William Reid Sparkman (1764 - 1832)

Born 9 Feb 1764 in Beaufort County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Rosanna (Williams) Sparkman — married 3 Dec 1789 in Hertford County, NC

Descendants

Died 15 Mar 1832 at age 68 in Boston, Williamson Co., Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Private William Sparkman served with North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

William Sparkman is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A107849.

William Sparkman is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-294511
Rank: Soldier

William Reid Sparkman was a Revolutionary War Veteran. He served, along with his twin brother, William Jesse Sparkman Jr. William Reid Sparkman was also a slave holder.

DAR Record

• Sparkman, William
• Ancestor #: A107849
• Birth: 2-9-1764 Edenton District, Bertie Co, NC
• Death: 3-15-1832 Franklin Tennessee
• Spouse: 1) Rosanna Williams

William Reid Sparkman was born on Feb. 9, 1764 in Beaufort County, North Carolina. Even though his headstone indicates he was born in 1761, His family bible, written in his own hand, says he was born on Feb. 9, 1764.

William married twice, first to Pheraby Jane Ward. Pheraby died before having any children. William then married Rosanna "Sally" Williams and they had numerous children together. They were living in Nashville Tennessee in 1976, then moved to Williamson County, TN in 1801 where he was a farmer and hunter. He also returned to battle in the War of 1812. William died in Williamson County on March 15, 1832 at the age of 71. He is buried in the Sparkman Cemetery in Boston Township in Williamson County TN, which is about 12 miles southwest of Franklin TN, near the Old Nachez Trace. William was one of the founders of the Church of Christ in the Boston Township.

William Reid Sparkman was a Private in the Colonial Army of North Carolina. He served under Col. William Polk and after the struggle, he moved his family to Williamson Co, TN.

The Book, "Our Valiant Men," published by the Williamson County Tennessee Historical Society states that during the Revolutionary War, William, at the age of 16, was sent to recover fire arms and ammunition which had been stolen by a man to sell to the arsenal While on this assignment, William was captured by the British and sent as a prisoner to the Isle of Jamaica, where he remained until the close of war.

William also enlisted for service as a connoneer in the War of 1812 and served from Sept. 28, 1814 to April 27, 1815 and fought in the Battle of New Orleans. He was a corporal in the 1st Regiment of West Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen. He served under Captains Samuel Crawford and James McMahon. He took part in the battle of Canebrake with Andrew Jackson's Army, where he as again captured and held prisoner until peace was declared.

A sign at the Sparkman Cemetery in Tennessee, where William Reid Sparkman is buried, reads in part: "In 1801, Revolutionary Soldier William Sparkman settled on 320 acres on the headwaters of Leiper's Fork near the Duck River Ridge. The Boston Church of Christ, built in 1854 on land donated by Elderr Seth Sparkman who became a leading force in the Restoration Movement ..."

Arrival In Nashville, TN 1797

In the summer of 1795 a wagon road was opened directly from Knoxville, TN through the Clinch Mountains to Nashville TN (Known as Nashbourgh at the time). The Sparkman family came to Nasborough in the winter of 1797 by wagon from North Carolina as part of a wagon train. The story handed down through the family was that coming over the mountains, they had to put heavy branches on the wagon to keep it from running over horses. Nashborough contained 60-80 families (about 250-300 people) and the houses were mostly made of logs and frame, scattered over the whole site of the town. There were two or three taverns, but the principle one was kept by Major Lewis, who befriended the Sparkman family.

On Monday evening, December 8, 1884, the following article appears in the Nashville Banner about William Reed Sparkman. It was written by Velma T. Murphy of London Lane, Franklin, TN, and was a tribute to William Reed Sparkman and his wife Rosanna in the bicentennial year.

"On the last day of Dec. 1797, William Reed Sparkman and his wife, (Rosanna "Sally" Williams Sparkman) arrived at Nashville with a quarter and a half section land warrant in his pocket, from North Carolina, coming to this country for hunting purposes. in. At the time, William was 32 years old and Rosanna was 28. On the Family's arrival in Nashville village or Nashborough, William tried all over the village to rent a room or a cabin. He was very anxious for it on his wife's behalf (since she was pregnant and about to give birth), but no lodgings could be found. Finally, coming across Major Lewis, who was farming across the river, William applied to him. The Major told him he had no cabin, but finally told him there was a little shanty down in the field which had been used as a stable for the work stock, and if he could do no better, he could fix that up and go into it. That was William's only chance and he accepted it, and went in and raked out the litter and moved his wife in, where they spread down their few bed cloths on the naked ground. That night Rosanna gave birth to her third child, Seth Sparkman (they already had two daughters, Mary "Polly" Sparkman & Celia Sparkman). Major Lewis discovered that William Reed Sparkman was a sensible and active fellow and he engaged him to manage and run his farm for him, promising to locate him favorably in a good hunting grounds when his term of service ended. William remained with Major Lewis for three years, until young Seth was three years old. When he went to Major Lewis in Dec. 1799 and told him he was tired of farm life, and wanted to go to the hunting grounds the Major had promised him, that he might pursue the business he came to this country for, the Major took William's land warrant, and in lieu of it went out to the Duck River ridges, and located it for William Sparkman, who immediately moved his family upon his hunting grounds, which was then on the Indian boundary line, and where there were a considerable number of Indians settled, William erected his cabin there where he hunted to his souls content and had the Indians for his companions. There he shot many bear, deer and turkeys, lived a long life and raised a very large and useful family."

Rosanna Sparkman & The Indians

William Sparkman had great influence over his neighbor Indians and they hunted together almost daily. To show Mrs. Sparkman's pluck, I will give the story as told me by Seth Sparkman. William owned a mare, the only horse he possessed. She strayed off, and William could not do well without her. He took a gun upon his shoulder and set out afoot on the hunt of her, telling his wife (Rosanna) he might not return for five or six days. During his absence the Indians became very troublesome and indeed, so much so, that one day when the cabin was full of red skins, they demanded something to eat and various things. When Mrs Rosanna Sparkman could not endure them longer she ordered them to leave the cabin. She was alone with two or three little children. They refused. She stepped to the rack and took down the old deer rifle and ordered them peremptorily to get out and leave. They obeyed orders and left and stayed away. When the old man returned with his mare, his wife informed him of how the Indians had treated her, and how she got rid of them. He then set about to make up with the offended, and invited them to come back. They held out a considerable length of time before he could convince them that his wife was not mad with them. Finally they went back, but were always on their good behavior when Mrs. Sparkman was near.

Slaves

William Reed Sparkman owned slaves. In fact, eight are listed in his family bible. they are:

1. Charlotte born Jan. or June 31, 1816

2. Dorcas born Feb. 3, 1838

3. Edward born Sept. 16, 1839

4. Lucy born Nov. 3, 1841

5. Charity Tennessee born Sept. 4, 1844

6. Francis Emiline born Jan. 16, 1855

7. Narcis born Dec. 8, 1856

8. Charlotte Delilia born Dec. 14, 1856

Notes

Many of those held in bondage by William Reid Sparkman, took the surname "Sparkman" after emancipation.

Sources

• William Reed Sparkman & Rosannna (Williams) Sparkman's family Bible
• "Our Valiant Men," Williamson County, TN Historical Society
• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
• Find A Grave: Memorial #27202296
• 1800 Bertie Co. NC Census shows R. William Sparkman 26-45 years old with four sons each from 1-10 years old, two daughters each from 1-10 years old, and his wife from 16-26 years old. He also owns 6 slaves.
• DAR record https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A107849