John Sparks
Encyclopedia
John T. Sparks was an American
politician
. He was the 10th Governor of Nevada
, and was nickname
d Honest John. Like his predecessor, Reinhold Sadler
, Sparks was a cattleman and his rise to political power was evidence of the decline of the mining industry and the rise of the ranching industry in Nevada. He was a member of the Silver
– Democratic Party
.
. His family was one of those known as "new lands families", who specialized in developing land on the frontier and then selling out and moving on as settlement in the area increased. His family followed the frontier through Arkansas
, moving on to Texas
in 1857 by which point they were moderately wealthy. In Texas they began ranching cattle
, and John became a proficient cowboy
.
, probably to avoid being drafted into the Confederate Army. His unit was tasked with protecting settlers from the Comanche
, and he did not fight in the Civil War
. After the war, Sparks drove cattle in the huge Longhorn
drives of the era, at first working for John Meyers, and later in partnership with his brothers. In 1872, Sparks married Rachel Knight and they had two daughters, Maude and Rachel.
In 1873, Sparks bought a large herd of cattle in Texas then drove them to Wyoming
and established a ranch in the Chugwater River valley near Cheyenne
. He sold that ranch and its 2,100 head of cattle the next year to the Swan Brothers. After that, Sparks established a series of ranches along the North Platte River
, each of which he quickly sold and invested the money in the next ranch. Sparks also invested in a bank in Georgetown, Texas
(his wife's hometown), where he also built a mansion. In 1879 his wife died, and in 1880 Sparks married her half-sister Nancy Elnora "Nora" Knight.
By that time there was no unclaimed rangeland left east of the Rockies, and Sparks cast his eye further west. Joining with fellow Texan John Tinnin, Sparks bought the H-D Ranch in the Thousand Springs Valley north of Elko, Nevada
in 1881. In 1883 Sparks-Tinnin purchased all of Jasper Harrell's ranches for $900,000. At that time, the Harrell ranches consisted of approximately 30,000 head of cattle ranging over a vast area of Nevada and Idaho
. Very little of that land was owned outright. Sparks-Tinnin would obtain small portions of land surrounding a water source, and then deny other operations use of that water. This allowed it to control vast areas of public land that it did not own. Sparks-Tinnin would have an employee file for a homestead
on the land that it wished to own, and then sell that land back to the company, as an individual could only file for one homestead in a lifetime. At its peak, Sparks-Tinnin was said to control 6% of the land in Nevada.
In 1885, Sparks moved to his 1,640 acre (6.64 km²) Alamo Ranch, located in the Steamboat Springs area just south of Reno, Nevada
. There he built a "hobby" herd of pure-blood Hereford
cattle. Sparks became famous at western livestock auctions by paying ridiculous sums for pedigreed Hereford cattle. By purchasing stock from other breeders rather than breeding his own, Sparks' herd was soon unbeatable at livestock shows. Sparks' sale of lesser cattle from his herd helped establish the Hereford as the dominant breed in Nevada. Sparks also raised "exotic" animals such as bison
and deer
at the Alamo Ranch.
The Sparks-Tinnin operation continued to grow throughout the 1880s until it, like all other western cattle operations, suffered a severe setback in the harsh winter of 1889-1890. During that winter the temperature reached −42 degrees Fahrenheit (−41 degrees Celsius) in Elko, and the range was covered in deep snow from January through March. At that time most large cattle operations in Nevada kept their cattle on the open range year round, with no supplemental feed in the winter. Losses of cattle on the range were catastrophic. In the spring of 1890 it was reported that one could walk for a hundred miles along the Humboldt River
on cow carcasses, and floating carcasses jammed against bridges in Elko, causing flooding. Sparks later stated that of his herd of about 45,000 head, only 15,000 survived. He also claimed that of the survivors, 90% had the "white faces characteristic of Herefords". These were probably the descendents of Longhorn brood cows and Hereford bulls. As range cattle operations of the day typically ran one bull per twenty brood cows it was far cheaper to improve an existing herd by replacing the bulls then by creating a whole new herd. The survival rate of these Hereford/Longhorn crosses was ascribed to the superior qualities of the Hereford, however hybrid vigor may have played a role.
