the age of both the bride and the groom, as these ages were reported to the county clerk at the time. We have included these here although they are often in error by a year or two when compared to available birth dates.
According to death records of Nicholas County, transcribed from the original county records during the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), James E. Sparks was born ca. 1782 in Pendleton County, Virginia. His parents were George and Sara Sparks.
[Webmaster Note: Warren G. Cox, a member, writes that the hand copy was incorrect. He has a copy of the original. The fact is that George and Sarah's last name was Ward, not Sparks, and they were reporting the death of a son. James E. Sparks's death [July 8, 1854] was on the line above the Ward child. George and Sarah Ward were the parents of Cottle Ward, not James E. Sparks.]
When he died on July 8, 1854, 67. James E. Sparks was 72 years of age. His death certificate was filed by one of his sons.
Born ca. 1782, 67. James E. Sparks was about five years old when Pendleton County was formed in 1787 from parts of the Virginia Counties of Augusta, Hardy, and Rockingham. (Hardy County, however, had not been formed until 1785 from Hampshire County.) James Sparks could thus have been a native of Augusta, Hampshire, or Rockingham County.
Unfortunately, the 1790 census of Virginia was burned; the 1800 census is missing; and the 1810 census is incomplete; thus, records of persons named SPARKS in this area of Virginia are sparse. In Hampshire County, Salathial Sparks paid taxes in 1783 and 1784; Robert Sparks paid taxes there in 1792. George Sparks and William Sparks paid taxes in Hardy County in 1810. James Sparks was a witness to wills in Rockingham County in 1745, 1747, and 1749, and Charles Sparks was married there to Jane Neilson in 1784. None of these records appear to be productive. A search of Pendleton County records was most unrewarding. In spite of the meagerness of these records, however, we will continue to search.
67. James E. Sparks married Mary ["Polly"] Boggs on March 19, 1804. The license was issued by the Kanawha County clerk and the marriage probably took place on Glade Creek in what would become Nicholas County in 1818. Polly had been born ca. 1786 in Virginia and was a daughter of Charles Francis and Mary (Clendenin) Boggs. She and James settled down to housekeeping in the general area of Summerville, Persinger, and Hookersville. James was a farmer. He was named as heading his household on the 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses of Nicholas County. He is said to have had a sister who married Joel Hamrick. Polly is said to have had a brother named James Boggs.
James Sparks was granted several tracts of land in Nicholas County by the state of Virginia. Five of these grants were recorded in Nicholas County Deed Book One. In 1822, he received a grant of 131 acres on Glade Creek. In 1823, he received a grant of 150 acres on Philips Run, and in the same year, he and others received a grant of 150 acres on Glade Creek. In 1831, he received grants of 28 acres and 43 acres on Glade Creek.
Sparks deeded his 150-acre tract of land on Philips Run to his son, 67.2 John Sparks, ca. 1835; it may have been intended as a wedding present. In 1848, he gave his son, 67.7 Uriah Sparks, and his son-in-law, Jacob Hardway, each a 48-acre tract of land for nominal considerations; these gifts may have been made on the promise that these men take care of James and Polly in their old age. In 1850, James and Polly were both shown on the census in the home of their newly married (?) son, Uriah Sparks, and in 1860, Polly Sparks, now a widow and designated "Old Lady," was in the home of her son-in-law, Jacob Hardway.
As stated above, James E. Sparks died on July 8, 1854. Polly died, apparently, sometime between 1860 and 1870. No grave site has been found for either, nor does a will or estate settlement record exist for either one. Census records and statements by descendants indicate that they were the parents of seven children.
67.1 Isabella Sparks, born ca.1805
67.2 John Sparks, born ca.1807
67.3 Charles C. Sparks, born January 6, 1809
67.4 Joel H. Sparks, born ca.1812
67.5 James E. Sparks, Jr., born ca.1814
67.6 Elizabeth Sparks, born ca.1817
67.7 Uriah C. Sparks, born ca.1821
67.1 Isabella Sparks was born ca. 1805 in Kanawha County, Virginia. She married John Hutcheson on February, 1822, in Nicholas County. They had at least one child, 67.1.1 Matilda Hutcheson, born ca. 1832, according to information given on the 1850 census of Nicholas County.
67.2 John Sparks was born ca. 1807 in that part of Kanawha County that became a part of Nicholas County in 1818. He married Agnes Hannah (or Hanna) ca. 1836. She had been born ca. 1820 in Virginia. John and Agnes lived on Philips Run where he was a farmer. His father had deeded him a 150-acre tract of land there in the middle 1830s; this may have been intended for a wedding present. John also had an interest in acquiring a 1200-acre tract of land on Elk River from John Hamilton in 1827.
John Sparks was listed on the 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses of Nicholas County. On the 1870 census, his post office was given as Hookersville, a vilage located on the west side of Muddlety Creek. Agnes died there ca. 1858, perhaps shortly after the birth of their eighth child. John died sometime after 1875, for in that year he gave a receipt to his son, James Sparks. According to census records and statements from descendants, he and Agnes had eight children, including an unnamed son who was born ca. 1838.
67.2.1 James ["Jim"] Edward Sparks was born September 21, 1836, and was probably named for his paternal grandfather. He should not be confused with his uncle, James E. Sparks, Jr. Jim married Mary Ann G. Kennison on February 16, 1856, in Nicholas County. He was 20 years of age and Mary was 18 years old. On the marriage license, her maiden name was given as Armentrout, which was the name of her stepfather, Zachariah Armentrout. She had been born on February 4, 1838, probably in Pocohontas County, Virginia.
Jim and Mary Ann gave a tract of land on Persinger Run to the Methodist Episcopal Church on December 13, 1895, and Sparks Chapel was erected on the ground in 1897. The chapel was merged later with the Bennett Memorial Methodist Church now located on State Route 41 on Glade Creek. Jim died on September 16, 1911, and Mary Ann died on April 10, 1922. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetery at Persinger near State Route 41 and Nile Road. (See page 2761 of the June 1985 issue of The Sparks Quarterly, No. 130.) They were the parents of seven children.
SOME GRANDDAUGHTERS OF
JOHN & AGNES SPARKSStanding, L-R: 67.2.8.2 Ada Belle Sparks; an unidentified woman; Minnie Sparks; and an unidentified woman.
Middle row, L-R: Elizabeth Jane Sparks; Mary Caroline Sparks; and Martha Alice Sparks
Front row: L-R: Emma Florence Sparks; the other two women in the front row are unidentified.
67.2.1.1 Clark L. P. Sparks was born December 5, 1856. He married 67.5.13 Melvina Hamilton Sparks on March 17, 1887, in Nicholas County. He was aged 30; she was aged 26. She had been born in November 1861 and was a daughter of James E. and Elizabeth (Robinson) Sparks. Melvina died on October 16, 1889, and Clark died a month later, on November 22, 1889. They had no children. (See below.)
