The Parents of John Weaver

I have written before about my search for the family of origin of my great-great-grandfather John Weaver, who was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1836, and died in Los Angeles, California in 1927. Though born in Pennsylvania, John was in Iowa by 1850, where he married Phebe Ann Linnens in 1860 and enlisted in the Civil War in 1862. After the Civil War, John returned to Iowa. John and Phebe’s 12 children were born there between the years of 1860 and 1887. After 1902, John and Phebe moved to Nebraska, where they remained until the early 1920s, when they moved to Los Angeles.

Through my research in census records, marriage records, and Civil War pension file records, I have found evidence that John Weaver was the son of Henry Weaver and Christine or Susan[nah] Weaver. This relationship is supported by autosomal DNA evidence.

Research Findings

John Weaver married Phebe Ann Linnons on February 6, 1860, in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. (1) He enlisted in the Civil War in Grinnell, Iowa on 13 August 1862. (2) After the Civil War, John applied for a pension. Documents in a Civil War pension file often spanned several decades. Veterans applied for an original pension, and then applied for increases over the years as laws were passed to allow additional compensation. In a 1911 affidavit John made as part of the process, he stated that his father was Henry Weaver.

“I am unable to furnish a verified copy of a public record of my birth as none was kept nor a baptismal record as none was made. There was a family record made and kept by my father Henry Weaver giving my birth as February 27, 1836 at Lancaster County, Pa but that record was lost while moving to Lebanon Co., Pa and I do not know its whereabouts. I have a family record kept by myself but taken from my Father’s Family record giving my birth as stated above. Is all the record I have or know of at the present time. At my enlistment in co. ‘H.28’ Reg Iowa Vol Inf. a mistake was made in recording my age as 24 years when my age was 26 years.” (3)

This affidavit provided a name for John's father, but it didn't help place John in a family group. To find John's family, I searched for other Weavers who lived in Mahaska County, Iowa at the same time. I also reviewed Civil War enlistment records and company rosters. The roster for the Iowa 28th Infantry shows that John served with another young man by the surname of Weaver:

Weaver, Cyrus. Age 19. Residence Grinnell, nativity Pennsylvania. Enlisted Aug. 21, 1862. Mustered Sept. 10, 1862. Mustered out July 31, 1865, Savannah, Ga. 

Weaver, John. Age 24. Residence Grinnell, nativity Pennsylvania. Enlisted Aug. 13, 1862. Mustered Sept. 10, 1862. Wounded, Vicksburg, Miss. Taken prisoner April 8, 1864, Sabine Cross Roads, La. Mustered out July 7, 1865, Davenport, Iowa. (4)

Since Cyrus Weaver resided in the same town as John in 1862 (Grinnell, Iowa), and since he enlisted shortly after John, I obtained Cyrus's Civil War pension file. His file included a direct connection to our John Weaver. On March 13, 1882, Cyrus applied for a pension. The claim form asked questions about his military service. As part of the process, two witnesses had to verify that Cyrus was who he claimed to be. The witnesses Cyrus selected to appear before a court clerk and confirm his identity were John Weaver, and John's son Oliver E. Weaver. 

Extract from Declaration for Original Invalid Pension 

Name:                            Cyrus Weaver 

Current residence:       Knoxville, Iowa  

Service:                         Co. I, 7 Iowa Volunteers and Co. H, 28 Iowa Volunteers

Res. since service:       Oskaloosa and Knoxville, Iowa

Occupations:                Coal miner and stonemason 

Witnesses:                    John Weaver, Oliver E. Weaver, both of Knoxville, Iowa (5)

In 1920, Cyrus completed another pension questionnaire. He was asked to provide his birthplace, which he said was Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. (6) This is the same county John said his family moved to from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Additional research in Civil War records led to a third young man with the surname Weaver, who had ties to Oskaloosa, Iowa. His pension file shows that he used two names - Henry W. Weaver, and William Henry Weaver. Henry served in Company I of the Iowa 47th Infantry.(7) He also said he had served in the Iowa 28th, but since his application had inconsistencies, he was deposed by a special examiner from the pension office on June 1, 1895. In his responses, he mentioned two brothers by name:

Q: You state in your declaration that you were in Co. I., 28^th Iowa Vol. from about November 1864 to about April 1865. 

