Quartus was born 1820 in Hampshire County, Massachusetts to David Sparks (1775-1821) and Mary Mercy Thayer (1782-1858) and died 1 August 1891 Redlands, San Bernardino County, California of unspecified causes.
Biography
Son of David and Mary Mercy Thayer Sparks.
There is much information on Quartus, several separate obits, Mary B. Lewis collection and an article in the newspaper by Fred Holladay, and his second wife's obituary.
Fred Holladay "ATTORNEY CLASHED WITH MORMON LEADERS IN S.B.'S FORMATIVE YEARS Quartus Strong Sparks, San Bernardino's first attorney, was a tall good -looking man with a brilliant mind and a gift to gab." According to reports at the time, .. "this legal titan, who seemed to have the world by the tail, once allowed his life to be governed by unruly emotions and an occasional bout with the bottle."
Worked as a newspaperman in New York City, became Mormon, sailed to San Francisco with his wife Mary and son on the ship Brooklyn. In April 1853, San Bernadino County was formed, two months later the popular Sparks was elected district attorney. A while later he was excommunicated by the church when a church elder publicly accused him of drunkenness and abuse of his family. After her husband's expulsion, Mary Sparks moved to Salt Lake City where she remarried and died in 1898. In retaliation Sparks joined an anti-Mormon Political party against church- imposed regulations. Once one of the church's greatest advocates, now a severe and very loud critic. Humorus at first it became venomous after John Brown was evicted from his Yucaipa ranch. In March 1857, when the same was in store for Jerome Bensons ranch in the area near Hunts Lane and Redlands Ave, Benson fought back. Sparks and a group of friends joined Benson and defied the Mormons to evict him. It was dropped.
With Mary Hamilton They had 5 children. Quartus Strong Sparks Jr.(1845-1918) Mary Elizabeth Sparks Barber(1848-) Edward Hamilton Sparks(1850-1926) Maria Hamilton Sparks VanSlyk(1853-) Dwight Coridon Sparks(1855-1932)
In 1858 he was admitted to the bar, a fitting place for such a inflamatory orator. He left in ill health for Los Angeles returning when he got worse to enter San Bernardino County Hospital dieing after Mrs.VanSlyk his daughter reached his bedside.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Quartus Strong Sparks (1845-1918) | |||
| Mary Elizabeth Sparks (1848-) | |||
| Edward Hamilton Sparks (1850-1926) | |||
| Maria Hamilton Sparks (1853-) | |||
| Dwight Coridon Sparks (1855-1932) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Albert Sparks (1862-) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| David Sparks (1804-1809) | |||
| Jane Sparks (1805-) | |||
| Mary Jane Sparks (1809-1898) | 16 November 1809 Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States | 20 November 1898 Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah, United States | James Sanderson (1804-1845) Moses Martin Sanders (1803-1878) |
| Jemima Sparks (1810-) | |||
| Johnathan Clark Sparks (1813-) | |||
| Perley Ann Sparks (1816-) | |||
| Isaac Dwight Sparks (1818-) | |||
| Quartus Strong Sparks (1820-1891) | 1820 Hampshire County, Massachusetts | 1 August 1891 Redlands, San Bernardino County, California | Mary Holland Hamilton (1821-1898) Ann Langford (1824-1903) |