History of Sparks Family
by
Christopher C. Sparks
The following sketch of family history I now undertake to give, hoping it will be of some interest to all the relatives and especially my children.
My paternal great grand father's name was John Sparks, who was born in 1755. He was a native of North Carolina. His wife was a native of New Jersey. Her given name was Mollie, don't know her maiden name. They had six children, four boys and two girls, ) William, Robert, Samuel, Enoch, Rebecca and Elizabeth. They moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina in the years between 1835 and 1840. They came to Franklin County, Alabama where they spent the remainder of their lives.
My maternal grand father's name was Thomas Benson. He lived in the state of Tennessee. I know little of his family. He has three children: John, William, and one daughter. I don't know her name, she married an Ursery.
My paternal grand father's name was William Sparks. He was born in 1782 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. He moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina where he married. His wife's name was Eunice Woodruff. I know but little of her folks. They had fourteen children, seven boys and seven girls, to-wit John, Polly, Riley, Rebecca, Artomesa, Willis, Anna, Saleta, Jerry, Elisha, and Elijah, who were twins, Elvira, Permelia and William.
My maternal grand father's name was John Benson. He was born in Bledsoe County, Tennessee. His wife was Rhoda Tollerson. I know little of her folks. They moved to Franklin County, Alabama in the year 1815, where they lived the rest of their lives. They had nine children, four boys and five girls, to-wit: Nancy, (my mother), William, David, Daniel, Melinia, Mary Ann, Jack of John, Lucetta and Manervia.
My father's name was Riley Sparks. He was born in Spartanburg District, South Carolina on October 22, 1811. His father (William Sparks) moved to Franklin County, Alabama and drove into the town of Russellville on the 20th day of December, 1811, when young Riley was nine years of age. Riley Sparks was married to Nancy Benson on the 20th day of December 1832. She (my mother) was born in White County, Tennessee on January 15th, 1815. My parents had ten children, seven boys and three girls, to-wit: William B., Mary J., Daniel R., John A., James M., Martha A., Christopher C., Riley F., Lemuel N., and Nancy V. The family is all dead except Lemuel.
I, C. C. Sparks (Christopher Columbus) was born in Frankfort, Alabama December 30, 1846. I married
Adaline Elizabeth Cook on January 2, 1868. She was born in Franklin County, Alabama July 3, 1850. We had
eleven children, eight boys and three girls, namely: Arthur, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George
Washington, Lemuel, Oscar Mahan, Benjamin Franklin, Joseph, Mattie, Rebecca, Viola. (Jeff, Joe and Viola
are triplets.)
The following was added by C. C. Spark's granddaughter, Lula Estelle Sparks.
My fathers's name is Benjamin Franklin SPARKS. He was born in Frankfort, Alabama December 4, 1880. He was married to Farra Bell King on October 5, 1902. She was born in Colbert County, Alabama, the daughter fo Joseph Henry King and Sarah Bynum (Byrd) King, on May 16th 1882. They moved to Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1915 where they still live. They had six children, four boys and two girls, namely: Lester Lee, Robert Luther, William Floyd, Lula Estelle, Earl Wilson, and May Margaret. (May Margaret died the same year she was born, 1922.
Christopher C. Sparks first married Adaline Cook, who died at the age of 31, and the married Elizabeth Ezzell, who died April 28, 1917.
Christopher C. Sparks died April 23, 1923. *Note: Mollie is Mary Parmely