67.2.1.2 John Calvin ["J.C." or "Cal"] Sparks was born August 4, 1862. He was a partner in a country store and also the postmaster at Persinger, West Virginia. He married Carrie Belle Boso on February 22, 1899, in Nicholas County. She had been born ca. 1881 and was a daughter of Nelson and Mary Ellen (Phillips) Boso. He died on August 21, 1939, and Carrie Belle died in 1943. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetery at Persinger. They had three children:
67.2.1.2.1 Ivie Opal Sparks;
67.2.1.2.2 Mabel Manila Sparks; and
67.2.1.2.3 Lula Madge Sparks.67.2.1.3 Martha Alice ["Allie"] Sparks was born October, 1865. She was the mother of 67.2.1.3.1 Colbert Kennison ["Cob"] Sparks who was a partner with his uncle, Cal Sparks, in the Sparks store at Persinger. (See pages 2737 and 2763 of the June 1985 issue of the Quarterly, No. 130, for a picture and description of the store.) Allie died on November 23, 1957, and was buried in the Sparks Cemetery at Persinger. She was a great-grandmother of Susan Stiner who has been most interested in preserving data about the Sparkses of Nicholas County.
67.2.1.4 Mathilda Agnes Sparks was born June 1, 1868. She married Charles Woods Cavender on May 10, 1888. He had been born ca. 1865. Mathilda was living in Dial, West Virginia, in 1911.
67.2.1.5 Mary Caroline Sparks was born on August 18, 1871. She married Charles R. Minich on August 23, 1890, in Nicholas County. They were living in Richwood, West Virginia, in 1911. They had six children:
67.2.1.5.1 Charles R. Minich, Jr.;
67.2.1.5.2 James Minich;
67.2.1.5.3 Roy Minich;
67.2.1.5.4 Eliza Minich;
67.2.1.5.5 Hittie [sic] Minich; and
67.2.1.5.6 Irene Minich.Mary Caroline died on April 6, 1960.
67.2.1.6 Elizabeth ["Liz"] Jane Sparks was born May 12, 1873. She married Arthur R. Bailey on August 9, 1898, in Nicholas County. He had been born July 9, 1870. Liz was living in Persinger in 1911. Arthur died on June 10, 1939, and Elizabeth Jane ["Liz"] died in 1950. They had two children: Earl ["Hickory"] Bailey; and Manila Bailey.
67.2.1.7 Emma Florence Sparks was born July 5, 1877. She married Harrison Groves Milam on May 21, 1899, in Nicholas County. They were both 21 years of age. Harrison died in 1954 and Emma died on October 31, 1956. They had at least one child, 67.2.1.7.1 Bud Milam, who died on February 12, 1903, age 3 years.
67.2.2 An unidentified son was born to John and Agnes (Hannah) Sparks between 1835 and 1840. Apparently he died when quite young.
67.2.3 Alice H. Sparks was born December 17, 1840, in Nicholas County, and it was there that she married Jesse Cox on January 24, 1856. He was 30 years old while she was 17. He had been born ca. 1826 in Greenbrier County, Virginia, and was a son of William and Frances (Pinnell) Cox. He died ca. 1895. Alice died on November 27, 1917. They had five children.
67.2.3.1 Rebecca A. Cox was born December 4, 1856, and died on August 9, 1858.
67.2.3.2 George Conner Cox was born September 19, 1859. He married Elizabeth Jane Crookshanks on November 10, 1889, in Nicholas County. She had been born on May 22, 1864. She died on April 9, 1919, and George died on January 16, 1924. They were buried in the Cemetery at Nile, West Virginia. George Conner and Elizabeth Jane (Crookshanks) Cox had six children:
67.2.3.2.1 Robert A. Cox;
67.2.3.2.2 Alice V. Cox;
67.2.3.2.3 Cecil S. Cox;
67.2.3.2.4 Okey Cox;
67.2.3.2.5 Elmer A. Cox; and
67.2.3.2.6 Emerson Cox.67.2.3.3 James Clark Cox was born in 1862. He married Mary Juanita Bishop on April 19, 1888, in Nicholas County. She had been born in 1857 in Belmont County, Ohio. James died on March 23, 1917, and Mary died in that same year. They had five children, including an unidentified child. They were:
67.2.3.3.1 Clarence Cox;
67.2.3.3.2 Joseph I.Cox;
67.2.3.3.3 Minnie E. Cox;
67.2.3.3.4 Jessie (or Jesse) Cox; and
67.2.3.3.5 Unidentified Cox.67.2.3.4 Joseph A. Cox was born in 1869. He married Hanna M. MNU ca. 1890, and they had five children. They were:
67.2.3.4.1 Harry I. Cox;
67.2.3.4.2 Edwin E. Cox;
67.2.3.4.3 James L. Cox;
67.2.3.4.4 Ora M. Cox; and
67.2.3.4.5 Iva F. Cox.67.2.3.5 Nathan Walter Cox was born May 17, 1871. He was married twice. His first marriage was to Nora L. MNU by whom he had two children,
67.2.3.5.1 Earl Cox and
67.2.3.5.2 Kenna Cox.After the death of his first wife, Nathan married (second) Ona Sarah Morris on July 20, 1906, in Nicholas County. She died on May 23, 1923, and Nathan died on February 3, 1950. They had six children:
67.2.3.5.3 Anna May Cox;
67.2.3.5.4 Mary Cox;
67.2.3.5.5 Edna Cox;
67.2.3.5.6 Gladys Cox;
67.2.3.5.7 Leo C. Cox; and
67.2.3.5.8 Phala Virginia Cox.67.2.4 Nathan Hannah Sparks was born ca. 1844 in Virginia. He served in Company E, 36th Regiment Virginia Infantry (2nd Kanawha Virginia Infantry) of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War. He was married twice. His first marriage was to Lucinda Rader on March, 1874, in Nicholas County. He was then 30 years old, and she was 28. She died sometime prior to the spring of 1905 for on April 16th of that year, Nathan married (second) Elizabeth Groves in Nicholas County. He was then 57 years of age, and Elizabeth was 55. He died in 1909. Elizabeth died in 1924. He had four children, all by his first wife.
67.2.4.1 Walter Sparks was born ca. 1875.
67.2.4.2 Haymond Sparks was born ca. 1878. He married Ora Parsons on January 13, 1915, in Nicholas County. He was 31 years of age, and she was 17.
67.2.4.3 Scott Sparks was born February 11, 1880. He married Lillie Woodall on December 25, 1907, in Nicholas County. He was years old, and she was 25. Scott died on January 18, 1910.
67.2.4.4 Lewis Sparks was born January 31, 1887. He married Zona Bowyer on August 5, 1931. He was 44 years old, and Zona was 43.
67.2.5 Joseph Finley Sparks was born June 20, 1846. He married Isabell N. Armentrout on February 13, 1873, in Nicholas County. He was then 26 years of age; she was 21. She had been born on March 25, 1851. She and Joseph had no children, but they were the foster parents of Ira Bruce Mays.
