Joseph Madison Sparks

Joseph Madison Sparks

Male 1854 - Abt 1910  (~ 55 years)

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  • Name Joseph Madison Sparks 
    Born Oct 1854  Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Census 22 Jun 1860  Duncans Wood (Precinct 2), Orange Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 21 Jun 1860 Orange Co, Texas Precinct 2, PO Duncans Wood
      pg 27
      178 John Harmon 22 1838 TX <<
      Mary (Means) 19 1841 LA
      Martha 3 1857 TX
      Milley 1 1859 TX

      180 Harmon John 70 1790 LA
      Elizabeth 1793 LA
      Green, Manda 20 1840 TX

      pg 29
      res 192 Solomon Sparks 40 1820 Alabama
      Martha C Sparks 40 1820 S.C
      John L 16 1844 TN
      James E 14 1846 LA
      William E 9 1851 TX
      Mary S 11 1849 TX
      Joseph M 7 1853 TX
      Oscah 4 1856 TX

      res 193 John Railah 1798 62
      Malinda Railah 1816 44
      Christian W Railah 1848 12 TX
      Isaac P Railah 8 1852 TX
      Rachel D Railah 5 1855 TX
      Mary C Railah 3 1857 TX
      Julia C 2 1858


      pg 30
      201 Burrell James 35 1825 LA
      Elizabeth 25 1835 LA
      William 12 1848 TX
      Robert 10 1850
      Emoly 8 1852
      David 3 1857
      Lucy 2 1858
      Frederick Burrell 19 1841 TX

      pg 31
      207 Gallier Jane 23 1837 MS
      Rufus 6 1854 TX
      Andrew 4 1856 TX
      Willis 3 1857 TX

      pg 36
      229 Jemima Morgan 54 1806 LA
      Allen 20 1840 TX
      William 17 1843
      Sarah 1 1847

      pg 38
      238 Myers James 31 1829 LA
      Sarah E 27 1833 TX
      James Orin 1 1859 TX
      Mary Myers 70 1790 LA

      240 John Cole 55 1805 farmer LA
      Rachel 55 1805 LA
      Absalome 20 1840 stock keeper TX
      James 16 1844 stock keeper TX
      Hulda 13 1847 TX
      Clark 20 1830 stock keeper TX

      241 Mark Cole 25 1835 TX
      Hester A. 21 1839 TX
      Hulda 1 1859 TX
    1860 Texas, Orange County, Duncans Wood (Precinct 2) census
    1860 Texas, Orange County, Duncans Wood (Precinct 2) census
    DUNCAN'S WOODS, TEXAS. Duncan's (Duncans) Woods, also known as Duncan Woods and as Duncan's Wood, was on the nineteenth-century Beaumont and Orange Road in western Orange County. A scattered settlement was present there by 1854, when the Duncan's Woods post office was established. Though first designated as part of Jefferson County, the office was quickly switched to the new Orange County. Gilbert W. Stephenson served as its first postmaster. During the 1850s the Duncan's Woods area was considered one of the most valuable in the county, with higher land prices than for other Orange County sites. Several railroad contractors maintained camps there for workers building the Texas and New Orleans Railroad through Orange County in 1860. Yet the settlement was subsequently abandoned, and its post office was discontinued in 1866. By the mid-1980s the area was virtually treeless, with the North Port Neches and Bessie Heights oil and gas fields roughly marking the old townsite.


    http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvd43


    ---

    Solomon Sparks and family and John Riley (Railah), Malinda Cole Johnson Riley and family. Also, J. Pavell and Sophia are listed here, legends of Pavell Island (not related)

    Census 23 Jun 1870  Sparks and River Settlement, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Residence 77
      Coats (Courts) J.M. 40 1830 Louisiana 400, 2,000 farmer
      Julia 34 1836 Tennessee
      Mary 18 1852 Texas
      Clifton 16 1854 Texas
      Nasthentha 14 1856 Texas
      William 12 1858 Texas
      Madison E. 10 1860 Texas
      ekner 8 1862 Texas
      James 5 1865 Texas
      Anna 3 1867 Texas
      Lisa 8 1862 Texas

      residence 78
      Sparks M (Melinda) 51 1819 at home Tennessee widow
      James 17 1853 Texas farm laborer
      Worthy 14 1856 Texas
      John 27 1843 Texas farmer

