(Note by Rodney Sparkman Jr. ) Birth record shows his middle name as Napoleon with an "o" instead of the "a". Marriage record shows his name is spelled with and "a".
02 DEC 1998 - Batch source = 8135201 3 IGI
SSN: 455-26-0988
Entry taken from Susan Sparkman's internet site January 2001:
"In the early years of their marriage, Pole (Napolean), as he was known to everyone (or Papa to his grandkids) was a farmer, living Young, Bell, and Wichita counties in Texas. During World War II, he owned and operated a little cafe across the street from Stephenville High School, and he also had a truck farm, selling vegetables wherever he could. After the war, and when his youngest son George came home, he had a grocery store on Frey Street in Stephenville. Both his wife and daughter-in-law Lorena and his son George who was the meat butcher worked there by his side, and as hard as he did to make the business a success. They sold the grocery store about 1950 and then he went back to farming full time."
"When Lewis would go for a daily walk or ride, he always had something to give to Olivia, it may be a flower, a button that he had found on the ground, an old bottle of some kind, or just about anything. In the 67 years they were married he never went anywhere that he didn't bring his wife something back. Their long marriage was a happy one in spite of the everyday happenings. They were blessed with two daughters and four sons and their descendants are numerous."
Notes for Lewis Napoleon " Pole " Sparkman:
Sources: Birth & Death Records for Lewis Napolean & Olivia Pittman Patrick Sparkman
Family Bible
Personal knowledge of members of the immediate family
[Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 2, Ed. 4, Social Security Death Index: U.S., Social Security Death Index, Surnames from M through Z, Date of Import: Aug 2, 1997, Internal Ref. #1.112.4.80706.15]
Individual: Sparkman, Lewis
Birth date: Feb 2, 1891 Death date: Sep 1976
Social Security #: 455-26-0988
Last residence: TX 76401 (Stephenville, Erath Co., Texas)
State of issue: TXMore About Lewis Napoleon " Pole " Sparkman:
Burial: September 1976, Erath Gardens of Memories, Stephenville, Texas
Fact 4: State of issue: TX
Last Residence: Last residence: Stephenville, TX 76401
Social Security: Social Security #: 455-26-0988Family Reunion 10-18-1998l, Sue Eagle Sparkman learned that there was a stillborn infant before the birth of J. L., gender is not known, and in fact this was the first report of this child to Sue.
24 Nov 2001:FamilySearch™ U.S. Social Security Death Index:
SSN at death: 456-20-0254Notes for Olivia Pittman Patrick:
Grandma as we all called her was a lovely woman. She and Papa as us kids called him were so much in love and Grandma's father was adamantly against their marraige, so one evening Grandma & Papa eloped, they rode the train to Belton and were married. Why Grandpa Patrick (Ollivia's father) was against their marraige was anybodies guess, perhaps he thought that it wouldn't last. Boy was he wrong!!! Ollivia Pittman Patrick & Lewis Napolean Sparkman celebrated their 67th wedding anniversay just weeks before she passed away. At that time all of her living children as well as many of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren were present to help celebrate their day.Grandma (Olivia) was but five foot tall, if that, and she may have been one of the most fantastic cooks to ever be. She was a very warm and loving woman as well. In the 67 years they were married she raised six children, did all the daily chores of the household, and always laid "Papa's" clothes out for the following day. When she became to ill to stay at home and was in the Nursing home, Papa really missed her and never failed to visit her daily, in fact he might stay there all day, or he would leave and come back several times.
[Brøderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 2, Ed. 4, Social Security Death Index: U.S., Social Security Death Index, Surnames from M through Z, Date of Import: Aug 2, 1997, Internal Ref. #1.112.4.80707.57]
Individual: Sparkman, Olivia
Birth date: Dec 22, 1890
Death date: Nov 1975
Social Security #: 456-20-0254
Last residence: TX 76401
State of issue: TXMore About Olivia Pittman Patrick:
Burial: November 1975, Erath Garden of Memories, Stephenville, Texas
Fact 4: State of issue: TX15
Fact 5: Last residence: TX 7640115
Military: Social Security #: 456-20-025415Marriage Notes for Lewis Sparkman and Olivia Patrick:
Olivia and Lewis eloped. Grandpa Patrick was really against their marriage, so one evening they boarded the train for Belton and got married. Why was Grandpa Patrick so against this marriage? That's anyone's guess, perhaps he thought that it wouldn't last. Boy was he wrong. They had just celebrated their sixty-seventh anniversay weeks before Olivia died in 1975.More About Lewis Sparkman and Olivia Patrick:
Death of one spouse: 29 November 1975, Stephenville, Texas
Marriage: 27 October 1908, Belton, Bell Co., Texas16Family Reunion 10-18-1998l, Sue Eagle Sparkman learned that there was a stillborn infant before the birth of J. L., gender is not known, and in fact this was the first report of this child to Sue.