The Sparks Families of Boone County, Iowa

Thomas Sparks was one of Boone county's pioneers, settling permanently in Boonesboro in 1852. From that year until his death he continuously resided in this neighborhood, passing away in August, 1909, in his ninety-fourth year. He had taken up his residence in the city of Boone several years before his death, his widow now making her home at No. 116 Benton street.

Mr. Sparks was born in Pennsylvania, near Brownsville, December 2, 181 5, and as a boy of ten years removed with his parents to Tuscarawas county, where his father was engaged in the cultivation of a farm. When about twenty years of age Mr. Sparks of this review returned to his mother's people in Pennsylvania, where he completed his education and also taught school. Later he took up the same profession in Iowa, in Pottawattamie county. He made his first trip to Boone county in 1847 or 184B and entered eighty acres of land but did not remain at that time. In 1852 he married in Pennsylvania and subsequently located six miles south of Boone in Worth township, this farm remaining his home until the fall of 1903. The original homestead comprised eighty acres, and he also owned one hundred and twenty acres of timber, and later bought another eighty acres, his total holdings consisting of two hundred and eighty acres. When Mr. Sparks arrived here his land was raw prairie, but he set himself to its cultivation and as the years passed developed one of the most valuable farms in his neighborhood. He had given considerable attention to surveying and was elected the first county surveyor of Boone county, laying out Boonesboro. From 1903 until his death he resided at No. 621 Tenth street, Boone, and there passed away.

On March 15. 1852, Thomas Sparks married, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, Miss Esther Ann Dunn, a native of that state, who was born November 9, 1828. She accompanied her husband on the trip to Iowa, the journey being

V made by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and by ox teams from Keokuk. Their first home in Worth township was a log cabin, and later Mr. Sparks there built one of the first frame houses, the entire building being constructed of native walnut. In their family were the following children. L. D., of Boone; F. C, a widower and also a resident of this city, his daughter Gladys making her home at Ames; Asenath D., who is the widow of Lewis Fisher, Jr., and has two children; John C, an engineer of the Northwestern Railroad for years and a resident of Boone, who has one son; Mrs. Nettie J. Hitsman, who lives near Luther, Boone county, and has two children; Robert, a railroad employe who makes his headquarters in Kansas City; Playford, of Boone, who has been twice married and has two children by his first union; Frank, who died as a soldier in Manila during the Spanish-American war and left a widow and a child, the former now also deceased: Eugene V., who was a ranchman of Colorado, where he passed away, leaving a widow; and two who died in infancy.

Mr. Sparks was a stanch whig but later voted the democratic and subsequently the republican ticket. He lived to the ripe old age of ninety-three years and in him the city of Boone mourned one of the veteran pioneers of this district.

His widow sold one of the farms after his death and bought a home at No. ii6 Benton street, where she now resides. There her son, F. C. Sparks, also lives. He was born February ii, 1854, and married Miss Anna Likely, who died in 1900, leaving one daughter. Mrs. F. C. Sparks' parents were among the early settlers near Fort Madison, Iowa. Mrs. Thomas Sparks and her son are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, the former having been connected with that organization since she was fifteen years of age. She first attended services at the Brown schoolhouse and later at the Boone schoolhouse near their home. She also was a member of a class at the Gildey school, then attending services at the College Chapel church and later at the Methodist Episcopal church at Luther but now is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Boone. She is now nearing her eighty-sixth birthday, yet she is energetic and agile and still participate in many of the activities of life.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LEROY D. SPARKS.

Leroy U. Sparks long occupied a creditable position in the business circles of Boone, where for a quarter of a century he conducted a meat market. He is now occupying an attractive home, which stands in the midst of a farm of thirty-five acres within the corporation limits of the city. A native of Boone county, he was born February 9, 1853, a son of Thomas and Esther (Dunn) Sparks, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, but were reared upon Ohio farms. The father came to Iowa in 1846 when many evidences of pioneer life were still to be seen here. He then returned to the east and was married in Pennsylvania, he and his wife coming to Boone in 1852. They settled upon a farm, the father devoting his entire life to general agricultural pursuits. He was very active in public connections and was the first county surveyor of Boone county. He also held a number of township offices and labored effectively and earnestly for the welfare and upbuilding of the community. He died August 20, 1910, after a residence of more than a half century in this state, during which period he had won the high respect and good-will of those with whom he had been associated. His widow still lives in Boone at the ripe old age of eighty-five years. In their family were twelve children: Leroy D.; Fremont, living in Boone; E. \' who is now deceased; Asenith, who is the widow of Lewis Fisher and makes her home in San Francisco, California; James G., a resident of Los Angeles, California; John C, of Boone; Nettie, the wife of Joseph Hitsman of Luther, Iowa; a son who died in infancy; Belle, who also died in infancy; Frank, deceased; Robert, living in Kansas City, Missouri; and Playford, of Boone.

