Biographical Sketch of William Truman Sprague, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** William Truman Sprague, who has been a resident of Johnson county, Missouri, for forty-one years, is a pioneer worthy of the greatest consideration and esteem. He was born in Macon county, Illinois, on November 27, 1838, the son of Henry Harrison and Katharine (Kirk- patrick) Sprague, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Ohio. Henry Harrison and Katharine Sprague were the parents of the following children: Lewis M., Scotland county, Missouri; William T., the subject of this review; Mrs. Mary Martin, Clark county, Miss- ouri; Luther, who was a Civil War veteran, serving in Company A, 2nd Missouri Cavalry, a former resident of Warrensburg, Missouri who died in Nebraska; Mrs. Celestia Freelove, Memphis, Missouri; Milton, Craw- ford, Nebraska; Augustus, who resides in Kansas; Mrs. Livona Watson, who resides in Nebraska; and Henry, who resides in Nebraska. William Truman Sprague was reared and educated in Scotland county, Missouri. When the Civil War began he went to Lewis county and at Memphis, Miss- ouri enlisted under Captain Dawson, with Company A, 2nd Missouri Cav- alry, with whom he served one and a half years, re-enlisting at Athens, Missouri. In a skirmish near Lancaster, Missouri, Mr. Sprague was shot in the left foot, the bullets entering the instep, one of which bullets remained in his foot for fifty-three years. It was re- moved in 1915. Mr. Sprague was mustered out at St. Louis in 1865, having served faithfully throughout the war. After the war, Mr. Sprague returned to Lewis county, Missouri, where he remained ten years. He then moved from Lewis county to Johnson county, locating on a farm comprising 40 acres of land in Jefferson township, which land he purchased for ten dollars an acre. He afterward increased his holdings by purchasing 160 acres. Mr. Sprague sold this farm in 1910 and moved to Warrensburg. He had resided on the farm in Jefferson township thirty-four years. March 15, 1866, William Truman Sprague and Margaret Sproat, born September 10, 1849, the daughter of William and Mary Sproat, of Williamstown, Missouri, were united in marriage. William Sproat died in 1906 and his remains were interred in New Church cemetery in Jefferson township. Mrs. Sproat now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. William Sprague. She was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania in 1828 and is still enjoying good health at the advanced age of 89 years. To William T. and Margaret (Sproat) Sprague have been born the following children: Mrs. Clara Kimzey, Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Estell Greim, Warrensburg, Mo.; Mrs. Alma Saults, the wife of Dr. H. A. Saults, of Valley City, Mo.; Albert E., Springfield, Mo.; Mrs. Leota Corson, Windsor, Mo. Estell Greim, the husband of the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sprague, went to Kansas in 1879 and homesteaded 160 acres of land near Wichita nineteen miles south of Leoti, and when he had proven his claim, he returned to Johnson county. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague have been residents of this county since 1876. When William Truman Sprague's father came to Scotland county, Missouri and settled near Memphis, their nearest neighbor was an uncle, Luther Stevens, who lived two and a half miles away. Mr. Morgan lived ten miles from the Sprague home and the next nearest neighbor was Mr. Glascock, fifty miles away. The flour of the Sprague's was exhausted and the father returned to Illinois for provisions. He became ill while away and for six weeks was unable to return. In the meantime the family were suffering from lack of food and were using bran for flour. Mrs. Sprague, a noble, brave, pioneer mother, walked to the home of Mr. Morgan, ten miles away, and inform- ed him of their condition and he promptly responded to her appeal by sending to the Sprague home two bushels of meal and a side of bacon, which food lasted until the father's return. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================