Roy Clayton Sparrow was born in West Point, Lee county, Iowa on September 15, 1882 to William S. and Ida Evelyn (Swigert) Sparrow. He grew up in the Dallas City, Illinois area. In 1900 I find him in the census living with his parents in the Dallas precinct, Henderson county, Illinois. There is no house number or street name listed, so I assume this is on a farm, possibly the farm which is still in the family. Interesting is 3 households away is another one of my husband's relatives, so remember to check nearby in the census. I go 10 up and 10 down usually.
On July 2, 1903 Roy marries Ivy May Hubbard in Adrian, Hancock county, Illinois. They are the parents of 5 children, the youngest who might possibly still be living. Their children include Lois born 1905, Dwight born in 1908, Harold born in 1912, Velna born in 1914, and Ida born in 1920. Ida is probably still alive as I cannot find any death information for her. She probably has her father's genes to live a long life.
Here is a picture of the family in 1910.
Roy & Ivy Sparrow with Lois and Dwight, 1910.
In 1910, they are living in Richfield township, Adams county, Illinois according to the census.
We find his World War I draft registration card which lists his residence in September 1918 as Niota, Hancock county, Illinois. He listed himself as a self employed farmer, and his wife Ivy as his closest relative. He considers himself to be of medium height and build, a white person with blue eyes and brown hair.
In 1920, the family is living in Appanoose township, Hancock county, Illinois according to the census.
1930 finds them presumably in the same place in Appanoose township, Hancock county, Illinois. Most of their neighbors look to be the same, so that's a good assumption that they are in the same location. Roy is a farmer that owns his own farm in this census, and in 1920.
In 1940 (the last census we can access) he is living in presumably the same plaace in Appanoose township, Hancock county, Illinois. He lists the same house as his residence in 1935. He is a farmer, but now at the age of 56 has a hired man living with them to help with the farming.
In 1942 we find his World War II draft card where he is living in Niota, Hancock county, Illinois.
In February 1946, his wife passes away at the age of 63.
On July 29, 1947 he marries his sister-in-law, Hazel Morrison Sparrow in Washington county, Iowa. She was his brother's wife, and his brother had previously passed away in 1941. That's almost Biblical, right? If a woman was left without a husband, she was to marry his brother. I think that was a Biblical rule.
Hazel lives to the age of 92 and passes away in 1983.
Roy C. Sparrow lives a LONG life. Here he is at age 100 in 1982:
Roy Sparrow age 100
Roy Sparrow lives until March 4, 1988 until the age of 105 1/2. The farming life must have treated him well. He is buried in Harris Cemetery next to his first wife, near Dallas City, in Hancock county, Illinois. Services were held at the church of the Nazarene in LaHarpe, Illinois on Sunday March 6th.
As you can imagine, since he lived a long life, there were quite a few records available on him. My father-in-law had these photos, I found him in the censuses and draft cards as listed, and I also found him in SSDI (Social Security Death Index), a death notice posted online, and I have a gravestone photo which I took when we visited.
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