Leroy D. Sparks has spent his entire life in the county of his nativity and at seventeen years of age took up the profession of teaching, which he followed for three terms. He afterward carried on farming for twelve years and then established his home in Boone, where he opened a meat market, which he conducted for a quarter of a century. He always carried a good line of meats, made every possible effort to please his patrons and for many years enjoyed an excellent trade that brought him a substantial, gratifying and well earned profit. He has now retired from the meat business and lives upon his farm, which is splendidly improved, his being one of the attractive homes in the city.

On the 30th of September, 1874, Mr. Sparks was united in marriage to Miss Luella Stevens, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Jacob and I.ucretia (Brown)

Stevens, natives of Pennsylvania and of Vermont respectively. In 1865 they came to Boone and the father, a butcher by trade, was connected with the meat business in this city. He died December 21, 1902, while his wife passed away January 8, 1894. In their family were six children: Mrs. Sparks; Ida, the wife of John Kail; George, of Boone; Mary and Jacob, who have passed away; and Daisy, the wife of William Stange, of Chicago. To Mr. and Mrs. Sparks have been born six children: George B. and James G., both of Boone; Ralph Leroy and Gertrude L., at home; Mary Alma, the wife of Chester Gonse, of Walley Junction; and Harry Stevens, at home.

In his political views Mr. Sparks is independent, voting for men and measures rather than for party. He has filled township offices, including those of assessor and township clerk. Fraternally he is a Mason and also holds membership with the Woodmen of the World. For more than sixty years he has been an interested witness of the changes which have occurred in Boone county, has seen its growth and development and has aided in its progress. That his has been a well spent life is indicated in the fact that many of his stanchest friends are those who have known him from his boyhood to the present time.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

John Sparks is a prominent and influential farmer of Marcy township and a representative of one of the old families of the county. He has made his home within Boone county since 1851 and therefore for more than half a century has been a witness of the changes which have occurred and have brought the community from its primitive condition to one of marked advancement. At the time of his arrival Mr. Sparks was youth of only about ten years, his birth having occurred in < 'wen county, Indiana. < >ctk ber 31, 1 N4 1. He is a son of Rev. William J. and Sarah 1 Jenwhom were ni n Jina. Becoming residents of Indiana, they remained in the latter state until 1851, when they brought their family to Boone county, Iowa, settling on a farm in Worth township. Later they came to Marcy township, locating on the Berry farm, where the father made his home until his death, which occurred in 1878, when he was seventy-two years of age, while his wife died at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Both were consistent Christian people and held membership in the Baptist church and the father was a minister of that denomination, devoting much of his time and energy to the work of advancing the cause of Christianity. This worthy couple were the parents of thirteen children, of whom five are now living: Mary, the widow of Francis Williams, and a resident of Marcy township; Milley, wife of Joe Staley, of the same township; William, a retired farmer living in Taylor county, Iowa; Sarah Ann, the wife of Louis Phipps, a resident farmer of Des Moines township; and John, of this review.

Like the other members of the family, John Sparks pursued his education in the common schools, beginning his studies in Indiana. Later he continued his school work in Boone county. He assisted in the arduous task of developing a new farm here and continued to work in the fields and meadows of the old homestead until he had attained his majority. About the time the Civil war was begun and with patriotic spirit Mr. Sparks offered his services to the government, enlisting under Captain DeTar. but was taken ill and was unable to go to the fn nit. I Ie afterward purchased a farm in the southern part of Marcy township and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits for alo mt thirty years. He also 1 a inducted a sawmill there and both branches of his business proved a source of a good income to him. In February, i88_\, he removed to his present farm known as the old Jerry Gordon farm, comprising two hundred thirty-three acres on section 14, Marcy township. Since that time Mr. Sparks has made excellent improvements on his property and now has a good set of farm buildings, together with the latest improved machinery and all the modern accessories for facilitating farm work. He is successfully carrying on general farming and stock raising and trades to a considerable extent in stock. For some time he also operated a threshing machine in Marcy township and was very busy during the harvest season.

