The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-19
JAMES SPARG0 DIES AFTER BRIEF ILLNESS
Prominent In Church and Commercial Life of City
 for Many Years
DEVELOPED LARGE
 TRACTS ABOUT CITY
Built Numerous Homes for Men of Small Means on
 Monthly Insta1lments

The death of James Spargo, veteran builder and developer of large areas of land in the city proper, and adja- cent thereto, which. occurred at his home 1885 Noble avenue last evening, came with cruel suddenness to 8 wide circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the city.
 One week ago yesterday MT. Spar go while looking over some of his properties, which he has been de- teloping in the vicinity of St. Vincent's hospital was taken with chill which compelled him to take to his bed. His Family physician was called and all that medical skill could do to check the progress of pneumonia was re- sorted to but in vain. ..
 Mr- Spargo grew worse and grad ually weakened until the end came at o'clock yesterday evening. F
 James Spargo was native of Corn wall, England where he was born 63 years ago last May. At the age of 20 after having been apprenticed by his father to the carpentry trade he came to this country and located in Bridgeport He early entered into active work as a builder and soon af- ter taking up his residence here as- sociated himself with the late George w LongstaH, a well known architect Of his day, under the firm name of Spargo & Longstam. This firm de- signed and constructed many homes
 
 Some years later MT Longstan re- tired on account of ill health and Mr. Spargo continued the business. Up- wards of 20 0years ago he retired from the active building business to devote his time to the development of large tracts of land in various sections of the city. He showed an aptitude for this line of work and became perhaps the best known developer of his day, hereabouts- ca
 The large .Alvord tract which he de- veloped resulted in giving to the northern section of East Bridgeport between Washington and Beardsley parks. many of the substantial private homes and dwellings which have been erected in that locality @
 His activities in this line encoura ged othersf with the result that the sec t1ons where he began his developments grew rapidly in population and imppr- tance,f and as a result thereof the grand list of the city was greatly aug mented
 MT. spargo's experience as a prac- neal hu1fder stood Alm in good stead in his latter@day ventures. During his active building expzrfence he sold building plots and erected tnereon homes tor many men of small means, arranw5Eg for rssthefr pa vr4erszzf1 sffEh instaIments as permitted the prosoec- tive owners to in time become the &C., tual owners Of the property Many members of the present police force were able to erect their dwellings in <1lis manner
 It was Mir SparFo's privilege to say that in all his undertakings of this ma ture lae Snever found it necessary to take back adwel1ing he had once be- gun on the monthly fnstalment plan.
 At the time of his death he was en- gagged in developing one Of the largest tracts that has ever been undertaken in this city.
 4 gentleman of quiet, 1nostentatious manner he brought into all his busi- ness dealings a sense of personal re- sponstbility- He set TOT himself a high standard of morality which he rigidly applied in all of his business affairs. He was a religious man and gave un-, sparfngly of his time 70 advance move ments of the Christian nature. He was long a. trustee of the Washington Park A F. church and was director of the Bridgeport Christian Union; also a di- rector of Iakeview cemetery. His only fraternal afhliation was with Pequorf- mock lodge No. 4, l. O. O. F. Besides his widow one son, Edward c. Spargo secretary and treasurer of the Bridge port Boiler works Co.,. and one grand son. Edward C. Spargo, survive.