[Ira Bruce Mays was a son of Joel and Sarah (Hinkle) Mays. Sarah died when Ira was only two years old, and Joseph and Isabell Sparks took him into their home and reared him to maturity. He married Mary Elizabeth "Bessie" Morris on October 28, 1902, and they had two children, Zeila E. Mays and Joseph Clyde Mays. Zeila Mays married 67.2.8.8 Dayton Sparks, and they were the parents of Mary Ruth (Sparks) Winebrenner who has been most helpful in the preparation of this article. (See below)]
Isabell (Armentrout) Sparks died on September 19, 1923. 67.2.5 Joseph Sparks died on March 5, 1925. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetery located about one mile east of the intersection of State Route 41 and Nile Road in Nicholas County. Joseph left a will in which he named his foster son, Ira B. Mays, as his executor. Named as his heirs were John W. Sparks, his surviving brother; eight nieces; eighteen nephews; one grand-nephew; and three grand-nieces.
67.2.6 Uriah Cottle Sparks was born ca. 1849. He was married twice. His first marriage was to 67.5.12 Nancy Gotham Sparks on November 22, 1874, in Nicholas County. He was then 25 years of age; she was 16. She had been born ca. 1858 and was a daughter of 67.5 James E. and Elizabeth (Robinson) Sparks; thus, she and Uriah were cousins. She was only nineteen years old when she died in September 1877. (See below.)
Uriah's second marriage was to Rebecca Jane Williams on November 21, 1889, in Nicholas County. He was then 42 years old; she was 37. Uriah died sometime prior to 1925 when his brother Joseph's will was probated. Apparently, he had no children.
67.2.7 John William Sparks was born in July 1855. (Note: He should not be confused with a relative of the same name, the 67.3.1.4 John William Sparks who was born in Nicholas County on December 28, 1858. See below.) He married Dorothy Jane Dunbar on June 17, 1886, in Nicholas County. He was then 31 years of age; she was 18. She had been born on July 12, 1868, and was a daughter of George W. and Kathryn (Bell) Dunbar. She died on August 3, 1925, and John died in December 1932. They were buried in the Boso Cemetery on Nile Road near Persinger. They had six children.
67.2.7.1 Viola Sparks was born ca. 1891. She married Joseph Dennis Cruikshanks on February 14, 1917. He was then 29 years old; she was.
67.2.7.2 James Calvin Sparks was born May 18, 1892. He married Nellie Hazel Craig on June 3, 1923, in Nicholas County. He was 30 years old at that time; she was 17. They had two children:
67.2.7.2.1 James Calvin Sparks, Jr.; and
67.2.7.2.2 Lillian Geraldine Sparks.67.2.7.3 Vernie Sparks was born ca. 1895. She is said to have been married twice. Her first marriage was to FNU Woods; her second marriage was to Gale Surface.
67.2.7.4 Ira Edwin Sparks was born March, 1897.
67.2.7.5 George Bert Sparks was born ca. 1900.
67.2.7.6 Alice Sparks was born ca. 1903. She married Arthur B. McKay on June 14, 1941, in Nicholas County. He was 47 years old at the time; she was 38.67.2.8 Levi Hooken ["Sir Hooken"] Sparks was born June 1, 1857, in Nicholas County. It was there that he married Clarissa Ellen Armentrout on March 29, 1883. He was then aged 25; she was 21. She had been born on November 6, 1861, and was a daughter of Zachariah and Mary S. ["Polly"] Sparks Armentrout; thus she was a half-sister of Mary Ann (Kennison) Sparks, wife of 67.2.1 Jim Sparks. (See above.) Levi Sparks died on January 2, 1913. Clarissa survived him for over 35 years, dying on July 8, 1859. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetery located on State Route 41, about one mile east of Nile Road. They had eight children according to information supplied by descendants.
FAMILY of
LEVI & CLARISSA (ARMENTROUT) SPARKS(Photograph taken ca. 1905) Front row, L-R: Levi H. Sparks; Dayton Sparks; Clarissa (Armentrout) Sparks; and Edward Sparks Back row, L-R: 67.2.8.2 Ada Sparks; Minnie Sparks; Sherman Sparks;George H. Sparks; Benjamin Sparks; and Joseph Sparks
67.2.8.1 Sherman C. Sparks was born February 7, 1884, in Nicholas County. He was married there to Lula E. Groves on 16 April 1924. He was then 40 years of age; she was 38. He died in 1963, and she died in 1970. They had two children:
67.2.8.1.1 Helen Sparks; and
67.2.8.1.2 Burl Sparks.67.2.8.2 Ada Belle Sparks was born March 23, 1885. She married Clay Summers Wiblin on April 22, 1906, in Nicholas County. He was then 22 years old; she was 21. He had been born in 1883 and was a son of William Lewis and Susan Jemima (White) Wiblin. Ada died on March 5, 1916, and was buried in the Sparks Cemetery on State Route 41, east of Nile Road. Clay died in 1969. They had four children:
67.2.8.2.1 Oscar Wiblin;
67.2.8.2.2 Esther Wiblin;
67.2.8.2.3 Blanche Ellen Wiblin; and
67.2.8.2.4 Ethel Wiblin.67.2.8.3 Minnie M. Sparks was born April 16, 1886; she died on October 9, 1967,
67.2.8.4 George H. Sparks was born July 7, 1887. He married Lula Mae Groves on November 8, 1925, in Nicholas County. He was then 38 years old; Lula was 24. She may have been a daughter of Harrison Groves. George died in 1972. He and Lula had two children:
67.2.8.4.1 Athalie Sparks; and
67.2.8.4.2 Hugh Sparks.
Benjamin H. Sparks (1888-1918)
67.2.8.5 Benjamin H. Sparks was born December 16, 1888, and he married Ida May Weese on February 25, 1914, in Nicholas County. He was 25 years old at the time; she was 21. He was killed in action in France on June 7, 1918, during World War I.
67.2.8.6 Joseph W. Sparks was born February 7, 1890. He married Lulu May Groves on August 29, 1924, in Nicholas County. He was then years old; she was 24. Joseph died on April 2, 1955. According to relatives, he and Lula May had six children:
67.2.8.6.1 Reva Pearl Sparks;
67.2.8.6.2 Beulah E. Sparks;
67.2.8.6.3 Anne Sparks;
67.2.8.6.4 John Paul Sparks;
67.2.8.6.5 William L. Sparks; and
67.2.8.6.6 Gerald D. Sparks.67.2.8.7 John Edward ["Eddie"] Sparks was born September 23, 1892. He married Olive Virginia Hickman on July 3, 1923, in Nicholas County. He was then 30 years old; she was 22. She may have been a daughter of Nora Hickman. Eddie Sparks died in 1978.
