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Sparkman Cemetery
Cane Creek, 8 miles NW of
Poplar Bluff, MO.

The present location of Sparkman Cemetery was part of the farmland purchased by William Williams Sparkman and his wife Elizabeth Jane Fitzgerald Sparkman in 1860 along Cane Creek about 8 miles northwest of Poplar Bluff, MO.

At that time, the only known grave on the site was of a black child whose family became stranded at the Cane Creek crossing at flood time. Then, William Williams Sparkman's infant son, Rufus, died and was buried there in 1861. One by one others were added to the field.

During the Civil War, the Military Road, which was near the burial field, was used by soldiers of both sides. Sometimes soldiers were buried in the field. Eventually, a portion of this field was fenced in and reserved for a neighborhood cemetery.

William Williams Sparkman died on June 23, 1904, leaving this cemetery acreage as originally placed with his farmland. The cemetery was incorporated in 1909.
Patricia Sparkman Thomas pathomas@uswest.net Mail

William Williams Sparkman [Founder of Sparkman Cemetery]
abstained from the War and his sons were too young to fight.
His oldest son, Thomas Green Sparkman was only 11 when war broke out.

William Williams Sparkman & Elizabeth Jane Fitzgerald Sparkman had eight children:

  1. - Emarintha Martha Sparkman (Feb. 8, 1842-April 4, 1872).
    Married John Allen.
  2. - Celia Viola Sparkman (Nov. 15, 1844- Aug. 6, 1924)
    Married Theophilis Hooper.
  3. - Rachel Parlee Sparkman (Nov. 15, 1847-Aug. 11, 1923)
    Married Harvey Archibald. Married Dr. Dewitt F. Eskew.
  4. - Thomas Green Sparkman (Oct. 17, 1850-June 25, 1877)
    Married Winney Eudaley.
  5. - Thaddeus Holmes Sparkman (Oct. 16, 1852-May 11, 1932)
    Married four times:
    Elizabeth Azalee Adams,
    Nancy Meredith Wilson,
    Elizabeth Burkett Rushing
    Lillie Tillis.
  6. - William Perry Sparkman (Jan 3, 1856-July 18, 1926)
    married Nancy Jane Kearbey.
  7. - John Elonzo Sparkman (May 13, 1860-June 10, 1948)
    married Elizabeth "Bessie" Venable Wilson.
    She was Nancy Meredith Wilson's younger sister.
  8. - Rufus Sparkman (Aug. 5, 1863-Aug. 21, 1863)
    Died in infancy.
ELIZABETH J.
SPARKMAN
Born
Jan 24, 1823
Died
Apr. 26, 1903
Aged
80 y. 3 m. 2 d. View Headstone
--------------------------------------------------------------

CELEY SPARKMAN

Born
In Hertford Co N.C.
JAN 3, 1794
Died
OCT. 10, 1871
Photograph of Headstone
Comments of Patricia Sparkman Thomas:
Celey is William Williams Sparkman's mother.
--------------------------------------------------------------

RUFUS A.

Son of William W. &
Elizabeth
SPARKMAN
Born
Aug 5, 1863
Died
Aug. 21, 1863 Headstone Photograph
Photo taken June 2000
Comments of Patricia Sparkman Thomas:
Rufus was the first Sparkman to be buried in Sparkman Cemetery.
He was the 5th son and last child born to
William Williams Sparkman & Elizabeth Jane Fitzgerald Sparkman
------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas Green Sparkman
was William Williams Sparkman's first son & 3rd child. Obviously a new headstone has replaced the old one.

Thomas Green was the Sparkman boy who was beaten unconscious by bushwackers during the Civil War (he was hit numerous times in the head with the butt of a rifle). He got beat up because he refused to give the family's only remaining mare to the bushwackers. The mare was to have been part of his sister's (Celia Viola Sparkman) wedding dowry. Thomas Green was in his early teens at the time -- 13 or 14. It was said that he never fully recovered from the attack, hence the reason for his relatively young death.

Thomas Green Sparkman
October 17, 1850
June 25, 1877
Son of
W.W. Sparkman Photograph Headstone
Photograph taken June 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------

Thaddeus Sparkman,

Thaddeus Holmes Sparkman (Oct. 16, 1852-May 11, 1932).
was the 2nd son and 4th child of William Williams Sparkman
& Elizabeth Jane Fitzgerald Sparkman
FATHER
THADDEUS H. SPARKMAN
1852-1932 View Headstone
Photograph taken June 2000

---- Elizabeth Azalee (Adams) Sparkman
was Thaddeus Sparkman's 1st wife.
Her parents were Dr. James T. Adams & Amanda (Hooper) Adams.
Elizabeth died within a year of her marriage to Thaddeus.
They had no children.
This photo was taken on June 2000.
Eliabeth's grave is located in Sparkman Cemetery 8 miles NW of Poplar Bluff, MO.
Her headstone reads as follows:

ELIZABETH Wife of T. Sparkman
Born Feb. 29, 1856
Died Nov. 14, 1873
Aged 17 y. 8 m. 14 d. Photo of Headstone

----Nancy Meredith Wilson Sparkman
(Thaddeus Holmes Sparkman's 2nd wife).
There is a biblical passage at the bottom of her headstone that I could not decifer.
Her headstone reads as follows:

Nancy Wilson SPARKMAN
6-2-1855
8-6-1901 View Headstone
Photo taken June 2000.

----Elizabeth C. Burkett Rushing Sparkman,

(Jan. 29, 1875-June 20, 1918)
Elizabeth was Thaddus' third wife,
he was her second husband.
Both had been previously widowed.
Elizabeth had three daughters when she married Thaddeus.
Thaddeus and Elizabeth had eight children together:
  1. Irene,
  2. Viola,
  3. Nina,
  4. Hall,
  5. Clyde,
  6. Lucy,
  7. William
  8. Alma Omega.
Wife of Thaddeus H.
ELIZABETH C.
JAN. 29, 1875
JUNE 20, 1918 Photo of headstone

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© 2000 This page created and place here July 29, 2000
by:Mary Hudson