July 12, 2023
Pages 4709-4710
Whole Number 175
ROYAL HARRIS AND GRACE Z. (BERRY) SPARKS,
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| ROYAL HARRIS and GRACE Z. (BERRY) SPARKS with CHILDREN, BERNIECE and ROBERT |
| Photograph taken about 1906 |
In the Sparks Quarterly of September 1965, Whole No. 51, beginning on page 916, we published an article entitled "The Sparks Family of Keene Township, lonia County, Michigan." This branch of the Sparks family (to which Royal Harris Sparks belonged) descended from 43.2.5 Joseph and Mehetabel (Johnson) Sparks who were married in Windham County, Connecticut, on April 29, 1747. Among their eight children was a son named 43.2.5.5 Isaiah Sparks, born November 3, 1754, who married Filisity Dawset in Ashford, Connecticut, on December 9, 1779. Following Isaiah's death in 1794, his widow, Filisity, moved with her children to Cortland County, New York. Isaiah and Filisity's oldest son was 43.2.5.5.x Stephen Sparks, born August 24, 1780, who married Mercy MNU. He died in 1860 in lonia County, Michigan.
Stephen and Mercy Sparks were the parents of two sons and five daughters, including 43.2.5.5.x.y Stephen Sparks, Jr. who was born in Cortland County, New York, on December 2, 1813. He came to Michigan with his parents in October 1840 and took up 120 acres of land in Keene Township, lonia County. He was married on September 15, 1841, to Angeline Abbott. Following the death of Angeline in 1860, Stephen Sparks, Jr. married (second) Ellen Scott. He died on August 14, 1876.
The eldest child of Stephen, Jr. and Angeline (Abbott) Sparks was 43.2.5.5.x.y.1 James Harris Sparks, who was born in 1844 and died in 1926. He married Midella Hodley on July 4, 1867. To this union four children were born, the eldest of whom was 43.2.5.5.x.y.1.1 Royal Harris Sparks, born August 20, 1869. He married Grace Z. Berry of Shelby, Michigan. A granddaughter of Royal H. and Grace (Berry) Sparks, Christina M. Evans, has shared with us the interesting photograph taken about 1906 that we have reproduced on page 4709. Royal Harris and Grace Z. (Berry) Sparks are shown with their two oldest children, Bernice Sparks, born on February 8, 1904, sitting on her mother's lap, and Robert Royal Sparks, born April 21, 1901, standing in front of his father. Mrs. Evans' address is: Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901. She would welcome correspondence with other members of this family.