Surname Saturday ~ SPARKS of Ipswich, Massachusetts

SPARKS

The first record of John Sparks is dated 24 July 1650 when he was apprenticed to Obadiah Wood “bisquit maker” in Ipswich, Massachusetts [Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, 1900, Volume 1, page 200].  Obadiah Wood married Margaret, John’s sister.  In 1664 John rented half a house from Thomas Bishop of Ipswich.  On 14 February 1671 John Spark bought two acres in Ipswich for his own bakery, and an “ordinary” (tavern). 

He married Mary Roper, daughter of Walter Roper of Ipswich.  There was an early article in the 1977 issue 98, pages 1904 – 1905 of The Sparks Quarterly published by the Sparks Family Association that stated that John Sparks married Mary Sinnett of Boston.  This was reversed in issue 164, pages 4192 – 4229 when an article by Russell E. Bidlack described the will of Walter Roper that names his daughter Mary (Roper) Sparks, and her children.  See my blog post last week on the Roper family to see a transcription of that will.  Mary’s will is transcribed below from the Essex County Probate 25951, dated 9 December 1711.  She died sometime before 26 July 1712 when her son-in-law Thomas Newman was appointed executor of this will:

In the Name of God, Amen. I Mary Spark of Ipswich in the County of Essex in New England, Widow, being Weak of Body but Thro the great Goodness of God, of perfect Mind & Memory Doe make & Or Dane th⁸ & no other to be my Last Will & Testament. Commending my Immortall Soul into the hands of Almighty God, Hopeing in the Mercy of God thro the Meritts [of] Jesus Christ to have the full & free pardon of all my Sins & Resurrection unto Everlasting Life, & my Body I Comitt to the Earth when dead, to be bureyed according to the Direction of my Exer hereafter Named in a Christian, Decent Manner-and as for the small portion of Worldly Goods which I have in possesion or may be Due to me or my heirs after my funerall Charges are Defrayed, I give & Dispose of the same In Manner & form following:

Imp¹'. I Give to my Daughter, Susannah Annable, Twenty shillings out of the Legacie left me by my [brother] John Rooper in his Will W" It shall be Due.

 Item I give also my Daughter Sarah Newman twenty shillings out of th^### Legacye W¹'¹ It shall be due, given by my Brother John aforesaid.

 Item In Consideration th^### I am & am like to be More Chargeable & Troublesome To my son, Thomas Newman & my Daughter Rose Newman with whom I Now Live, I Give unto Them & Their heirs for Ever all the Rest of my Estate, Either in possesion or reversion of what Kind or Nature so ever or In whose hands It is or May be found In, as a finall a reward of the Daily Love & Service, & I Ordain my said son Thomas Newman To be sole Executor of this my Last Will & Testament. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand & Seal the Ninth Day of December Ann Dome Seventeen hundred & Eleven.

Signed, Sealed, published & declard
In presence of us            

This transcription is from the Sparks Family Association website http://www.sparksfamilyassn.org/pages/164-A.html

My SPARKS genealogy:

Generation 1: John Sparks, born about 1630, died before March 1704 in Ipswich, Massachusetts; married Mary Roper, daughter of Walter Roper and Susan Unknown.  She was baptized on 22 August 1641 in Hampton, New Hampshire and died 1712 in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Eight children.

Generation 2: Elizabeth Sparks, born about 1666 probably in Ipswich, died 10 April 1692 in Ipswich; married on 25 December 1684 in Ipswich to Jacob Perkins, son of Jacob Perkins and Elizabeth Whipple.  He was born 3 August 1662 in Ipswich, and died 12 November 1705.

Generation 3: Elizabeth Perkins m. David Burnham

Lineage A:

Generation 4: David Burnham m. Elizabeth Marshall

Generation 5: Amos Burnham m. Sarah Giddings

Generation 6: Judith Burnham m. Joseph Allen

Generation 7: Joseph Allen m. Orpha Andrews

Generation 8: Joseph Gilman Allen m. Sarah Burnham Mears

Generation 9: Joseph Elmer Allen m. Carrie Maude Batchelder

Generation 10: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

Lineage B:

Generation 4: Westley Burnham m. Deborah Story

Lineage B1:

Generation 5: Westley Burnham m. Molly Woodbury

Lineage B1a:

Generation 6: Asa Burnham m. Polly Bray

Generation 7: Lydia W. Burnham m. Samuel Mears

Generation 8: Samuel Mears m. Sarah Ann Burnham

Generation 9: Sarah Burnham Mears m. Joseph Gilman Allen (see above)

Lineage B1b:

Generation 6: Henry Burnham m. Sally Poland

Generation 7: Sarah Ann Burnham m. Samuel Mears

Generation 8: Sarah Burnham Mears m. Joseph Gilman Allen (see above)

Lineage B2:

Generation 5: Sarah Burnham m. Abner Poland

Generation 6: Sally Poland m. Henry Burnham (see above)

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Copyright © 2014, Heather Wilkinson Rojo