Spruill
We begin with Sarah Washington (SPRUILL) MARTIN, and work backward in time. The Sarah SPRUILL of interest is the one who married Benjamin S. MARTIN.
Spruill pamphlet, available from the Spruill Center for the Arts. Thanks to Janice Moore Cronan. Click for larger version.
Sarah Washington SPRUILL (1843 - 1911)
Benjamin S. MARTIN and Sarah W. SPRUILL were married on 18 Oct 1863, in De Kalb County, Georgia. [From Georgia Marriage Records.] Benjamin was fighting in the Civil War [see the Martins in America page], so they must have married when he was home on leave.
The gravestone of Sarah W MARTIN in Liberty Cemetery, Magazine, Logan, Arkansas has her birth 14 Jan 1843 and death 22 Jan 1911.
Georgia 1846 [click for larger version]
This 1846 map of Georgia shows De Kalb County in the north central part of the state. In 1853 the western part of De Kalb became Fulton County, where the city of Atlanta has become the largest city in Georgia.
The 1850 Census had several SPRUILL families in Cross Keys Township, De Kalb County, Georgia.
1850 US Census for Cross Keys, De Kalb, GA
42 Spruill Stephen 63 1787 Male South Carolina
42 Spruill Margaret 64 1786 Female Virginia
42 Morgan Elizabeth 24 1826 Female Georgia
42 Poss James 23 1827 Male Georgia
66 Arendall Laughlin 50 1800 Male Georgia
66 Arendall Susannah 50 1800 Female Georgia
66 Arendall Nathaniel E 22 1828 Male Georgia
66 Arendall Samuel E 17 1833 Male Georgia
66 Arendall Mary A C 16 1834 Female Georgia
66 Arendall John L 13 1837 Male Georgia
66 Arendall Jacqueline T 10 1840 Female Georgia
66 Spruiell Mary 23 1827 Female Georgia
67 Spruill Stephen 28 1822 Male Georgia
67 Spruill Margaret 5 1845 Female Georgia
67 Spruill James T 3 1847 Male Georgia
67 Spruill Thomas 2 1848 Male Georgia
67 Spruill John M 1 1849 Male Georgia
67 Spruill No Name 0 1850 Female Georgia
68 Spruill James 29 1821 Male Georgia
68 Spruill Milly 28 1822 Female Georgia
68 Spruill Sarah W 7 1843 Female Georgia
68 Spruill William M 6 1844 Male Georgia
68 Spruill Thos F 4 1846 Male Georgia
68 Spruill Joseph 2 1848 Male Georgia
71 Spruill W E 34 1816 Male South Carolina
71 Spruill Eliza I 33 1817 Female South Carolina
71 Spruill Stephen M 11 1839 Male Georgia
71 Spruill Adaline H 10 1840 Female Georgia
71 Spruill John S 8 1842 Male Georgia
71 Spruill Sylvania A 6 1844 Female Georgia
71 Spruill Henrietta 4 1846 Female Georgia
71 Spruill Mary L 2 1848 Female Georgia
71 Spruill Nancy A 0 1850 Female Georgia
71 Waits Jefferson 20 1830 Male Georgia
Sarah W SPRUILL is in family number 68. Her parents are James, born about 1821 in Georgia, and Milly, born about 1822 in Georgia. Sarah is the oldest of 4 children, and the only girl. Her grandparents are Stephen and Margaret, in family 42. More about them below.
The family of James and Milly SPRUILL is found in Fulton County in 1860. Rather than moving from De Kalb to Fulton COunty, it is likely that they stayed in place, and were in that part of De Kalb that became Fulton.
1860 US Census for Oak Grove, Fulton, GA, taken 8 Aug 1860
1870 Sprewell Jas 40 1820 Male Georgia
1870 Sprewell Millia 39 1821 Female Georgia
1870 Sprewell Sarah W 18 1842 Female Georgia
1870 Sprewell William M 16 1844 Male Georgia
1870 Sprewell Thomas F 14 1846 Male Georgia
1870 Sprewell Joseph T 12 1848 Male Georgia
1870 Sprewell James F 3 1857 Male Georgia
They have added one more child, another boy. They are family number 1870; and 1860 is the date. The name has been spelled many different ways.
