Jacob E "Jake" Sparks

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: 1833, Alabama; per 1860 census
• Census: 24 Oct 1850, Sabine Pass, Jefferson Co, Texas
• Census: 29 Jul 1860, Colorado Co, Texas
• Census: 1870, Colorado Co, Texas

Notes:

Laborer. He is living with Solomon and Martha Sparks at the time of 1850 census.
Info from Jay Sparks states he was born in Alabama, 1850 census states Tennessee.
1860 Census - living in Colorado Co, Texas, gives birth info as born 1833 in Alabama.
1870 census - living in Colorado Co, Texas, gives age as 28, born in Alabama (first child Emma is 16; so clearly he was older than he felt. Nancy also had her age too young, stated 29.)


SQ pg 3364: Jacob E. Sparks, probable son of William Sparks, was born about 1828 in Alabama. (When he registered to vote in Colorado County, TX , in 1867, he stated that he had been born in Alabama; had come to Texas in 1844 ; and had lived in Colorado County since 1854.) the first record we have found of him is in the 1850 census of Jefferson County, Texas. At that time he was living in the household of his brother, Solomon sparks, and he was 22 years of age.

Willis Sparks, mentioned earlier, tells a most interesting story about his great-grandparents, Jacob and Nancy (Johnson) Sparks. He wrote:

"About 1853, Jacob Sparks was working for a freight line which ran between Lake Charles, Louisiana, and San Antonio, Texas, probably following a trail which is present-day U.S. Highway 90. The line used oxen and wagons to haul supplies. It was at the village of Orange, Texas, that Jake met, courted, and married fourteen-year-old Nancy Johnson. They went by the freight line to the San Bernard River in Colorado County, Texas, where they started house keeping about three miles northeast of the village of Mentz. There, they reared their family. Jake died at the age of forty-three, and some descendants say he was shot."

Jacob Sparks married Nancy Johnson about 1853. According to census records she was born about 1839 in Louisiana. She and Jacob ("Jake") had seven children.
http://www.sparksfamilytree.net/ghtout/npr379.html#H02087

Census:
24 Oct 1850 Sabine Pass

residence 215:
Milton H Bloodworth 25 1825 Louisiana
Nancy (Holt) Bloodworth 18 1832 Texas
Benjamin P Bloodworth 2 1848 Louisiana
William Bloodworth 1 1849 Louisiana
Benjamin Holt 55 1795 Mississippi
Thomas C Holt 50 1800 Mississippi
Thomas D Holt 4 1846 Louisiana
William Holt 53 1797 Mississippi
Mary Ann Holt 17 1833 Texas
Thomas R Holt 26 1824 Louisiana
Charles Holt 28 1822 Louisiana
William C Holt 15 1835 Louisiana
Richard Holt 13 1837 Louisiana

Residence 216
Stockholm, Peter D. 31 1819 New York carpenter
Mary 17 1833 Louisiana
William 2 1848 Texas
Elizabeth 0 1850 Texas

Residence 217
Brewer, William 23 1827 Louisiana
Brewer, Caroline 22 1828 Louisiana

Residence 218
Solomon Sparks 30 1820 Tennessee
Martha C Sparks 30 1829 South Carolina
Lucy Ann Sparks 8 1842 Tennessee
John L Sparks 6 1844 Tennessee
James E Sparks 3 1847 Louisiana
Mary Susan Sparks 1 1849 Texas
Jacob Sparks 22 1828 Tennessee

Residence 219
John S. Sparks 39 1811 North Carolina
Melinda Sparks 29 1821 Tennessee
Albert Sparks 9 1841 Texas
Eliza J. Sparks 7 1843 Texas
John F. Sparks 4 1846 Texas
Sarah C. Sparks 1 1849 Texas
James Court 22 1828 Louisiana
Julia Ann (Sparks) Courts 14 1836 Tennessee



Census:
29 Jul 1860
Post Office, San Bernard, Colorado County


Looking at other names in the census living in close proximity, looks like a German/Prussian community.

Residence 665
Sparks, Jacob 27 1833 Alabama
Nancy (Johnson) 20, 1840 Louisiana
Emma S. 5 1855 Texas
Sophronia 4 1856 Texas
William M. 2 1858 Texas
Johnson, James 22 1838 Louisiana (bro-in-law)
Shote (Schoat), Elizabeth (Johnson) 24 1835 Louisiana (sis-in-law)
Shote, William M. 9 1851 Texas


Residence 655
Cole S.W. 41 1819 Louisiana (Solomon)
Zilla A. 26 1834 Louisiana
Mary C. 9 1851 Texas
Martha 8 1855 Texas
Sarah 2 1848 Texas
Priest, John 22 1838 Alabama


Residence 656
Cole, David 43 1817 Louisiana
Ann 23 1837 Germany
F.D. (male) 22 1838 Texas
Solomon 13 1847 Texas
Ganse, Charles 13 1847 Texas
Harris, Joshua 26 1834 Texas
Roberts, Thomas (Thos Jefferson) 23 1837 Louisiana (Married Elizabeth Johnson Schoat in 1864)
Cole, Elizabeth 2 1858 Texas


