A genetic genealogy method known as Triangulation recently suggests the VESS family may have a SPARKS – ROSE maternal ancestor. I think this is incredible, unfortunately, I was on a hot trail until I accidentally lost all my recent research due to epic user error. So, below is a look at the bits and pieces of what I’ve been working on lately…

Not Too Far From Foxtrap

Hidden in plain sight, I discovered SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS families west of Foxtrap (Franklin County, AL). Interestingly, these families have documented history with records dating back as early as 1820! FINALLY!

A few SPARKS family websites reference Russellville, but they also mention an earlier place called, “Frankfort,” which is actually on the plat-map (below). I am guessing Frankfort came first, as we know that many of the early residents in the area had to travel north for supplies.

Below, I outlined Foxtrap and Mountain Star (red box) where Willis VESS and John WILLIS have property. And I outlined (blue box) the SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS, west of Foxtrap area. I also highlighted Frankfort, family cemeteries and Foxtrap / Mt. Star, just to give you an idea where the families are geographically from one another.

It is strongly believed that Willis VESS was named after the WILLIS family, suggesting the two families may have a longer history together. At this time, I do not know if John WILLIS (neighbor to Willis Vess) is connected to the WILLIS family in the Frankfort area; however, further research strongly suggests a likely connection.

Andrew Jackson Willis & Artamissa Sparks

My discovery of the SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS families, was accidental. Somehow I came across records of Andrew Jackson Willis and Artamissa Sparks.

Again, I am not sure if Andrew Willis and John Willis are related.  It pretty much led me to a dead end.  However, I was able to find information on the Sparks family:  

• Artamissa was born in Spartanburg County, SC (1816). 
• Her parents are William Sparks and Eunice Woodruff.  
• William Sparks lived on the Enoree River.  In the 1820 census, he is listed on a page with Nancy Pool, Woodruff family, and looks like a John Willis.  
• He was born in Wilkes County, NC.  
• He is a descendant of Mathew Sparks and Sarah Thompson.  (Thompson is a big name in Franklin County, AL too)
• I match with the Sparks family on both sides of my family (just to make it more challenging).  However, I do match with a Hester line from Franklin County, Alabama (they are shown on the map above too, with Sparks and Willis families). This is a 5th-8th cousin, descendant of William Sparks and Eunice Woodruff.  
• Artamissa’s brother, married Nancy Benson who is from White County, Tennessee.  I am not sure if she is related to David Benson who is in connection with Charles Travers in Anson County, NC.  

Now, I also match with a descendant of William Sparks (1783-1869) and Rhoda Pennington (4-6th cousin) of White County, Tennessee. 

• This William Sparks is brother to Solomon Sparks Sr. who married Sarah Thompson.  Solomon and Sarah had Reuben Sparks, who had John Sparks that married Elizabeth Rose, daughter of Emmanuel Rose (Wilkes County, NC).  
• I also match with descendants of Solomon’s other son, John Wesley Sparks who married Sarah Shores.  
  

It appears all these Spark families are related, but the family tree is a little complicated. 

William Sparks, husband of Eunice Woodruff, is a descendant of Matthew Sparks, who is supposedly (it differs between sources) the brother of William and Solomon Sparks (mentioned above).  Between different sources, the generations differ, but all of them at one point or another connect to Joseph Sparks.  It’s very confusing.  

Also, I match with a descendant of Jonas James Sparks from Tazewell County, VA.  I am not sure how he falls on the Sparks family tree. 

So, there is definitely a Sparks connection on the Vess side! 

William Sparks and Rhoda Pennington are very intriguing because they settled in White County, Tennessee. Pennington is a big name in Franklin County, Alabama.  Anna Popejoy says Pennington families traveled with the Whitlock family.  Rhoda Pennington is supposedly the daughter of Major Jacob David Pennington and Mary Tuttle (both born in SC).  I don’t know how William Sparks ended up in White County, TN, but he’s not the only Sparks to do so. It probably had something to do with the War of 1812 or crossing over from Wilkes County, NC.
 
Sparks has a connection with Duncan and Watson, which are family names on the Patrick County, VA deed list with Peter and William Vess.  I am not sure if it’s related, but I just wanted to make note of it.  

*Note: Some of my DNA matches to descendants of the Sparks Family of Wilkes County, VA may also be via the COX family. My great-grandmother Pearl Lena Cox married my great-grandfather James Elmer Vess. At this time, I believe my DNA matches with the VICE family (South Carolina and KY) and VESS family from Tazewell County, VA might also be through my COX line connected through the Cordell family. [Not confirmed yet]

Exploring Wilkes County, North Carolina: William Vest

We find a William Vest in Wilkes County, as early as 1789. Records confirm he is not William Tunwell Vest of Stokes County, NC. William is listed on the 1790 census record next to Thomas Hodge.

Thomas Hodge was born in Virginia, possibly having ties with the Hodge family in Franklin County, Virginia (Vess family has genetic ties to the Hodge family in VA-specific connection not known yet). Thomas Hodge has a documented history which states his family settled in a place called Hodges Gap.