Sarah Washington (SPRUILL) MARTIN appears, with her own family, in the 1870, 1880, 1900 and 1910 censuses. These can be seen on the MARTINS in America page.
James T. SPRUILL (1820 - 1889)
James SPRUILL appears in Cross Keys, De Kalb, GA in 1850, and Oak Grove, Fulton, GA in 1860, as shown in the census records, above. He was born about 1819-21.
From Georgia Marriage Records
James SPRUILL and Milly ADAMS were married on 17 Mar 1842 in De Kalb County, Georgia. Milly's gravestone in Sandy Springs United Methodist Cemetery, Sandy Springs, Fulton County, GA has her birthdate 2 Nov 1821 and death 5 Sep 1896. The ancestry of Almeda Jane "Milly" ADAMS is described on the ADAMS page.
Almeda Jane "Milly" ADAMS (1821 - 1896)
The 1870 US Census had 4 consecutive SPREWEL or SPREWELL families in De Kalb County. They were probably living close together, since they were close in the census.
1870 Census for Shallowford, DeKalb, GA, taken 31 Aug 1870
178 Sprewel William M 25 1845 Male White Georgia
178 Sprewel Elizabeth 27 1843 Female White Georgia
178 Sprewel Mary M 2 1868 Female White Georgia
178 Sprewel James C 3/12 May 1870 Male White Georgia
179 Sprewell James 51 1819 Male White Georgia
179 Sprewell Milly 49 1821 Female White Georgia
179 Sprewell James F 12 1858 Male White Georgia
179 Sprewell Calhoun A 9 1861 Male White Georgia
179 Sprewell Milly 6 1864 Female White Georgia
179 Sprewell Stephen H 2 1868 Male White Georgia
179 Reid Lodusky A 23 1847 Female White Georgia
179 Morgan Mary E 23 1847 Female White Georgia
180 Sprewell Joseph T 21 1849 Male White Georgia
180 Sprewell Sophia C 21 1849 Female White Georgia
181 Sprewell Thomas F 24 1846 Male White Georgia
181 Sprewell Naomi 25 1845 Female White Georgia
181 Sprewell Almeda H 3 1867 Female White Georgia
181 Sprewell Margaret E 2 1868 Female White Georgia
181 Martin Matilda 20 1850 Female White Georgia
William, Joseph and Thomas SPRUILL, brothers of Sarah Washington (SPRUILL) MARTIN, have their own families, living with or next door to their parents. James is still with his parents, and there are 3 younger children, perhaps grandchildren. I don't know who the two 23-year-old women are. Under Occupation, they are "At Home." The men are all Farmers, 12-year-old James F is a Farm Laborer, and the women are Keeping House, except for the two At Home. This census also lists wealth.
Wealth in 1870:
real estate personal estate
William M $350 $250
James $1800 $800
Joseph T $200
Thomas F $225
I think that Matilda Martin, staying with Thomas and Naomi, is Naomi's sister.
Thomas Franklin SPRUILL, son of James and Milly SPRUILL, is on the left end of the back row.
Thanks to Janice Moore Cronan.
T. F. & Naoma Spruill Group Photo
Identification techniques used were from several descendant sources, census reports, other photo comparisons. Left to Right....MEN'S ROW: T.F., Naomi, Stephen & Andrew Spruill, Tommy Ferrell, Pierce Beaty, George Fields, Charlie Spruill, Floyd (son of Stephen) Wade(?) & William Morton. WOMENS ROW: Clara Mae Fields Spruill holding Ruby, Jane Spruill Ferrell holding Nora Dee, Sarah Oma Spruill Beaty holding Nellie, (?Mollie Spruill holding Onnie?) Etta Mollie Spruill Fields holding son Horace, Izora Spruill holding sister Oda, Almedia Spruill Morton. GIRLS ROW: Lillie(dau of Andrew), Myrtice & Omie Ferrell, Clara Bell Morton, Cora & Era Mae Spruill, Hester & Birdie Beaty, Casandra Ferrell. BOYS ROW: Leon & Willard Morton, Cary Spruill & Carl Beaty, Euill Spruill & Thomas Beaty
Thanks to Janice Moore Cronan for this.