Census:
Jacob Sparks 23 (age clearly wrong) Alabama
Nancy Sparks 29 1841 (age clearly wrong) Texas
Emma Sparks 16 1854
Sophia Sparks 13 1857
Milton Sparks 12 1858
Franklin Sparks 10 1860
William Sparks 8 1862
James Sparks 3 1867
Jacob Sparks 1 1869
Hedley Faris 23 laborer, Louisiana
Mathew Canales 22 laborer Texas

Jacob married Nancy Johnson in 1853 in Orange Co, Texas. Nancy (daughter of John Johnson and Melinda Ann Cole) was born on 9 Jul 1837 in Jefferson Co, Texas; died on 13 Jun 1903 in Eagle Lake, Colorado Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, Wharton Co, Texas

Notes:

Census:
shown single in 1880 with her mother and step father Tom Roberts

Emma married Carell A. Adams about 1874 in Colorado Co, Texas. Carell was born in 1850 in Orange, Orange Co, Texas; died after 1880 in of, Colorado Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Mentz, Colorado Co, Texas
• Census: 1880, Wharton Co, Texas

Notes:

Census:
shown single in 1880 with her mother and step father Tom Roberts

Died:
Mrs. Sophronia E. Nicholson
1212 East 1st Street, Austin, 37 years
widowed
born 23 Apr 1856 Eagle Lake, Texas
died 13 May 1942 of myocassitis, contribution cerebral thrombosis
father: Sparks
mother, Nancy Roberts

informant: Mrs. Ora Wolf, Austin.

Sophronia married Christopher A. Peace on 28 Aug 1877 in Dewitt Co, Texas. Christopher (son of Henry Peace and Rachel Cole) was born in 1850 in Goliad Co, Texas; died before 1890. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sophronia married Benjamin Franklin Nicholson, Sr. in 1892 in Texas. Benjamin was born in Apr 1867 in Texas; died before 1942 in of, Austin, Travis Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, Wharton Co, Texas

Notes:

Census:
shown single in 1880 with his mother and step father Tom Roberts

Died:
On February 19, 1894, Milton Sparks arrived at the Grand Central Station in Houston, with his wife Constant, infant daughter Ruth, and Constable D.I. Sutton of Eagle Lake to attend the trial of Milton's brother Frank on the following day. James Mitchell of Richmond was standing on the platform, and when he saw Constable Sutton, fired six shots into the crowd. Milton, Constable Sutton, and Dan Gleason, a bystander, were killed. Mrs. Sparks and her daughter were wounded. Mitchell claimed that he only intended to kill Constable Sutton because of a dispute involving Mitchell's wife and that Milton Sparks was a friend of his. Mitchell was shot to death in a gunfight in Richmond, Texas on October 1895, before he could be brought to trial for the murders in Houston.
(Information from Weimar Mercury News, February 20, 1894)
(findagrave)

Death of William Melton Sparks: William Melton Sparks is buried in Eagle Lake, Texas but he was shot and killed in Houston, Texas on 19 Feb 1894 by James B. Mitchell. He had just stepped off of the train from Eagle Lake, TX and was carrying his two year old daughter in his arms who was also hit by a stray bullet. Mitchell began firing and three men lay dead, D. I. Sutton, the constable of Eagle Lake, Melton Sparks, and Dan Gleason, a hack driver for the Globe Hotel. (See the Galveston Daily News story of 20 Feb 1894 and subsequent editions).

William married Constance Eleanor Moore after 1880 in of, Wharton Co, Texas. Constance was born about 1858; died after 1894. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, Wharton Co, Texas

Notes:

Census:
shown single in 1880 with his mother and step father Tom Roberts

Died:
October 5, 1895 Post Special; Eagle Lake, Texas September 28, 1895 -- In a difficulty here tonight, Frank Sparks was seriously if not fatally wounded, and Hope Adams (bro-in-law) was shot in the arm. Sparks is a brother of Milton Sparks who was killed in Houston at the time, Constable Sutton was killed and the difficulty arose about that killing. The shooting occurred at Haynes's Saloon and about ten shots were fired. Frank died October 1, 1895 from the shot he received during the gunfight with Hope Adams. October 1, 1895 in Eagle Lake, Texas. Masonic Cemetery, Eagle Lake, Colorado County, Tex.
Married Fannie Adams

Franklin married Fannie Adams on 14 Jan 1884 in Colorado Co, Texas. Fannie was born about 1860; died after 1885. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1920, Matagorda Co, Texas

Notes:

written by James Willis Sparks, grandson of Milam, son of Leslie.

"Milam was born on March 1, 1863 northwest of Eagle Lake, Texas or about three miles north of a place called Metz. Milam was raised between the Bernard river and Bernard creek. Why Jacob named three of sons "William" after his father I do not know. But that was the way is was on the Census.

His father owned land there, they raised cattle and some farming. Milam grew up to be one of the best in breaking wild horses. They said even though he was small man of about 5'7" and weight about 145 pounds, was few horses that he ever had to get on twice.

Milam grew up in the hard times. When he was only nine years old his father died. There is no proof but some of us believe that he is the one who was killed over some horses. It has been passed down through the years one of the Sparks's had bought two horses and a colt from two men. a few days or so they came back and wanted to buy the horses and colt back. Sparks said he didn't want to sell the horses, and they had a few words like, we will get those horses one-way or the other. Later he (Sparks) was about to cross the Bernard creek, when his pony jumped sideways, and at the same time of gunshots. Sparks roll out of the saddle with his rifle in his hand and when the shooting was over, Sparks had killed both of the men who was trying to buy the horses back. Later they found out the horses had been stolen and they were trying to get them back before the laws could find them. But later, one of their kinfolks shot Sparks either going to town or in town.

