John Thomas Sparks ^62,65

  Research Notes:

Per the research of David Rogers: With the outbreak of the Civil War, John T. Sparks enlisted as a sergeant in Company B (DeKalb Rifles) of the 49th Regiment Alabama Infantry. This unit fought in the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. Later it formed part of the defense of Vicksburg until that city surrendered on July 4, 1863. It appears likely that Sparks was among the enlisted men who were paroled to return to their homes in North Alabama.

According to information given by his son, Francis, after John T. Sparks returned home from his service in the 49th Regiment Alabama Infantry, he served as the head of a company of scouts (or guides) for the Union forces in the northeastern part of Alabama. Francis Sparks stated that his father was the captain of Company A, 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry of Independent Scouts and Guides in 1863; however, the Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D.C., could find no records of that unit when requested for information in 1912. Francis Sparks stated at that time that he had served as a private in that company, under his father. (An abstract of the pension application file of Francis Marion Sparks appears in this issue of the Quarterly, beginning on page 3830.)

Because of his role as a guide for the Union troops, the family of John T. Sparks apparently suffered severely from the actions of Southern (Confederate) supporters. Francis Sparks related that his father's house had been burned, and that the family had been forced to leave their personal possessions to burn, also. Jesse Sparks, a son of John T. Sparks, was taken from his sick bed and exposed to the weather to escape the fire, which was the probable cause of his death shortly thereafter.

John T. Sparks died in DeKalb County, probably in late 1871. His wife and his daughter, Nancy Jane, signed a deed to sell a tract of land on January 8, 1872, in DeKalb County. His son, Francis, with his wife, Malinda, who were residents of Dunklin County, Missouri, at the time, also signed the deed there on February 1, 1872. No record has been found of the death of Mary Ann (Godwyn) Sparks. She and John T. Sparks had three children, all born in Georgia.

John married Mary Ann Godwyn on Oct 1, 1845.⁶² (Mary Ann Godwyn was born about 1826 in GA ⁶².)