John A. Spargo Biography


	This biography appears on pages 983-984 in "History of South Dakota" 
	by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited 
	by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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JOHN A. SPARGO. master mechanic of the great Homestake Mining 
Company, was born in Polk county, Tennessee on the 12th of October, 
1853, and is a son of James and Mary (May) Spargo, both of whom were 
born in England. James Spargo, Sr., grandfather of the subject. was 
likewise a native of England, and there passed the closing years of his 
life, though he had spent a number of years as a resident of Cuba. In 
1842 the father of the subject came to America to accept the position of 
mechanical engineer for a copper-mining company in eastern Tennessee, 
bringing machinery with him to complete the equipment of the plant. He 
remained in the employ of one concern for the period of thirty years and 
is now living retired, in company with his devoted wife, in Polk county, 
Tennessee, having attained the venerable age of eighty years. During the 
Civil war the mines with which he was connected were confiscated and 
worked by the Confederate government, and he continued in the same 
position until the original owners again assumed control.  

	John A. Spargo, the eldest of the three children, all of whom are 
living, secured his early educational training in private schools and 
thereafter continued his studies in the Henry Clay School, in Lexington, 
Kentucky, after which he took up the study and practical work of 
mechanical engineering under the able direction of his honored father. 
Later he served an apprenticeship of four years in the Corliss Engine 
Works, at Hamilton, Ohio, thereafter remaining there employed until 
1873, when he was offered and accepted a position with the Silver Islet 
Mining Company on the north shore of Lake Superior, where he remained 
until 1878, when he came to the Black Hills. In November of that year he 
entered the employ of the Homestake Mining Company, working for a time 
as machinist and being promoted from time to time to positions of 
greater trust, until, in 1882, he was finally advanced to his present 
important office of master mechanic. Since that time he has had the 
supervision of all machinery in the mines and stamp mills and shops of 
the company, as well as of all construction work. When he entered the 
service of the company the mill was equipped with eighty stamps, and 
this has been increased to nine hundred making it one of the largest and 
most complete stamp mills in the Union, while in the shops are made 
practically all machines and tools demanded in connection with the great 
industry. Mr. Spargo is interested in promising mining properties and is 
known as an able engineer and executive. In politics he renders 
allegiance to the Republican party, and fraternally is affiliated with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen.  

	On the 1st of April, 1885, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Spargo to Miss Ida Martin, who was born and reared in Wisconsin. She was 
summoned into eternal rest on the 10th of August, 1896, and is held in 
loving memory by all who came within the sphere of her gracious 
influence. She is survived by three children, Marion Clyde, Ellen May 
and Roger D.