Doris Roberts, Milam's sister-in-law, said that she had heard the same thing from the talks of her husband and his half brothers would have. But there has not been any record to show that was the way it happen, or if it even happen. But most tales like these or mostly right.
Milam grew up with a stepfather, after his father died in 1871, Nancy, his mother remarried to Thomas Jefferson Roberts in 1872. Milam had kinfolks in and around Beaumont, Jefferson County, Tex. What ever the reason was Milam was in that area when he met Sarah Francis Adams from Orange, Tex. and married her on August 2, 1884 in Beaumont, Tex. She had kinfolks living in Colorado County. So she may have been visiting there or Milam may have been visiting his kinfolks in Jefferson County. Any way they lived in Colorado County for a while where Milam and family was for a number of years we cannot say. He and his family did not show on any census from the time he left home, until in 1912 in Matagorda County, Texas some 28 years later.

There are a lot of tales about Milam in his younger days. He worked for some of the biggest cattle Kings of that time. After the Civil War there was a lot of big cattle kings and companies that took over the open range and pushed out all of the small cattle ranchers. Down in what is called the valley was (and still is) King Ranch, which covered hundred of square miles. Was said that no man went across this ranch and reached the other side, the riders shot you on sight. Another ranch was Pierce, was know throughout the state as "Shanghai Pierce." He had like King Ranch, hundred of square miles of land. At one time it cover over eight counties and to this day it is called Pierce Estate, has large amounts of land in three or four counties. They said that he got his name because he sold a lots of cattle, but very few would he let off his land.

He would sell the cattle and when they got 30 or 40 miles away some of his men would kill the drivers and bring cattle back to the home range.

They had the same thing over in Jefferson County and some of the other counties around in the state. They called this one The Cattle Industry in the area received when the "Beaumont Pasture Company" was created on March 14, 1878, With William McFaddin, C.C. Caswell, O.M. Kyle, Valentine Weiss, William, and Sam Lee as members. (This Samuel Lee was married to Eliza Sparks, her father was John Sidney Sparks. This was Milam's Uncle or his father's brother.)

During the time that Milam could not be found, as records of census went, he was working for Shinghi Pierce, most everything south of the town of the town of Columbus, Texas or at that point any thing south of the Colorado River was Pierce's land and cattle. Milam also worked for a cattle company named Dallas. He named one of his sons Dallas Reed Sparks. Reed said that his Dad named him after the company and the foreman over the cattle drive.

Later part of the 1800's, Milam and his two half brothers kind of went in business for them self. Now this is another one, we have nothing but stories that has been passed down. Milam and his two half brothers, Thomas (Tom) and Lee Roberts, would slip a few head of cattle of Pierce across the river and put their brand on them and later sold them. They also did a lot of trading of horses and cattle. But they gave up around the early 1900's.

Lee Roberts in later years became a Texas Ranger to help stop cattle rustling. Tom became the Constable in the town of Eagle Lake, Colorado County, Texas. I guess you would call this the wild days of a young man.

Milam and Sarah Francis lived in and around the home place in Metz, Columbus, Eagle Lake in Colorado County. Sarah Francie died May 2, 1897, seven months after her last child, Myrtle Frances was born. Maggie George the oldest girl was almost ten years old when her mother died.

Here Milam was with four children so young. Where he lived was close to his mother, Nancy Johnson Sparks Roberts or not and if she would have help if she had. They said she was ruff and a mean woman. (more hear say) But I'm sure he was needing some one bad. Maggie said she could remember standing on a box of a sort and washing dishes and trying to cook.

Seven months and two days later Milam had found him a new bride. He married Viola "Vee" (Court) Nobles on December 4, 1897 in Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas. There again she was distance kin, as Julia Ann Sparks (John Sidney daughter) married James M. Court. This is where Vee or Viola was born and her family lived. I'm sure they went back to Colorado county soon afterwards, some one was keeping the four kids there. Viola had been married to Leroy E. Nobles and they had one son Loid (not Lloyd) born October 1897. They were living in a place called Spanish Camp (which is still there) about four miles north of Wharton, Texas.

Here again John Sidney's granddaughter, Helen Clair Gentz married Matthew Nobles and had 12 children. Don't know if Noble died, killed or divorced, but the baby was only a few months old when Milam and Viola married. She was living (probably with her parents) at Beaumont, Texas at the time the baby was born. There again we're not sure where Milam and Viola were living. At one time they were living at Lissie in Wharton County.


Doris Roberts and I went to a rest home in Eagle Lake to talk with Bonnie Parker that was living there, (no this is not the great woman outlaw Bonnie Parker.) she was 96 year old and her mine was sharp as a tack. I ask her if she knew a Milam Sparks; she said Oh, Lord yes. He had a pretties little wife named Vee and had a house full of kids. Their oldest boy Merril, I believe his name was. When she called Frank, Merril, I knew for sure that she knew them, because very few people knew his name was Merril.