A: I volunteered to go but I never went. I came home. I had two brothers in that and I wanted to go where they were, and they said they did not need any more men in that. 

Q: What were their names? 

A: John Weaver, he is in Des Moines, Iowa, and Cyrus Weaver, he is in Knoxville, Iowa.(8)

Also during the 1895 deposition, Henry W. Weaver gave this statement:

“I am 53 years old past, a plasterer and bricklayer . . . at the time of my enlistment I resided in Oskaloosa Mahaska Co Iowa. I had been living there about 10 or 12 years, I lived with my folks Henry Weaver, since deceased and Christina Weaver, since deceased. There was one girl I believe living at home with me Clara Weaver, now the wife of James Small, Oskaloosa, Iowa . . . my occupation then was plasterer. I most generally worked with my father he took the contracts of course.”(9) 

Henry continued for the next 20 years to communicate with the census board about his pension. A statement in a letter dated January 29, 1917 lists other members of his family:

“I beg to advise that during the summers of 1850 and 1860 I lived in what was known as Middleton, Iowa about 10 miles west of Burlington, Iowa, Des Moines County, during this time I lived with my father Henry Weaver and my mother Christine Weaver, and the name of my brothers and sisters were as follows: Mary Weaver, John Weaver, Cyrus Weaver, and Fanny Weaver. . . Signed Henry W. Weaver (his mark)”(10)

Henry’s statements provide evidence that he and the John Weaver and Cyrus Weaver who served in Co. H, 28th Iowa, were brothers. The statements also provide a family grouping, which correlates with several census records. The first is an 1850 census record in Danville Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. Middleton, the town mentioned by Henry Weaver is located in the southeast corner of Danville Township.

1850 U.S. Census, Danville Township, Des Moines County, Iowa (11)

The 1850 census record shows Henry and Christeine Weever and several children, including a 13-year-old John. Our John's stated birthdate was February 27, 1836, which would have made him 14, not 13, when this census was taken. The age difference cannot be explained with certainty, however this type of error was not uncommon on census records. Henry Weever was a shoemaker, which does not match the later occupation of Henry Weaver as plasterer. Another anomaly is this record lists "Ten" for Tennessee as the birthplace for several family members. However, I believe the birthplace Tennessee is an error. One possibility is that the census taker recorded "Pen" in his notes and then wrote "Ten" on the official census record. In spite of these discrepancies, the children’s names and ages match a family that can be seen in two later censuses - one in 1856 and one in 1860.

In 1856, we find a Weaver family in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, that closely matches the Weever family in Danville Township in 1850.

Iowa State Census, 1856, Oskaloosa Township, Mahaska County (12)

Henry’s wife’s name is different from what was shown in the 1850 U.S. census. This could indicate that Christeine died, or Susannah may also be known as Christeine (perhaps a first and middle name). John, who would have been 17 or 18, is not living at home. Mary has married Ernest Keller and the couple is living with the family. Finnah’s age matches the age of the daughter named "Virginia" in 1850. David is no longer with the family; he likely died between 1850 and 1856. A new child, Clarinda has been added. Henry now has the occupation of plasterer, which matches the occupation his sons will follow throughout their lives.

In 1860, we find the same Weaver family living in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. Finnah has left the household, leaving four children whose names and ages correlate with those on the 1856 census. Henry (father) and Cyrus both have the same occupation – plasterer.

1860 U.S. Oskaloosa Township, Mahaska County, Iowa (13)

Henry (son) said only his sister Clara was living at home when he enlisted in 1864. The Clara he was referring to is likely the same person who was listed as "Clarinda" in the 1860 census. 

In addition to the evidence from traditional records cited above, analysis of my DNA matches in Ancestry DNA and 23&Me's databases shows that several are descendants of the children of Henry and Susan/Christina Weaver. To protect the privacy of the matches, their usernames have been replaced by codes (in the second column). The information in the fourth column is from the Shared cM Project.(14)

Most matches are from Ancestry DNA; CL1 is from 23&Me.(15)

© Copyright 2019 applies to the analysis and figures in this post. 

I will be writing additional posts about this Weaver family. In the meantime, I welcome questions and feedback. I encourage researchers to review the original records themselves and I am happy to share records I have obtained. 