      residence 79
      Spark, C (Caroline) 50 1820 SC keeping house widow
      Edwin 23 1847 Louisiana
      Joseph 16 1854 Texas
      Oscar 14 Texas
      Court T.J. 27 1843 Texas (Thomas Jefferson - bro of James Court)

      residence 80
      Brewton W.P. 33 1837 Tennessee
      Sarah (Sparks) 22 1848 Texas (Dau of Melinda)
      Grace 5 1865 TX
      Silas F. 8/12 1869 TX

      residence 81
      Lee, Samuel 52 1818 farmer 1580 Denmark
      Jane E. 27 1843 Texas
      Emma 3 1867 Texas


      residence 82
      Smith. T.J. 34 farmer 500 Indiana (Later would marry Mary Ellen Courts
      Sarah 25 Texas
      Electra 3/12 Texas
    1870, Texas, Jefferson County, Sparks Settlement census
    1870, Texas, Jefferson County, Sparks Settlement census
    Census 7 Jun 1880  Jefferson Co (District 41), Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Note: It appears the first page is the Sparks Settlement. And the 2nd page seems to be the Port Neches, Grisgsby Bluff area, a few miles north.

      7 Jun 1880 District 41 Justice Precinct No. 2
      Page 1

      residence 1
      Gentz Fred 35 Dec 1845 laborer Prussia Prussia Prussia
      R. Belle 28 Aug 1852 TX NC TN
      Welby 8 Jun 1872 TX NC TX
      H.M. 7 Feb 1873 TX NC TX
      M.J. dau 6 1874 TX
      J.W. son 4 1876 TX
      Buler 2 dau May 1878 TX
      J. Lee 4/12 son Jan 1880 TX
      Charlotte 77 mother widow Prussia NC TX
      (census taker just carried the NC down the columns.
      Only person from NC is Belle's father.

      residence 2
      Lee, Samuel 62 farmer Denmark Denmark Denmark
      E. Jane 36 Oct TX NC TN
      Emma A. 12 Jul 1868 TX
      Hayes, Eliza Black 19 Jan 1861 servant Texas Texas Alabama
      Eddy, Albert 37 Jul 1843 carpenter Ireland Ireland Ireland
      Sparks, William E. 27 Mar 1853 TX

      residence 3
      Melinda Sparks 61 Mar 1819 TN VA TN
      Worthy 24 Mar 1856 TX NC TN
      James 26 son Dec 1854 TX NC TN
      Ella 23 Nov 1857 dau-in-law TX TN PA
      Thomas George, Black 8 1872 servant TX

      residence 4
      Sparks, Caroline 60 May 1820 self widow SC VA SC
      Sparks, J.M. 26 Aug 1854 son TX (Joseph Madison) <<<

      residence 5
      Kilgore, James S 28 1852 Mar Michigan Michigan Michigan
      Elizabeth 50 Oct 1830 mother wid Michigan Michigan --
      Columbus 28 25 May 1855 brother Texas Michigan Michigan
      Susan F. 20 Feb 1860 sister Texas Michigan Michigan
      Eugenia 17 Jun 1863 sister Texas Michigan Michigan
      Swift, Fuller 3 May 1877 nephew Texas Michigan Michigan
      Swift, Ida 3/12 Feb 1880 niece Texas Michigan Michigan

      residence 6
      Brewton, W.P. 47 Aug 1833
      Sarah C. (Sparks) 30 Dec 1850
      Grace 15 Feb 1865 TX
      Silas F. 10 Oct 1870 TX
      Esther 8 Dec 1872 TX
      Almond 6 Apr 1874 TX
      Inas 3 dau Aug 1877 TX
      John Smith 14 June 1866 TX TN PA

      residence 7
      Gray, H.L. 33 head Sep 1847 Michigan VA MI
      Gray, S.E. 33 wife Aug 1847 LA PA Indiana
      Carey, Coy 11 son May 1873 TX Indiana Louisiana
      Clara 7 dau Mar 1873 TX Indiana Louisiana
      Gray H.E. son 9 Sep 1871 TX MI TX
      Smith, T.F. 21 Apr 1859 TX TN PA
      Courts, E.M. 20 1860 TX unk TX
      ___________
      page 2
      8 Jun 1880

      residence 8
      Yantz (Gentz), Wm Apr 42 1838 farmer Prussia Prussia Prussia
      Susan 31 Jan 1849 wife TX GA LA
      Leuvinia 12 Jan 1868 dau
      William Y. 10 Jan 1870 son
      H.L. 6 mos Nov 1879 son