I asked if she knew Maggie George and she said I don't guess I did. I told her that Maggie George Sparks and Arthur Worthy Sparks got married there in Lissie (where Benniers family was living at the time) on October 27, 1903. She laughed and sad if they got married in Lissie, then my Daddy was the one that married them, because he was the Baptist preacher and the only preacher in town. She said, she was living in Eagle Lake at that time. Bonnie never was married and died at the age of 98 Married 2nd Viola "Vee" (Court) Nobles

Milam's oldest child, Maggie George and her husband, Arthur Worthy Sparks (they were cousin) moved to Lessie, where some seven years earlier they had gotten married. Their son James Leslie born July 6, 1904 was now six and almost 7 years old.. In the first part of 1911 or the last part of 1910 Arthur, Maggie and James Leslie pack up and headed west in to Wharton County some 200 miles away to a little town of Lissie. Where they had gotten married back in 1903 and still living in the area was Maggie's father Milam. They were there for a short time, a few months.

When Milam along with his family and oldest daughter Maggie and her husband, Arthur and his grandson, left Lessie, heading south east to Matagorda County some 150 miles or so. They lived on a place on row Creek about half way between Markham and another little town Clemville. Clemville was just beginning to be a booming oil field.
Here Milam and Viola had their last child, Dallas Reed on July 3, 1911. Then shortly after Maggie and Arthur had their second child, Alvin Brooks on September 28, 1911. Vee just never really recovered, and in January of the following year, 1912 she died. I guess, knowing that she was going to die, had wanted her body shipped back to Jefferson County.

In January of 1912, Milam shipped Viola's body to Port Arthur, Texas, where she was buried in the Sparks Cemetery. (Now at the end of DeQueen Blv. and Lake View Drive. Was once a Sparks settlement, named Aurora, Texas before the name was change in 1897 to Port Arthur, Texas. This cemetery was later (part of) moved to Forest Lawn cemetery in Beaumont, Tex, by Court Order.

Again Milam and family out into the area they call Old Gulf and later Maggie and family did like wise. What year they moved, some 30 or 40 mile closer to the Gulf of Mexico we don't know.Milam married again in 1915 for the third time to Alice Williams who was 18 years old and Milam was 52 year old. Milam and Alice, they lived around Wadsworth, Matagorda County, Tex.. You would think that it was time to retire but not Milam. Alice and Milam had nine children. He was 74 when his last child was born, and he died in 1942 at the age of 79.

Milam and his new wife later moved back up close to the little oil field town of Clemville, Tex. Loid Nobles was still living with Viola and Milam. They did some farming and Milam did his horse trading, I don't know if he was still breaking horses or if some of the boys were doing it. There was a place they called Northern Head Quarters about seven or eight miles north of their place. I would think he and some of his boys sure would have been working out there. Milam's boys didn't much like working in the oil field, they were farmer. In later years they became rice farmers. Milam probably had four or five kids at home from the last marriage.Then again in the 1920's probably around 1925, he moved out on the edge of Clemville, where he lived till he died in January of 1942. All though he did not die in Matagorda County at Clemville. His oldest son, Milam Arthur "Bud" Sparks was living in China, Jefferson County, Tex. near Beaumont, Tex. He took his father home with him because he had been sick for a while. He wanted to take him to a Doctor and to see if they could find what was wrong with him. He was there only a few months when he died. Bud brought his father body back to Bay City, Tex. to be buried in the CedarVale Cemetery with other Sparks's that were buried there.

Alice and the family three of her kids moved up closer to the store in Clemville.I remember my Great Grandfather, Milam very clear, I was 15 years old when he passed away. I would say that he was the same height as my father, James Leslie Sparks who was Milam's grandson, which was 5"7" tall, weight 145 pounds, and 7 or 71/2 shoe or boot. Milam wasn't built like my father with heavy muscles in the upper part of the body.

Milam always had horses and a few cows. He was buying and selling in his late years. This was back when they still was having a lot of trouble with screwworm. My Dad, Leslie was gone a lot, he was a driller and was off looking for oil. When we need a cow or calf needed doctoring Grandpa Milam would come down and doctor it. He said back when he worked for them big cattle company, hides would bring almost as much as the whole cow. So when a number of cattle would die for what ever the reason would be. He had eat his dinner sitting on the side of a dead cow a many time. The way he doctored for screwworm was he took his finger or a stick (if he had one) and clean out all the worms that he could, he had some kind of mixture that he mixed up to kill the worms. Put that in the hole and then packed dry manure in on top. He said the medicine would kill most of the worms and the dry manure would be come wet and smother the rest, as this healed it would push out the cow manure.

Milam last home was about a quarter of a mile or so from his oldest child, Maggie. He would ride down there and have coffee as many did. They had open range then (no fences only pens) so it was left up to you to keep your stock in your area. There was a man that lived up in town that like to think that he ran the town. Any way, word was that this man told Milam that he was going to have to pen his cows. Milam told this guy: You may run that part of town where you live, but don't come down here trying to tell me what I'm going to do or not going to do. The best thing you can do is get your *#*++* ass back over there and don't mess with me because I'll shoot your *#*++* ass off. I Don't believe he ever said any more to Milam after that. He didn't mess with any one and he didn't want you to mess with him.


