William SPARLING / Julia Elizabeth MARSHALL

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[219] WILLIAM SPARLING a well known resident of Forest who for thirty-three years has followed the business of auctioneerring in connection with acting as agent for several insurance agencies was born Sept. 19, 1835, in County Tipperary, Ireland.
John Sparling [sic], the grandfather of William Sparling, was a native of the Emerald Isle, although the family was originally German. They emigrated to England under the reign of Queen Anne thence removed to Ireland where the family became numerous and prosperous. The nine sons of John Sparling were: George, Christopher, James, John, William, Samuel, Peter, Henry and Philip, all of whom came to Canada. Of this family, Peter Sparling was the father of our subject. He was born in Ireland in 1790 and came to Ontario in 1852, locating as a general mechanic in the County of Peel. He married Elizabeth Barry, born in 1809 in Ireland, who died in Michigan at the age of seventy-four years. Politically, Peter Sparling was a Conservative. In Religious belief both he and wife were Methodists. Their children were: George a mechanic died in Michigan; Susan married Peter Cole and died in Ireland, and their son, Rev. Henry Cole has been a missionary in South Africa since 1877, his wife being a sister of the noted missionary, Rev. Dr. Baxter; Mary is the widow of Samuel Cope of Ubly, Michigan; Peter is a retired farmer in Michigan; Thomas is a farmer in Plympton township; Ann married Samuel Sparling and both are deceased; William; Hon. John who represented Huron County, Michigan in the legislature is a prominent farmer there and also a veterinary surgeon; Elizabeth is the widow of Joseph Bell; and Christopher is a farmer in Michigan.
William Sparling accompanied his parents to the County of Peel, where he was reared. His business career began in Streetsville, that county, where he conducted a meat business for about fourteen years. In 1867 he removed to Plympton township, County of Lambton and located on Lot 27, Concession 9, where he cleared up a fine farm. He took an active part during the Fenian raid and for his services then was awarded an appropriate medal. Mr. Sparling sold his first farm and then located on Lot 24, Concession 10 where he cleared up another fine property, on which he resided until 1887 when he removed to Forest. In 1873 he embarked in the auctioneering business and during his thirty-three years of work in this line he has conducted between 1,700 and 1,800 sales. He is one of the systematic men of his time which is shown by his books, where he has kept a daily record of receipts and expenditures for more than forty years. Since 1843 he has been identified more or less with the educational interests of his locality, serving on the school board for thirty-seven years, at present being chairman of the high school board at Forest. For two years he was the deputy receiver of Plympton township and ex-officio member of the county council. He owns several village lots in Forest and more than 100 acres of fine farming land in Plympton township.
On Oct 30 1862, Mr. Sparling was married to Miss Julia Marshall, daughter of John Marshall, and the three children of this union were: Ida H, who married John Watson, of Plympton township, and has one daughter, Julia; Eva, who married H Capes, of Plympton township, and has one son, William James; and Julia, who died June 27, 1886. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sparling are members of the Methodist church. Politically, Mr. Sparling adheres to the principles of the Conservative party, and since 18?7 he has been a member of the Order of Orangemen. He has always taken a lively interest in out-door sports and is one of the expert curlers of Western Ontario.

Commemorative biographical record of the county of Lambton, Ontario (containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and many of the early settled families),J.H. Beers & Co.,Toronto, Ontario, 1906, Pgs 207,208

[587] Baptized by Rev C Fish

[588] Baptized by Rev C Fish

[589] Baptized by Rev C Fish.

[590] Only appeared in 1871 census Plympton Twp

[591] Adopted. Apperas in 1891 census as Charlotte C Wilson.

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