Sources

1.     Mahaska County, Iowa, Marriage Register, vol. 3: 57, John Weaver and Phebe A. Linnons, 6 February 1860; image, “Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934,” Family Search (http://www.familysearch.org > Iowa County Marriages, 1838-1934 > 004309796 > Image 498: accessed 11 October 2019); citing FHL microfilm 985381. 

2.     Compiled service record, John Weaver, Pvt., Co. H., 28 Iowa Inf.; Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War, Record Group 94: Record of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780s-1917; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

3.     General Affidavit, 20 March 1911, John Weaver (Pvt. Co. H, 28^th Iowa Inf., Civil War), pension application no. 301,733, certificate no. 192,926, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Civil War and Later Pension Files, Record Group 15, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington, D.C. 

4.     Iowa. Adjutant General's Office, Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion, Vol III: 17th-31st Regiments, Infantry. (Des Moines, Iowa: Emory H. English, state printer, 1910), 1337; digital images, Archive.org, (https://archive.org/details/rosterandrecord04offigoog/page/n1364 : accessed 9 November 2019); transcription at “Iowa in the Civil War,” IowaGenWeb.org, (http://iagenweb.org/civilwar/books/logan/mil512.htm : accessed 9 November 2019).

5.     Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, 13 March 1882, Cyrus Weaver (Pvt. Co. H, 28^th Iowa Inf., Civil War), pension application no. 443,816, certificate no. 302,425, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Civil War and Later Pension Files, Record Group 15, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

6.     Declaration for Pension, 2 October 1920, ibid.

7.     Declaration for Original Invalid Pension, 27 May 1882, Henry W. Weaver (Pvt. Co. I, 47^th Iowa Inf., Civil War), pension application no. 451,502, certificate no. 720,228, Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Civil War and Later Pension Files, Record Group 15, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

8.     Deposition A, page 13, 1 June 1895, ibid.

9.     Deposition A, page 6, 1 June 1895, ibid.

10.  Letter to Bureau of Pensions, 29 January 1917, ibid.

11.  1850 U.S. census, Des Moines, Iowa, population schedule, Danville Township, p. 422B (stamped), dwelling 767, family 800, Henry Weever; digital image, Ancestry.com, 1850 United States Federal Census > Iowa > Des Moines > Danville > image 2 (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 November 2019,) citing National Archives microfilm publication M432, roll 183.

12.  State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa State Census, 1856, Mahaska County, Oskaloosa Township, page 912 (stamped), dwelling 11, family 12, Henry Weaver, and family 13, Ernest Keller; accessed as a digital image 3 November 2019, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com > Iowa State Census Collection > 1856 > Mahaska > Oskaloosa > image 2).

13.  1860 U.S. Census, Mahaska, Iowa, population schedule, Oskaloosa Township, p. 132 (penned), dwelling 957, family 965, Henry Weaver; digital image, Ancestry.com, 1860 United States Census > Iowa > Mahaska > Oskaloosa > image 55 (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 November 2019), citing National Archives microfilm publication M653, roll 334.

14.  Blaine Bettinger and Johnny Perl, “Shared cM Project 3.0 tool v4,” DNAPainter.com, https://dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcmv4 : accessed 1 December 2019)

15.  User names of DNA matches are withheld to protect individual privacy rights. 

A Fine Job Herding Sheep

My great-great-grandfather, Adolphus Vianatus Conaway, wrote this letter to his sister Phytama "Tamey" Conaway, after leaving his home in Knox Co., Ohio, at the age of 21. The letter is on two sheets of paper; both sides of each sheet are filled with writing. 

Note: Spelling has been corrected in the transcription below. 

The letter was addressed to:

Miss Tamey Conaway

Circleville, Ohio

In care of Reve. Mr. Calhoun

Envelope, torn open at the right edge

Ashgrove, Iroquois Co., Ill.