Milam would set on the front porch in a straight back chair for hours at a time looking out across open land. Probably think about the old days when he used ride all over this part of the country.I remember Bud (his oldest son) had bought his Dad a new pair of cowboy Boots. He looked at them and pitch them back in the box, "I won't wearing them dam Drug Store Boots". All he would ever wear was what they call the stove top boot, that came up almost to the knee. Bud though they would have been easer to get on and off. He wore those long-johns, two pair of pants the year round with no shirt in the summer.

Now if he went some place he would get all deck out in his best boots and hat. The story goes Milam was as good as they came when it came to bronco-busting, his son Arthur (Bud) was they said just as good. My father, Leslie told me this happened; There was a group of men standing around drinking. When one said, I got a horse out there tied to a tree has never been rode and can't be rode. Milam said for $50 dollars I'll ride him right now.

Well Milam got on that horse and after a few jumps Milam came off. Bud said Pa would have rode that horse if he hadn't been drunk. That man laughed and said can you do any better? Bud said yes; if you got a $100 dollars when I step down off that horse. The man laughed again and said hell yes. Bud put on his chaps and tied down his spurs and said hold his head. Before the horse gave up, Bud had that horse bleeding as far down as he could reach and dragging his spurs up the shoulder and neck. Bud stepped down off that horses and took that $100 and said if you all have more of them horses that no one can ride for a $100, Pa and I will take you money.

I went down to Grandpa Milam's and played with Clair Lee, who was about my age and Milam Lloyd was a little younger. (every one call Lloyd "Bull") One day I was over there and it was time for me to go home, Bull went and ask Pa (Milam) if he could go home with me for a while, Grandpa said no and you are not leaving this yard. Well in the mean time it had started raining. Grandpa Milam had gone out to the barn about 30 yards from the house to relive him self. Grandma Alice (I don't believe any one called her Grandma, Just Alice, why I don't know Because kids just didn't call adults by their first name) gave me Bull's coat and cap to wear home to keep from getting wet. I went out the back door and out in to the cow lot around the barn and started climbing over the board fence. As I was climbing over the top of the fence, Grandpa Milam grabbed me off the fence at the same time started whaling the hell out me. Saying Bull, I told you not to leave this dam yard. I was yelling Grandpa this is not Bull. Finally he said oh Hell I though you were Bull.

All these years Loid (Milam's stepson, most ever one knew Loid by the nick name of Duke.) "Duke" lived with Milam and helped support the family. If it hadn't been for Duke, for ten to fifteen years before Milam died and that long or longer after he died, the family could never have made it without him. Duke gave his whole life to supporting Milam's families. Seem like my Dad said that Bud took Duke to Beaumont to see a Uncle Nobles and some of his kinfolks, but I don't know which of the Nobles it was. Duke's father was Joseph G. Nobles from Beaumont, Tex. I don't guess his father ever came to see him or his father may have been dead. He lived his last days with a half sister Pauline (Sparks) Stoffer.

About ever one knew Pauline as "Peggy" as this was what Duke call her. Pauline was married to Vernon Stoffer at that time, Varian died 2/4/1980 and later married John Landrum (/18/1981.Of all the years that Duke lived around Clemville, I have for the first time to hear any one say any thing bad about him. Duke would help any one and would not ask for any pay. But all the people around spoke well of Duke and was always giving him extra work to do. Milam had 13 girls and 7 boys, he always said that he had 22 children. Alice lost two children, don't know if any of the other wife did.

I guess you would have to say that Milam was the last of the rough riders, for he surely was a breed of his own. He and his brother were probably like their father ;Jacob. All of Milam's boys were a little on the rough side also. To tell the truth I don't think there is a Sparks that would walk away from a fight.

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/3139485/person/-1604307211/media/1

Census:
Milam Sparks 1863 TX TX TX
Alice Sparks, wife 1899 TX TX TX
Wilford 1901
Ellis 1903
Ruby 1905
Frank 1908
Lilly 1810
Dallas Reid 1912
Lorene 1819
Eloise 1920

William married Sarah Frances Adams about 1886. Sarah was born in 1868 in Orange Co, Texas; died on 02 May 1897 in Colorado Co, Texas; was buried in Allyton Cem, Colorado Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Viola "Vee" Courts on 4 Dec 1897 in Jefferson Co, Texas. Viola (daughter of James* Madison Court and Julia* Ann Sparks) was born in Jul 1879 in Sparks Settlement, Aurora, Jefferson Co, Texas; died in Jan 1912 in Matagorda Co, Texas; was buried in McFaddin, TF Smith Homestead, Forest Lawn Cem, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Alice Williams in 1915 in Matagorda Co, Texas. Alice was born on 26 Jun 1897 in Matagorda Co, Texas; died on 30 May 1974 in Clemville, Matagorda Co, Texas; was buried in Hawley Cem, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Irene Roberts about 1888. Irene (daughter of Thomas Jefferson Roberts, Sr and Elizabeth Johnson) was born on 5 Jan 1866 in Allerton (near), Texas; died on 14 Jul 1938 in Eagle Lake, Colorado Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1910, Beaumont (Precinct 6), Jefferson Co, Texas

Notes:

Informant on son Herbert Custard's d.c. on Oct 9, 1918, in Bay City, Matagorda, Texas.