67.2.8.8 Dayton Sparks was born June 27, 1894. He married Zeila Mays on July 22, 1923, in Nicholas County. He was then 29 years old; she was 17. She had been born on August 22, 1905, and was a daughter of Ira B. and Mary Elizabeth ["Bessie"] (Morris) Mays. (See 67.2.5 above.) Dayton died on March 7, 1938, and Zeila died on May 6, 1987. They had two children:
67.2.8.8.1 Mary Ruth Sparks married Delmas B. Winebrenner, has been most helpful in the preparation of this article.
67.2.8.8.2 Frances Sparks.
67.3 Charles C. Sparks, son of James E. and Polly (Boggs) Sparks, was born January 6, 1809, in Kanawha County, Virginia (now West Virginia), and was probably named for his maternal grandfather, Charles Francis Boggs. He married Margaret McCoy on September 23, 1828, in Kanawha County. She had been born on September 25, 1811, in neighboring Greenbrier County and was a daughter of James and Elizabeth McCoy. Charles was a wheelright and by 1832 owned a 187-acre farm on Muddlety Creek, which he bought that year from Thomas B. Hamilton.
Charles was taxed (a poll tax on himself) and paid tax on one horse in Nicholas County from 1829 until 1835, but about that time he followed the Kanawha River northward to the Ohio River, which he crossed and settled in Gallia County, Ohio. It was there that he and his household were enumerated on the 1840 federal census. When the 1850 census was taken, however, he was back in Nicholas County.
Charles Sparks was shown as head of his household when the 1860 census was taken of Nicholas County, but when the 1870 and 1880 censuses were taken, his spouse, Margaret Sparks, was shown as heading the household. No explanation has been found for his absence. His date of death was recorded as February, 1889, in Nicholas County at the age of 79. The information was given by a son-in-law, A. Gwinn. Margaret's date of death was recorded as March 3, 1882, at the age of 72. She and Charles were the parents of nine children.
 |
| Photograph of a framed portrait of Wellington Sparks |
| (1831-1895) |
 |
| Photograph of a framed portrait of Margaret Edminston (Taylor) Sparks |
| Wife of Wellington Sparks |
| (1832-1920) |
| A Son and A Daughter of WELLINGTON and MARGARET SPARKS | |
 |
 |
| George Washington Sparks (Born 1854) |
Martha Ellen (Sparks) Morton (Born 1856) |
67.3.1 Wellington Sparks was born on August 5, 1831, in Nicholas County. He was a farmer and owned a 140-acre farm on Beaver Creek. He married Margaret Edmiston [or Edminston] Taylor ca. 1853. She had been born on November 20, 1832, in Kanawha County. Wellington and Margaret lived near Craigsville in Nicholas County where their household was recorded on the 1850 to the 1880 censuses. According to these census records and from information furnished by descendants, they had fourteen children. Wellington died on March 20, 1895, and Margaret died on July 20, 1920. Their children were:
67.3.1.1 George Washington Sparks was born January 10, 1854. He married Mary Church Morton on October 9, 1875, in Nicholas County. He was 21 years of age when they were married; she was 22. They had at least three children, including an unnamed child who died at birth. The other children were
67.3.1.1.1 Marshall Sparks, who died when he was only one year old; and
67.3.1.1.2 Margaret J. Sparks.67.3.1.2 Malinda Jane Sparks was born March 31, 1855. She married John Wesley Cox on July 12, 1876, in Nicholas County. He was 27 years old at the time; she was 21. They had eight children:
67.3.1.2.1 Julia Ann Cox;
67.3.1.2.2 Lewis W. Cox;
67.3.1.2.3 Haymond Cox;
67.3.1.2.4 Caroline E. Cox;
67.3.1.2.5 William H. Cox;
67.3.1.2.6 Harvey H. Cox;
67.3.1.2.7 Van Buren Cox; and
67.3.1.2.8 Hortley M. Cox.67.3.1.3 Martha Ellen Sparks was born 19 February 1856, on Strouds Creek in Nicholas County. She married John Marshall Morton on April 12, 1874, in Nicholas County. He was 23 years of age when they were married; she was 18. Martha Ellen died on 18 December 1929. According to a descendant, she and John Morton had three children:
67.3.1.3.1 Jarrett Proctor Morton;
67.3.1.3.2 Harvey Morton; and
67.3.1.3.3 Vaden Morton.Jarrett Morton was a grandfather of Mrs. Christine Morris who has shared information about her ancestry.
67.3.1.4 John William Sparks was born December 28, 1858. [Note: He should not be confused with a relative of the same name, the 67.2.7 John William Sparks who was born in July 1855, amd who was a son of 67.2 John and Agnes (Hannah) Sparks. (See above)].
67.3.1.5 Andrew Matthew ["Andy Mack"] Sparks was born February 4, 1861. He was said to have been married twice. His first marriage was to Sarah Margaret Bostic on July 15, 1883, in Nicholas County. He was then 22 years old, and she was 16. They had three children:
67.3.1.5.1 Virginia Sparks;
67.3.1.5.2 Rose Sparks; and
67.3.1.5.3 William Early Sparks.Andy Mack and Sarah were divorced, and he married (second) Rebecca Elmira Brown, They had seven children:
67.3.1.5.4 Emma O. Sparks;
67.3.1.5.5 Thomas Hansford ["Hank"] Sparks;
67.3.1.5.6 Mertie Sparks;
67.3.1.5.7 Omer Otis ["Pete"] Sparks;
67.3.1.5.8 Zeila Ellen Sparks;
67.3.1.5.9 Earnest Andrew ["Jess"] Sparks; and
67.3.1.5.10 Ira Sparks.67.3.1.6 Charles W. Sparks was born June 22, 1862.
67.3.1.7 Henry Jackson Sparks was born April 10, 1864. He married Catherine Jane Perkins on December 22, 1887, in Nicholas County. He was aged 23 at the time of their marriage; she was 27. They lived at Craigsville in Nicholas County were they reared six children. Henry died on September 15, 1901, and Catherine died on October 12, 1933. Their children were:
67.3.1.7.1 Dyer A. Sparks;
67.3.1.7.2 Thomas E. Sparks; He married Grade Lee Thrasher, and they were the parents of Katherine Jane (Sparks) Zyla and the grandparents of Helen (Sparks) Brown, both of whom have been most helpful in the preparation of this article.
67.3.1.7.3 Minnie Sparks;
67.3.1.7.4 Stanley Sparks;
67.3.1.7.5 Leia Sparks; and
67.3.1.7.6 Lottie Sparks.67.3.1.8 King Jacob Sparks was born December 18, 1865; he died at birth.
67.3.1.9 Richard Hill Sparks was born December 28, 1866.
67.3.1.10 Stephen Sparks was born November 15, 1867; he died at birth.67.3.1.11 Rebecca Margaret Sparks was born March 14, 1869. She is said to have been married to FNU O'Shorn and to have had at least one child, Arnold O'Shorn.
67.3.1.12 Walter Lindsay Sparks was born March 14, 1871. He married Melvina ["Bina"] Perkins on December 11, 1898, in Nicholas County. He was then 27 years of age; Melvina was 24. They had two children:
67.3.1.12.1 Heber Sparks; and
67.3.1.12.2 Velmer Sparks. She became a school teacher of considerable local distinction and was named to the Nicholas County Hall of Fame in 1985.
