General Sevier, who found his knowledge and experience of the Indians most valuable. General Sevier used his influence to procure for him a military appointment, and he was given a captain's commission. He performed very valuable service for General Wayne, and stood very high among all the officers. He met Ruth Sevier, and won her love and the ultimate consent of the Governor for her marriage to this untutored young man. She found him a very apt scholar, and he was soon able to pass the examination which enabled him to be promoted to the rank of colonel in the United States army, being ordered to Fort Pickering on the Mississippi, now the beautiful city of Memphis. This was one of the chain of forts established to maintain peace among the Chickesaw Indians. After the purchase of Louisiana, Colonel Sparks was moved to New Orleans. Mrs. Sparks proved a most valuable helpmeet and aid to her husband, performing the duties of his secretary, keeping his accounts, writing his letters, and making out his reports to the War Department. Owing to his early life among the Indians and General Sevier's well-known reputation of humanity, both Colonel and Mrs. Sparks had a most beneficial influence over the Indians of the lower Mississippi. Colonel Sparks' health failed, and he was at first allowed to return to Mrs. Sparks' old home, but they finally removed to Staunton, Virginia, at which place he died in 1815. Mrs. Sparks married the second time a wealthy planter of Mississippi, and lived near Port Gibson in Mississippi. While on a visit in 1874 to some friends in Maysville, Kentucky, she died.
SARAH SHELBY.
Was the daughter of Mrs. Bledsoe who was so famous among the settlers of the first settlements of Tennessee. Sarah was quite young when her parents moved from Virginia to eastern Tennessee. Miss Bledsoe married in 1784, David Shelby. Mrs. Shelby's husband was said to be the first merchant in Nashville, in 1790. Mrs. Shelby suffered all the exposures and hardships incident to the life of the early settlers in Tennessee.