Jacob Sidney or ?Little Jake was born about 10 miles northwest of Columbus, Colorado County, Tx., between the Bernard river and the Bernard creek. His father, Jacob E. or ?Jake? did a little farming but mostly cattle. Little Jake never got to know his father as he was not quite 2 years old when his father died. (Or rather when he was killed)Little Jake didn?t stay around in the area long after his mother died. He lived in the Jefferson County area in 1910, a widower at 42 with 6 children and working in the oil field. Looks like Fannie died having their last child. Which was born on the 8/15/1908 and didn?t live long enough to be named. So she died for sure between the 8/15/1908 and when the census were taken in 1910.They lived a while in Matagorda County in the Clemville area for a while. I guess after Fannie died it was hard to stay any where long.Little Jake last address was 300 Houston St. Luling, Tx.. Later moved in with son James Ray at 217 Cottonwood St. Luling, Tx. Jake?s oldest son, Hebert Custard died 10/8/1918 while living there in the Clemville area. Clemville was and still is a oil field town. Back around that time it was booming.Jacob Sidney and most of the family are buried in the Cemetery at Luling.
(by James Willis Sparks - on Ancestry.com)

Census:
Sparks, Jacob S. 42 1868 widowed TX TX TX laborer oil field
Dhi dau 18 1892
Pearl dau 16 1894
Herbert son 13 1897
Ray son 10 1900
Alice 7 dau 1903
Nettie B. dau 5 1905

Jacob married Fannie Irene Courts on 13 Jan 1892 in Jefferson Co, Texas. Fannie (daughter of James* Madison Court and Julia* Ann Sparks) was born in 1875 in Sparks Settlement, Aurora, Jefferson Co, Texas; died before 1910 in Jefferson Co, Texas; was buried in McFaddin, TF Smith Homestead, Forest Lawn Cem, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Mamie Lee McBride about 1907. Mamie was born on 31 Jul 1891 in Seguin, Guadalupe Co, Texas; died on 1 Feb 1977 in Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Beulah married Charles Ellingston on 31 Dec 1902 in Travis Co, Texas. Charles was born about 1881; died about 1960 in of, Huntsville, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ora married William Monroe Wolf, Sr. on 21 Aug 1901 in Austin, Travis Co, Texas. William was born on 18 Sep 1876 in Arkansas; died on 30 Sep 1934 in Austin, Travis Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Benjamin married Elsie M. (..) Nicholson after 1920 in Austin, Travis Co, Texas. Elsie was born in 1893 in Texas; died after 1940 in of, Austin, Travis Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Bexar County Hospital, Bexar Co, Texas, length of stay: 10 days
born Oct 23, 1902, age 70
died Jun 1 1973
Painter, U.S. Army Base
married, had not served in Armed Forces
father Benjamin Franklin Nicholson
mother Sophronia Sparks
informant: Olaf L. Nicholson
Roselawn Memorial Park, Bexar Co, Texas
(findagrave has memorial showing his headstone in San Fernando Cem #3, San Antonio.

Maggie married Arthur Worthy "Slim" Sparks on 27 Oct 1903 in Lissie, Wharton Co, Texas. Arthur (son of James Christian (Coleman) Sparks, Sr and Ella Janet Smith) was born on 11 Jan 1884 in Sparks Settlement, Aurora, Jefferson Co, Texas; died on 29 May 1957 in Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas; was buried in Cedarvale Cem, Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Arthur married Edna Annie Perry about 1915. Edna was born on 31 May 1897 in Texas; died on 14 Nov 1942 in Jefferson Co, Texas; was buried in Cedarvale Cem, Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Valee married William Wakefield about 1908. William was born about 1895; died after 1908. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Katie Ruth O'Rear about 1924 in Matagorda Co, Texas. Katie was born on 28 Jun 1900; died on 25 Jan 1976 in La Marque, Texas; was buried in Roselawn Cem, Van Vieck, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Ethel Marjorie Johnson on 3 Oct 1947 in Lissie, Wharton Co, TExas. Ethel was born on 3 Oct 1918 in Bremond, Texas; died on 24 May 1980 in Blessing, Matagorda Co, Texas; was buried in Hawley Cem, El Maton, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ellis married Ollie Mae Albers about 1920. Ollie was born about 1900; died after 1920. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ruby married Charles Foster "Buddy" Hooper on 3 Jan 1923 in Matagorda Co, Texas. Charles was born on 1 Oct 1900 in Houston, Harris Co, Texas; died on 22 Jun 1969 in Houston, Harris Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1930, Houston, Harris Co, Texas

Notes:

Census:
Gayle Johnson 23 married at 20 MO MO MO helper oil field
Lillie Johnson 20 married at 17 TX TX TX
George Edgar Johnson 11/12 TX TX TX

Lillie married Ernest Gale Johnson in 1926 in Harris Co, Texas. Ernest was born in 1907 in Missouri; died after 1930 in of, Harris Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Lillie married Carl Darnl about 1935. Carl was born about 1906; died after 1940 in of, Harris Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Vivian married Charles Thomas White on 2 Feb 1913 in Eagle Lake, Colorado Co, Texas. Charles was born about 1894; died after 1925. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
d.c., name shown as Dye Vernon Malloy
estimated birth year: 1893
died 13 Apr 1953 Luling, Caldwell, Texas
birth date: 17 Feb 1897, Beaumont
married
mother Fannie Courts
father Jake Sparks
(bro also born in 1897, different month, so apparently an error somewhere)

