Tuscola-Livingston County MI Archives Biographies.....Sprague, Ira A. 1838 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 12, 2007, 9:02 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

IRA A. SPRAGUE is a farmer residing on section 7, Millington Township, Tuscola
County. He is a native of New York, and was born January 14,1838, being a son of
John T. and Sally (Littlefield) Sprague, both natives of New York. They were the
parents of seven children, two sons and five daughters. John T. Sprague came to
Michigan and settled on a farm in Livingston County and thence went to Hartland
Center where he was engaged at the cooper's trade. He came to Tuscola Township
in 1854 and there lived and died, his decease occurring in January, 1861; his
wife survived until November, 1879. Although John Sprague was always more or
less engaged as a farmer, he united with that the occupation of a cooper.

  Our subject was reared in Livingston County, this State, after he was a lad of
seven years, until seventeen years of age. He remained at home with his parents
until their decease. He purchased the farm whereon he now lives in March, 1861,
and here has one hundred and sixty acres, most of which is well improved. He has
done much pioneer work, having redeemed the place that is now so beautifully
cultivated, from a state of utter wildness.

  Mr. Sprague was married in Flint February 25, 1868, to Miss Emily J. Neff, of
Vienna Township, Genesee County. She is a daughter of W. W. Neff, a native of
Connecticut and an early settler in the place where the daughter was born,
February 25, 1838. To our subject and his wife two children have been born: Ray
W., who died in infancy, and E. Jane, who died at the age of nine years. Mr.
Sprague is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Grand Army
of the Republic. In politics he is a Republican, and has served as Supervisor of
the township for four terms and as Township Treasurer for six years. He has been
Justice of the Peace, Township Clerk and Highway Commissioner and has been in
one office or another for the past twenty years.

  Our subject enlisted in the United States service in August, 1862, and after
brave and loyal service was honorably discharged in July, 1865. He was a
participant in all the battles in the Atlanta campaign; was also at Nashville,
Wilmington and Town Creek. He enlisted as a private but was promoted, first to
the post of Corporal and later to that of Orderly Sergeant, which position he
maintained until the close of the war. Prior to the Atlanta campaign he took
part in the battles of Perrysville, Campbell Station and Knoxville, and was also
at Strawberry Plains and Franklin, Tenn.

  The attention of the reader is invited to a view of the pleasant homestead of
Mr. Sprague, which appears in another portion of this volume.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892

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