One of my goals for
2012 is to use the Surname Saturday blogging prompt as a way to assure that I
spend some time researching each of my family lines and that I have appropriate
source citations for the genealogical facts related to my ancestors. I’ve
decided to use my ahnentafel report and work back through the generations
starting with my grandparents, writing a summary of each ancestor. If you
discovered this post through a search engine and find one of your ancestors
listed here, please leave a comment to let me know.
As I begin to write about my great-grandparents, I find that
I have more documentation, but much more work to do in terms of transcribing
documents and writing proof summaries/arguments to support my conclusions
regarding their lives. As a result, these posts may not be as well documented
as I would like and I may not be able to keep up the pace of a post each week.
My paternal great-grandfather John Fedrick SPURLOCK was born
on or about 22 August 1850[1]
probably in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. He was the 8th of ten
children born to Ransom and Ellender (VICKERS) SPURLOCK.
He married first Dialtha Jane OWENS probably in 1875.[2]
John and Dialtha had six children:
- Jasper Jackson (1876-1940)[3]
- William Martin (1878-1973)[4]
- Era (1880-1961)[5]
- Lucy Jane (1882-1912)[6]
- John Thomas (1887-1969)[7]
- Sarah Elizabeth (1890-1970)[8]
- Jefferson Owens[9]
After Dialtha’s death in 1893,[10]
John married second Annie Lee CONVILLE on 3 July 1894 in Bienville Parish,
Louisiana.[11] John
and Annie had twelve children:
- Boydston W. (1894-1938)[12]
- Allen Herman (1896-1971)[13]
- Dayton (1898-1898)[14]
- Gus Hobson (1899-1968)[15]
- Zell (1901-1983)[16]
- Velma Frances (1902-1989)[17]
- Halbert R. (1904-1971)[18]
- Claude Dudley (1906-1996)[19]
- Senorita (1908-1991)[20]
- Easter (1910-1988)[21]
- Freda E. (1913-2003)[22]
- Jewell S. (1915-1997)[23]
Wow, that’s a lot of mouths to feed! How did he do it?
In addition to farming,[24]
John was a minister with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.[25]
He served as constable in Claiborne Parish in 1880[26]
and was elected a Justice of the Peace in Bienville Parish in 1900.[27]
However, it appears that money was always tight because he
appeared on the delinquent tax list in 1877[28]
and notices of sheriff’s sales for nonpayment of taxes appeared in newspapers
in 1920,[29]
1921,[30]
and 1922.[31]
John died on 18 March 1945 in Jonesboro, Jackson Parish,
Louisiana, and is buried next to his second wife Annie at the Antioch
Cumberland Presbyterian Church cemetery.[32]
Although I have a great deal of information about John’s
life, there are still several areas that need further research:
- I need to continue to search for early records of John in order to establish more precisely when he was born. The earliest record on which he appears is the marriage certificate for M.D.L. Spurlock (his brother) and Missouri Owens in 1868; he was a witness to the marriage.
- I have searched the marriage records of Bienville, Claiborne and Jackson parishes for a record of John’s first marriage but have been unable to locate one.
- I have several deeds that need to be transcribed and/or ordered from courthouses in Bienville and Claiborne parishes.
- My cousin Archie Spurlock told me that John collected a small pension for his work as a minister for the Cumberland Presbyterian church; I need to contact the church historical foundation to see if they have any information on this.
- In the early 1930s, John filed a fraudulent application for a Civil War pension on the basis of his brother George Spurlock’s service; George died in Texas in 1880. I have the pension file and need to write an article about it.
- There are only a few individuals still living who knew him personally. One is Loretta Spurlock with whom I am in touch regularly. I need to formally interview Loretta regarding her memories. I have some taped conversations recorded in November 2011 which I have yet to transcribe.
[1] Various
documents point to this date including census records from 1880-1930 and his
death certificate; however, I am still looking for additional evidence and need
to write a proof argument.
[2] 1880 U.S. census, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana,
population schedule, 6th Ward, enumeration district (ED) 14, p. 30B, dwelling
266, family 301, household of J. F. Spurlock; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com
: accessed 13 Feb 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration
microfilm T9, roll 451.
[3] Los Angeles, California, death certificate no.
19-442238 (1996), Jasper Jackson Spurlock; County of Los Angeles,
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
[4] Texas, death certificate no. 23575 (1973), William
Martin Spurlock; digital image, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," FamilySearch Record Search (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/
: accessed 17 Feb 2012).
[5] Maxine Morgan, "Driskill Cemetery,"
transcription, USGenWeb Archives (http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/bienville/cemeteries/driskillcem.txt
: accessed 21 Apr 2010), entry for Era S. Crawley. Eva (Spurlock) Crawley
Photograph of tombstone, 1999; digital image, privately held by Denise
Spurlock, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Lomita, California. 2012.