Dye married J.C. Malloy about 1913. J.C. was born in 1885 in Michigan; died after 1953 in of, Luling, Caldwell, Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
d.c. Custard Sparks, engineer, married, 21 y.o.
cause of death: influenza, pneumonia
father: J.S. Sparks, birthplace: Colorado Co, TX
mother, Fannie Irene Courts, born in Beaumont.
Informant J.S. Sparks

Ray married Mrs. Elsie B. (..) Sparks after 1920. Elsie was born in 1902; died in 1958 in Luling, Caldwell Co, Texas; was buried in Luling Cem, Luling, Caldwell Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alvin married Yvonne Shirley about 1945. Yvonne was born on 15 Jun 1920 in Pollock, Grant Co, Louisiana; died on 7 Nov 2004 in Crystal Beach, Galveston Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Berta Beatrice Hobbs on 28 Mar 1923 in Angleton, Brazoria Co, Texas. Berta was born on 21 Apr 1906 in Oklahoma; died on 23 Aug 1982 in Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Anne Mary Possey. Anne was born on 3 May 1912 in Union Valley, Wilson Co, Texas; died on 20 Jul 2008 in Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas; was buried in Cedarvale Cem, Bay City, Magagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Milam married Lenah Maytoese Farthing about 1937. Lenah was born about 1915; died after 1938. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Arthuryrene married Richard Clair Harrison on 29 Sep 1943 in Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas. Richard was born on 5 Feb 1918 in Bay City, Matagorda Co, Texas; died on 13 Nov 1962 in Markham, Matagorda Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Arthuryrene married (..) White, Mr after 1962. (..) was born about 1924; died after 1962. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Evelyn married Jessie W. Clark, Jr. about 1944, and was divorced between 1945 and 1946. Jessie (son of Jessie W. Clark, Sr. and Susie Trammell) was born on 7 Oct 1919 in Madisonville, Madison Co, Texas; died on 2 Nov 1988 in Wichita Falls North, Wichita Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Evelyn married William Polk Curry about 1950 in Texas. William was born on 11 Nov 1919; died on 24 Aug 2007 in Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Evelyn married Garland Clark, Jr. in 1960 in Texas. Garland (son of Garland Clark, Sr. and Mrs. Emily (..) Clark) was born on 12 Dec 1924 in Ville Platte, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana; died on 13 Apr 1990 in Ville Platte, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Barzilla. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Dorothy married John Laverne Zumwalt before 1940 in Fort Bend Co, or Wharton Co, Texas. John (son of John Layne Zumwalt and Jeanette Nancy "Jennie" Harris) was born on 5 May 1915 in Montana; died on 19 Jul 1974 in San Antonio, Bexar Co, Texas; was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cem, San Antonio, Bexar Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Dorothy married John Pennino after 1975 in Mississippi. John was born about 1914; died before 1995 in San Antonio, Bexar Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Raymond married Mary Kathryn Brisbois on 7 Dec 1942 in Richmond, Texas. Mary was born about 1921. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Arlene married Sidney Warren Daves about 1944. Sidney was born about 1924. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Cecilia Court, (related?) [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Dorothy L. Ashworth, (dau of who?) [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Linda Henderson [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Donna A. (..) Sparks [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Margaret J. Hobbins [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Mrs. Jane (..) Sparks [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

J.H. (by 1hoodshook)
predicted 4th
predicted 4th - 6th
confidence extremely high

to Gloria

also managed by 1hoodshook
P.H.
range 2nd - 3rd
confidence extremely high
to Gloria

P.H. is aunt to J.H.


1hoodshook does not show a match but is kin by 6th cousin and 10th cousin.

