Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-04-15

W. h. SPARKS DEAD.

W. II. SPARKS DEAD.
| On Saturday morning, April IL, 1895
at 100, w. H. Sparks. clerk of the dis
trict court of Barber county. died al
his home in this city of paralysis. His
death was surprise to everybody who
was not acquainted with his condition
and the few who knew of his critical
condition did not suspect that the end
of his life was so near. The family
and close relatives of the deceased, on
ly few hours before death, had not
known that there was any cause for
alarm and consequently when death
came the shock fell the more heavily.
Mr.. Sparks was not what could be
called we'll man for the past month
but was up and around and attending
to business until Thursday night. His
friends and he, himself, were of the
opinion that outside of liver disorder.
there was nothing ailing him and this
added to the fact that he complained
bnt little was another reason why no
one seemed to realize the true condi.
ton he was In. But all that can be or
has been said of the suddenness of
death and the characteristics of his
disease can never replace what has
been lost by the family of the deceased
and the people of Medicine Lodge and
Barber county.
AS soon as the telegraph Office was
open on Saturday morning the sad
news was dispatched to friends and
relatives in all parts of the United
States, including one to his Oldest son,
Clarence, who has been attending
dental college at Kansas City for the
past tive or SIX months. This without
word of previous warning as to any
sickness of his father, was a terrible
blow and no one can realize a sons
feeling at such mornent unless he has
suffered a similar experience. Mrs.
Doran, sister residing at Woodward,
.. T., was here visiting week prevl-
Gus, and Dell Sparks, brother, arriv-
ed from Kansas City on Saturday on a
purely business transaction and had
not heard of his brothers. death until
Informed by Engineer Merrill at Atti-
ca. Z. l.. Sparks, a son, and Charley
and Arthur, two brothers, arrived at
Attica from Kansas City on SUNDAY
noon and met by carriage. Thos. Dor.
an came up from Woodward SATURDAY.
evening.
The funeral services were held at
the Presbyterian church where a large
collection of friends met to take a last
sad view at departed friend and
nelghbor. The church was crowded to
Its total capacity and many could not
gain entrance to the inside but stood
on the outside. The funeral was con.
Quoted under the auspices of the A. O.
U. w. and M. w. A. of which the de.
ceased was member, and many were
the brothers who formed the process.
sion from the house to the church and
then to the final resting place. The
funeral sermon was preached by Elder
L. IL. Murray of the Christian church,
w. A. Cain, pastor of tho Baptist
church, read an appropriate chapter
and Rey. Parker, of the Methodist
church offered prayer. After the SER
vice closed and the remains viewed by
the congregation the body was convey
ed TO the cemetery and inferred.
w. II. Sparks was 45 years and two
months of age, born in Lafayette
county, Missouri aud removed to Bar
Der county, Kansas between the years
1883 and 1885. He was well known in
Barber county and has always been
recognized as one of our most worthy
citizens. He served this county as
deputy clerk of the district court dur
ing the years of 1893 and '94, and in the
fall OF 1894 was honored by the voters
OF the county with an election to that
office the term of which has not yet ex-
plred. In his death the county loses a
faithful officer and an excellent man.
He was a consistent member of the
Christian church, having united when
he was Is years of age and cast his lot
with the church in this city about two
months ago.
lie was the oldest Of eleven children
of the family of Mr.. and Mrs. r. M.
Sparks, all of whom SURVIVE him ex-
cept his father who died at this place
few years ago. He leaves a family
of wife and three children, two sons
and daughter, to mourn his death.
The family and relatives of the de-
ceased have the sympathy of a grief
stricken community and they have the
satisfaction of knowing that the de-
parted one, while he can never be re-
placed in the family circle, was held in
high esteem by the people of his coun-
ty.