Mr. Sparks has been twice married. He first wedded Miss Adelina Phipps, a daughter of Solomon Phipps, a farmer of Boone county. She died and their only child died in infancy. For his second wife Mr. Sparks those Nancy S. Cartwright, who was born in Pike county, Ohio, November 25, 1848, a daughter of William A. Cartwright, an agriculturist of the Buckeye state, now deceased. Unto Mr. Sparks and his present wife have been born eleven children. The eldest is Sarah Jane, the wife of Wallace McCall, a resident of Marcy township. The others are: Alice, George L., Delia, Grover, John Franklin, Carl, Justin. Arville C, Clinton M. and Flossie, all at home.

Mr. Sparks has always given his political support to the Democracy and never fails to exercise his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the party. He has served for several terms constable in his township, has been mad supervisor and scl 1 director. Fraternally he is connected with Moingona Lodge No. 258 I''. & A. -M., of Moingona. Almost his entire life has been passed in this county and as the years have gone by he has taken a deep interest in public progress and improvement, doing what he could to promote the general welfare along such lines. He has a vivid recollection of the county as it was a half century ago, when the prairies were largely uncultivated and one could ride for miles without meeting a fence to impede progress. The work of improvement lay almost entirely in the future, but there has come to Boone county a progressive and enterprising class of citizens who have reclaimed the region for purposes of civilization and today it is the home of a prosperous and contented people who enjoy the conveniences and improvements of the older east.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

C. I. SPARKS.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

A. B. and Jennie K. i Weston 1 Sparks His paternal grandparents were Isaac and Catherine Sparks, who lived in Ohio for some years, removing thence to Boone county. Iowa, where their remaining days were passed. The father of our subject was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and came to Iowa in 1850, locating first in Jackson township upon a farm, where he carried on agricultural pursuits until about three years ago, since which time he has lived retired. He was a progressive farmer, following modern methods and using the latest improved machinery that would facilitate his work. He married Jennie R. Weston, a native of Jefferson county. Xew York, and a daughter of Charles Weston, who was the first Republican county clerk of Boone county. I [e also tilled other political positions, serving as a member of the board of supervi township trustee and township assessor, lie had three brothers, Jndson; Clark, who is living in Oxbow. Xew York; and John, who was killed at Pleasant Hill. Louisiana, in the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Sparks are now residing in Boone and the father is fifty-three wars of age. lie is living retired in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. In their family were the following children: Charles [saac, Augusta W., Jeremy X.. George A.. Lawrence B., Bernice Edna, Miranda J. and Dorothy.

After acquiring his elementary education in the district schools Mr. Sparks of this review, continued his studies in Simpson College at Indianola. Warren county, towa, where he pursued a four years' course. Not wishing to follow the plow as a life work. but desiring I 1 enter fessional career, in [895 he took up the study of law in [owa City. Iowa, completing his course lation in June, 1896. He then began practice in Boone in the same month and has since been a well known factor at the bar of this county, winning distinction by reason of his thorough knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence and the correctfiess with which he applies these to the points of litigation. He is also very prominent in political circles and in 1897 became chairman of the Republican central committee, at which time he was the youngest county chairman in the state. With excellent foresight and ability he planned the work of the party and his labors contributed in no small degree b its success, in 1 898 he was elected I county attorney by a majority of four hundred and fifty and entered upon the duties of the office in January, ie99. In 1900 he was elected for a second term by an increased majority of over seventeen hundred. although he ran against one of the strongest men in the Democratic party. The large vote was certainly an indication of his personal popularity and of the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens. He was only twenty-four years of age when made chairman of the Republican central committee and was about twenty-five when elected county attorney, probably the youngest candidate ever chosen for such an office in Iowa. That he discharged his duties with marked capability and without fear or favor is beyond question. He is strong in argument and his deductions follow in logical seqttence. He has won several notable cases and the profession as well as the public accord him a leading place in its ranks.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.