Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 533-534.

JOHN W. SPROWL.

This ex-soldier of the Civil war, but now a peaceful agriculturist in Liberty township, Wells County, Indiana, and as broad-minded in the time of peace as he was patriotic in the time of war, was born in Lancaster township, Huntington county, Indiana, July 15, 1845, a son of James A. and Elizabeth (Wagner) Sprowl. James A. Sprowl was born in Virginia, and when young was brought to Indiana by his parents, who settled in Lancaster township, Huntington county. Joseph Sprowl, father of James A., purchased wild land when he reached the country, before the Indians had been expelled therefrom, and in that comparative wilderness James A. grew to manhood, the country in the meantime becoming settled up and modernized. James A. there passed the remainder of his life, with the exception of four years spent in Iowa, and was famous among the Indians as a hunter. He lived until the ripe age of eighty-six years. The children born to James A. and Elizabeth Sprowl numbered nine and in order of birth were named as follows: Mary A., the wife of James Barton; William, a resident of Bluffton; John W.; Achasa Jane, widow of Mr. Collins, lives in Iowa; Susan, the wife of Frank Horner; Joseph, a resident of White county; Sarah, married to John Huff; Francis resides in Bluffton; Miner, wife of John Horner, and Christina, who died in childhood.

John W. Sprowl was reared in Lancaster township and at the age of eighteen enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Thirtieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Perrish and General Sherman. He served two years, being honorably discharged at Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1865. He had taken part in several skirmishes and twelve regular battles, including those of Pea Ridge, Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta.

At the cessation of hostilities Mr. Sprowl returned to his father's home and assisted on the farm until his marriage, July 25, 1867, to Miss Isabel Edgar, who was born in Pennsylvania July 13, 1843, a daughter of Atkinson and Mary Ann (Mounsey) Edgar, natives of England, who came to the United States about 1842. They engaged in farming in the Keystone state until 1844, when they came to Wells County, Indiana, remained here about one year and then went to Huntington county, where Mr. Edgar bought forty acres of farming land, to which he added until he owned one hundred and sixty acres. This he subsequently sold and bought one hundred and sixty acres near Warren, which he also sold, and next purchased two hundred acres near Kelso, Huntington county, on which he resided until ten or twelve years prior to his death, when he went to live with his son John, at whose home he passed away in 1891. The mother of Mrs. Sprowl died when she was but three weeks old, and her father then married Jane Mounsey, sister to his first wife, and who had come to Indiana with him. Atkinson Edgar and first wife had a family of six children, viz: Mary, Sarah and John, deceased; Jane, widow of Jefferson McElhany; Elizabeth, wife of Jonathan Lowery, and Isabel. To the second marriage of Mr. Edgar were also born six children, namely: Martha, widow of Napoleon Williams, Atkinson, Thomas and three who died in infancy.

John W. Sprowl, for two years after his marriage, lived with his father-in-law and cultivated the farm. He then settled on his own farm of eighty acres, which he still occupies, but which was then in a swamp deep in the woods. Seventy acres of this place Mr. Sprowl has cleared up and drained and has put under cultivation. When he settled here he had two horses, two cows, a few pigs and some sheep, and the cabin of logs was twenty by eighteen feet, with a framed kitchen attached, these improvements having been made by himself.

Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Sprowl have been blessed with five children, viz: Lucinda, who was born in February, 1869, is now the wife of Daniel Masterson, of Liberty township, and has two children, Raymond L. and Jason; James A. died at the age of twenty-two years; Henry N. is married to Etta Medrets and is the father of four children, Dora B., John W., Lottie M. and Roy; Jonathan E. married Celestia Fudge, who bore him one child, Otis Elmer, but the father is now deceased, being killed by an engine while pumping oil; Rosa B., the youngest of the five, was married to Allison Melling, but was called away in February, 1896, leaving two children, Ora O., who has been reared by Mr. Sprowl, and Gus M., who died when five months old. Mr. Sprowl, who is a gentleman of the kindest impulse, has also reared Melvin Lucky, whom he took in charge when but three weeks old and who will soon arrive at his majority.

Mr. and Mrs. Sprowl are members of the United Brethren church at Mount Zion and in politics Mr. Sprowl is a Democrat. He is now superintendent of fourteen and three-quarters miles of gravel road and has at different times filled various township offices. He is one of the most public spirited men in his township and is widely and favorably known, being ready and willing at all times to aid with his means and advice all projects designed to promote the convenience and happiness of his fellow citizens.