I'm looking for the parents of John "Spon" and Mary "Schneider"

Question

John V. Spon was born 15 of May, 1886 in Vingard, Alba Romania. He came to the US when he was 19, and may have changed his name, either in parts or completely, which makes finding him and his family very difficult. He's my 2nd great grandfather.

His wife, Mary (Maria) Schneider was born 14 December, 1889 in Merghindeal, Sibiu Romania, and her father's name (may have) been Gyorgy Schneider.

I've hit a brick wall and would love any help with this!

Comments

Possible parent:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKPZ-7RD

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKPZ-7RX

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKB3-NGQ

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZVB-MT1

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It's definitely possible that John's parents followed him over to the states from Romania, and it would even make sense for John's father to be called 'John' (I would think many parents back then named their kids after themselves). I wish now I could find out for sure if this John Spohn who died when John 'Spon' was 55 is actually his father or not, because that would make John Spon's paternal grandparents Michael Spohn and Emma Swogger. I don't have access to ancestry or the rootsweb at this point in time, but it would be very cool if Michael and Emma came from Romania, Transylvania, or even Germany.

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I don't have access to Ancestry or rootsweb either, but there are others at WikiTree that do.

Answer 1

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X54K-QZR

 

John V Spon

United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942

Name	John V Spon
Event Type	Draft Registration
Event Date	1942
Event Place	Campbell, Mahoning, Ohio, United States
Residence Place	Campbell, Mahoning, Ohio
Gender	Male
Employer	John V/Spon
Birth Date	15 May 1886
Affiliate ARC Identifier	623234

Comments

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the replies; I have his draft registration cards and where he was buried, but NOT the names of either his mother or father. I know that they probably still lived in Vingard Romania when he came to the US, but that's the part I don't know - who they were and what their names, birth dates, death dates...etc were. Thanks!

Answer 2

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Spon&GSiman=1&GScid=213736&GRid=151182714&

John N Spon

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Birth:  1886, Hungary Death:  1966   Family links:   Spouse:   Mary Schneider Spon (1889 - 1960)*    Children:   Martin Spon (1916 - 1982)*   Katherine Spon Varga (1920 - 2014)*   *Calculated relationship   Burial: Bellevue Memorial Park  Ontario San Bernardino County California, USA   Created by: Sadie & Edgar ♥ Record added: Aug 25, 2015  Find A Grave Memorial# 151182714

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http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Spon&GSiman=1&GScid=213736&GRid=151182730&

Mary Schneider Spon

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Birth:  Dec. 14, 1889, Austria Death:  May 5, 1960 San Bernardino County California, USA   Family links:   Spouse:   John N Spon (1886 - 1966)    Children:   Martin Spon (1916 - 1982)*   Katherine Spon Varga (1920 - 2014)*   *Calculated relationship   Burial: Bellevue Memorial Park  Ontario San Bernardino County California, USA   Created by: Sadie & Edgar ♥ Record added: Aug 25, 2015  Find A Grave Memorial# 151182730

Answer 3

Did not find the parents, but found their son and daughter. 

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X44P-8HW

Martin Spon

United States Census, 1930

Name	Martin Spon
Event Type	Census
Event Year	1930
Event Place	Campbell, Mahoning, Ohio, United States
Gender	Male
Age	14
Marital Status	Single
Race	White
Race (Original)	White
Relationship to Head of Household	Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original)	Son
Birth Year (Estimated)	1916
Birthplace	Ohio
Father's Birthplace	Romania
Mother's Birthplace	Romania

HOUSEHOLD	ROLE	GENDER	AGE	BIRTHPLACE
John Spon	Head	M	43	Romania
Mary Spon	Wife	F	40	Romania
John Spon Jr.	Son	M	20	Ohio
Stephen Spon	Son	M	16	Ohio
Martin Spon	Son	M	14	Ohio
Mary Spon	Daughter	F	11	Ohio
Catherine Spon	Daughter	F	9	Ohio
Ellsie J Spon	Daughter	F	4	Ohio

Comments

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=137116684 Shows daughter's photo. 

Katherine Spon Varga

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Birth:  Jun. 14, 1920 Struthers Mahoning County Ohio, USA Death:  Oct. 10, 2014 North Lima Mahoning County Ohio, USA Struthers - Katherine Varga, 94, died Friday morning, October 10, 2014 at Assumption Village. Kay was born June 14, 1920 in Campbell, a daughter of John and Mary Schneider Spon. A 1938 graduate of Campbell Memorial High School, Kay was a dedicated homemaker. She was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church and its Peace Makers Quilt Group, the former Snappy Snippers Struthers Garden Club and the FA Club. Kay enjoyed traveling with her husband, cooking, baking, sewing and gardening, her home was open to all and no one ever turned down an invitation. Her husband, Edwin Varga, whom she married January 25, 1941, died November 26, 2006. She is survived by her daughter, Jerilyn Manos of Poland; son, William (Charlene) Varga of Columbiana; two grandchildren, Victoria Muto and Cristina Manos; and two great-grandchildren, Katherine Muto and Dominic Muto. In addition to her husband and parents, Kay was preceded in death by her son, Edwin Varga; a grandson, Jamie Manos; two sisters, Mary Horvath and Elsie Vargin; and three brothers, John, Martin, Steve Spon. Interment will be at Tod Homestead Cemetery in Youngstown.  Source: The Becker Funeral Homes 11 Oct 2014    Family links:   Parents:   John N Spon (1886 - 1966)   Mary Schneider Spon (1889 - 1960)    Sibling:   Martin Spon (1916 - 1982)*   Katherine Spon Varga (1920 - 2014)   *Calculated relationship   Burial: Tod Homestead Cemetery  Youngstown Mahoning County Ohio, USA   Created by: slp Record added: Oct 11, 2014  Find A Grave Memorial# 137116684

Answer 4

If you can't find anything on his parents at Familysearch you'll have to look for church records. Romanian records before 1890 are held at county archives. Vingard, also known as Weingartskirchen in German or Vingárd in Hungarian, is now part of Șpring, Gespreng in German. The county seat of Alba county is Alba Iulia. www.arhivelenationale.ro/index.php?page=44&lan=0 gives access to a list of addresses of the county archives in Romania. The archives do charge a fee for their services.