In 1880 the 4 families were still almost consecutive, in De Kalb County. Many new children have been added, and none are absent.
1880 US Census for Shallow Ford and Cross Keys, De Kalb, GA, taken on 4 Jun 1880
page 6
19 Spruill William M. White Male 36 1844 Self Married GA GA GA
20 Spruill Elizebeth White Female 40 1840 Wife Married GA GA GA
21 Spruill Mary M. White Female 12 1868 Daughter Single GA GA GA
22 Spruill James S. White Male 10 1870 Son Single GA GA GA
23 Spruill John M. White Male 8 1872 Son Single GA GA GA
24 Spruill Margaret S. White Female 7 1873 Daughter Single GA GA GA
25 Spruill William A. White Male 4 1876 Son Single GA GA GA
26 Spruill Thomas M. White Male 3m 1880 Son Single GA GA GA
page 8
29 Spruill Thomas White Male 34 1846 Self Married GA GA GA
30 Spruill Masouri White Female 36 1844 Wife Married GA GA GA
31 Spruill Almeda White Female 13 1867 Daughter Single GA GA GA
32 Spruill Margaret E. White Female 11 1869 Daughter Single GA GA GA
33 Spruill Steaven T. White Male 9 1871 Son Single GA GA GA
34 Spruill Adia L. White Female 7 1873 Daughter Single GA GA GA
35 Spruill Millia J. White Female 6 1874 Daughter Single GA GA GA
36 Spruill James A. White Male 2 1878 Son Single GA GA GA
37 Spruill Not Named White Male 1m May 1880 Son Single GA GA GA
page 8
38 Spruill Joseph T. White Male 32 1848 Self Married GA GA GA
39 Spruill Sophia C. White Female 32 1848 Wife Married GA GA GA
40 Spruill James T. White Male 9 1871 Son Single GA GA GA
41 Spruill Margaret L. White Female 8 1872 Daughter Single GA GA GA
42 Spruill John S. White Male 4 1876 Son Single GA GA GA
43 Spruill Eller L. White Female 1 1879 Daughter Single GA GA GA
44 Spruill Sarah K. White Female 3 1877 Daughter Single GA GA GA
page 8-9
49 Spruill James White Male 61 1819 Self Married GA SC VA
50 Spruill Millia White Female 59 1821 Wife Married GA GA GA
1 Spruill James F. White Male 23 1857 Son Single GA GA GA
2 Spruill Calhoun White Male 19 1861 Son Single GA GA GA
3 Spruill Millia A. White Female 17 1863 Daughter Single GA GA GA
4 Spruill Steaven N. E. White Male 13 1867 Son Single GA GA GA
Thomas's wife is Masouri instead of Naomi. One is probably a middle name. The men's occupation is Laborer, not Farmer.
Thomas F. SPRUILL was a veteran of the Civil War, having served in the 63rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company C.
T .F. Spruill
in the U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865
Name: T .F. Spruill
Side: Confederate
Regiment State/Origin: Georgia
Regiment: 63rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry
Company: C
Rank In: Private
Rank Out: Private
Film Number: M226 roll 57
Other Records: Learn More about this Regiment
James SPRUILL's death was 12 Jan 1889, listed in the SPRUILL Family Bible.
Stephen SPRUILL (1787 - 1869)
Stephen E SPRUILL
2.Stephen E.6 Spruill (William5, John4, John Read Sr.3, Samuel William2, Godfrey1) was born 1787 in Abbeville County, South Carolina, and died WFT Est. 1718-1797.He married Margaret.She was born 1785 in Virginia.
Children of Stephen Spruill and Margaret are:
6 i. Selecia7 Spruill.She married Nathaniel Reed.