September 29, [18]62

Dear Sister,

I take my pen in hand to drop a line to let you know that I am well and have been ever since we started. I never felt better in my life. I have gained about fifteen pounds since I left Ohio. We reached here about the sixth of September. I got a letter from father yesterday. He said they was all well and says he is coming out to see me as soon as he gets his corn husked. I like this part of Illinois very well. They have such good water here and good land too. It is only a half mile to timber from my boarding place. I am boarding with Mr. McCray. We are going to move the sheep up to an area this week about fifteen miles from here. I have wrote to you twice since I have started I wrote to New Guilford. And to Utica. Oh Tama I was awful homesick but I have got over it. The frost killed the corn here in August. And we have had the hard frost since we got here. I have not got my clothes yet. I wrote about a week after before we got here and twice since we got here. Mr. Long got a letter from Mr. Connard. He said he had not heard from any of us since we started. And I have wrote four or five times since we started. I don't know what is the reason he does not get my letters. I do not know where to write to you but I will write to Circleville to Mr. Calhoun. You may write to Ashgrove post And I will have the letter forwarded on to wherever we go to. I have written about fifteen letters since I got here and have only got two. And you do not know how glad I was to hear from the old Buckeye state. Now Fanny I want you to write as soon as you get this letter. I would like to hear from you. I want you to tell me how Grandpop Horn’s folks are. I have wrote twice to grandpop, you three times and have got no answer. I wrote to Wash Houck and to Uncle Addam and to Mr. Connards folks and have not got any answer. I have a fine time herding sheep as it is easy work. I have a very good dog to help me. I will be glad if you sent them socks. I will pay for them. Do write soon. This is wrote in a hurry and so much noise. 

A. Conaway

First page of the letter

Walter Edward Sprott of Shrewsbury, England

About 30 years ago, my mother sent me several boxes of historical photo albums and loose photos and I became the official family archivist. We are fortunate to have photos from several lines - Henderson, Conaway, Sprott, and Baldwin. By far the largest portion of these photos belonged to my great-great-grandfather, Walter Edward Sprott, who was born in Shrewsbury, England, in 1855 to James Sprott, a solicitor, and his wife, Esther.

Walter Edward Sprott about 1876

Walter was the second of four sons and one daughter. He was a cricket-loving footballer, who attended Repton School and the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, making life-long friendships. In 1878, at the age of 23, he sailed for America, where he bought a ranch in Kansas and raised horses. After 16 years, he sold out, brought his wife and children to Porterville, California and became an orange grower and an organizer of the Tulare County Fruit Growers Exchange.

Walter's photo albums give a glimpse into his roots in England. The earliest album is 6 x 9 inches and is for storing carte de visites (CDVs), the palm-sized studio photos that became popular in the mid-1860s. This album has photos of Walter's parents, his siblings as children and teens, his cousins, and his friends.

Walter's aunt; brother George and sister Frances;
and cousin Walter Hatch

A second, much larger album is also filled with CDVs, mainly of Walter's college-age friends. Many pictures have a handwritten label, usually with the person's first and middle initials and last name.

In addition to the two early albums, my great-great-grandfather had a lovely collection of larger family photos, including this beautiful picture taken at Clive House (2 College Hill, Shrewsbury), where the family lived from about 1872 to 1881.

Standing: George Herbert(?), Walter Edward, James Henry(?), William Hugh(?)
Seated: James, Fred, Esther Frances, Esther
Taken about 1875

Then there's my great-great-grandfather's scrapbook. The first page shows a picture of his cricket team, taken shortly before he came to America.

1878
"One of my last cricket matches just before I sailed for America"
Walter is seated in the back row, fourth from the left.

I'll write more about the Sprott family in future posts.

Charles Benson Canfield, Jr., 1935 - 2018

My dad, Charles Benson Canfield, Jr., died on April 25, 2018, in Bend, Oregon. He was born November 24, 1935 to Charles Canfield and Evelyn (Weaver) Canfield. The following is an expanded version of the eulogy delivered at his memorial service in Bend on April 29, 2018.

Our dad was an old-school guy who loved his family, loved life, and lived life on his own terms.

Dad in the 1966 Lincoln he rebuilt

Dad was born in 1935 and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Two years later, in 1937, his sister Dottie was born.

Charles, Dottie, Chuck, and Evelyn Canfield about 1939

Dad told us many stories from his childhood – about raising goats as a boy and selling the milk to his parents to earn money, working as a lifeguard at the community pool when he was in high school, camping in Yosemite with his parents, and going fishing from a rubber raft in the ocean. 

May, 1941 at home at 7340 Reseda Blvd.

