Notizen zu dieser Person
NATHAN SPARKS. The gentleman whose name appears above is the representative of an old and well known family, members of which have been prominent in the martial affairs of this country since the days of the Revolution, and the present rep- resentative, Nathan Sparks, is eminently worthy to bear such a name. He has lived in Clark county for nearly three score years and his mind links the forma- tive era with that of latter day progress in which he has taken a conspicuous part. Nathan Sparks was born in Daviess county, Indiana. He came to Jef- fersonville in 1850, where he has since resided. He is the son of Levi and Mary B. (Godwin) Sparks, both in Queen Anne's county, Maryland. They came overland to Daviess county, Indiana, about 1835, settling among the pioneers there. Soon after Nathan Sparks came to Jeffersonville, his sister, Mary Jane, and other members of the family also came for the purpose of at- tending the Jeffersonville schools, but, like the others, she remained to make her home here. About 1877 Mary Jane Sparks was married to Capt. James M. Phillips, of Jeffersonville, who was at that time stationed at Columbus, Indiana. Captain Phillips died in Texas in February, 1895, while superin- tendent of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. He was a native of Clark county, and he had already made his mark in the railroad world before going to Texas. Mrs. Phillips died in Jeffersonville July 17, 1897. Nathan Sparks is one of six brothers, namely: George W., Levi, Joseph, Thomas, Nathan and James A. Of these Thomas, Nathan and Levi came to Jeffersonville. George W. lived at Wilmington, Delaware, until his death. Joseph lived in Clinton county, Indiana, and James A. lives in Daviess county, this state. Levi came to Jeffersonville in 1836 and followed mercantile pursuits. He was postmaster of Jeffersonville under President Franklin Pierce, and in the early seventies he was mayor of this city. For a period of twenty-one years he was connected with the city government, having been a rock-ribbed Demo- crat all his life. He took an active part in securing the government depot for Jeffersonville and he received well deserved credit for the part he took in the work. He died in 1875. Thomas Sparks came to Jeffersonville in 1847 to attend school, after which he remained. He always engaged in the mercantile business. He was a member of the City Council for eight years. He was also nominated by his party as candidate for Mayor of Jeffersonville. Nathan Sparks came here in 1850, as already indicated, and he has since followed mercantile pursuits for the most part. He was long a member of the City Council and was United States Inspector at the government depot for four years under Cleveland and for two years under Harrison. He was a member of the School Board, part of the time as secretary and the balance of the time as president. He was united in marriage October 21, 1879, to Fannie Belle Pile, daughter of Burdet Clifton and Mary Ann (Cunningham) Pile. Mrs. Sparks is descended from soldiers of the American Revolution, both through her mother and her father, and she has good reason to be proud of her parentage. A sketch of her father, Burdet Clifton Pile, appears in this volume. Mr. Pile was Mayor of Jeffersonville, having succeeded Mrs. Sparks' brother-in-law, Levi Sparks. Air. and Mrs. Nathan Sparks have lived in Jeffersonville continuously since their marriage. Three children have been bom to them, the first having died in infancy; the second, Levi Clifton, married Mary Josephine Burke, and they are the parents of one child, Mary Lee. The third child of Mr. and Airs. Sparks is Janibelle. Mrs. Sparks is a prominent member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. For seven years she was a teacher in the public schools at Jef- fersonville and has always manifested a deep interest in promoting the wel- fare of the schools. The Sparks residence in Jeffersonville is a homelike, cozy and well fur- nished one, where friends of the family often gather and where hospitality always reigns. pp. 603-604, Captain Lewis C. Baird, Baird’s History of Clark County, Indiana, B.F. Brown Company, Publishers, Indianapolis, Indiana 1909. Burial: Walnut Ridge Cemetery Jeffersonville Clark County Indiana, USA Plot: Section F Find A Grave Memorial# 64401868
William B.
