My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Sebastian County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

D. B. Sparks, boot and shoe merchant, at Fort Smith, Ark., was born in that city in June, 1850, being the son of Mitchell and Hannah (Bennett) Sparks. The father was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and was educated in Trinity College, Dublin Institute. He graduated in medicine, but never practiced his profession. He immigrated to America when a young man, locating at Fort Smith, where he engaged in merchandising up and down the river, and entered the business with a man by the name of Miller, who was one of the leading merchants of Fort Smith for many years. Mr. Sparks was married in New York, in 1847, to Miss Hannah Bennett, a native of Massachusetts. After marriage they moved to Fort Smith, and Mitchell Sparks died in 1864. Mrs. Sparks is still alive, and is now residing at Fort Smith. She was the mother of six children, four of whom are yet living, three sons and a daughter. D. B. Sparks was educated in Massachusetts, and afterward returned to Fort Smith, where he was for some time connected with the Elporaso Stage Company, was again associated with the transfer, and for two years was engaged in the saddler’s business. He has now, for six years, been occupied in the wholesale boot and shoe business. D. B. Sparks was married to Miss Lillie Pryor, daughter of one of the early settlers of Fort Smith. Four children have been the result of this union: George, Jerry, Kate and Bennett. Mr. Sparks is a member of the A. F. & A. M., also the K. of H., and his wife is a member of the Episcopal Church.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 217 biographies included in The History of Sebastian County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Sebastian County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Sebastian County, Arkansas family biographies here: Sebastian County, Arkansas

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.