Family ski trip at Table Mountain about 1945

About 1953, building a brick wall at their new home in Tarzana

He aspired to be an athlete and he succeeded, earning a letter in three different sports – track, football, and swimming. 

Dad bought his 32 Ford when he was in high school. The Ford needed a lot of work, and Dad had both the interest and inclination to learn how to fix it. This was the beginning of what would become a lifelong passion for vintage cars.

After high school, dad went to Pierce College and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. At Pierce College, he took a speech class. He and one of his friends had the brilliant idea to begin their speech by riding a motorcycle up the ramp into the portable classroom. They got an “A” on the speech!

On September 6, 1957, dad married Connie Sprott in San Fernando, California. They were the parents of three daughters - Cathy, Cris, and Cyndi.  

Connie, Cathy, Chuck

One of dad’s first jobs was at RadioPlane, where he sanded and painted the radio-controlled fiberglass planes that were early drones. Just last month, we were with dad and drove by the address where RadioPlane was located and he told us about his time there. 

Cyndi, Chuck, Cathy, Cris

Connie and Chuck divorced, and in about 1964, he began to work at American Electric. It was there that he met Nancy Kvien, a redheaded bookkeeper from Minnesota. She needed to buy a car, and her boss told her that Chuck knew all about them, so off they went car shopping. Before long, they were exchanging secret love notes in the Xerox room at work. That was the beginning of their lives together and in 1966, they were married in Lynwood, CA. In 2016, they celebrated 50 years together as the guests of honor during a special service at the church where they were married.  

Dad and Nancy were blessed with two daughters - Sarah and Shalyn. 

Dad's love for the outdoors and his love for anything with a motor meant that on weekends and vacations, we headed off to the mountains, or the river, or the desert, or a lake, or a beach, where we went waterskiing or snowskiing or dune buggy riding or hiking or motorcycle riding. 

Oceano (Pismo Beach) abt 1968

Going Fishing

His family was always along for the ride and when we were old enough, he patiently taught us how to do all of those things. I still remember learning how to waterski when I was about 10 years old. Dad drove the boat and Nancy held me up to get started. Dad also taught us how to pack a metal frame trailer by tying down a dune buggy, four motorcycles, a three-wheeler, ice chests, paddle tires, and everything else we needed with 42 miles of straps and ropes.

Over the years, dad’s interests continued to expand. He thought he might want to become a pilot so he went to ground school. He had always loved reading National Geographic, and, as we girls grew older, he and Nancy began to travel more widely. They ventured further and further East, traveling throughout much of the US and then throughout the world.

Switzerland, 1998

Back home, dad was a good provider for his family and an involved dad who attended ballet recitals and piano recitals and trumpet recitals. He became a Mason so his daughters could join Rainbow Girls. When Nancy went back to work, he was the one who took his girls trick or treating. He was also in charge of feeding the girls the dinner mom had prepared and he only occasionally drifted out to the garage, leaving them to their own devices. He was there, day in and day out, taking care of things and being a reliable dad.

Huntington Beach, 1977

He wasn’t one to express strong opinions or to try to convince others that he knew what was best for us, but he was a steady influence in our lives and we always knew he loved us. While he might not have always agreed with or liked our decisions, he never shared that. He was a man of few words in those situations, but we knew we had his support.

Dad was a calm, competent problem solver in the face of challenges, and we rarely saw him get angry. Cyndi recalls a time when they were riding the dune buggy on a bowl face and dad went up and over the edge expecting a flat surface on the other side. Instead, there was a steep downhill. The buggy landed on the back tires and the axle broke. Dad got out, walked around and assessed the state of things, but he didn’t get mad. It was just one more problem to be solved.

Yuma, 1975

Our dad was a resourceful, self-reliant man and he passed that down to his daughters. There was almost no fix-it challenge that he wouldn’t tackle. And he had the tools for everything and everyone. 

Our sense of his being able to fix just about anything is reflected in a story Shalyn tells about how when they went to Disneyland, she would sit next to Papa on the rides because she knew if something broke down, he would be able to fix it. As each of us became teenagers and started driving, he made sure we knew how to change a car tire. But it didn’t stop there. When Cris’s VW engine needed an overhaul, he handed her a wrench and told her to unbolt every socket that matched it, and then he guided her through the process of rebuilding the engine. When the house needed a new roof did dad call a roofing company? No. He called his daughters who brought their husbands and got the whole family up on the roof nailing down tiles.