Family/Spouse: James (1hoodshook) Hood. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
OBIT:
ZUMWALT
Thomas Layne Zumwalt, age 66, died on Saturday, March 7, 2009, following a courageous battle with lymphoma. A seventh-generation Texan, Tom was born in Sugar Land, Texas on April 13, 1942, to Dorothy Maye White and John L. Zumwalt. He grew up in Fort Bend, County, Texas and the Mississippi Delta. His late mother frequently described him as a devoted son. He spent the war years (WWII) with his mother's family in Richmond, Texas while his father was serving in the U.S. Army. His maternal grandfather, Charles T. White (Daddy Charlie), was highly influential in Tom's formation. After the war, Tom's father left the Service and joined the White family's rice farming business in Richmond, Texas. One of Tom's childhood friends from the Mississippi Delta was Patricia Sheldon (now of Houston), who thought of Tom's mother Dorothy as a second mother. When Tom was about nine years old, his parents purchased a large plantation in Mississippi (miles from anywhere) and moved there to farm the fertile soil of the Delta. Tom returned every summer to Richmond to spend time with his grandparents -- back when it was safe for kids to ride the Greyhound bus alone. While living in Greenville, Mississippi, Tom was active in many organizations, including the Delta Bachelors Club, the Sons of the American Revolution, Boys' State (a summer leadership and citizenship program), and 4-H. He raised and showed champion Black Angus heifers. Greenville was known for producing more prize-winning authors than any other town, and Tom often remarked that this undoubtedly had much to do with the rich source material found in the social fabric of Greenville. Tom graduated from a preparatory school at historic Jefferson College (founded 1802) in Washington, Mississippi, in 1960, and from Auburn University in 1965 with a five-year professional degree in architecture. He was hand-picked for the architecture program by Paul Rudolph, a well-known alumnus of the program, in the first year that Auburn acquired its university status and changed its name from Alabama Polytechnic Institute to Auburn University. (Rudolph had also studied with Walter Gropius at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and was chairman of the Yale Department of Architecture from 1958 to 1965.) Tom went to Europe for a year upon graduation (in 1965) to travel, liked it and decided to stay and work there. He took a job with the Adjutant General, based in Frankfurt-Roedelheim, Germany, where he worked for seven years developing classified documents. While working for the Adjutant General, he met several of his life-long friends. He became good friends with one of his colleagues and mentors, John Pennino, and John's wife Betty, and traveled extensively with them. Another good friend that he met in Germany was Jo Shaw, now Dr. Jo Shaw Kiley of San Antonio. In later years, when both John Pennino and Tom's mother Dorothy had been widowed, John and Dorothy married. Tom also took advantage of the many cultural opportunities in Europe, attending the opera frequently. Several of Tom's friends were internationally-known musicians so he traveled to attend their concerts. Tom also graduated from the Cordon Bleu school of cooking in Paris, and was known among his friends as an excellent cook. He enjoyed skiing and sledding in Austria; his friend Jo Shaw Kiley remembers one misadventure when he rode an errant lunge through the kitchen window of a luxury hotel. The last thing I saw, he said, was a room full of Austrian chefs holding large knives and skewers. After his time with the Adjutant General, Tom turned his interests back to architecture and design, and went to work for the Army Corps of Engineers to oversee the interior design of all U.S. facilities in Europe. Due to a new Status of Forces bill, a great deal of work was being done in that period (the early 1970s). His team renovated buildings in Europe from as early as the Middle Ages and built modern facilities. The head of Army Corps of Engineers met Tom while in Germany, and made Tom an offer to handle many of the major construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The infrastructure project in Saudi Arabia was one of the largest budgets ever managed by the U.S. governments (and was paid for by the Saudi government). Tom lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for seven or eight years, including three years at a private company in Jeddah. Tom had a long and successful career in interior design, and was known for his understanding of the interior design and exterior design of a building and how they worked together. Eventually Tom returned to the United States and worked as a private consultant. The Sverdrup Company, at the time one of the largest architectural and engineering firms in the world, was based in Rosslyn, Virginia. Sverdrup hired him to work on the design of a large number of U.S. embassies. After the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut in 1983, the Inman Commission recommended the replacement and fortification of embassies all over the world. Sverdrup was still family-owned when Tom worked there. The company had the contract for the new embassies as part of the Embassy Task Group. His work on the embassies took him to Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South America and Central America. Tom noted that he was one of the few people to have spent a great deal of time in the Yemen. He also traveled down the Nile from Alexandria to Khartoum twice - by local boat or dhow, and came back up by horseback and camel. Following his work with Sverdrup, Tom formed a design partnership for several years with architect Dwight Matthews in Virginia. While living in Virginia, Tom enjoyed riding to hounds. He also became close to the Matthews family. Dwight, his wife Jennifer, and their children Dorian and Whitney have remained friends for life. Tom retired in the early 1990s and moved back to San Antonio, when his friend and stepfather, John Pennino, became ill. He stayed when his mother was widowed and cared for her until her death in 2008. Although near the end of her life his mother used a walker and was losing her eyesight, Tom always ensured that she was beautifully turned out and that she had an active social life. While in San Antonio Tom had many friends, and was a fixture on the Starbucks patio, meeting a group every morning for coffee. He was popular with his neighbors and hosted a Friday afternoon neighborhood happy hour for years. All his friends admired his kindness and patience with his mother. A friend once described him as a true Christian gentleman. Tom was a member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, and served as president of the William Barrett Travis Chapter Number 7 for two years. Through the SRT, he became friends with Tom Jackson, also an officer of the chapter. Tom was also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; St. Mark's Episcopal Church; and served on the Board of Directors of San Antonio Botanical Society. He is survived by his cousins, Linda Kay Gubbels and her husband Pat of Rosenberg, Texas, and Janet Lee Enax; his aunts Arlene Davis and Mary Kathryn White, also of Fort Bend County; his stepfather's daughter, Gail Consaul and her husband, Parker III, of Fort Worth; the Matthews family, Dwight, Jennifer, Whitney and Dorian, of Virginia. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Friday, March 13, at 3:00 pm. Tom's ashes will be interred near those of his family at the Morton Cemetery in Richmond, Texas. In lieu of flowers, please make gifts to St. Mark's Music Fund, 315 E. Pecan Street, San Antonio, TX 78205, or to the William Barrett Travis Chapter Number 7 of the Sons of the Republic of Texas.

Thomas married Betty (..) Zumwalt [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Linda married Julius Patrick Gubbels on 20 Feb 1965 in Rosenberg, Fort Bend, Texas. Julius was born about 1944. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Janet married Darwin Fred Enax on 24 Aug 1974 in Richmond, Texas. Darwin was born about 1954. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]