Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/464

 SPARKS

SPARKS

colony. He was graduated from the University of Michigan in 1873; was instructor in zoology and botany there, 1876-79; assistant professor of botany. 1879-81; acting professor. 1881-8G, and was elected professor of botany in 1886. He was twice married; first, in 1876, to Harriet, daugh- ter of Cephas B. and Jane (Ives) Hubbard, of Battle Creek, Mich., and secondly, in 1896, to Effie Ahnira, daughter of Nathaniel Chester and Chloe(Ratlibun) South worth, of Forestville, N.Y. He was elected a member of various scientific societies and was president of the Michigan Academy of Science and president of the Society for Plant Morphology and Physiology for one year. The degree of PIi.D. was conferred upon iiim by the university of Leipzig, in 1894. He is the autlior of: Guide to the Stud}/ of Common Plants and Introduction to Botany (1895); Mon- ograpli on the White Pine, and various papers in botanical and scientific magazines.

SPARKS, Jared, educator and historian, was born in Willington, Tolland county, Conn., May

10, 1789: son of and Eleanor (Orcutt) Sparks,

and grandson of and Bethiah (Parker)

Sparks. He attended the district schools, and taught until 1809. wlien lie studied privately under the Rev. Hubbell Loomis. He attended Pliillips Exeter academy, 1809-11 and was grad- uated from Harvard, A.B., 1815, A.M., 1818; taught school in Bolton, Mass., 1811-12, and at Havre de Grace. Md., to help pay his college ex- penses, and in 1813 he joined the Maryland militia and served against the Britisli at Havre de Grace. H"Mti..n,i^,i ri,.. Harvard Divinity scliool, 1817- .'•; was tutor of mathmetics Harvard, and acting editor of ■'fji-' tllil SJJi^^H *'*® North American Review, '""1817-19. He was ordained to the Unitarian ministry May 5, 1819; was pastor of a church at Baltimore, Md., 1819-23; and chaj:'.it'. house of representatives, Wash- ington, D.C., 1821-23. He edited the Unitarian Miscellany aiid Christian Monitor, a. monthly pe- riodical, 1821-23; and on his removal to Boston he edited the North American Review, 1824-31. In 1825, he collected and edited the writings of George Washington, and was the originator and first edi- tor of the American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge, 1830-61. He was McLean pro- fessor of ancient and modern history at Harvard, 1838-49: succeeded Edward Everett as president of the college, Feb. 1, 1849, and resigned on account of failing health. Feb. 10, 1853. He was twice mar- ried, first Oct. 16, 1832, to Frances Anne, daugh- ter of William Allen, of Hyde Park, N.Y. . and secondly. May 21. 1839. to Mary Crowninshield, daughter of Nathaniel Silsbee (q.v.). He was a
 * iiid natural philosopliy at

member of the American Philosophical society; the Maryland Historical society; the Pennsyl- vania Historical society and the Vermont His- torical society; a fellow of the American Acad- emy; vice-president of the Massachusetts His- torical society; coi'responding secretary of the American Antiquarian society and a correspcnd- ing member of many foreign societies. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Dartmouth in 1841, and by Harvard in 1843. His published works include: Letters on the Ministry, Ritual and Doctrines of the Prot- estant Episcopal Church (1820); Collection of Essays and Tracts in Tlieology from Various Authors (6 vols. 1823-26); Life of John Ledyard (1828): The Diplomatic Corresjiondmce of the American Revolution (12 vols., 1829-30); Life of Gouvernevr Morris (3 vols. 1832); The Writings of George Washington (12 vols., 1834-38). and Life of George Washington (1839). The writings of George Washington were collected from the archives of the capitols of the thirteen original states and from the papers of General Washing- ton, preserved at Mt. Vernon. The books weie reissued in French and German. He edited " The Library of American Biography" (10 vols. 1834-38; second series, 15 vols., 1844-47) " WorUs of Benjamin Franklin " (10 vols. 1836-40); " Re- marks on American History" (1837); •"Addi- tions to William Smyth's Lectures on Modern His- tory " (1841), and " Correspondence of the Amer- ican Revolution, being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington " (4 vols. 1853). His col- lection of original manuscripts was presented to Harvard college. His name in Class A, Authors and Editors, received three votes for a place in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, in 1900. He died in Cambridge, Mass.. March 14, 1866.

SPARKS, William Andrew Jackson, repre- sentative, was born near New Albany, Ind.,Nov. 19, 1828; son of Baxter and Elizabeth (Gwin) Sparks. His ancestors on both sides were of the early settlers of Virginia from England, and on the paternal side are believed to have been of the colony that founded Jamestown. He removed with his parents to Illinois in 1836. and being soon after left an orphan, worked on a farm and at intervals attended the country schools. Sub- sequently he taught school and was graduated from McKendi'ee college, Lebanon, 111., B.S., 1850; studied law with Chief-Justice Sidney Breese (q.v.)., and was admitted to the bar in 1851. He was married, April 16, 1855, at Ed- wardsville. III., to Julia E. Parker. He was receiver of public moneys for the Edwardsville (111.) land-office by appointment of President Pierce, 1853-56; was elected for Illinois, in 1856. Democratic presidential elector; was a member of the house of representatives, in the Illinois