Nicholas County
HALL of FAME
No. 13Velmer Sparks
(1899-1980)
The daughter of the late Walter and Melvina "Bina" (Perkins) Sparks, Velmer Sparks was born at Crupperneck in 1899 and raised at Beaver Mills, near Craigsville, where her dad operated a gristmill. Miss Sparks began teaching at the Schindel School when she was only 17; subsequent assignments took her to the schools at Curtin, Craigsville, Dain, Beaver, and the Tannery. Then, in 1930, she found the niche that would occupy her remaining working years - as a teacher at Richwood High School. She taught math, English, and history at RHS for a total of 35 years, before retiring in 1966. Countless students remember her with fondness and respect. She died on January 10, 1980. (From the West Virginia Hill-Billy, 1985.)
67.3.1.13 Joseph Hansford Sparks was born April 9, 1873, in Nicholas County. It was there that he married Nancy Ellen Meadows on June 27, 1895. He was aged 22 at the time; she was 17. She had been born on November 7, 1877, and was a daughter of Albert and Sarah (Anderson) Meadows. Joseph died on March 4, 1941, and Nancy died on March 17, 1950. They had ten children:
67.3.1.13.1 Ollie Sparks. He married Michael L. Cox, and they were the parents of Warren G. Cox who has been most helpful in the preparation of this article.
67.3.1.13.2 Johnny Sparks;
67.3.1.13.3 Lewis Sparks;
67.3.1.13.4 Lena Sparks;
67.3.1.13.5 Lon Sparks;
67.3.1.13.6 Garland Sparks;
67.3.1.13.7 Grace Opal Sparks;
67.3.1.13.8 Mae Sparks;
67.3.1.13.9 Louise Sparks; and
67.3.1.13.10 Woodrow Sparks.67.3.1.14 Meletha Alice Sparks was born March 5, 1875. She was married twice. Her first marriage was to Samuel H. Green on October 29, 1893, in Nicholas County. He was then years old; she was 17. They had three children:
67.3.1.14.1 Josie Green;
67.3.1.14.2 Tressie Lee Green; and
67.3.1.14.3 Albert E. Green.Meletha married (second) Thomas Ellison in 1912, and they had two children:
67.3.1.14.4 Samuel A. Ellison; and
67.3.1.14.5 Mary Jane Ellison.67.3.2 Lydia Sparks was born ca. 1833 and was shown as 17 years old and living in the household of her parents when the 1850 census was taken of Nicholas County.
67.3.3 Ann W. Sparks was born ca. 1836. She was married twice. Her first marriage was to Benjamin B. Dorsey on September 21, 1854, in Nicholas County. He was then 21 years old; she was 18. They had two children. Ann's second marriage was to Annanias Gwinn (or Guinn) on January 4, 1866, by whom she had three children.
67.3.3.1 Minerva Dorsey was born ca. 1858.
67.3.3.2 John W. Dorsey was born ca. 1862.
67.3.3.3 Emma B. Gwinn was born in 1871.
67.3.3.4 Delva S. Gwinn was born ca. 1875.
67.3.3.5 Frances H. Gwinn was born in 1879.67.3.4 Ellen Sparks was born ca. 1840 in Gallia County, Ohio.
67.3.5 Edward W. Sparks was born May 8, 1841, in Gallia County, Ohio. He became a blacksmith. He served in Company D (Capt. Sheldon's Company) of the 22nd Regiment Virginia Infantry (First Kanawha Virginia Infantry) Confederate States Army in the Civil War. He married Catherine A. Board on October 8, 1862, in Washington County, Ohio. She had been born June 3, 1845, in Jackson County, Virginia, and was a daughter of William K. and Zilpha (Smith) Board. According to the West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, Edward went to Roane County, West Virginia, ca. 1876 where he practiced his trade as a blacksmith in the town of Spencer. He and Catherine had eight children:
67.3.5.1 Calvin Sparks was born December 1, 1863. He died on February 18, 1864, in Nicholas County.
67.3.5.2 Sherman Sparks was born December 9, 1864. He became a well- known school teacher in Roane County, West Virginia.
67.3.5.3 Nellie B. Sparks was born October 13, 1866.
67.3.5.4 George N. Sparks was born December 8, 1868.
67.3.5.5 William A. Sparks was born April 16, 1871.
67.3.5.6 Mary A. Sparks was born February 18, 1873.
67.3.5.7 Everett Sparks was born May 6, 1875. He died on September 11, 1875.
67.3.5.8 Freddie E. Sparks was born June 28, 1876.67.3.6 Jordan Sparks was born ca. 1845 in Ohio. He was enumerated as 23 years of age and living in the household headed by his mother, Margaret Sparks, age 58, when the 1870 census was taken of Nicholas County.
67.3.7 Lecty J. Sparks was born ca. 1847 in Ohio. (Her given name was probably Electa.) She was enumerated as 14 years of age and was living in the household of her parents when the 1860 census was taken of Nicholas County.
67.3.8 Josephus Sparks was born in the fall of 1849 in Ohio. He died on September 17, 1859, in Nicholas County.
67.3.9 Hannah M. Sparks was born ca. 1852 in Nicholas County. It was there that she married Levi Cox on July 13, 1876. He was then 22 years of age; she was 24. According to relatives, they had five children.
67.3.9.1 Ledra B. Cox.
67.3.9.2 Blanche Cox.
67.3.9.3 Esther Ellen Cox.
67.3.9.4 Edward Garfield Cox.
67.3.9.5 Oscar Eugene Cox.
67.4 Joel H. Sparks was born ca. 1812. He paid taxes in Nicholas County in 1833 and 1834, but no further record has been found of him.
67.5 James E. Sparks, Jr., son of James E. and Polly (Boggs) Sparks, was born ca. 1814, probably in Kanawha County, Virginia. Descendants say that his middle name was Edward, but so far no record has been found to support this statement. He grew to maturity in Nicholas County and it was probably there that he married Elizabeth ["Betty"] Robinson ca. 1835. She had been born ca. 1818 in Virginia and was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Lemasters) Robinson.
At least one descendant of James and Betty Sparks believes that James married Elizabeth Callison, not to Elizabeth Robinson. We are inclined to agree with the Robinson Family History, researched and published by L. O. Bobbitt in 1929, which states that Elizabeth Robinson married James Sparks. Note, for example, that James and Elizabeth named their first son Uriah Robinson Sparks.
James E. Sparks received a grant from the state of Virginia in 1840 for 70 acres of land on Glade Creek. He also bought 110 acres of land on the "north side of Gauley River in Nicholas County" from Cortes Stephenson in 1846. This is where he and Betty lived for the rest of their lives. Their household was shown on the 1840, 1850, and 1860 censuses, and this is where James died in July 1870. Betty Sparks was the head of her household when the census was taken on July 9, 1870. She lived in Muddlety Township, and her post office was Hookersville. When the 1880 census was taken, she was shown as living in the household of her son, Marmion Rush Sparks. No record has been found of her death. She and James E. Sparks had thirteen children.