      residence 9
      J. T. Rogers 28 Aug 1852 TX TN TX
      Izzie J. Rogers 27 Aug 1853 TX NY LA
      C. O. Rogers 3 Dec 1877
      Wm. A. Rogers 1 Sep 1879
      Levina Keith 68 Feb 1812 mother-in-law tx ga tn

      residence 10
      Keith, O 39 Feb 1841 Self TX OH LA
      Margaret 39 Jun 1841 TX TN TN
      George 7 Jun 1873 son LA TX TN
      William O. 5 Mar 1875 son
      Berry, Lethean female 11 Jan 1869 servant TX Prussia Prussia
    1880, Texas, Jefferson County, District 41
    1880, Texas, Jefferson County, District 41
    Gentz, Fred and family, with Charlotte Gentz; Samuel Lee and family, Melinda Jones Sparks, and family; Brewton, Smith, Gray, Emmett Courts.
    Died Abt 1910  Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Other-Begin 30 Sep 1952  Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    court case: Smith graves 
    Court Cause No. 16187: 'W.P.H. McFaddin, Jr., et al, vs. Unknown Heirs of Caroline Sparks, et al'
    Court Cause No. 16187: "W.P.H. McFaddin, Jr., et al, vs. Unknown Heirs of Caroline Sparks, et al"
    30 Sep 1952
    named deceased persons to-wit:
    Caroline Sparks, Edward Sparks, John L. Sparks, William Sparks, Joseph Sparks, Susan Sparks Crawford, Phillip Crawford, James C. Sparks, Lura Sparks Spriggs, James M. Court, Julia A. Court, James F. Court, Lillian Court Smith, Irvin Smith, Francis Court Sparks, Viola Court Sparks, Madison Court, Sarah A. Court, Edna Court, Beulah Court, a Mrs. E. Bordeman and child...

    45.7 acres on T.F. Smith homestead tract; included in league bought by J.S. Johnson in 1924, who later conveyed the property to E.I. DuPont in 1952, at which time private cemetery was discovered. Court proceedings to have the remains relocated.

    The following family members not named in the suit but were included in cemetery records:
    in Grave 1 were:
    Tilda Courts, Homer Courts, Caudine (Claudie) Courts, Estie baby Courts, Carmel Courts, (unknown), Buff Courts, (unknown), James C Sparks Sr, Fred Frugia (unknown), Genevia Frugia), Florence Frugia (unknown), Brad Courts Sr.
    Other-Begin 10 Aug 1961  Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    court case: Smith graves 
    • Court Cause No. 16107
      W.P.H. McFaddin, Jr., et al
      vs
      Unknown Heirs of Caroline Sparks, et al

      Court Cause No. 18399
      W.P.H. McFaddin, Jr., et al
      vs
      Robert S. Frugia, et al

      Court Cause No. 20324
      W.P.H. McFaddin, Jr. et al
      vs.
      Coy V. Courts, et al (Sr.)

      On this 10th day of August 1961, came on to be heard the application of the plaintiffs in the above entitled and numbered cause for an order of the court showing that the plaintiffs have complied with the judgments previously entered in said cause and further showing that the plaintiffs or their successors in interest are entitled to the free and unrestricted use of the land hereinafter described, as set forth in plaintiff's petition in the above entitled and numbered causes...
      (pgs 10-13 of attached pdf)
    McFaddin Cemetery - TF Smith Homestead
    McFaddin Cemetery - TF Smith Homestead
    Forest Lawn Index Card on occupants of graves.
    Buried McFaddin, TF Smith Homestead, Forest Lawn Cem, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • from James Willis Sparks: "Do not know when he died, but we know it was after the 1900 census was taken; he was in Wharton County, Texas. Then was back in Jefferson County in Beaumont area in August of 1902.. We also know he was buried in the Sparks's Cemetery in Port Arthur (was Aurora and a Sparks Settlement until 1895 when it was named Port Arthur) Jefferson County, Texas. We believe it was before 1912 as Viola (Vee) Court - Nobles - Sparks (Married to Milam Sparks from Clemville, Matagorda County, Tex. area.) was believed to be the last one to be buried in the Sparks Cemetery. {* seen note below] She died in January of 1912, after having Dallas Reed Sparks 7/3/1911, her death in January of 1912 was related to the birth of the baby. That makes it between 1902 and 1913 and also we didn't fine his or family's name in the 1910 census.

