Peter & Catherine Spracklen’s Children: Nancy & Frank…

We come to the last two children of Peter and Catherine Spracklen.

8.  Nancy Frances Spracklen was born 27 Aug 1872 in Belle Plaine and died 12 June 1895 in Sheridan, Sheridan Co., Wyoming.  She married Lars William Peterson and they had Billy Peterson. Nancy was only 22 years old when she died.

A quick check of the U.S. Census did not reveal Nancy nor Lars in 1870 nor 1880.  So I do not know where she is buried nor what happened to this family.

9.  Frank Richard Spracklen was born 9 June 1875 in Belle Plaine and died 7 October 1958 in Sheridan, Sheridan Co., Wyoming.  He married Lillie Belle White on 24 Oct. 1897 in Big Horn, Sheridan Co., Wyoming.

Source:  Certificate of Marriage, K. A. Toland, Minister, Oct. 24, 1897, Big Horn Co., State of Wyoming, Book 1, pg. 344.

Holy Bonds of Matrimony for Frank Richard Spracklen of Big Horn Co., Wyoming and Lillie Belle White of Sheridan Co., Wyoming on the 24th of October 1897.  He was 22 years old and she was 19 years old.  They married in the M.E. Church of Big Horn at Big Horn.  Their witnesses were Mallie White and Edith Spracklen.

Lillie Belle was b. 11 August 1878 in Barry, Navarro, Texas and d. 22 May 1948. She was the daughter of Charles J. McClean White and Martha Bullard.  Lillie had at least 6 siblings. They are buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery, Big Horn, Sheridan Co., Wyoming.  See Find A Grave for more information and some of their children’s burials and other family members.

Frank & Lillie Spracklen Family

They had 6 children.

a. Crystal Martha Spracklen b. 30 July 1898 in Marsland, Dawes Co., Nebraska d. 26 Feb 1982. She married a James Rinker and they had: James, Charles, Milo, David and Ross.

b. Wesley Frank Spracklen b. 11 October 1899 in Marsland and died 26 Feb 1982 in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California.  He married Ethel Ray Denham Younger about 1925 in Long Beach. Both Wesley and Ethel are buried in the Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, Los Angeles Co., California. They had per the 1940 census Evelyn age 12 and Robert age 9 both born in California.  They had Rex, Frank, Merle and Nelliebelle are Harold’s children.   

c. Polly F. Spracklen b. 24 march 1901, Sheridian Co., Wyoming and died 27 December 1980.  Buried in Mount Hope with her parents.

d. Harold Clement Spracklen b. 20 January 1903 in Sheridan Co., d. 11 June 1961.  Buried with his parents in Mt. Hope. UPDATE 6/2/2016:  The children listed under Wesley are incorrect per a cousin.  They are Harold’s children.  Harold married Bertha Irene Pierce on 25th of March, 1935 at Hardin, Mt. at the Congregational church. Harold is buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Big Horn, Sheridan Co., Wyoming.  Based on census and his obituary he and Bertha had: Rex Roy b. 1939, Harold Frank, Mearl Wesley and Nellie Bellie Spracklen.  There was another child name Hartha Irene Spracklin but she didn’t live long 1951 to 1952 per Find A Grave. She is buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery as well. I thank my cousin for pointing out the error and apologize for getting things mixed up and not checking the records.

e.  Bernice Jane Spracklen b. 9 November 1908 in Sheridan Co., and d. 22 April 1973. She married a Paul Winland.

f. Ruth Lillian Spracklen b. 7 November 1915 in Sheridan and died 29 November 1979.  She married Harvey Walker and had: Dixie, Jimmy and Barry.  Buried in Mt. Hope with her parents.

Frank & Lillie Belle White Spracklen:
There is much that could and should be written on this family, but because of lack of verifiable information, the fact that many of the family members are deceased or live away from Sheridan, this will be a brief outline in memory of this fine pioneer family. C.J. White 1852-1942 first came to Wyoming Territory when he was around 15 years old, trailing cattle on the Chisholm Trail. He trailed the second herd brought and rode for John B. Kendrick. He decided this was where he wanted to spend his life, and after he married, he and his wife started westward with a wagon train. By this time, there were two small children in the family. They had their own covered wagon and Mr. White rode as lookout for the entire train. On October 24, 1897, one of the White daughters Lillie Belle, was married to Frank Spracklen. At that time, Belle lived with her parents on the ranch that is now part of the Bar 13 and Frank was employed in the Perkins and Gaylor Sawmill on the western slope of the Big Horn Mountains. On a lovely, sunny October Sunday, Frank and Belle rode horseback into Big Horn and were married in the Methodist parsonage by the Rev. H.A. Toland. They remained for the Sunday morning church service and then returned to her parent’s home on Meade Creek, where they were honored with a wedding dinner. It took two weeks to assemble a team, wagon and enough provisions to get started on the trip over the mountains to the sawmill. The trip would require one full week. They later moved to Nebraska where their first two children, Crystal and Wesley, were born. In 1900, they returned to Meade Creek and homesteaded the place where the family resided until their deaths. They lived in a covered wagon until they finished a snug and weatherproof two-room house. That original part is still a portion of the house standing today. The other children were born, and after hard work and several attempts, a fine grove of trees were started. These beautiful cottonless cottonwoods are now growing all over the United States. Perhaps the most loved were the beautiful avenue of trees from the Spracklen Grove that bordered the University of Wyoming Campus on 15th Street in Laramie. Mr. Spracklen helped build the Meade Creek schoolhouse, where all of their six children attended. The family made the six mile trip regularly every Sunday morning to attend the Big Horn Methodist Church. Mr. Spracklen was a 4-H leader, and Mrs. Spracklen was a charter member of the Banner Community Club. Their home was the center of many a community gathering. It was common knowledge that at the Spracklen ranch, “The latchstring was always out.” Their family plot in Mt. Hope Cemetery bears the names and dates of the family members who have died. From Belle Spracklen’s family, there are her parents, Mr. and Mrs. White, a baby brother, Reagon White and the ashes of Bertie White Lovell. On the Spracklen side, both Frank and Lillie Belle, a son, Harold, a little daughter of Harold’s, Polly and close by, daughter Ruth. Because of record variations, there is a possibility of a grave with a baby son of Harold’s. The small daughter’s name was Martha Irene, but there has been no name found for the baby boy. This list is far from complete, but will give any researcher a place to start. there will always be memories of this fine pioneer family, but whenever you see a huge majestic cottonwood tree standing proudly on Wyoming soil, you can believe that probably it came from the Spracklen grove, and if this family left no other legacy than this, they more than did their share.  (Note:  It is unclear where this history came from nor is there a date of publication. It looks like a history of a town. I gave it a great try to figure out its origins but I am stumped.)

Here are the obituaries of both Frank and Lillie Belle:

Lillie Belle Spracklen 1948

Frank followed in 1958:

Frank Spracklen passes 1958

Frank with Claude Devor:

Frank with Claude Devor

There is a still a great deal more research to do on Frank and Lillie Belle such as probate and estate files. Please comment if you have more stories about these families.