Allan Nelson Spark, Sr.

**Allan Nelson Spark, Sr** was the sole child of Nelson John Spark, a farmer from Iowa. Allan would leave Kansas during the dust bowl of the 1930s to California with his son, daughter-in-law, and infant grandchildren.

## Biography

### Early Life

Allan Nelson Spark was born on August 22nd, 1861 on his father's farm in central Kansas. His father, Nelson Spark, was a farmer originally from the midwest. His mother was Isabella Spark (neé Clement) who was also from the midwest and the daughter of a farmer. His father had purchased a piece of property near Wichita, Kansas in the 1850s, and it was on this piece of property that Allan would be raised.

By the time of his birth his mother had already unsuccessfully given birth to a daughter in early 1860. Soon after his birth she again attempted to give birth, this time birthing a mostly healthy son who they named Theodore or "Teddy" (1863-1874). As a child Allan would often travel into town on his own to catch a listen to musical performances. He saved up over the course of one year in the late 1860s to purchase himself a fiddle, which was one of his most prized possessions throughout his life. His family was quite poor which didn't allow Allan to attend much school. He was literate but lacked many skills in basic mathematics and spoke with a slight lisp and southern-esque drawl.

In his childhood he was fascinated by cities such as New York and Chicago. He would often accompany his father to trips to Independence, Missouri - the closest city-like town.

### Adult Life

Allan's brother died soon after his 11th birthday, leaving the family even more destitute. Allan began to live at the house of a friend, Clinton Baker, in Independence during his later adolescence as to work small jobs to support his family. This included many janitorial jobs, mostly in saloons.

Allan wanted to live anywhere but near his childhood home in Kansas, and wanted to move away to the west coast or to New Mexico as soon as possible. He ended up marrying Clinton's sister, Esther Baker (1862-1929) on his 19th birthday in Wichita. A friend of Clinton's offered Allan a job playing the fiddle at a saloon in Independence in early 1883, a job he would hold down during the early years of his marriage. In 1886 his daughter Lillian Spark (1886-1958) was born. Shortly after their son Allan Jr. was born (1888-1967) Due to Esther's insistence Allan quit his music job after Allan Jr.'s birth and used the money from a small loan to purchase land in southern Kansas, near the Oklahoma border.

Although initially their farm performed well, the start of the 20th century signalled poor harvests for the Spark family. Lillian was married in 1906 to a man from New York City who was visiting family in Kansas at the time, and she traveled back to New York with him and became Lillian Gladstone.

Allan's son continued to work on the farm even after marrying a woman from Wichita and having a daughter, Anna Spark *Louise* (1911-1984). His wife Esther died on May 4th, 1929 from untreated pneumonia. This left Allan, Allan Jr., his wife Eva, and their children Anna and her newly born brother William living in Kansas. After the start of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, which virtually destroyed their farm, the family packed up and began the journey to California on Allan Jr.'s Ford model T.

The family reached the city of Fresno in 1936. Allan Sr. died not long after their arrival on June 14, 1937 at his son's home in Fresno.