SPARKS OF ONTARIO

[trafalgar05]

Hello

I have traced an ancestor family to Ontario. The family emigrated from Devon, England to Canada around 1906. I have found that the mother (Sarah Jane Sparks nee Osborne) and 6 of their children were on the Ionian which left Liverpool 9 August 1906 bound for Montreal. I have not been able to find the father (Andrew) and eldest son Richard Osborne Sparks on a ship. However, I have found them all on the 1911 census for Port Rowan, Norfolk, Ontario. 

There my trail ends. I believe they remained in Canada as I think some of the sons at least were married in Ontario. The full names of the children were:

Richard Andrew Osborne Sparks
Thomas Osborne Sparks
Bessie Osborne Sparks
Maggie Osborne Sparks
William Henry Osborne Sparks
Mary Elizabeth Osborne Sparks
Alfred Ernest Osborne Sparks

Is anyone able to shed any light on this family after the 1911 census? Is anyone a descendant?

Thanks for any help
Allan

[cosmac]

Marriages with father Andrew Sparks and mother Sarah Osborne

Richard Andrew Osborne Sparks b. 1888 Devonshire Eng., occ: soldier, married elizabeth Bates b. 1895 Manchester Eng. d/o Frederick bates and Lucy Owrid on Nov 30 1915 at Hamilton Wentworth.

Thomas Sparks b. 1889 Eng, occ:  boxmaker, married Florence Ethel Hitchcock b. 1891 Walsingham Ont., d/o John Hitchcock and Mary JGibbons on Mar 21, 1918 at Brantford, Brant county.  Wit: alfred sparks of 76 Nelson St., Brantford

William Henry Sparks b. 1896 Devonshire, married Helen Kathleen Matthews d/o Alfred Matthews and Elsie Peach on Feb 26, 1924 Pt. Rowan, Norfolk.

Maggie Sparks, 18, married J. Fred T. Parker, s/o Edward Parker and Ivona Rose on Dec 25, 1912 at Port Rowan, Norfolk.  Wit: B. Sparks and Richard Sparks of Port Rowan

Bessie Sparks, b 1892 Suffolk, married Victor Leon Giffin, occ: engineer, b. 1888 Lock Port N.S., s/o George Griffin and Mary Etta Ringer on Jan 26, 1916 Simcoe Norfolk.  Both residents of Port Dover, NOrfolk.

Because of the dates of their marriages and privacy laws of Canada births of children for these couples would not be available.

Debbie

[cosmac]

http://www.islandnet.com/ocfa/homepage.html
Richard and wife Elizabeth are buried Eastlawn Cemetery

An online family tree shows that Elizabeth Bates was born 21 April 1895 Manchester and died 1979 at Hamilton Ontario.  Husband Richard Sparks born 27 May (year not filled in) and died at Hamilton, Ontario.  Since the tree is public to subscribers of ancestry.ca I don't see a problem with adding the information contained but will remove it if it contravenes rules.

Tree shows a female child marrying Charles E. Bryson (1918-2004) and a son and a daughter born to the couple.  Daughter with married name Horyn.

Debbie

[JDC]

Hi Allan,

I have ancestors in Norfolk Co as well. I have found the Norfolk OGS and the Eva Brook Donly Auseum and Arcive absolutely wonderfuk groups to work with in tracing my ancestors back to the mid 1800s. The website addys are:

http://ogs.on.ca/norfolk/
http://www.norfolklore.com/

Hope this helps,

JDC

[J.J.]

 
A married surname for Mary: Reeves from the 1948 death for:  Mrs Sarah Jane Sparks, nee Osborne, 88th year, Jan 14, daughter of Richard & Sarah Osborne, nee Carnel; wife of Andrew Sparks; mother of Mrs B. Giffen, Mrs M. Parker, Mrs H. Reeves, Richard, Tom, Alfred and William Sparks
http://www.elginogs.ca/Home/ancestor-indexes/newspapers/st-thomas-newspapers/sttj-1948-jan-feb

[J.J.]

I think Richard may have ended up in Dartmouth Nova Scotia  ( training there?) for a time, or there are some huge coincidences in this CEF signup for 1918 ( may have said he was from Norfolk thinking it was easier?)
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=vi29l6lgcnfulqmmfv50jkh2g3&q1=sparks&q2=richard+andrew


says they all came over in 1906 on the 1911...
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/SplitView.jsp?id=31819
Interesting that Richard is a "Life saver" I imagine he may have been a life guard? being that it's a "lakeside" community

[J.J.]

20 May 1947  Anniversary - Mr & Mrs Andrew Sparks of Port Rowan, nee Sarah Jane Osborn, 62nd
http://www.elginogs.ca/Home/ancestor-indexes/newspapers/st-thomas-newspapers/sttj-1947-apr-jun
and again later in month on same link...pages and columns are noted
26 May 1947 Anniversary - Mr & Mrs Andrew Sparks of Simcoe, 62nd

[J.J.]

o.k. this is a bit confusing...because although it says M.Parker on the death notice there is a Toronto marriage in 1926 to a Harry Clifford IRVING, 37 and a Maggie Osborne SPARKS / parents Andrew SPARKS & Sarah OSBORNE
more details here: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryc/tor1926p18.htm

[JDC]

Hi Allan,

Looks like the family went to Elgin Co to reside. The St Thomas Public Library in St. Thomas has directories for the area and if you contact them they would likely do a lookup for where the family resided in St Thomas and/or area. Trust that helps,

JDC