While dad didn’t have a natural gift of gab, he was a good storyteller. All you had to do was ask him about one of his car projects or road trips or world-travel adventures. I remember sitting with him while he told me in great detail all about going on a hunting trip with his Minnesota in-laws. By the time he was done, I felt like I had been on the trip. He loved new experiences and was a keen observer who was happy to tell you about where he’d been and what he’d done.

The view from the top of Mt. Whitney

On the way to Anacapa, 2012

Many of you have heard about how dad and Nancy tried to watch the sunset every night. This was a tradition that started years ago. As the sun began to go down, they would find a place where they could watch it together. It might have been the front porch of their house in Bend, or a chair on a beach in California, or the deck of a cruise ship. They raised their glasses and toasted each other, and quietly enjoyed the ending of the day.

Sunset from the front porch, Bend, Oregon

Our sunsets won’t be the same without you, dad. We were blessed to have you as a husband and father and we love you.

Walter Sprott's Career

1808 September 2 Articled to Richard Jones, Atty Kings Bench, to "truly serve the said Richard Jones as his clerk in the business profession and practice of an attorney of his majesty’s court of Kings Bench and as an attorney or Solicitor in his Majesty’s other courts at Westminster for and during the term of five years commencing from the day of the date of the said in part recited articles." (Ancestry.com Articles of Clerkship database) 

1808 November 4 Articles of clerkship registered. (Ancestry.com Articles of Clerkship database)

1808 November 23 Execution of articles of clerkship and payment of duty of L110 sworn to in court.  (Ancestry.com Articles of Clerkship database)

1815 October 11 Dissolved a partnership with John Stileman Bostock (1816 March 12 London Gazette)

1816 George Langridge articled to Walter Sprott (Ancestry.com Articles of Clerkship database)

1816 Frederic Talbot articled to Walter Sprott (Ancestry.com Articles of Clerkship database)

1816 July 2 Jones, Rowland & Sprott, Tunbridge Wells, Solicitors (1816 July 6 London Gazette, Notice for the estate of Thomas Wighton)

1818 Robert Foreman articled to Walter Sprott (Ancestry.com Articles of Clerkship database)

1818 Walter Sprott, Tonbridge Wells, Kent. Country Attorney. London agent was Rowland and Co. (Clarkes' New Law List, 1818)

1820 February 14 Partnership was “Rowland and Sprott” (1820 Feb 14 Sussex Advertiser, Lewes, East Sussex, notice for the estate of Thomas Hayward)

1821 Master of Chancery, Tunbridge Wells

1821 Dissolved partnership with Daniel Rowland (Attornies, Solicitors, Conveyancers) (30 November 1832 The London Gazette)

1824 Nominated Under Sheriff for the year, Sussex (1824 Feb 16 Sussex Advertiser)

1824 Walter Sprott, Attorney (Pigot's Directory of Kent, 1824)

1825 Robert Foreman commences partnership with Walter Sprott Esq. Tunbridge Wells (1825 Feb 19 The Ipswich Journal)

1826 Mr. Sprott, Solicitor of Lord Abergavenny (1825 Aug 25 Brighton Gazette, "Water Company")

1827 Walter Sprott, Tonbridge Wells, Kent. Country Attorney. London agent was Hy. Young (Clarkes' New Law List, 1827)


1827 Mr. Walter Sprott, Master Extra. in Chancery, Com in King's Bench, Common Plea and Exchequer, Abergavenny Place (Clifford's Descriptive Guide of Tunbridge Wells, 1827) 

1829 Mr. Walter Sprott, Master Extra. in Chancery, Com in King's Bench, Common Plea and Exchequer, Abergavenny Place (Visitors Guide to Tunbridge Wells, 1829) 

1834 Mr. Walter Sprott, Master Extra. in Chancery, Com. in Kings Bench, Common Plea and Exchequer, Abergavenny Place (The Tunbridge Wells Guide, 1834, J. Clifford, Google Books)

1840 Walter Sprott, Attorney, Abergavenny place (Pigot's Directory of Kent, 1840)

SOURCES
Ancestry.com. UK, Articles of Clerkship, 1756-1874 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Court of King's Bench: Plea Side: Affidavits of Due Execution of Articles of Clerkship, Series I, II, III (KB 105-107). The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey. Registers of Articles of Clerkship and Affidavits of Due Execution (CP 71). The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey.)

