Matthew Sparks, Jr.

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA with the rank of PRIVATE. DAR Ancestor # A107890

    SPARKS QUARTERLY, December, 1956, Whole No. 16,pp 177-178, p 178:

SPARKSES IN THE AMERICANREVOLUTION
"In spite of the detailed pension application of Matthew Sparks (sonof Matthew the Elder) little has been learned regarding his descendants.In a letter written by his niece, Bettie C. Smith (daughter of BaileySparks (338)), in 1899, appears the following statement: "When I was achild old Uncle Matthew Sparks made his home with his brother, Isaac, butspent much of his time with Father and Mama." From this it would appearthat Matthew was a widower during his old age. It is known that Matthewhad three daughters living in Clinton County, Illinois, and that was thereason he moved from Tennessee to Illinois in 1840. His son-in-law,William Steele, certified on December 31, 1842, that he had gone toTennessee in October, 1840, and moved Matthew Sparks to Illinois. Thesethree daughters were: (1) Jane, wife of William Steele; (2) Hannah, wifeof --- Arnett; and (3) Peggy, wife of ---Arnett. Matthew Sparks, it willbe noted, mentioned a son in his pension application who had moved fromIllinois to Georgia, but he did not give his name. In 1825 Matthew andhis brother Absolom were among a group of "inhabitants of that part ofMiller County, in the Territory of Arkansas, ceded and confirmed to theChocktaw Nation of Indians by treaty in 1825" who signed a petitionprotesting this action, saying that it would result in their being drivenfrom "the farms and improvements we have laboured for years to make."Besides Matthew and Absolom, there were three other persons names Sparkswho signed this petition: Wilobe Sparks, Absolom Sparks, Jr. andElsberry Sparks. These three were doubtless sons of either Matthew orAbsolom.
See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December, 1956, Whole No. 16, pg. 179:
"REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION PAPERS OF MATTHEW SPARKS (1759-1841)"
(The file number given to the application papers of Matthew Sparks inThe National Archives is S. 31,385. The pension was approved and MatthewSparks received $22.66 per annum.)
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congresspassed June 7, 1832.
State of Tennessee)
Carroll County ) SS
"On this 14th day of September A.D. 1832 personally appeared in openCourt, before the worshipful Henry Wright, Wilson Lightfoot, and Saml.Ingram, Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, now setting,Matthew Sparks, a resident of said County and State, aged aged (sic)about seventy-four years, who being first duly sworn, according to law,doth on his oath, make the following declaration in
order to obtain the benefit of an Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832,states:
"That he was born in Rowan County, near Salisbury in the State ofNorth Carolina, on the 20th day of January, A.D. 1759, and there livedwith his father until he was between fourteen and sixteen years old, whenhe removed, with the other members of the family, to New River in WilkesCounty in the State aforesaid, and there this Declarant resided untilthree or four years after the close of the Revolutionary War; at whichtime this Declarant removed to the frontier part of the State lastmentioned in what, as well as this Declarant now recollects, was thenFranklin County. Here this Declarant, with his father and othersettlers, erected a fort which was then and probably still is calledSparks Fort. In this neighborhood this Declarant's father was killed bythe Indians.
"After residing at this place two or three years, this Declarant removed to Greenville District in the State of South Carolina, where heresided seven or eight years, when he removed to Jackson County in theState of Georgia. Here this Deponant resided 6 or 7 years, when heremoved to Livingston County in the State of Kentucky about the year 1807or 1808, where he resided for about 2 years; from thence again removedinto the Territory of Illinois, and the County of St. Clair, about theyear 1810. He here settled on Silver Creek, within 8 or 10 miles of thetown of Belleville and remained about 5 years. He then removed down on aCreek called Muddy, in said Territory, where he resided 2 years. Aboutthe year 1817, Declarant states, he again removed over into ArkansasTerritory, where he settled on White
River and remained about 2 years; from thence he went to Arkansas Riverabout 40 or 50 miles above Little Rock, in the aforesaid Territory, wherehe lived 2 years; then removed from there to the Salline on the watersof Ouachita within 25 miles of Little Rock, where he again settled, andresided until the 2nd day of August last, when he removed into thisCounty. This Declarant states that he entered the service of the UnitedStates and served as herein stated. When this Declarant was 17 or 18years old, as well as he can recollect in the year 1776 or 77, he joineda company raised by drafting, commanded by Captain John Beverly, andserved a tour of 3 months.
"We marched from Wilkes County, North Carolina, where the company wasraised, and ranged through the lower and sandy part of North Carolina insearch of the Tories, to intimadate (sic) and keep them down in that partof the State. On this tour, we found no parties of Tories embodied, butwe took several individuals. I remember particularly that we took a ToryCaptain by the name of Jackson, a blacksmith, whom we hung; our companytook two others, names not recollected, and sent them to headquarters ofthe corps. The company of which I was a member were Mounted Rangers.The corps to which I belong consisted of several companies of rangers,and two or three foot and was commanded by Col. ---- Isacks, given namenot recollected, of North Carolina. I do not remember any major, oradjutant, nor the
names of any other captains, except Captain --- Isbel who commanded, aswell as I recollect, a company of foot-men.
