January 16, 2022
Pages 1349-1350
Whole Number 71
UNION SOLDIERS NAMED SPARKS WHO
APPLIED OR WHOSE HEIRS APPLIED, FOR PENSIONS
104. ALEXANDER SPARKS, born ca. 1845, died November 4, 1903, in Washington County, Missouri; he married (first) Mary Rose, and (second) Abby Lucas. Served in Co. F, 16th Regiment of Missouri Cavalry. File designations: C723, 470 & Wid: 583,680.
On July 16, 1890, Alexander Sparks of Washington County, Missouri, appeared before a notary public named Lewis A. Page to apply for a pension based on his service in the Union Army. He stated in his application that he was 45 years old and lived in the town of Richwoods. He swore that he was the same Alexander Sparks who had been enrolled on May 10, 1864, as a private in Co. F, 16th Missouri Cavalry Regt. He stated that he had been discharged at Springfield, Missouri., on June 20, 1865. He said that he was partially disabled because of rheumatism. He signed his name by mark, his witnesses were J. M. Schmidt and E. G. Lannen.
Records on file in the War Department were found to support Alexander Sparks's claim for service in the company which he stated, but these records indicated that had actually been enrolled on November 1, 1863, and remained until July 1865. also reveal when enlisted, unit was part of Missouri Militia. listed as present with his April 25, 1865, "absent detached at Springfield, Missouri."
Alexander Sparks was awarded a pension. On January 15, 1898, he was asked to answer several questions regarding his family, which he did on May 4, 1898. He stated that his wife's maiden name was Abby Lucas and that they had been married by Squire F. T. James on December 3, 1874, in Franklin County, Missouri. He stated this was his second wife, however. His first wife, Mary Rose, died May 7, 1869, at Richwoods. He had two children by his first wife and seven by his second wife, as follows:
104.1 Chris Sparks, born 1866
104.2 William Sparks, born 1868
104.3 John Sparks, born 1875
104.4 Abby Sparks, born 1877
104.5 Alex Sparks, born 1881
104.6 Luly Sparks, born December 3, 1887
104.7 Eugene Sparks, born March 12, 1890
104.8 Blanch Sparks, born October 11, 1892
104.9 Mary Sparks, born July 18, 1896
104.10 Grace Sparks, born November 8, 1898
Alexander Sparks died on November 4, 1903. On December 29, 1903, his widow, Abby Sparks, applied for a pension as a soldier's widow. She stated in her application that she was a resident of Richwoods, Washington County, Missouri., and that she was 47 years old. She stated that her maiden name had been Abby Lucas and that she had been married to Alexander Sparks on December 3, 1874, at Luebbering, Missouri. She added that his first wife, Mary Rose, had been dead about three years before she married Alexander Sparks. She stated that she was without sufficient means of support and that she had the following children who were under sixteen and still dependent upon her for support:
104.6 Luly Sparks, born December 3, 1887;
104.7 Eugene Sparks, born March 12, 1890;
104.8 Blanche Sparks, born October 11, 1892;
104.9 Mary Sparks, born July 18, 1896; and
104.10 Grace Sparks, born November 8, 1898.
Although she stated that she was a resident of Richwoods, she gave her mailing address as Luebbering, Franklin County, Missouri. Clara Lock of Luebbering who stated she had known Mrs. Sparks for 10 years, and A. W. Harris of Richwoods, Missouri., who stated he had known her for 8 years, signed as witnesses.
Abby Sparks, widow of Alexander, died on February 11, 1911. According to her death certificate, she had been born on November 8, 1856, and was 54 years old when she died. She had been born near Luebbering, Missouri., and was a daughter of Samuel Wiles Lucas, a native of Virginia, and Alice Abbey Lucas, a native of Tennessee. According to the report of Dr. C. F. Briegleb, she died of "chronic valvular disease of the heart." On March 6, 1911, F. A. Pilliod was designated by the Probate Court of Franklin County, Missouri., as the guardian of Mary Sparks and Grace Sparks, who were minors at the time of their mother's death. James A. Pilliod and Lyman Bardot acted as securities for F. A. Pilliod.