67.5.1 Uriah Robinson Sparks was born between ca. 1837 and 1842 in Nicholas County; he was probably named for his uncle, Uriah Sparks, and for his mother's family. (His name was occasionally spelled as "Robert," and he was so listed on both the 1860 and the 1870 censuses of Nicholas County. On the latter census, he was shown with Robinson Sparks, aged two years, in his household.) He bought a 228-acre tract of land on McMillion Creek in 1867 from Daniel Faulkner and a 47-acre tract on Beaver Creek from Henry Bonto in 1886.
Uriah Sparks was married twice. His first marriage was to Jane C. Morris on August 5. 1859, in Nicholas County. He was 23 years old at the time; she was 20. They had nine children before her death, which occurred, apparently, between 1882 and 1892. Uriah's second marriage was to Elizabeth Florence Hodges on December 31, 1892, in Nicholas County. His age was then given as 50; she was 19. No Information has been found of the place or date of his death. Children of Uriah Robinson and Jane C. (Morris) Sparks:
67.5.1.1 James Henry Sparks was born ca. 1861 in Nicholas County, and it was there that he married Angelia Auxier (sometimes spelled "Oxer") on February 28, 1884. He was aged 22 at the time; she was 15. They were the parents of nine children:
67.5.1.1.1 Arena Sparks;
67.5.1.1.2 William Esker Sparks;
67.5.1.1.3 James Sylvester Sparks;
67.5.1.1.4 Dewey Sparks;
67.5.1.1.5 Sherman Sparks;
67.5.1.1.6 Lura Sparks;
67.5.1.1.7 Lola Sparks;
67.5.1.1.8 Willard Sparks; and
67.5.1.1.9 Elmer Sparks.67.5.1.2 Mary Elizabeth Sparks was born ca. 1863. She married Charles Edward Young on December 9, 1886, in Nicholas County. He was 25 years old at the time; she was 23.
67.5.1.3 Bing Sparks was born ca. 1866 and was probably named for his uncle, 67.5.3 Bing Sparks. (See below.) Bing married Mary Agatha Wood on November 3, 1887, in Nicholas County. He was 21 years old at time of the marriage; she was 22.
67.5.1.4 Uriah Robinson Sparks, Jr. was born ca. 1867. According to relatives, he married a woman named Mary, and they had at least one child, Rowena Sparks, born in 1888. Rowena married Benjamin S. Young in 1907 in Nicholas County.
67.5.1.5 John W Sparks was born ca. 1871.
67.5.1.6 Catherine J. Sparks was born ca. 1873.
67.5.1.7 Marmion R. Sparks was born on July 26, 1875.
67.5.1.8 Cynthia J. Sparks was born ca. 1878.
67.5.1.9 Julia A. Sparks was born on April 30, 1882.67.5.2 William M. Sparks was born ca. 1838. He married Margaret Elizabeth Hart in 1870. She had been born ca. 1846 and was a daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Richardson) Hart. William and Margaret Sparks lived on McKees Creek where he had bought a 200-acre tract of land from his father-in-law in 1881. Three years later, he added 100 acres that he had purchased from George Brown. He died in 1891. Margaret survived him nearly thirty years, dying in 1918. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetery at Kesler Cross Lanes. Their farms were purchased by the federal government in 1962 as a part of the flood control site of the Summersville Dam. They had seven children.
67.5.2.1 Ransom Wyatt Sparks was born on October 2, 1871. He was a watch repairman, as well as a bee-keeper and farmer. He was married twice. His first marriage was to Margaret Ethelene Brown on December 18, 1890. He was 19 years of age at the time; she was 23. They had three children:
67.5.2.1.1 Kossuth Cecil Sparks;
67.5.2.1.2 Napoleon Bonaparte Sparks; and
67.5.2.1.3 Sheridan Silas Sparks.Margaret died in 1930 and Ransom married (second) Ethel Neff on May 29, 1932. He died on February 1, 1943.
67.5.2.2 Nancy Jane Sparks was born ca. 1874. She died the following year and was buried in the Sparks Cemetery at Kesler Cross Lanes.
67.5.2.3 Alonzo ["Lon"] Milton Sparks was born on January 14, 1875. He married Elizabeth ["Liz"] Jane Hicks on October 16, 1900, in Nicholas County. She had been born on March 11, 1879, and was a daughter of Joseph and Mildred (Fitzwater) Hicks. Lon and Liz lived all of their lives on McKees Creek. He died there on February 12, 1956, and she died there on February 15, 1971. She was 92 years of age when she died; her mother had lived to be 106 years old! Lon and Liz Sparks had twelve children:
67.5.2.3.1 Tilitha Sparks;
67.5.2.3.2 Dayton Sparks;
67.5.2.3.3 Thelma Sparks;
67.5.2.3.4 James Sparks;
67.5.2.3.5 Olaf Sparks;
67.5.2.3.6 Beatrice Sparks;
67.5.2.3.7 Flossie Sparks;
67.5.2.3.8 Clayton Sparks;
67.5.2.3.9 Waitman Sparks;
67.5.2.3.10 Lewis Sparks;
67.5.2.3.11 Arnet Sparks; and
67.5.2.3.12 Bud Sparks.
Alonzo Milton Sparks
(1875-1956) Taken ca. 1900Lemon Cecil Sparks
(1889-1922) Taken ca. 1917Elbert Houston Sparks
(1877-1956) Taken ca. 1900Grover Cleveland Sparks
(ca. 1885-1897) Taken ca. 1895Andrew Donally Sparks
(1881-1942) Taken ca. 1900Ransom Wyatt Sparks
(1871-1943) Taken ca. 189567.5.2.4 Elbert Houston Sparks, son of William M. and Margaret Sparks, was born on September 18, 1877. He died on September 18, 1956. He was never married.
67.5.2.5 Andrew Donally Van Bibber Sparks was born on November 21, 1881. He lived on McKees Creek. He married Vina Belle Copenhaver on January 6, 1927. He was 45 years of age at the time; she was 33. She had been born on January 11, 1893, and was a daughter of Joseph ["Little Joe"] and Elizabeth A. (Bryant) Copenhaver. Andrew died on April 18, 1942, and Vina died on October 8, 1962. They were buried in Kesler Cross Lanes Cemetery. They had three children:
67.5.2.5.1 Clinton Bryant Sparks;
67.5.2.5.2 Charles Richard Sparks; and
67.5.2.5.3 Margaret Esther Sparks.Clinton Sparks has been most helpful in the preparation of this article and has furnished several of the photographs that we have reproduced.