"At the end of our term of service, we were marched back to our Countyby our officers, and there directed to go to our respective homes,without receiving any written discharge. In the fall of a certain year,I do not recollect what year, nor do I remember how long after my returnfrom my first tour, but not more than one or two years, I was againdrafted into the service, in a company commanded by Captain SamuelJohnson, and Elisha Reynolds, Lieutenant. This corps consistedexclusively of three or four companies of footmen, and was commanded byMajor --- Hargrove of Wilkes County, North Carolina. Godfrey Isacks wasone of the captains.
"We were drafted for 3 months and were marched through pretty much thesame country as on my first tour, and for the same purpose. I rememberit was a particular object of the expedition to go into a part of NorthCarolina where the Scotch very much abounded. We came to a part of thecountry where the main American Army, commanded by I do not recollectwhom, had recently passed, and found ourselves in great want of the meansof subsistance. After being marched about through the sandy parts ofNorth Carolina two months without meeting with any parties of Tories orhaving any engagement, we were marched back to our own County havinglearned there was more occasion for us there than where we had been. Notlong after we reached home we were dismissed by our officers withoutreceiving any formal discharge.
"In addition to these tours of service performed by me, I will statethat Col. Benjamin Cleveland, who lived on the Yadkin, Wilkes County,North Carolina, early in the Revolutionary War, by his personalinfluence, formed an Association or Company of Minute Men, to go againstTories whenever called on. Of this company I was a member and performedunder him many tours of duty from one to three weeks at a time, amount inall to at least 3 months. We invaribly went out as mounted gun-men orrangers. We ranged principally on the mountains and New River. On theseexcursions, I remember, we took two parties of Tories, one consisting of15, the other of 10 or 12 men. They had been engaged in plunderingneighborhoods. Some of these we hung, shot others, and others we tookacross the Virginia line, we delivered to the Virginians.
"On another occasion, learning that a party of Hessian dragoons andTories to the number of 12 or 15, passing up New River plundering andpillaging the country, we assembled and overtook them at the house of ourMilitia Captain (Paul Patrick) whom they had under guard and where theywere regaling themselves on the best the house afforded. We surprisedthem, killed 2 and wounded 2 whom we took prisoners, together with oneother. One of the wounded prisioners was a Hession, and lived. His namewas John Meisenner. He joined our side and was one of the men who servedwith me under Capt. Beverly.
"This Applicant knows of no person by whom he can prove his service.
"He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension, or annuity,except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension rollof the agency of any state. Signed: Matthew Sparks
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Signed EdwardGwin, Clerk.
" And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after theinvestigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatoriesprescribed by the War Department, that the above named Applicant was aRevolutionary Soldier as he states. And the Court further certifies thatit appears to them that Bailey Sparks and William Brigance, who havesigned the preceding certificate are residents of the county and stateaforesaid and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitledto credit. Signed: Sam Ingram, Chairman of Carrol County Court; HenryWright; Wilson Lightfoot.
Whereupon the said Court propounded the following interrogatories tothe said Matthew Sparks on the occasion of his application for a pensionas having been one of the Militia of North Carolina in the RevolutionaryWar.
Question 1. Where and in what year were you born? I was born inRowan County near Salisbury in the State of North Carolina on the 20th ofJanuary, 1759.
Question 2. Have you any record of your age; and if so, where is it? I have none with me. My son took the Bible containing it when he movedfrom Illinois to Georgia.
Question 3. Where were you living when called into service; wherehave you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live?I was living, when called into service, in Wilkes County North Carolina;the balance the Applicant answered in his declaration.
Question 4. How were you called into service; were you drafted , didyou volunteer or were you a substitute? Answered in the declaration.
Question 5. State the names of some of the regular officers who werewith the troops when you served; Such continental and militia regimentsas you can recall & and the general circumstances of your service.Answered as in declaration.
Question 6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service; andif so, by whom was it given and wehat has become of it? Answered as indeclaration.
Question 7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in yourpresent neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character forveracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of theRevolution. I have but lately come to this country and therefore havebut few acquaintences here. I can only mention my brother, BaileySparks, & Mr. William Brigance who knew my general reputation as asoldier of the Revolution.
State of Tennessee)
Carroll County )SS
I, Edward Gwin, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions inand for said County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that theforegoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in thematter of the application of Matthew Sparks, for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the Seal ofsaid Court at office in Huntingdon this 12th day of September A.D., 1832.
Signed Edward Gwin, Clerk.