Hodges Gap is located in the town of Boone, in today’s Watauga County, NC. Watauga County was established in 1849 from parts of Ashe, Caldwell, Yancey, and Wilkes. The town Boone was named after Daniel Boone of Wilkes County. From my perspective, overlaying these county maps, Hodges Gap appears to have once been part of Wilkes County (which explains why Thomas Hodge and William Vest are close together on a Wilkes County census record).

Also, on the same page of the 1790 census are numerous Rose families. The Sparks family (related to Solomon Sparks) is also in Wilkes County, NC at this time, but there is also a few Sparks families in Surry County, NC too.

Now, Wilkes County is a mess when it comes to boundary changes. Wilkes County was established in 1778 from Surry County, NC and Washington District.

State of Franklin and Washington District (Watauga Association)

There is no better place than here for ancestors to disappear!

Portions of Wilkes County, NC was once part of the Washington District, which was part of the brief existence of the State of Franklin. The State of Franklin comprised of several Tennessee Counties and the Washington District, where the Washington District eventually dissolved into Washington County, TN, that once extended to parts of Wilkes County (which is now part of Watauga County).

I know, super confusing!

Anyway, the Washington District was established by settlers of the Watauga, Nolichucky, and Holston river valleys who created their own short-lived government called the Watauga Association.

The Holston River is where we find James Heron (who also has land in Abbeyville Co. SC as well as in Patrick County, VA along side William Vess/Voss and Peter Vess), Henry Vice, and the White family who later have connections with Johnathan Vess via his wife Elizabeth Heron who married Peter White.

So, clearly there is a lot going on up there in the Washington District area.

I haven’t looked up all the names above, but I can tell you that Zac Isbell stands out.

There is an Isbell family in Franklin County, Alabama near Willis Vess. Miller Isbell (below) is related to Zach Isbell (above). I am still in the process of researching more information about this, but I thought that was pretty interesting.

Sparks Family in Rutherford County, North Carolina: Possible Connections To Peter Vess

Vince sent me a potential lead about a Sparks family in Rutherford County, North Carolina, which really made things interesting!!

In Rutherford County, NC there is a Sparks family via Lewis Morgan Sparks, son of John Sparks.

According to the link Vince sent me, “Sparks Cemetery – A Civil War Era Memorial,” by David Abbott, John Sparks is often confused with John Sparks in Wilkes County, related to Solomon Sparks. So, there is a possibility that perhaps the Sparks-Rose connection we get via Triangulation may be referring to this line, instead of the Solomon line. Further research is needed though.

John Sparks in Rutherford County, NC supposedly has connections with Spartanburg County, South Carolina (Enroee / Tyger River area). There is a Sparks family in Spartanburg County, SC (Matthew Sparks 1790) who is from Maryland and they are neighbors with Richard Willis, which is interesting, because I believe John Willis in Franklin County, Alabama maybe related to Richard Willis of Spartanburg County, SC (not confirmed yet).

Early census records show the Sparks and Willis family are close to the Pool family, who has family connections with Henry Pettit (neighbor of Peter Vess in 1820).

The Sparks family in Rutherford County, North Carolina lived on Sandy Run and Shoal Creek, near Willis Branch (map below). Even in North Carolina, the Sparks and Willis families are close together. Interesting to note, Henry Pettit later obtains land in this area too.

This area is located in today’s Cleveland County (was once part of Rutherford County). North of Shoal Creek, we interestingly have “Knob Creek.” This is not the Knob Creek near Bill’s Creek, but Knob Creek near the Lincoln County line, where the Mooney family lives and where the Tryon courthouse was located (a family home). Turns out, Knob Creek is also Township 10 in Cleveland County.

According to Abbott, Lewis Morgan Sparks was married to Sarah Bridges, daughter of Samuel Bridges and Mary Hamrick. Bridges and Hamrick are super familiar family names and I can’t tell you how excited I was when I pulled up the record in which I remembered seeing those names: 1820 census record for Peter Vess!

Another interesting find, is that the neighbor of Samuel Bridges on the 1820 census is ALFRED WEBB. Could Alfred Webb Vess be named after Alfred Webb?? Also, James Logan is in the area too! Esom Logan (above) is the son of James Logan!

Further research on the Bridges and Hamrick families reveals they were once neighbors with a George Vaughn. Could he be related to Pugnance Vaughn, wife of Peter Vess of VA or Margaret Vaughn, wife of John Vess of AL??

Prior research narrowed Peter’s location to a Knob Creek and now current research appears to have narrowed it down even further, possibly to Sandy Run / Shoal Creek area!! Which makes total sense! The Mooney family had lots of property in this area too, which could explain David Mooney on the 1820 census record above.

My Final Thoughts

Current research strongly suggests some kind of triangle-connection between North /South Carolina border area – Franklin County, Alabama – and Tennessee/North Carolina area. Pretty much all the leads I come up with bounce between these three geographical places.

It is plausible our Vess family trail is lost in the area that was once part of the short-lived State of Franklin and there definitely appears to be a Vess connection somewhere with the Sparks family.

I am excited to have narrowed down Peter Vess to a more specific (much more plausible) area in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1820.

I still have a handful of leads to explore! I am so excited!