One of the joys of genealogy is a large family with just a small number of immigrants coming to America. The Spargo family is such a family — with Spargo baptisms, marriages and deaths going back to the 1600s in Cornwall and there are hundreds of Spargo families in England today.
In America…not quite so big in the early days!
In the early days, starting before the Revolutionary War in America, a trickle of Spargo families come to America. Often they settle in mining areas, and are associated with mining, tinning, and stone cutting. Here are the first migrants, from around 1772 through 1855. I hope you find this helpful in your own research.
- In 1767, an ad appears in a New York City newspaper — Edward Sparger is a runaway shoemaker’s apprentice, aged 20 “but looks older,” born in New York (born 1747), “said to be heading towards New Haven.” His shoemaker master is Isaac Seloover of NYC.
- Edward Sparger serves in the Revolutionary War from NY, and then from CT. He marries in Rhode Island to Katherine Belcher as Edward Sparger.
- Then, an Edward Spargo in Stonington, CT in the 1790 census, with himself and one the male (under 16) and 2 females. Sally Spargo marries Nathan Noyes in Stonington, CT in 1797, supposedly his daughter. In his 1800 census, he’s listed as Edward Spargo in Stonington, CT. Edward E. Sparger, born 1783 in Connecticut ends up in Madison County, NY.
- So, there is some conflicting data about whether his surname is Spargo or Sparger. DNA should help sort it out. My best guess is that his surname is Sparger, as his shoemaker Master, Isaac Seloover of NYC, would have had signed apprentice papers will him (Isaac Seloover is the one placing the runaway apprentice ad.)
- There is no corresponding “Edward Spargo” baptism for 1747 in Cornwall. He is not Edmund Spargo, Jr who is baptized 1751 in Cornwall — this Edward Sparger is already born by 1747 and his apprentice master says he was born in NY.
- NOTE: In Cornwall, the records are sometimes spelled SpargOR or SpargUR. And there are Spargor and Sparger records in Boston, Mass. as early as 1740, but nothing in New York and none that say Spargo. The Edward E. Sparger line stays “Sparger” through successive census records.
- The first Spargo record I could find in America that I’m sure is a Spargo — the firm of “Spargo & Harvey” who open an iron ore mine in Hardyston Township, Sussex County, NJ (today’s Ogdensburg area) in 1772, per the History of Sussex and Warren County, NJ.
- I don’t know what happens to Spargo, but Charles Harvey is seen on the Hardyston census for 1774. It’s possible that Spargo never set foot in America but rather was a financial backer.
- The history book says the mine shuts down because this is wilderness area and it’s too difficult to use pack mules to haul ore. Later, once roads are built in this area, the entire region becomes a hot bed for mining.
- Starting in 1777, Captain Sampson Spargo runs the mail packets from Falmouth, Cornwall, England, to New York City, and to Jamaica. He’s captain of these ships through at least 1789, finally commanding the packet “Portland,” and dies in St. Gluvias, Cornwall in 1792. He was baptized on December 30, 1739 in Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England.
- I mention it here because Captain Spargo didn’t just deliver the mail; there were passengers aboard his ships. But he seems to have stopped his career before most of the following people arrived in the USA.
- His son, Captain James Spargo also sails the “Portland” packet from Falmouth to the USA, beginning 1786. He dies in New York City March 17, 1787. He was buried at St Paul’s in NYC.
- The next record is George Spargo, who marries in 1779, to Magdalena Funk in Freehold, Monmouth, NJ.
- It’s possible he’s the Spargo in “Spargo & Harvey” but I have no proof of that. If he is, he’s much older than I originally thought.
- It’s also possible he’s a son of Captain Sampson Spargo, but there’s no baptism for George as a son of Sampson.
- I don’t see any baptism that would fit him. But if he’s marrying in 1779, he’s likely born around 1752 or earlier. She’s a young widow, so he might be, too.
- NOTE: not all Cornwall baptisms are available. If they were non-conformist (Quaker, Baptist, etc.), they would not have baptized children in the Church of England registers.
- DNA should prove this out — one way or the other. Male Sparger and Spargo descendants can take a YDNA test to prove which male line they’re from.
- He could be “Sparger” — if Edward Sparger is in the NYC area in 1767 and born in NY around 1747, then George could be his brother born around 1752. Freehold is just a few dozen miles away from NYC by land and even shorter if you journey by ship.
- He is not the George Spargo who married Jenefer Marten in 1774 in Cornwall, England; that one is baptizing kids 1775-1786 in Cornwall and dies in Cornwall in 1788 — and this one is marrying in Feb 1779 Freehold, Monmouth, NJ, so the dates don’t tally.
- He marries in 1779 in NJ, baptized children in Freehold in the early 1780s, and is in Freehold until at least 1790. He’s next found in 1800 in Franklin, Green, PA, just south of Pittsburgh. In the early 1800s, he purchases land in Trumbull County, OH, which is the next county west of Pittsburgh.
- In 1798, Benjamin Spargo petitions the Ontario, Canada government for 200 acres of land. (The British Government is trying to settle English farmers on the land and seems to be active in recruiting settlers to the Ontario Province, both from USA and from England, starting during the Revolutionary war through the 1820s. Many loyalists flee from America and settle in Ontario. Not all settlers were loyalists, however, and records often indicate, specifically, that they’re claiming land because they’re a loyalist or not. Benjamin’s record does not refer to him as being a loyalist, likely because he wasn’t in America during the Revolutionary War — he would have been too young to serve.)
- Benjamin was baptized in 1771, Kenwyn, Cornwall, England and his father is James of Kea, Cornwall, England. (I’m working through ALL the men names James during this period to figure out who James’ wife is, but so far, she’s a mystery.)
