Individual Details

Correctionville Argus, Correctionville, Iowa, 7 November 1913, page 1: "John Sparks is Killed; Remains Buried Here". To have an uncle frozen to death in a western Iowa blizzard, to have his father drowned, and at last to have his own young life lost by being crushed by a heavy bridge timber, was the fate of John E. Sparks of near LeMars, a former resident of this place. His father, *Dave Sparks, a few years ago was in a runaway east of Anthon and was thrown into a deep pond along the road and drowned. His uncle, in the blizzard of 1885 that swept Correctionville for three days, lost his life with a companion and these two bodies were about the first buried in the local cemetery. The death of the son was equally tragic. In the best of health on Saturday afternoon young Sparks went to his labors with a bridge crew near Seney, IA. During the meal hour a guy rope on the hoisting machine had worked loose and this cost the life of young Sparks. As soon as the crew began to hoist a huge timber the loosened rope caused a huge timber to fall with a crash, pinning Sparks to the ground inflicting fatal injuries. The remains arrived in Correctionville Monday over the Illinois Central and burial services were conducted by Rev. Spahr of the Methodist Church. The aged mother, Mrs. *Dave Sparks, the wife from whom the deceased was separated from in life, and his two sons Orray and Ralph, attended the burial services. Other relatives of the deceased present were Charles Sparks, a brother of Willow Lake, South Dakota; Mr. and Mrs. Mel Davis of Moville, the latter a sister; Mr. and Mrs. A.O. Beers, Mr. and Mrs. Myron Beers, Milo Beers, and a large number of Correctionville and Anthon friends. Those who remember John E. Sparks have a memory of a good, hardworking young man. The aged mother in her bereavement has the sympathy of all. The LeMars paper had the following to say about the incident: LeMars Sentinel: "A fatal accident occurred on Saturday near Seney when John E. Sparks was struck by a falling timber and crushed internally, death ensuing less than three hours. Sparks was engaged as a laborer on the county bridge gang under the superintendency of Frank Ariosa. The men were at work on a new steel bridge near the railroad yards at Seney. A gin for hoisting timbers had been erected and one of the supporting ropes, which act as a stay, had been fastened to a boxcar standing in the yards in the forenoon. The men knocked off at noon and shortly after the resumption of work the accident occurred. As a heavy timber was being hoisted the gin gave way and Sparks was caught underneath and pinned to the ground. Assistance was quickly sent for and Dr. Richep was summoned from LeMars. He found the man was so badly crushed about the chest and abdomen that recovery was impossible. He administered opiates to relieve the man's sufferings but the end came in a short time. The body was brought to the Beely undertaking parlors and the relatives notified. An investigation showed that one of the stay ropes had been broken while the construction crew was at dinner and on the resumption of work this fact was not noticed and when the hoisting began the gin gave way. Mr. Ariosa has been in charge of the Plymouth county bridge gang for the past eleven years and this is the first bad accident which has occurred in that time. He feels the affair keenly. John E. Sparks was 39 years of age and was born in Iowa on April 15, 1874. His aged mother and other relatives live at Correctionville. A brother, C.M. Sparks, came to LeMars and took charge of the body which was taken to Correctionville yesterday."

The Anthon Herald, 5 November 1913, page 1: While working with a county bridge gang near Seney, Plymouth County, shortly after dinner last Saturday Peter Sparks was struck in the back by a falling pole which was used as a derrick to raise large timbers, and so badly injured internally that he died within three hours. The remains were brought to Correctionville and buried Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Mr. Sparks was 39 years old and was born at Correctionville. He has always lived in this locality and was known as a hard working honest man. It seems fate has marked this family for several generations. His grandfather was killed in a well; an uncle froze to death on the prairies of Iowa twenty-five years ago; and four years ago his father, *David Sparks, was killed in a runaway three miles south of Anthon by being thrown onto a bridge railing and then falling into a small pond of water. Besides two sons aged sixteen and fourteen years who live near Bronson, deceased leaves his aged mother, Mrs. David Sparks, and sister, Mrs. Mel Davis of this place, and brother, Charley Sparks of Willow Lake, South Dakota.

*The use of David and Dave for John's father's name should be Columbus Carlvin or "C. C.".

Birth	15 Apr 1874	Woodbury Co., Iowa
Marriage	18 Mar 1896	Correctionville, Woodbury Co., Iowa - Hannah Isabella Gray
Divorce	Bef 1903	Iowa - Hannah Isabella Gray
Death	1 Nov 1913	Seney, Plymouth Co., Iowa
Burial		Correctionville Cemetery, Correntionville, Woodbury Co., Iowa

Spouse	Hannah Isabella Gray (1878 - 1943)
Child	Ralph Earl Sparks (1897 - 1978)
Child	Orria Edgar Sparks (1901 - 1986)

Father	Columbus Calvin "C. C." Sparks (1841 - 1910)
Mother	Almira Jane Blundell (1839 - 1922)
Sibling	Charles Marion Sparks (1876 - 1944)
Sibling	Emma Albina Sparks (1878 - 1965)
Sibling	Peter Sparks ( - )