I have tried to send this twice so I'm breaking it into so maybe it can be sent to the list. This is taken from the SPARKS QUARTERLY, MARCH 2002. The official publication of the Sparks Family Association. 1860 Census of South Carolina Post Office: Cedar Grove p. 214 A Census taken by T. J. Harris on June 28, 1860 507-436 Sparks Woby (Holly) 56 F Farmer SC " John 26 M Farmer $2,300-3,000 SC " Susan 30 F SC " Martha 16 F SC " Jane 9 F SC " Jesse 14 M SC 508-437 Sparks, Barham 29 M Farmer $1,600- 1,000 SC " Elizabeth 26 F SC " Delia 4 F SC " Florence 2 F SC " Octavia 1 F SC The gravestones in Fairforest Cemetery, Union County, reveal that Barham was born on January 7, 1830 and died on 12/4/1900. Elizabeth was born on May 10, 1834 and died on 11/20/1899. John Sparks was born ca 1755 in VA. He served in the American Revolution as a member of the SC Militia commanded by Colonel Thomas Brandon; Brandon testified on John's behalf when he applied for a pension in his old age. SPARKSES FOUND ON THE 1860 CENSUS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, continued: Union District, South Carolina, continued: [Note continued: John Sparks and his family lived on the north side of Tiger River in Union District. It is probable that he was married to Elizabeth .... about 1780. Because the Sparks and Prince families were closely associated with each other in Union District, we wonder whether Elizabeth's maiden name might have been Prince. John and Elizabeth became members of the Padgett's Creek Baptist Church on August 16, 1800, being "received by experience." (Claude E. Sparks was the historian of this church, and he searched its records for us.) On the map of Union District (County) on page 5660, it can be seen that this church is located on Charles Road in Cross Keys Township; it was founded in 1734. John's farm on the north side of Tyger River was across from that of Edward Prince and about two reties from Col. Brandon's farm on Fairforest Creek. An early Union District Court record shows that John Sparks was s member of a grand jury that was convened there on November 1, 1808. [John Sparks's entry on the 1810 census of Union District shows that his wife, Elizabeth, was then still living, but she died before the summer of 1815 when John was married (second) to Joyce Putnam, the widow of James Putnam. A marriage contract was drawn up and signed by both on August 10, 1815, agreeing that the property of John and Joyce should be kept separate for the inheritance of their respective children. (See pp.451-53 for a transcription of this document in the QUARTERLY of March 1960, cited above.) [John Sparks died in Union County in 1826. His second wife, Joyce, was then still living. There were no children from this marriage. John Sparks and his first wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of four known children, of whom we have record: Sarah Sparks, born about 1782; Mitchell O. Sparks, born about 1785; William J. Sparks, born August 5, 1790; and Susannah Sparks, born about 1795. [Sarah Sparks was married between 1800 and 1810 to Carpenter Simmons. Following Sarah's death in 1837, Carpenter Simmons was married to Susannah Sparks, Sarah's sister. There were no children born to either of these daughters of John and Elizabeth Sparks. [Mitchell O. Sparks, son of John and Elizabeth Sparks, was born about 1785 and died in 1836. He was married to Holly Boatman, a daughter of Jesse and Sarah Boatman. She was still living when the 1860 census was taken in Union District. Shortly before he died, Mitchell Sparks made his will, dated July 14, 1836. (Recorded in Union District Will Book B, p.224.) Describing himself as of "Sound and disposing mind & memory, but weak in body," Mitchell left a third of his personal property to "my Wife Holly Sparks...during her natural Life or widowhood--and after her decease or marriage to be equally distributed among my Children hereinafter named." [Mitchell also prescribed that his wife, Holly, should have possession of "my family of Negroes, Lands ac and under the consideration of her raising & supporting the Children--until the Eldest of my children become of age & calls for a portion of my Estate, then all my Negroes & their increase to be [by] Judicial men appraised & an equal distribution be made between my Daughters Nancy, Elizabeth, Susan, Sarayann, & Mary, & my Sons Byramand John Franklin..." Be appointed his brother, William J. Sparks, to serve as executor of his estate, calling him "my Friend." He signed his win by mark, with the following three witnesses: Jason Greer, Henry Garrett, and William Lee. [Following is a brief record of each of the children of Mitchell Sparks: 1. Nancy Sparks, born about 1825, was married to Cargill Bobo. His name was spelled Cargall on the 1860 census (p.215A, Union District) and as Cargal on the slave schedule, where he was shown as owning one slave, a female, age 17, described as black. Cargill Bobo, who had been born about 1825 in South Carolina, was a teacher according to the 1860 census. Nancy and his children in 1860 were: Sarah Bobo, age 9; Mary Bobo, age 7; and Jeremiah Bobo, age 2. 2. Elizabeth Sparks, according to her gravestone in the Padgett's Creek Church Cemetery was born on January 8, 1826, and died on February 4, 1885; she was married to Joshua Willborn; he had been born in South Carolina about 1805. He was a farmer according to the 1860 census of Union District. He owned land valued at $6,000 and personal property at $15,000. The slave schedule credited him with 4 slaves, all black (2 males, ages 15 and 16, and 2 females, both 16). The children living in the Willborn household in 1860 were: Sanford Willborn, age 15; Jasper Willborn, age 12; Laura Willborn, age 10; William Willborn, age 7; Amanda Willborn, age 5; and James Willborn, age 1. Sanford and Jasper were called "Students" in the occupation column on the census. Considering that Joshua Willborn was considerably older than Elizabeth, we may wonder whether the mother of Sanborn and Jasper might have been an earlier wife of Joshua. 3. Susan Sparks, born about 1830, was still living at home with her mother, Holly Sparks, when the 1860 census was taken, as was her brother, John. (See page 5661 of this issue of the QUARTERLY.) According to family records, she was married later to Zeb Barnett. A man named A. Z. Barnett, age 72, was living, alone, near Holly Sparks and her family, when the 1860 census was taken. 4. Sarah Ann, spelled 'Sarayann" in her father's will, was born about 1833. She was married to Charles Barnett according to family records. Be was shown (page 214A) on the 1860 census of Union District, age 43, a farmer, with land valued at $8500 and personal property at $1,000. He owned no slaves, but Sarah Ann (spelled Sarian the slave schedule) was shown as owner of one slave, a black female, age either 27 or 37 (original blurred). Was she Sarah Ann's inheritance from her father? The children of Charles and Sarah Ann (Sparks) Barnett in 1860 were shown (page 214) as: Cornilia" Barnett, age 7; James Barnett, age 6; and Amanda Barnett, age 2. 5. Mary Sparks, born about 1836, was married to Giles Barnett. He had been born about 1815, his age was 45 on the 1860 census of Union District (page 211A). He was shown as a **Farm Manager" for a woman named Ann Rice, and he was the one who reported the statistics on the slave schedule for her many slaves. He was also credited with owning 5 black slaves himself--a female, age 20, and 4 children: 3 males ages 7, 6, and 3, and a female, age 2. Under **Giles Barnet's Farm," there was also a black female, age 50. The children of Giles and Mary (Sparks) Barnett in 1860 were shown as a son named t*Olores" [?] Barnett, age 5 in 1860, and a daughter named Sophia Barnett, age ? months. Mitchell Sparks identified two sons in his will, Byram and John Franklin Sparks. Byram seems, however, to have been a misspelling of Barham, an error probably made by whoever it was that did the writing of Mitehell*s will. Claude E. Sparks, whom we have quoted earlier, was certain that the correct spelling was Barham. .