My Genealogy Hound

John T. Sparks, a farmer of Strawberry Township, Smithville post office, Lawrence County, was born in Alabama, February 8, 1843. His father, John Sparks, was born in Alabama about 1811, and died there in 1847, and Sarah (Bowlen) Sparks, his mother, was born in Georgia in 1815, dying in Lawrence County in 1887. The family consisted of eight children, three of whom are living: John, James L. and Isaac, all residing in Sharp County, our subject being the eldest. John T. ,was raised in Alabama till the age of eleven years, when he went to Tennessee with his parents, remaining there till he was eighteen years of age, when his mother and family removed to Lawrence County, Ark., living there a short time, and finally moving to where our subject now lives. He received his education in Arkansas, and, in 1869, married Miss Susan Webb, who was born in Polk County, Mo., in 1845, and died in 1871; she was the mother of two children, both living: Mary J. (wife of James Wheeler) and William N. In 1872 Mr. Sparks married Miss Alvira Hill, who was born in Lawrence County, Ark., in 1850, the daughter of Daniel and Delia Hill, Mr. Hill being a native of Virginia, and one of the early settlers of Lawrence County, where his wife was born. By this marriage there was a family of five children, three living: Ellen O., Causette and Edward B. In April, 1862, our subject enlisted in the Confederate army, serving under Capt. Huddleson until 1865; he was in all the battles west of the Mississippi River, in the cavalry. At the close of the war he resumed farming, and has also held the offices of constable of his township and justice of the peace four years. He is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.