7 ii. Stephen Spruill.He married Mary Wright May 31, 1844.
8 iii. Elizabeth Spruill.She married James Farr.
9 iv. Wilson E. Spruill, born July 07, 1810.He married Eliza Jane Austin.
10 v. James Spruill, born August 08, 1816; died January 12, 1889 in Georgia, Dekalb County.He married Mollie Jane Adams March 17, 1842; born November 02, 1821; died September 05, 1896.
11 vi. Nancy Spruill, born 1817; died 1857.She married William Collins Austin; born July 29, 1809; died 1891.
Information from James Spruell
The death date Est. 1718-1787 is obviously a misprint. The World Family Tree now has his death in Aug 1869, Fulton, GA.
A gravestone at Sandy Springs United Methodist Cemetery, Sandy Springs, Fulton County, Georgia is for a couple,
Stephen SPRUILL, born 1786, died Aug 1889
Margarett SPRUILL, born 1783, died Dec 1857
Selecia SPRUILL (1810-1894) and her husband, Nathaniel REED (1808-1892). Posted on Ancestry by Rita CHEEK.
In 1860 Stephen was living with his son Stephen SPRUILL Jr.
1860 US Census for Oak Grove, Fulton County, GA, taken 8 Aug 1860
1866 Sprewell Stephen 72 1788 Male South Carolina
1866 Sprewell Stephen 38 1822 Male Georgia
1866 Sprewell Mary 35 1825 Female Georgia
1866 Sprewell Sallie 8 1852 Female Georgia
1866 Sprewell William 6 1854 Male Georgia
1866 Sprewell Welson 4 1856 Male Georgia
Stephen Sr was a Farmer, with real estate valued at $3500 and personal estate $1200. That was quite a lot of money in 1860. However, the Civil War was about to change everything! Stephen Jr was a Farm Tenant, with no estate value.
Again, 1866 is the family number, not a date. Recall that family 1879 was the James T SPRUILL family, above. Fulton County was formed in 1853, from the western part of De Kalb County.
Stephen and his family appeared in the 1850 Census above, repeated here for convenience:
1850 US Census for Cross Keys, De Kalb, GA
42 Spruill Stephen 63 1787 Male South Carolina
42 Spruill Margaret 64 1786 Female Virginia
42 Morgan Elizabeth 24 1826 Female Georgia
42 Poss James 23 1827 Male Georgia
We know from the gravestone and the 1850 Census that Stephen SPRUILL's wife was Margarett, born about 1783-6 in Virginia. Several researchers have her surname as LORD, but I have not been able to verify this.
In 1840, the Stephen SPRUILL family was in De Kalb County. [My comments in brackets.]
1840 US Census
Name Stephen Spruil
Home in 1840 (City, County, State) District 686, De Kalb, Georgia
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19 1 [Stephen Jr]
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29 1 [James]
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49 1 [This must be Stephen Sr, although he would be 53 or 54.]
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14 1 [Selicia or Elizabeth]
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59 1 [Margaret]
Persons Employed in Agriculture 1 [Stephen?]
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write 1 [?]
Free White Persons - Under 20 2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 2
Total Free White Persons 5
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves 5
James has a younger brother and sister.
The voter registration record for 1867 has Stephen SPRUELL Jr, Wilson E SPRUELL and Stephen SPRUELL Sr on the same page. So the brother of James might be Wilson E or Stephen Jr.
Name: Stephen Spruel
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Dekalb, Georgia
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 2 [??]
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 3 [Wilson? James?]
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49: 1 [Stephen]
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 1 [Selicia? Elizabeth?]
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: 1 [Nancy]
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1 [Margaret]
Free White Persons - Under 20: 7
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
Total Free White Persons: 9
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 9
Name: Stephen Spruel
Home in 1820 (City, County, State): Jackson, Georgia
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 3 [James, Wilson?]
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1 [a brother?]
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1 [Stephen]
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1 [Nancy]
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1 [Selecia? Elizabeth?]
