Sparks School-A short history
Sparks School-A short history
I am assuming this is from Ruth McCormick's history of Ripley Township Schools. Oral history information was obtained from Lex Stonebreaker, many years ago. Source: "RIPLEY TOWNSHIP", prepared by Charles L. Arvin, April 2000
In the deed record book 21, page 219 dated February 1, 1854 we find that Phillip and Mahala Sparks owned 80 acres in the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 and the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4, Section 36 Township 18, Range 5 W 3st in Ripley Township in Montgomery County.
Phillip Sparks was born in Franklin Township. He (w)as the son of Thomas Sparks, who migrarted from Baltimore, Maryland and was one of the early pioneers in this part of the County. When Phillip was 10 years old Thomas moved his family to Ripley Township. Thomas Sparks was killed in the Civil War by an explosion on a U. S. transport ship.
Phillip married Mahala Jennette Copner on December 23, 1847. She was the daughter of Joseph I. and Elizabeth Copner, a prominent woof (wood?) manufacturer. They had three children:George Sparks, who married Emma C. Bell, Dr. Joseph Sparks, who married Sarah A . Butts and a son Harries sparks who died in infancy.
December 6, 1856 Philip and Mahala Sparks gave the township trustee a plot of ground being a part of the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of section 36, for the purpose of providing a free common school.
There is no record of when the school was discontinued, oral history tells us that the Sparks School was moved northwest of the Sparks home place and was used as a work shop.
Some of the students were James Stonebreaker, Norval Tucker, Dora Spaerks and Dr. Joseph Sparks.