Application for a Transfer)
County of Henry )SS
On this nineteenth day of September, 1840, before me, the subscriber,a Justice of the Peace for the said County of Henry, personally appearedMatthew Sparks, who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person whoformerly belonged to the company commanded by Captains Beverly and SamuelJohnson in the Regiments commanded by Colonels Isaacks and Cleveland, inthe service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pensionroll of the State of Tennessee at Jackson, from whence he has latelyremoved; that he now resides in the State of Illinois where he intends toremain, and wishes his pension to be there payable, in future. Thefollowing are his reasons for removing from Carroll County, Tennessee toClinton County, Illinois--viz--He has three daughters living there & hehas made arrange- ments to live with one of them.
Paris, Tennessee, September 19, 1840. Signed: Mathew Sparks
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year aforesaid.
Signed: I. S. Rainey.
(END OF ARTICLE)
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See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, September, 1984, Whole No. 127, pps .2644-2669:
"MATTHEW J. SPARKS (1759-1841) SON OF MATTHEW AND SARAH (THOMPSON)SPARKS
AND HISDESCENDANTS"
"(Editor's Note: In the June 1961 issue of the QUARTERLY, Whole No.34, an article was published about Matthew and Sarah (Thompson) Sparks .This couple had left Frederick County, Maryland, about 1755 and had movedto Rowan County, North Carolina. They had eleven sons and twodaughters. Articles about two of their sons, John Sparks (1755-1831) andAbsalom Sparks ( ca.1771-ca.1830) have appeared in earlier issues of theQUARTERLY. See March 1966 issue, Whole No. 53, pp. 960-68, for "JohnSparks (Son of Matthew & Sarah Sparks) Born 1755, died 1831" and theSeptember 1982 issue, Whole No . 119, pp. 2443-48, for "InformationSought Regarding the Descendants of Absalom Sparks (ca.1771-ca.1830)."Here we publish materials about the descendants of another son Matthew J.Sparks.
"The records of the descendants of Matthew J. Sparks have come from avariety of sources and have been assembled by several persons. Creditfor most of the following article, however, should be given to agreat-great- great-grandaughter of Matthew J. Sparks, Johnella (Sparks)Boynton, who had spent many days collecting information and arranging itinto readable form. She now lives at 4905 Framons Court, Atlanta,Georgia, 30338.
"Matthew J. Sparks, son of Matthew and Sarah (Thompson) Sparks, was areal "mover" even for the early pioneer days when a person could keepmoving for a lifetime to new lands. In 1832, he made application for apension for his military service in the American Revolutionary War, andhe gave an account of his travels and the many places where he hadlived. From this account, he and his family obviously spent aconsiderable portion of their lives going from place to place along thefrontier.
"Matthew J. Sparks was born in Rowan County, North Carolina, onJanuary 20, 1759, and when he was about fifteen years of age, his fathermoved to Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he settled on New River inwhat is now Ashe County. It was here that Matthew served as a soldier inthe American Revolution, joining in 1777 a company commanded by Capt .John Beverly in Wilkes County. For this service he received a pension.( see above for a transcript of his pension file)
"Matthew probably married at the close of the Revolutionary War . Wehave found no record of the marriage. We do know that his wife's givenname was Margaret, for in 1794, he and his wife Margaret, were witnessesto two deeds by which Matthew's brother, John Sparks, bought land inGreenville District, South Carolina. There has been some speculationthat her maiden name was Traylor, and it is a matter of record that theSparks family and the Traylor family were closely associated in Georgia.(A sister of Matthew J. Sparks, Edy Sparks, is known to hve been marriedto Randolph Traylor and was living in Clarke County, Georgia, in 1807).We also have not learned the date nor place of the death of MargaretSparks, but when the 1830 census was taken of Pulaski County, Arkansas,where Matthew J. Sparks was living at the time, there was no femaleenumerated in his household that was old enough to have been the motherof his children. Margaret Sparks probably died prior to 1830.
"In all probability, the first child of Matthew and Margaret Sparkswas a son, John, who was born on June 26, 1784. It was also about thistime that the family of Matthew Sparks, Senior, moved to Franklin County, Georgia, and settled near the present-day town of Athens. There,Matthew Sparks, Sr. was killed by Indians in 1793. Matthew J. Sparks(Matthew Jr.) had also gone to Georgia with his parents and received aheadright grant of 200 acres in Franklin County in 1792, but after thedeath of his father, he moved his family to Greenville District, SouthCarolina, where he stayed about eight years. He then returned to Georgiawhere he settled in Jackson County. There, he participated in theGeorgia Land Lotteries in 1803 and again in 1806. In the latter draw, hewon 39 acres of land located near the Baldwin-Wilkinson Counties Boundary.
