Alfred and Jane Ann Sparks
Information comes from History of Bear Lake Pioneers and submitted by Helen Sparks Esterholdt
Alfred Sparks was born 7 Mar 1835 to George Sparks and Hannah Lake at Hollow, England. He was a very industrious and thrifty young man. He was a farmer by profession and gardener and took great pride in accumulating property and did not believe in debt. Even though he always had a supply of wheat for his family, he was always willing to help his neighbor. Jane Ann Fowler was born 27 Nov 1835 in Baughton, England, the daughter of Samuel & Ann (Linton) Fowler. She joined the Mormon Church in Feb 1851 against her father's wishes. She met Alfred while going to the branch and when they left for America on the ship Ellen Maria in 1853 they were married at sea. In 1865 they moved to the Bear Lake Valley arriving in Paris in November 1865.
Children of Alfred Sparks and Jane Ann Fowler
1. George Samuel Sparks b-29 Sep 1854 in Salt
Lake City; d-10 July 1902 in Dingle; m-Matilda Mary Price
2. Alfred William Sparks b-21 Jan 1857 in Ft Herriman Utah; d-13 May 1928 in
Montpelier; br-Dingle; m-Sarah Jane Grimmett
3. Mary Ann Sparks b-6 Feb 1859 in Ft Herriman Utah; d-1 Feb 1936; m-William
Henry Bird
4. Thomas Fowler Sparks b-7 Apr 1861 in Lehi Utah; d-21 Oct 1938; m-Eliza Jane
Wilcox
5. Laura Jane Sparks b-9 Sep 1863 in Lehi; d-1863 in Lehi
6. Alice Melinda Sparks b-21 Nov 1865 in Paris; d-24 May 1957 in Dingle;
m-George W Cook
7. Ann Amanda Sparks b-1 Mar 1867 in Paris; d-18 May 1867 in Paris
8. John Henry Stewart Sparks b-20 Feb 1870 in Paris; d-18 Mar 1946 in Dingle;
m-Helen Charlotta Wilcox
9. Caroline Hannah Sparks b-17 Feb 1872 in Paris; d-2 Mar 1942; m-John Henry
Dayton
They lost quite a few cattle and sheep during the winter and flour was scarce. They had left their grain at Lehi to bring after they got to Paris and had to borrow flour until it arrived. In May 1875 the family moved to Dingle. In the spring of 1883, Jane Ann was called to go to Salt Lake to study to be a doctor. This was a hardship because she was president of the Dingle Relief Society and had a large family to care for. But she commenced her studies on 9 Apr 1883 under Romania B Pratt for six months. She then was away from home a great deal, traveling throughout the county delivering babies and administering to the sick. She brought 500 babies into the world losing only one patient in her practice. Alfred died 15 Aug 1915 in Dingle. Jane Ann died 3 Nov 1921 in Dingle.
For more information on this family go to http://ourcookfamily.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I8728&tree=HFCook