67.5.2.6 Grover Cleveland Sparks was born ca. 1885 and died in 1897.
67.5.2.7 Lemon Cecil Sparks was born on January 21, 1889. He died on May 21, 1922. He was never married.67.5.3 James Benjamin ["Bing"] Sparks was born on May 29, 1840, in Nicholas County, and it was there that he married Frances Jane Armentrout on September 17, 1874. He was aged 33 at the time of their marriage; she was 19. She had been born on February 4, 1855, and was a daughter of Zachariah R. and Polly Armentrout. Bing operated a store and a mill near Sparks Chapel at Persinger. He was also a sheriff and a member of the Masonic Order. He died on March 27, 1901; Frances died on November 6, 1928. They were buried in the Sparks Cemetery at PersInger. They had ten children.
67.5.3.1 Edgar Sparks was born in 1875 in Nicholas County. He was a large man, standing nearly six and one-half feet tall. Like his father, he was a sheriff and a member of the Masonic Order. He was the principal owner of the Sparks Store & Company in Richwood, West Virginia, when that town was a center of a thriving logging industry, and he was also the town's mayor. His brothers, Carl Sparks and Abner Sparks, worked in the Sparks Store.
Edgar Sparks married Frances ["Fannie"] Ann Robinson on February 7, 1895, in Nicholas County. He was then 19 years years old; she was 22. She was a daughter of James and Virginia Goodrich (McClung) Robinson. Edgar died in 1916. He and Fannie had three children:
67.5.3.1.1 Lula Sparks;
67.5.3.1.2 John Esker Howard Sparks married Thelma Rae Heaster, and they were the parents of Howard L. Sparks who has been most helpful to us in the preparation of this article.
67.5.3.1.3 Fleming W Sparks.
EDGAR SPARKS
Son of James Benjamin and Frances Jane Sparks(1875-1916) Photograph taken ca. 1905
67.5.3.2 Hettie Sparks was born in 1878. She died on August 4, 1927.
67.5.3.3 Annie Sparks was born November 1878. She died on February 8, 1879.
67.5.3.4 Abner Bibb Sparks was born on November 10, 1880. He married Mary Ann Sarver. He died in January 1965.67.5.3.5 Mary Elizabeth Sparks was born on April 26, 1887. She died on July 1, 1899.
67.5.3.6 Ora Hazz Sparks was born on July 14, 1889, and died the following year.67.5.3.7 Nannie Goodrich Sparks was born on January 7, 1891. She married Leonard Weaver Deeds on February 23, 1912. He was 31 years old at the time of the marriage; she was 21. They were the parents of Margaret (Deeds) Britton who has furnished information about her Sparks lineage.
67.5.3.8 Bertha Bell Sparks was born on May 10, 1893. She married Harvey Eugene Dillinger on July 12, 1916. He was then 34 years old; she was 23. She died in 1967.
67.5.3.9 Elva Sparks was born on March 8, 1896; she died at birth.
67.5.3.10 John Wesley Carroll ["Carl"] Sparks was born on August 15, 1897, in Nicholas County, and it was there that he married Laura Belle Alice McClung on September 29, 1920. He was 23 years old at the time; she was 21. She had been born on March 1, 1899, at Muddlety, West Virginia, and was a daughter of Archibald Hill and Dora Bridwell (Pletcher) McClung. Carl died on March 22, 1950, and Laura died on February 8, 1992. They were buried in the Mt. Vernon Church Cemetery on Glade Creek. They had eight children:
67.5.3.10.1 Evelyn M. Sparks;
67.5.3.10.2 John Carl Sparks, Jr.;
67.5.3.10.3 James Archibald Sparks;
67.5.3.10.4 Ellen J. Sparks; Ellen married Lawrence Virgil Legg, she has been most helpful in the preparation of this article.
67.5.3.10.5 Betty Jane Sparks;
67.5.3.10.6 Anna May Sparks;
67.5.3.10.7 Lenore Virginia Sparks; and
67.5.3.10.8 Janet Carol Sparks.67.5.4 Isaac Francis Sparks was born on July 24, 1842, on Glade Creek. He married Nancy Copenhaver on October 21, 1869, in Nicholas County. She had been born on June 1, 1851, and was a daughter of Joseph and Abigail (Dotson) Copenhaver. Isaac bought a 58-acre tract of land from his father-in-law at the village of Sparks in 1890, and it was there that he and Nancy reared their seven children. Nancy died there on January 20, 1888, and Isaac died there on August 26, 1903. They were buried in the Miller Cemetery at Kesler Cross Lanes.
67.5.4.1 Laura Sparks was born on April 8, 1871, in Nicholas County, and it was there that she married Ludlow Hunter Armstrong on May 31, 1887. He was then 21 years old; she was 16. He had been born in 1864 at Persinger. He died in 1939, and Laura died in 1953. They had at least one child, Etta Chloe Armstrong.
67.5.4.2 Hulda Sparks was born on October 7, 1873. She married James Bernard Rader on April 1, 1896, In Nicholas County. He was then 21; she was also 21. He had been born in March 1875 and was a son of John Anderson and Mary Jane (Bolar) Rader. Hulda died on July 11, 1960. She and James had eight children:
67.5.4.2.1 Icy Rader;
67.5.4.2.2 Mamie Rader;
67.5.4.2.3 Pearl Rader;
67.5.4.2.4 Earl Rader;
67.5.4.2.5 Madge Rader;
67.5.4.2.6 John C. Rader;
67.5.4.2.7 Roy Rader; and
67.5.4.2.8 Bernard Rader.67.5.4.3 Naomi Sparks was born on January 11, 1876. She married General Lafayette O'Dell on October 18, 1893. He was 27 years old at the time: she was 17. They had no children.
67.5.4.4 Joseph Sparks was born on May 30, 1878. He married Minnie Ann Amick on December 6, 1896, in Nicholas County. He was then 18 years old; she was 16. Joseph was the owner of a general store. He was also the first postmaster at Sparks, West Virginia, and the post office was named for him. When his chiidren were quite young, he moved his family to San Antonio, Texas, where he operated a jewelry store. He died there in 1942. Minnie survived him for over twenty years, dying in 1964. They were buried in the Mission Cemetery in San Antonio. They had five children:
67.5.4.4.1 Verna Sparks;
67.5.4.4.2 Nancy A. Sparks;
67.5.4.4.3 Cecil Ralph Sparks;
67.5.4.4.4 Paul Sparks; and
67.5.4.4.5 Daniel Sparks.67.5.4.5 Mary Sparks was born on February 7, 1881. She married Clarence Bales on April 23, 1903, in Nicholas County. Both of them were 23 years of age when they were married.
