"A young farmer of Center township,
Fayette county, who is making rapid strides as a modern twentieth-century
husbandman is Lewis I. Sprague, the representative of an old and influential
family. He was born at Sandridge, Dekalb county, Illinois, August 27, 1870, and
is the son of Charles and Hattie (ROGERS) Sprague, the father a native of Canada
and the mother of Sandridge, Illinois. The maternal grandfather, Israel ROGERS,
came from the state of New York to Chicago, driving an ox team overland, in a
very early day, before much of the intervening country was settled, and he "staked"
out a large farm on Fox river. On this he made a small clearing, built, first, a
log cabin and in time had a very comfortable home and a good farm, and there he
spent the remainder of his life. He was very active in the affairs of the state
of Illinois, especially in Republican politics. He became well-to-do and owned a
large interest in the shops at Sandridge, and was president of the same for many
years. He was the son of Israel Rogers, a native of England who came to New York
in the early days, and who spent his last days in the state of Illinois with his
son. He traded in furs with the Indians, and he was a brave and hardy pioneer.
Peter Sprague, the subject's paternal grandfather, married Hannah BROWN, the
daughter of one of the old and honored pioneer families. He was born in Canada
August 23, 1826, and to this union two sons and two daughters were born, one
daughter dying in infancy; Rachel married Nelson DARNELL and died in 1890; John
lives in Sandridge, Illinois; Charles, father of Lewis I. Sprague, of this
review, and who was born in Canada March 13, 1847, lives in Decatur county,
Iowa. He came with the family to Iowa in 1876, the same time the Darnell family
came, and located in Decatur County, where he farmed about six years and then
moved to Fayette county, and bought wild land of A. J. DUCAN, the place
consisting of four hundred acres, where Lewis I Sprague, of this review, now
lives, and here the father worked improving the place, until 1900, devoting his
time to general farming and stock raising.
Five children were born to
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sprague, four of whom are still living. In 1900 the father
moved to Lamoni, Decatur county, Iowa, and in a short time retired. He is a
Democrat in politics and is highly esteemed by all who know him.
Lewis
I. Sprague was educated in the public schools and the high school of Fayette. He
has always followed farming and has been very successful, and, with the
exception of nine months spent at Independence, working for D. P. Shaddeck, he
has lived in Fayette county all his life, and with the exception of the time he
spent there has always worked for himself. He now owns one hundred and sixty
acres of the old homestead and is a general farmer and breeder of full-blood
Poland China hogs, which, owing to their excellent quality, find a very ready
market.
Mr. Sprague was married on January 1, 1891, to Libinas BRATT,
who was born in Fayette county on January 1, 1870, the daughter of William A.
and Electa J. (PROCTOR) Bratt, the father a native of New York and the mother of
Ohio.
The father of Mrs. Sprague came to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, when a
boy with his parents and there grew to maturity. When the Civil war came on he
enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served
gallantly throughout the struggle, after which he came to Iowa and located in
Center township, Fayette county, and here directed his attention to farming. He
first bought forty acres and later eighty more, making him a farm of one hundred
and twenty acres, which he improved. He was a Republican and a Baptist.
Two
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis I. Sprague: Lewis Lloyd, born in
Fayette County, September 24, 1894, and Clair William, born here April 23, 1900.
Mr.
Sprague is a Republican in politics and he has been school director, but he has
never been an aspirant to political offices, thought he is interested in the
welfare of his community and county and always ready to aid in movements for
their betterment. Fraternally he is a Woodman, while Mrs. Sprague is a member of
the Woman's Relief Corps."
(Source book includes a photo of both Mr. & Mrs. Sprague)