      * Joseph Madison Sparks and Viola Courts are said to have been buried in the Gentz Cemetery that was located in Port Neches, at the site of DuPont plant. (The family had abandoned Sparks Settlement, Aurora, around 1890 and moved houses and all to Port Neches.) The graves were moved to Forest Lawn in 1956. The official list of contents of the four graves includes their name. However, with that said, at the time the graves were exhumed, it was family members who helped identify the occupants of that little family cemetery. So, there is reason to allow for faulty memory in either event; however logic dictates that those who died after 1900 were most probably in the Port Neches location.

    McFaddin Cemetery - TF Smith Homestead
    McFaddin Cemetery - TF Smith Homestead
    Grave 2
    SPARKS, John L. - died 1867 (s/o Solomon Sparks - m Martha Courts d/o James & Julia

    SPRIGGS, Lura Sparks - died bef 1930; Ada Lura Sparks d/o James Chester, Sr ; Julias bro

    SPARKS, William - son of Solomon and Caroline - d 1919

    CRAWFORD, Phillip maybe hubby or son to Susan Sparks Crawford

    SPARKS, J.C. (James Chester Sr)

    SPARKS, Joseph bro to John L and Susan

    SPARKS, James C. (James Chester Sr or Jr) -- Sr. died 1898 - Jr. died aft 1940

    CRAWFORD, Susan Sparks prob Mary Susan Sparks, sis to James L Sparks - Phillip Crawford must be hubby or maybe a son - ??
    Notes 
    • Joseph Madison was born in Jefferson County some where around Taylor's Bayou and Pavell Island, in the year of 1854. Do not know when he died, but we know it was after the 1900 census was taken; he was in Wharton County, Texas. Then was back in Jefferson County in Beaumont area in August of 1902.. We also know he was buried in the Sparks's Cemetery in Port Arthur (was Aurora and a Sparks Settlement until 1895 when it was named Port Arthur) Jefferson County, Texas. We believe it was before 1912 as Viola (Vee) Court - Nobles - Sparks (Married to Milam Sparks from Clemville, Matagorda County, Tex. area.) was believed to be the last one to be buried in the Sparks Cemetery.(* see note below) She died in January of 1912, after having Dallas Reed Sparks 7/3/1911, her death in January of 1912 was related to the birth of the baby.That makes it between 1902 and 1913 and also we didn't fine his or family's name in the 1910 census. At this time we didn't fine Joseph and family living in Wharton County, Texas.

      Viola Courts is "officially" said to be buried in the TF Smith Homestead -- set of 4 graves moved from Mid County, site of DuPont, to Forest Lawn (See the Forest Lawn/T.F. Smith Homestead Cemetery in this genealogical file). The list of names were supplied by family members who recited who were buried in that cemetery. There is room for error in faulty memories -- either way.
    Person ID I503  Roots
    Last Modified 5 Apr 2011 

    Father Solomon Sparks,   b. 1819, Franklin Co, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1867, Sparks Settlement, Aurora, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 48 years) 
    Mother Martha Caroline Smith,   b. May 1819, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1880, Jefferson Co, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 62 years) 
    Married 23 Mar 1841  Hardiman Co, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Family ID F190  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - Oct 1854 - Jefferson Co, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 22 Jun 1860 - Duncans Wood (Precinct 2), Orange Co, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - Abt 1910 - Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOther-Begin - court case: Smith graves - 30 Sep 1952 - Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOther-Begin - court case: Smith graves - 10 Aug 1961 - Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - McFaddin, TF Smith Homestead, Forest Lawn Cem, Beaumont, Jefferson Co, Texas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Sparks and Courts Family Members
    Sparks and Courts Family Members
    James and Joseph Sparks
    Sparks, Joseph
    Sparks, Joseph

    Documents
    Sparks and Aurora
    Sparks and Aurora
    Originally published in about 1940, and published on the Internet by "Old and Sold, Turn-of-the-Century wisdom for today." Tells of life among the Sparks and families who lived in the Sparks Settlement in the mid to late 1800s. (d)
    http://www.oldandsold.com/articles11/port-arthur-4.shtml

    Albums
    Courts and Sparks Family Members
    Courts and Sparks Family Members (18)

  • Sources 
    1. [S104] 1870 Sparks Settlement, Jefferson Co, Texas census.

    2. [S151] 1880 Jefferson Co, Texas, Census.

    3. [S291] Jay Sparks (jsparks@beamans.com).