67.5.4.6 Marmion Rush Sparks was born on April 29, 1884, and was probably named for his uncle. (See Item E, to, below.) He married Zora Ellen Johnson on December 6, 1910, in Nicholas County. She had been born on June 2, 1892, at Tipton, West Virginia, and was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Dunbar) Johnson. Rush (as he was called) lived at the village of Sparks until his land was bought by the federal government for the construction of a flood control dam on the Gauley River at Summersville. He then moved to Summersville where he died on March 24, 1975. Zora died there on March 5, 1979. They were buried in the Walker Memorial Cemetery at Summersville. They had four children:
67.5.4.6.1 Hollis Sparks;
67.5.4.6.2 Willie Bernard Sparks;
67.5.4.6.3 Clifton Sparks; and
67.5.4.6.4 Alcia Doris Sparks.67.5.4.7 Martha Alice Sparks was born in September 1886. She married Henry Fleming.
67.5.5 Mary Sparks was born ca. 1845. She is said to have been married to FNU Hamilton.
67.5.6 John Callison Sparks was born on November 28, 1846, in Nicholas County. He was married twice. His first marriage was to Mary C. MNU ca. 1870. She had been born on May 30, 1848. She died on August 18, 1890, and was buried in the Little Union Baptist Church Cemetery near Calvin, West Virginia. John's second marriage was to Martha Fitzwater on May 3, 1891. He was 45 years of age at the time of their marriage; she was 23. According to birth records of Nicholas County, they had two children; there may have been others. John died on June 10, 1901, and was buried beside his first wife. The two children of John Callison and Martha (Fitzwater) Sparks on whom we have information were:
67.5.6.1 A. Osborn Sparks was born on February 16, 1892. He married Clara Belle McClung on May 19, 1915, in Nicholas County. He was 23 years of age at time time; she was 25. They had five children, but we have been unable to learn their names.
67.5.6.2 Claude D. Sparks was born on November 20, 1893.
67.5.7 Cynthia E. Sparks was born ca. 1848.
67.5.8 Delilah Ann Sparks was born in the winter of 1849-50. She married William Henry Morris on October 18, 1866, in Nicholas County. He was 21 years old at the time; she was 17.
67.5.9 Noah Franklin Sparks was born August 21, 1851. He was a merchant in Persinger for several years, and he also owned four tracts of land on Persinger Run. He was married twice. His first marriage was to Mildred J. Foster on March 25, 1874, in Nicholas County. They were both 22 years of age at the time of their marriage. She had been born on November 19, 1851. She and Noah had eight children before her death, which occurred on August 31, 1898.
67.5.9.1 Melvin E. Sparks was born October 2, 1875. He died on February 23, 1897.
67.5.9.2 Lamina Sparks was born ca. 1878.
67.5.9.3 Loyuna Sparks was born ca. 1880.
67.5.9.4 Isaac F. Sparks was born in 1885. He married Georgia Crookshanks on June 14, 1905, in Nicholas County. He was 20 years old and she was 21 when they were married.
67.5.9.5 Betty J. Sparks was born August 15, 1886. She died on December 3, 1899.
67.5.9.6 Freda E. Sparks was born in 1891. She married Andrew Kelly on August 9, 1908, in Nicholas County. He was 23 years old at the time; she was 17.
67.5.9.7 Ida Sparks was born March 19, 1893.
67.5.9.8 Emily Sparks was born between 1893 and 1898.After the death of his first wife, Mildred (Foster) Sparks, in 1898, Noah Franklin Sparks married (second) Rebecca Martin Rader on December 13, 1899, in Nicholas County. He was then 48 years old; she was 24. They had six children, including an unnamed child who died at birth. Noah died on November 23, 1922.
67.5.9.9 Mary Edna Sparks.
67.5.9.10 Elmer Sparks.
67.5.9.11 Charles E. Sparks was born October 15, 1905. He died on March 6, 1906.
67.5.9.12 Robert G. Sparks.
67.5.9.13 Guy Sparks.67.5.10 Marmion Rush Sparks was born ca. 1854. He was married twice. His first marriage was to Nettie Goodrich Robinson on October 9, 1889, in Nicholas County. He was 35 years old at the time; she was 22. She died sometime during the 1890s and was buried on the Noah Sparks farm near Persinger. She and Marmion had one child, Orvo Lee Sparks, who died quite young. Marmion married (second) Prudena McClung on January 28, 1899, in Nicholas County. He was 45 years old at the time; she was 21. They had four children.
67.5.10.1 Lula Sparks.
67.5.10.2 Ervin Dyer Sparks was born ca. 1912. He married Marie Loida Hinkle on June 29, 1933.
67.5.10.3 Flora H. Sparks.
67.5.10.4 Flavins Hugh Sparks was born ca. 1919. He married Mazel May Hall on February 12, 1944.67.5.11 Rebecca Jane Sparks was born ca. 1856.
67.5.12 Nancy Gotham Sparks was born ca. 1858. She married a cousin, 67.2.6 Uriah Cottle Sparks, and died when she was only nineteen years old. (See above.)
67.5.13 Melvina Hamilton Sparks was born in November 1861. She married 67.2.1.1 Clark L. P. Sparks on March 17, 1887, and died two years later on October 16, 1889. (See above.)
67.6 Elizabeth Sparks was born ca. 1817, probably in Kanawha County, West Virginia. She married Jacob Hardway ca. 1837. He had been born ca. 1817 in Virginia and was a son of George and Frances (Lilly) Hardway. (The name Hardway came from the German name Hartweg.) Jacob and Elizabeth lived on McMillion Creek where they reared a large family. Many members of this family were buried in what are now unmarked graves in a small cemetery just off State Route 39 as it approaches Lyonsville from Lockwood. When the 1860 census was taken of Nicholas County, Jacob and Elizabeth were shown as then having five of their eleven children living in their household. They also had Elizabeth's mother, Polly (Boggs) Sparks, aged 75, living with them.
67.6.1 Isabella Hardway was born ca. 1837. She was probably named for her aunt, Isabella Sparks.
67.6.2 Frances Hardway was born ca. 1839. She was probably named for her paternal grandmother.
67.6.3 Elizabeth Hardway was born ca. 1841.
67.6.4 John E. Hardway was born ca. 1844.
67.6.5 Charles Hardway was born ca. 1847, and he was probably named for his uncle, Charles Sparks. Charles Hardway died in 1858, a victim of a diphtheria epidemic.
67.6.6 Jesse Hardway was born ca. 1849. He died in 1858, a victim of a diphtheria epidenic.
67.6.7 James Buchanan Hardway was born ca. 1851.
67.6.8 George W. Hardway was born ca 1852. He was probably named for his paternal grandfather.
67.6.9 Zachariah Hardway was born ca. 1854.
67.6.10 Rebecca Hardway was born ca. 1857.
67.6.11 Mariah Hardway was born in February 1860.
67.7 Uriah C. Sparks was born ca.1821, probably in Nicholas County. He married Ann Mary MNU ca. 1849, and when the 1850 census was taken of Nicholas County, they were living in the Western District. Also living in their household were the parents of Uriah C. Sparks, James E. Sparks, Sr., aged 68, and Polly Sparks, aged 64.
Uriah Sparks was given a 48-acre tract of land in 1848 from his father; it may have been intended for a wedding present. In 1851, he received a 115-acre grant on Glade Creek from the state of Virginia. This is the last record that we have found of him.