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 2 [Margaret]
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 2
Free White Persons - Under 16: 5
Free White Persons - Over 25: 3
Total Free White Persons: 9
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 9
If Stephen Sr was born around 1787, he probably did not have a son in 1820 who was 16-25. It may be a brother of Stephen's.
William SPRUILL (1770 - 1846)
Information that William was the father of Stephen SPRUILL is the pamplet at the top of the page, which also tells us that William lived in Abbevile, SC in 1790, with a wife and several children, and then moved to De Kalb County, GA with Stephen, where he died in 1846.
William SPRUILL
1.William5 Spruill(John4, John Read Sr.3, Samuel William2, Godfrey1) was born 1770 in Abbeville County, South Carolina, and died Bef. March 07, 1846 in Dekalb County, Georgia.He married Elizabeth Robergson Abt. 1786 in Abbeville County, South Carolina.
More About William Spruill:
Fact 1: 1830, Lived in Dekalb, County, Georgia
Children of William Spruill and Elizabeth Robergson are:
+ 2 i. Stephen E.6 Spruill, born 1787 in Abbeville County, South Carolina; died WFT Est. 1718-1797.
+ 3 ii. Gabriel Spruill, born 1804 in South Carolina; died May 1883 in Alabama, Clebure County.
+ 4 iii. John Spruill, born 1812 in North Carolina; died WFT Est. 1819-1858.
+ 5 iv. William Spruill, born 1815 in South Carolina; died WFT Est. 1816-1819.
Information from James Spruell (2001)
Again, the death date for Stephen is an error. Clebure should be Cleburne County, AL. It looks like the family moved from SC to NC, and back to SC.
In the following table are all 31 SPRUILL households that I was able to find in the 1790 US Census. Almost all of them were in Tyrrell County, NC, which makes it seem likely that they were all related. There were 92 free white males, 93 free white females, and 59 slaves.
The last entry is the one of interest. William SPRUVIL had a family of 4, with 1 boy and 1 girl. Presumably, the 1 boy was Stephen. [After I made this table, I discovered that the same information is available in the Spruill family colonial chronology, except for the two SPRUVIL families from Abbeville. These are the most important for me, so I suppose it's a good thing that I did the research. Also, the households in Tyrrell County are all in Edenton District, and the households in Hyde C0unty are both in Newbern District.]
SPRUILLs in Abbeville, SC in 1800
In 1800, John SPRUIELL and his wife are the oldest of the SPRUIELLs in Abbeville, SC, both at least 45. They still have 7 children at home. Their son William is in the 26-44 category, and his wife is 16-25. William and his wife have a boy 10-15, who would have to be Stephen, and 4 girls under 10. George is probably William's younger brother, as he did not appear in the 1790 Census. He is also 26-44, and his wife is also 16-25, and they have 3 boys. I don't know where George was in 1790. There are only 2 slaves, and they are in the John SPRUIELL household.
From 13-year-old Stephen's point of view, it seems he has 4 younger sisters, and 1 older brother, 7 aunts and uncles about his own age or younger, and 3 young nephews. [My comments in brackets]
Name William Spruel
Home in 1830 (City, County, State) Dekalb, Georgia
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14 2 [??]
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19 1 [John]
Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69 1 [William]
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39 1 [?]
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59 1 [Elizabeth]
Free White Persons - Under 20 3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 1
Total Free White Persons 6
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored) 6
Sources:
[BR] Moses Barto And Margaret E. Spruill Reeves Family History
[CC] Spruill family colonial chronology, 1684-1800, by William Kenneth Spruill [968 pages. Click where it says "here" for the pdf.]
[D] The Spruills--a Family of Colonial Notables, from Our State magazine, August 1, 1964 by David E. Davis
[JS] Information from James Spruell (2001)
[SC] Evolution of South Carolina Districts and Counties
[W] Several of the SPRUILLs have Wikipedia pages.
[WFT] Stephen E SPRUILL on the World Family Tree
Page last updated on 19 Apr 2016 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.