JAMES ALLEN SPARKS

An old and respected resident of Perry township, Clinton county, is
James Allen Sparks, one of our early settlers, a man who has lived to
see great changes take place in this locality, and he has by no means
been an idle spectator, always doing his share of the work of
development in a material, civil and moral way, taking pride in the
upbuilding of the same. He talks most interesting of the early day
conditions and of the changing times. He has devoted his life to
general agricultural pursuits and has met with a fair measure of
success all along the line, and, having lived as near as it is
possible for mortals to live by the Golden Rule, he has always
enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbors.

Mr. Sparks was born in the year 1838. He comes of an old and
industrious family, established a number of years ago in the East. He
is the son of Thomas Sparks, who was born in Ohio, he was the son of
Richard Sparks, also a native of the Buckeye state, the last named
having been a son of James Sparks, a native of Ireland, from which
country he emigrated to America in the colonial days and became a
soldier in the Revolutionary war, fighting with the patriots for
independence, and from that day to this his descendants have been
known for their patriotism and public spirit. To Richard Sparks the
following children were born: William, Joseph, James, died in Ohio;
Thomas, Allen, Robert, Polly, Margaret and two daughters who died in
early life. The mother of our subject was Martha Loveless before her
marriage. She was a native of Ohio, a daughter of Benjamin Loveless
and wife, the latter being known in her maidenhood as Catherine
Besley. The mother of our subject was a woman of fine character,
gentle, kind, neighborly, hospitable, and proved to be an excellent
helpmeet.

To Thomas and Martha Sparks eight children were born, namely: Allen,
Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Emeline, Minerva, Joseph, John, Henry, and one
who died in infancy.

James Allen Sparks grew to manhood on the home farm where he had
considerable hard work to do when he became of proper age. He
received such education as the old-time schools afford, in the log
cabins school houses, equipped with puncheon seats and floor, a
fireplace and greased paper for window panes. During the Civil war he
was one of the militia and served a short time in the army in
repelling Morgan s raid into Indiana and Ohio. In starting out in
life for himself he worked about his native community for a time,
then went to Indianapolis where he remained for a short time, then
went on to Illinois, but it was not long until he returned to Indiana
and here he has since resided. He has a good farm in Perry township,
Clinton county, which he has kept well improved and well cultivated
and here has met with much success as a general farmer and stock
raiser. He has a good home and good outbuildings. He lives three
miles out of Colfax. He is a lover of good horses and keeps some
excellent ones.


Mr. Sparks was married on April 5, 1865, to Maria Wainscott, a native
of Kentucky, an old family of the Blue Grass state, and there she was
reared and received an education similar to that of our subject.
Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, of
Colfax. He belongs to the United Brethren church as does his wife. He
is a trustee in the same and is active in church affairs.

SOURCE: Pages 968 969. History of Clinton County, Indiana by Hon.
Joseph Claybaugh, published 1913 by A. W. Bowen & Company;
Indianapolis, Indiana.


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