William Sparling Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 965

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


WILLIAM SPARLING, an honored resident of Jefferson township, in Spink 
county, is one of the pioneer settlers of Dakota whose indomitable 
will, supplemented by his genuine integrity, has placed him in position 
of affluence in his declining years. His fine estate comprises one 
hundred and sixty acres, and his pleasant home is on section 8, where 
he is surrounded by more than usual comforts. 

Our subject is a native of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, and was born 
November 10, 1832. He was the eldest of eight children born to Edward 
and Mary (Smith) Sparling, both of whom were natives of County 
Limerick, Ireland. Our subject engaged in farming in his native country 
until thirty years of age, when he came to the United States with his 
wife and children, and worked at lumbering in Oceana county, Michigan. 
He removed to Audubon county, Iowa, where he farmed for two years, 
going from there to Minnesota, and later to Dakota, in 1879. His 
finances were at a low ebb, and he built a house part sod and part 
dugout. During the first week prairie fire swept into the timber, 
burning his household effects, wagon and provisions he had brought with 
him, also hay and grain for feed for his stock. The family went five 
miles down the river and there lived in an old sod house, and our 
subject went in search of employment. He obtained a job of putting in a 
dam, and then afoot went to Minnesota and worked in the woods. It was 
indeed a hard year and his present easy circumstances, surrounded by 
his children and his grandchildren, in peaceful old age, contrast 
strikingly with the hardships endured in the early days. It was only 
through determination and an unlimited amount of courage, that he made 
a home for himself. and family, and no man throughout that section of 
the state is more deserving of praise. 

Through all the struggles of the dark days he received the cheerful 
encouragement of his estimable wife, who bore the trials with a 
fortitude unexcelled, caring for her pioneer home and children in a 
noble manner, rearing her family to kindness and industry. Mrs. 
Sparling became the wife of our subject in 1854, and her maiden name 
was Mary J. Trelford. She departed this life January 6, 1898. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Sparling eight children were born, as follows: Henry; Edward; 
Joseph, a resident of Washington state; Mary A., now Mrs. C. M. Thomas, 
residing in Colorado; John, a resident of Washington state; Ann A., now 
Mrs. C. Lower; Lillie M., now Mrs. I. Sayles; and Caroline A., now Mrs. 
Thomas Becker.