[6] Descendants of Bartholemew Ranson Spurlock (Received
Aug 2000 via email from Sandra Childs Haynie - schaynie@aol.com).
[7] Texas, death certificate no. 95183 (1969), John Thomas
Spurlock; digital image, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
"Texas Deaths 1890-1976," FamilySearch Record Search (http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/
: accessed 21 Apr 2010).
[8] Maxine Morgan, "Driskill Cemetery,"
transcription, USGenWeb Archives (http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/bienville/cemeteries/driskillcem.txt
: accessed 21 Apr 2010), entry for Sarah S. Conville.
[9] Descendants of Bartholemew Ranson Spurlock (Received
Aug 2000 via email from Sandra Childs Haynie - schaynie@aol.com).
[10] Kelly Christian Priestly, "Hurricane Cemetery,
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana," transcription, USGenWeb Archives (http://files.usgwarchives.org/la/claiborne/cemeteries/hurrican.txt
: accessed 12 Apr 2010), entry for Dialtha Owens Spurlock. Dialtha Owens
Spurlock Photograph of grave marker, 1999; digital image, privately held by
Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Lomita, Callifornia. 2012.
[11] Bienville Parish, Louisiana, (Bienville Parish
Courthouse, Arcadia), vol. G, p. 111, marriage certificate (1894), J. F.
Spurlock-Annie V. Conville; FHL microfilm 266,031.
[12] State of Louisiana, Secretary of State, Division of
Archives, Records Management, and History, "Louisiana Statewide Death
Index, 1900-1949," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Boyd W. Spurlock.
[13] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Allen Spurlock, 1971, SS no. 433-36-4758.
[14] Dayton Spurlock photograph of grave marker, 1999;
digital image, privately held by Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,]
Lomita, California. 2012. Also, Conville Family (The) (Published circa 1985).
[15] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Gus Spurlock, 1968, SS no. 433-16-1526.
[16] John L. Hinton Jr., "Antioch Cemetery, Jackson
Parish, Louisiana," transcription, USGenWeb Archives (http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/jackson/cemeteries/antioch.txt
: accessed 12 Apr 2010), entry for Zell S. Thrasher.
[17] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Velma S. Vance, 1989, SS no. 438-60-0193.
[18] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for H. Spurlock, 1971, SS no. 433-58-2643.
[19] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Claude D. Spurlock, 1996, SS no. 433-16-7814.
[20] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Senorita Thompson, 1981, SS no. 429-06-8324.
[21] John L. Hinton Jr., "Antioch Cemetery, Jackson
Parish, Louisiana," transcription, USGenWeb Archives (http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/jackson/cemeteries/antioch.txt
: accessed 12 Apr 2010), entry for Ester S. Lamb.
[22] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Freda E. Donaldson, 2003, SS no. 434-72-6609.
[23] Social Security Administration, "Social Security
Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com :
accessed 1 Dec 2009), entry for Jewell S. Carson, 1997, SS no. 435-26-9220.
[24] 1880 U.S. census, pop. sch., 6th Ward, Claiborne,
Louisiana, ED 14, p. 30B, dwell. 266, fam. 301, household of J. F. Spurlock.
[25] "Funeral Services Held March 20 for Rev. John
Spurlock", undated, unknown newspaper; privately held by Denise Spurlock,
[ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Lomita, CA. Bettye Lou (Conville) Gleason,
granddaughter of John Fedrick Spurlock, gave this newspaper clipping to me in
Dec 2000; Mrs. Gleason is now deceased.
[26] "Ward Officers," Claiborne Guardian,
30 Jun 1880, p. 4, col. 6; digital images, Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
: accessed 17 Feb 2012).
[27] "Election Proclamation for the Parish of
Bienville," The Daily Advocate, 3 May 1900, p. 4, col. 4; digital
images, GenealogyBank (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 17 Feb
2012).
[28] "Delinquent List," Claiborne Guardian,
21 Nov 1877, p. 3, col. 3; digital images, Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
: accessed 17 Feb 2012).
[29] "Sheriff's Sale," The Bienville Democrat,
23 Dec 1920, p. 4, col. 4; digital images, Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
: accessed 17 Feb 2012).
[30] "State Tax Sale of Immovable Property," The
Bienville Democrat, 18 Aug 1921, p. 3, col. 7; digital images, Chronicling
America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 17 Feb 2012).
[31] "State Tax Sale of Immovable Property," The
Bienville Democrat, 10 Aug 1922, p. 3, col. 5; digital images, Chronicling
America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov : accessed 17 Feb 2012).
[32] Louisiana State Department of Health, death certificate
519 68 (1945), John Fred Spurlock; Louisiana State Archives, Baton Rouge.
© 2012 Denise Spurlock
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