Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1951-11-20
Honor OF Medical Profession
Awarded DR.. Bill Sparkling

Like 1ather, like son, seems
a natural lead for the medical
saga of DR.. William Ridley Spar
ling, Columbus surgeon, son of
DIR. and Mrs. Harry P. Sparling.
North Main Street, London. And
in fact it is, for the medical
background of DR.. Bill is more
then two generations; it reaches
back to the fourth generation,
having its roots across the Atlantic
in the "auld counthrie". Ireland.
The story is especially pertinent
at this time, since it was only last
week that DR.. William n. Spar
ling received an honor coveted by
all surgeons an Honorary Eel
lowship in the American College
of Surgeons. On November 6,
accompanied by his father, he
flew to San Francisco, California,
where this high award for achieve
ment in his profession was con-
ferred upon him Friday, Novem-
Der 8 in Civic Auditorium.
The love of healing apparently
has a strong hold on the Sparkling
family. The story begins back in
the early 1905 (records were
not available for the exact year,
when Bills great-grandfather
John Belten Sparling, head OF the
Sparkling Clan of Doctors, gradua-
ted from the College of Dublin,
Ireland.
In 1848 when the young doctor
was surgeon aboard British Man
of War, a potato famine struck
Ireland. So essential was the
lowly "spud" for the Irish familys
sustenance, that Wyndham Spar
ling, father Of DR. John, paid
another man to take his sons
place on the ship SO that he and
his family might leave the
country to try their luck in the
new world. So it was that Wynd-
ham, his wife, their two SONS,
John and George with their wives
emigrated to Canada. Remaining
there only a year, the family
crossed the border into the United
States, finally settling in Washing
ton County, near Marietta, Ohio,
where the name Sparling is still
prominent.
DR.. Johns son, Francis Ridley
Sparling, was the second in the
family to feel drawn to the pro-
fession. He graduated in 1881
from Startling Medical College,
Columbus, and returned to
Marietta to practice.
When it came time for his son,
Harry P. Sparkling to decide upon
his career, he too chose the way
of the doctor and came to Colum-
bus to study at Startling Medical
College, later Starling-Ohio and
presently Ohio State University
College of Medicine. He graduated
in 1910 interned at Mt. Carmel
Hospital and came to London in
December 1910 to hang out his
shingle". He retired In 194T.
Then along came Bill, gradua-
ting from London High School
with the problem Of charting his
course. He still felt the urge Of
his forbearers and completed his
work at Ohio State University
College of Medicine, in 1889, the
third generation to graduate from
the Ohio college.
He followed the pattern of his
father. both externing and intern
fng at Mt. Carmel Hospital where
fhe name of Sparling is revered.
IN 1941 while he was still an in
terne, Bill answered the call to
the: colors and served in the Me-
deal Corps of the United States
Army in Wosld War II, When ne
was sepafatsd from the service
in i945, he returned to Mt. Carmel
for further study in surgery and
is today a member of the staff
there as we'll as other Columbus
Hospitals.
Dir. and Mrs. sparling and
their three Children. Sally, and
Michael and Philip. the latter
twins. reside on Coventry Road,
Arlington, Columbus.
Who knows says Bill, "one
Of my children may decide to
carry on the tradition that in
every generation of Sparlings,
there should be a doctor"
LEAVES HOSPITAL