"In 1807, Matthew moved to Livingston County, Kentucky, where he liveduntil about 1810 when he moved to the Illinois Territory where he settledon Silver Creek which is about ten miles from present- day Belleville .He stayed there until about 1815, when he moved to nearby Muddy Creekwhere he stayed about two years. Then in 1817, he moved "over into"Arkansas Territory and settled on White River where he lived until 1819when he moved to the Saline River, a tributary of the Ouachita, where hestayed until about 1831. On the 1830 census, he was listed as the headof a household in Pulaski County.
"In 1831, Matthew J. Sparks moved to Carroll County, Tennessee, where,on September 11, 1832, he made application for a pension for his militaryservices suring the Revolutionary War. (It was in his application for apension that he described his movements noted above.) When the 1840census was taken, he was living in the home of his brother, Isaac Sparks,in Carroll County, but on September 19th of that year, he appeared beforeIsaac S. Fainey, a justice of the peace of Henry County, Tennessee, tostate that he had lately removed from Tennessee to Clinton County,Illinois, where he intended to remain with the family of one of his threedaughters living there. He requested that in the future his pension bepaid in Clinton County.
"Matthew J. Sparks died on August 14, 1841, at the home of hisdaughter, Jane (Sparks) Steele, in Clinton County. He left no will. Hisgrandson, Absalom Steele, was appointed as administrator of his estate.Only three documents are on file settling his estate in the ClintonCounty court house. One is a statement on the date of Matthew's death;another is his grandson's administrator's bond; and the third is astatement from William Steele that he had brought his father-in-law fromTennessee to Clinton County in October 1840.
"In spite of the lack of records of the settlement of the estate ofMatthew J. Sparks, we belive that we can name his children. We believehe and Margaret had only five children, although a descendant who joinedthe Daughters of the American Revolution on the basis of his militaryservice stated that he had eight. This descendant named only fivechildren, however:
John Sparks, born June 26, 1784. He married Sarah Brooks.
Jane Sparks, born about 1787. She married William Steele.
Hannah Sparks, probably born about 1792. She married a man namedArnett.
Margaret (Peggy) Sparks, born about 1797. She married NathanArnett.
Matthew Jefferson Sparks, Jr., born about 1802. He married Polly---.
(Here the article provides additional detail about the children ofMatthew and Margaret Sparks).
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See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December, 2001, Whole No. 196, pps .5599-5603:
TWO DAUGHTERS OF MATTHEW JEFFERSON SPARKS (ca.1802-1833)
OF PULASKI COUNTY,ARKANSAS
Margaret "Peggy" (Sparks) Evans(born ca.1825)
&
Frances Elmira "Almira" Porter(1830-1898)
"In the QUARTERLY of September 1984, Whole No. 127, we published a recordof the family of Matthew Sparks (1759 -1841) whose wife's name wasMargaret. We stated there that her maiden name had been Traylor, butfurther research has disproved that assumption. We have no clue regardingwhat her maiden name might have been. We are now doubtful, also, thatMatthew had the middle initial "J." Among primary sources, we find onlyone census record where this appears. Here, and in future references tohim, we shall refer to him as Matthew Sparks, Jr., even though, followingthe death of his father (the elder Matthew Sparks) in 1793, he droppedits use from his own signature.
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See THE SPARKS QUARTERLY, December 2001, Whole No. 196, pp 5605-5630, p.5607:
"Matthew Sparks, Jr. , second child of Matthew and Sarah Sparks , wasborn on January 20, 1759, in
what is now Davie County, North Carolina, then Rowan County. He died onAugust 14, 1841, at the home of his daughter, Jane (Sparks) Steele, inClinton County , Illinois . His wife's name was Margaret . We have notfound her maiden name. We were in error in stating earlier thatMargaret's maiden name may have been Traylor. We have also sometimesincluded the letter "J" as his middle initial. This appears on one censusrecord, but this may have been an error made by the census taker. Thetext of Matthew Sparks, Jr.'s application for a pension for his servicein the Revolutionary War appeared in the QUARTERLY of December 1956,Whole No. 16, pp.179-182. It was approved. A few years ago, adescendant established a chapter in the Society of the Daughters of theAmerican Revolution in his name in Claremont , California. An articledevoted to Matthew Sparks, Jr., with a record of his known children,appeared in the QUARTERLY of September 1984, Whole No. 127, pp.2644-2669.Some corrections to this article appeared in the QUARTERLY of March 1989,Whole No.145, pp.3367-68. In that article we called him "Matthew J.Sparks. " As noted above, we cannot be sure that he had a middle initial.It appears that none of his siblings were given middle names or initials.Matthew Sparks, Jr., did, however, give a son of his own a middle name.This was Matthew Jefferson Sparks (ca.1802-1833) See a separate articlein this issue of the QUARTERLY, beginning on page 5599, pertaining to twodaughters of Matthew Jefferson Sparks."