- He must not stay in Canada long, because in Dec 1802 and Jan 1803, he’s on an insolvent debtors list in Morristown, Morris, NJ and his daughter, Mary, is born in New Jersey in 1803.
- This is my line, and I have lots of Spargo DNA matches to people from Cornwall who stayed in Cornwall and never come to the USA.
- Also in 1800, George Spargo of Freehold, NJ is now in Franklin, Greene, Pennsylvania, and Edward Sparger/Spargo is still in Stonington, CT.
- In 1810, Benjamin Spargo of NJ is in Monroe, Orange, NY. Orange County is next door to Sussex County NJ and the entire area is full of mining operations.
- George S. Spargo (son of George Spargo from Freehold, NJ) serves in the War of 1812 from Ohio. I don’t see any other Spargo serving from the USA in this war.
- There are no existing census records for New Jersey in 1820, but Benjamin Spargo’s daughter Mary marries in 1820, Hardyston, Sussex, NJ, so he’s there at that time.
- Around 1820, James Spargo Sr and his wife, Mary Thomas Spargo, move from Wales to western Pennsylvania.
- He was baptized in 1776 in Wendron, Cornwall, England, the son of James Spargo Sr and Mary Thomas.
- He’s in Monmouthshire, Wales from about 1807-1818.
- He has a census record in St Clair, Allegheny, PA, in 1820 and applies for citizenship in Allegheny County, PA. He arrives in PA sometime between 1818 when his daughter dies in Monmouthshire, Wales and the 1820 census near Pittsburgh, PA. He was in St Clair Township, which is now incorporated into Pittsburgh.
- In 1830, we find:
- Benjamin Spargo (son of James) in Hardyston, Sussex, NJ
- George S. Spargo (son of George of Freehold, NJ) in Trumbull, OH
- James Spargo Jr (son of James Spargo Sr and Mary Thomas), in Pitt Twp, Allegheny, PA (Pittsburgh area)
- Arriving on the Indian Chief in August 1833, Hugh Spargo and his wife Ann, his brother Thomas Spargo, and his sister-in-law Elizabeth Lawry Spargo (widow of brother William Spargo, along with their kids) all arrive in New York City.
- Hugh was born in Mabe, Cornwall, England in 1802, the son of George Spargo Sr and Prudence Dunstone.
- Hugh in is New York City in 1840, then goes to Putnam and Westchester counties in NY, before settling in Chicago IL and dying there in 1882.
- Thomas Spargo marries his sister in law, Elizabeth Lawry Spargo, and they settle in Milton, Suffolk, Mass. Her Spargo children marry in Mass.
- Hugh and Thomas’ sister, Margaret, comes from Mabe, Cornwall, England between 1841-1850, and settles in Milton, Norfolk, MA with her husband John Hocking
- In 1840, we find
- Hugh in New York City
- his brother Thomas in Milton, Norfolk, MA.
- James (son of Benjamin) is in Newton, Sussex NJ.
- George S. Spargo is in Pike County, IL. By 1850, George is in Grant County, Wisconsin.
- In 1849, John R Spargo arrives from Cornwall to Morris County, NJ.
- He was baptized in 9 May 1824 in High Cross, Constantine, Corwall, England, son of Stephen Spargo and Elizabeth Richards.
- John in Randolph, Morris, NJ and James in Frankford, Sussex, NJ share the same great-grandparents: Stephen Spargo and Joan Tressider.
- Per his son’s recollections in the Dover, NJ history book, John worked on a farm in the Berkshire Valley (Jefferson Township, Morris, NJ) for a year to save money to get married. And, indeed, he marries Ann Williams in 1850 (Hurdtown, Jefferson, Morris, NJ) and they settle in Randolph, Morris, NJ.
- Jefferson Township and Hardyston Township are next door to each other, both mining communities.
- In 1850, his brother Henry Spargo is living next door to him (I don’t know what happens to Henry and his wife, Frances after 1850.)
- His sister, Grace Spargo, marries Henry Matthews in Cornwall in 1850, and they also migrate to the Dover, Morris, NJ area soon after they marry, live there for 5 years, before heading to Whiteside County, IL
- Also in 1849, James Spargo Jr arrives from Penzance, Cornwall, England to New York in 1849, and marries Lucy Valentine in Boston in 1857. When he marries, he says his father is James Spargo Sr. I’m not sure which James he is, because he gives conflicting birth years on each census. His arrival information says he’s 27, born 1822, and is a miner. He is likely the James baptized 8 May 1822 in Stithians, Cornwall, England if his arrival information is accurate.
- In 1850, brothers William and John Spargo have an extremely short sojourn in Benton, Lafayette, WI.
- He was baptized in 1820, Budock, Cornwall, England, son of William Spargo Sr and Mary Ann (Tonkins or Lawry). He marries Ann Andrew in 1848, Stithians, Cornwall, England.
- By March 1850, he’s in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, because his daughter Mary Jane is born there.
- William, his wife Ann Andrew Spargo, and their daughter Mary Jane Spargo, can be found on the 1850 census for Benton, Lafayette, WI. Her brother, Bennett Andrew is also in Lafayette, WI and William’s brother, John Spargo, is living with Bennett Andrew. William must die, because Ann returns to Cornwall, marries John Richards in Cornwall in 1854, and dies there. Mary Jane Spargo marries James Bolitho in Cornwall and lives in Cornwall until they migrate to Reefton, New Zealand.
- In 1855, John R Spargo gets his citizenship in Newton, Sussex, NJ. This is telling — why not get his citizenship in his own county seat of Morristown, if he’s living in Randolph, Morris, NJ at the time? Probably because his witnesses/sponsors are his Sussex County kin.
From 1855 onward, there is a steady stream of Spargo families coming from Cornwall to America. The above list gives you a sense of the very earliest Spargo immigrants.
Kinfolk Journal 