My research was made easier when London and Canterbury wills were added to Ancestry.com. I've been using those databases, in combination with Surrey will abstracts from Find My Past, to map the relationships between the Sparkes families.
To sum up the first round of research, I've found that Richard Sparkes the Elder of Wintershall, Bramley, who died in 1742, was the father of:
- Richard Sparkes of Wonersh, d. 1786
- John Sparkes, d. 1776
- Elizabeth (Sparkes) Worsfold, b. 1707
- Sarah (Sparkes) Greentree, b. 1716
- Susannah (Sparkes) Smallpiece, 1726-1759
- Anne (Sparkes) Stredwick
- possibly Mary, b. 1706
The evidence for this list of children comes from several wills, as well as some land records. To begin, the will of Richard Sparkes the Elder of Wintershall names
- my son John Sparkes
- my daughter Elizabeth Worsfold
- my daughter Sarah, wife of William Greentree
- my daughter Susannah
- my daughter Anne Strudwick
- my grandson William Strudwick
Noticeably absent is mention of son Richard Sparkes, which surely has fueled uncertainty about a connection between the Bramley and Wonersh branches of the family. However, other wills provide evidence that the Richard who died in 1786 belongs in this family.
The will of William Brabant of Wonersh, d. 1742, is one key source that places Richard in this family. It stipulates:
- Richard Sparkes, the son of Richard Sparkes of Wintershall, and his male heirs shall inherit Green Place, Wonersh
- John Sparkes another son of the said Richard Sparkes shall inherit Green Place if Richard dies and has no male heirs
- Susan Sparkes the daughter of the said Richard Sparkes to inherit Green Place if John dies and has no male heirs
Richard's own will provides additional evidence that he was the brother of John Sparkes and Susannah Sparkes. It it, he named three nephews - two sons of his deceased brother John (who had died in 1776) and one son of his deceased sister Susannah. Richard's will names:
- my wife Mary
- my daughter Mary Sparkes
- my son Richard Sparkes
- my grandson Richard Sparkes
- my nephew John Sparkes of Wanborough
- my nephew Richard Sparkes of Guildford
- my nephew John Smallpiece son of my late sister Susannah
In the will, Richard bequeathed Green Place to his son. The property remained in the family until the late 1800s.
The information from these three wills shows the connection between the line of Richard Sparkes of Green Place and the line of John Sparkes of Bramley. I'll share more about these two Sparkes lines in future posts.
Sources
Will of Richard Sparkes, probate date 12 October 1742. London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, Clerkenwell, London, England; Reference Number: DW/PA/5/1742; Will Number: 91 Retrieved from Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Link
Will of William Brabant probate date 12 July 1742. London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, Clerkenwell, London, England; Reference Number: DW/PA/5/1742; Will Number: 13 Retrieved from Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Link Note: Indexed at Ancestry as William Brabrick.
Will of John Sparkes, probate date 22 October 1776. The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1024. Retrieved from Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. Link
Will of Richard Sparkes, probate date 3 October 1786. London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, Clerkenwell, London, England; Reference Number: DW/PA/5/1786; Will Number: 13 Retrieved from Ancestry.com. London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Link
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