John Sparkes of Wintershall, Bramley

John Sparkes, son of Richard and Anne Sparkes, was baptized on 26 Sep 1715 at Alfold, Surrey, England. This may very well be the baptismal record of my 6th great-grandfather John Sparkes of Wintershall in Bramley, who was 26 when he married Susannah Walker of Rushwood in Bramley at Windlesham Parish Church on 2 November 1741.

John's father, Richard, died in September of 1742. Richard left his estate to his son John, though he stipulated that John pay annuities to his sisters. Unfortunately, Richard's will does not provide specific details about any land he owned.

John and Susannah had six children:

1. Susannah, born in 1743 married Daniel Digance in 1785, and died in 1821
2. Ann, born about 1745, married John Balchin in 1766 and died in 1770
3. Elizabeth, born about 1746, married George Smallpiece in 1769 and died in 1827
4. Mary, born 1750, married Edward London Jr. in 1771 and died in 1832
5. John, born 1753, married Mary Davis in 1776, and died in 1804
6. Richard, born 1756, married Frances Pace in 1785, and died in 1838.

In 1746, John leased "the capital messuage and farm of Wintershall and lands including the Harcroft, the Scotchcroft, the Longdown, the Scotchfield, the Wheatham, the Baldingscombe, the Hallowcombe, the Broadown, the Broomedown, the Three Hangers, the Northcroft, the Warefield, the Pigeon House, the Callbottom, the Meakehams, the Brookefield, the Pondground, the Poundmead and the North Brookefield, all in Bramley, for £80 pa."

In 1765, John leased the "Messuage or farm called Tilthams and land: The Bromfield; The Barnfield ; the Middle Field; the Potterton Field; close adjoining Tilthams Farm all in the parish of Shalford adjoining the common called the Peasmarsh on several sides and the King's Highway from Guildford to Godalming on the other . . . Farm and six closes of land; Bird Mead; Tiltham's Field near Unstead Bridge; the Crooked Field on south side of the river adjoining lands belonging to the Poor of Godalming, all in the parish of Shalford. Meadow called Pain's Mead in parish of Godalming . . . Four closes of land and an adjoining meadow and the parcel of land lying on the west side of the meadow, all at Tilthams in the parish of Shalford. Consideration: £1,199."

In the 1774 electoral register, John is listed as living at Bramley.

Holy Trinity, Bramley, where several children were baptized and
where John and wife Susannah are buried

John Sparkes of Bramley, yeoman, wrote his will 17 Mar 1772. He died in 1776 and left "my tenement, part of a messuage divided into 2 tenements, on east side of Bramley Street," to his wife for life, and then his son John. He left his leasehold in Compton Street, Soho Square, Middlesex to his son Richard. He left his leasehold in Worplesdon to his daughter Susannah.

He directed that the following bequests be made:

• £100 to his wife
• £3500 to his son Richard at the age of 21
• £1000 to his daughter Susannah
• £400 to grandson Richard Balchin & £200 at the age of 21
• £900 to be invested for his daughter Elizabeth Smallpiece
• £400 to daughter Mary London
• £500 to be invested for Mary London
• £100 annually to his wife as long as she remains unmarried

He appointed his son John Sparkes as executor and named "my brother in law John Smallpiece and my friend Thomas Mellersh of Bramley aforesaid yeoman and John Smithen of Loo in Bramley" to invest funds on behalf of his children and assist his son John in the exceution of the will, which was proved in Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

John was buried October 2, 1776 at Holy Trinity, Bramley. His wife Susanna died December 14, 1789 and was also buried at Holy Trinity, Bramley.

The Sparkes Family of Wonersh and Bramley

Much of this year, I have been researching the Sparkes family of Surrey, England, trying to learn more about the ancestry of my fourth great-grandmother, Frances Sparkes (who married Oliver Hatch). I knew that there were multiple Sparkes families in Surrey from the 1600s on and I have been trying to determine how they are connected.

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