Following the winter of 1889-1890, Tinnin could no longer make his mortgage payments to Jasper Harrell, and Harrell took over his shares. Sparks-Tinnin was renamed Sparks-Harrell. Between his expenditures on the Alamo Ranch, and losses in mining speculation, Sparks also ran into financial trouble, and sold his half of Sparks-Harrell back to Jasper Harrell in 1901.
In 1904, the town of Herriman, Nevada in Washoe County, Nevada
was renamed Sparks, Nevada
in honor of the governor.
Sparks died while still in his second term in office on May 22, 1908. At the time of his death he was reportedly broke, and the Alamo Ranch was quickly sold to settle his debts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the 10th Governor of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and was nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d Honest John. Like his predecessor, Reinhold Sadler
Reinhold Sadler
Reinhold Sadler was an American politician. He was the 9th Governor of Nevada. He was a member of the Silver Party.-Biography:Sadler was born on January 10, 1848 in Czarnikau, Posen Province, Prussia...
, Sparks was a cattleman and his rise to political power was evidence of the decline of the mining industry and the rise of the ranching industry in Nevada. He was a member of the Silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
– Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Early life
Sparks was born on August 30, 1843 in Winston County, MississippiWinston County, Mississippi
-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 20,160 people, 7,578 households and 5,471 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 per square mile . There were 8,472 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
. His family was one of those known as "new lands families", who specialized in developing land on the frontier and then selling out and moving on as settlement in the area increased. His family followed the frontier through Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, moving on to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1857 by which point they were moderately wealthy. In Texas they began ranching cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, and John became a proficient cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
.
Cattleman career
In 1861, Sparks joined the Texas RangersTexas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
, probably to avoid being drafted into the Confederate Army. His unit was tasked with protecting settlers from the Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
, and he did not fight in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the war, Sparks drove cattle in the huge Longhorn
Texas longhorn (cattle)
The Texas Longhorn is a breed of cattle known for its characteristic horns, which can extend to tip to tip for steers and exceptional cows, and tip to tip for bulls. Horns can have a slight upward turn at their tips or even triple twist. Texas Longhorns are known for their diverse coloring...
drives of the era, at first working for John Meyers, and later in partnership with his brothers. In 1872, Sparks married Rachel Knight and they had two daughters, Maude and Rachel.
In 1873, Sparks bought a large herd of cattle in Texas then drove them to Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
and established a ranch in the Chugwater River valley near Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
. He sold that ranch and its 2,100 head of cattle the next year to the Swan Brothers. After that, Sparks established a series of ranches along the North Platte River
North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long counting its many curves, It travels about distance. Its course lies in the U.S...
, each of which he quickly sold and invested the money in the next ranch. Sparks also invested in a bank in Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
(his wife's hometown), where he also built a mansion. In 1879 his wife died, and in 1880 Sparks married her half-sister Nancy Elnora "Nora" Knight.
By that time there was no unclaimed rangeland left east of the Rockies, and Sparks cast his eye further west. Joining with fellow Texan John Tinnin, Sparks bought the H-D Ranch in the Thousand Springs Valley north of Elko, Nevada
Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Elko County. The city straddles the Humboldt River....
in 1881. In 1883 Sparks-Tinnin purchased all of Jasper Harrell's ranches for $900,000. At that time, the Harrell ranches consisted of approximately 30,000 head of cattle ranging over a vast area of Nevada and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. Very little of that land was owned outright. Sparks-Tinnin would obtain small portions of land surrounding a water source, and then deny other operations use of that water. This allowed it to control vast areas of public land that it did not own. Sparks-Tinnin would have an employee file for a homestead
Homesteading
Broadly defined, homesteading is a lifestyle of simple self-sufficiency.-Current practice:The term may apply to anyone who follows the back-to-the-land movement by adopting a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. While land is no longer freely available in most areas of the world, homesteading...
on the land that it wished to own, and then sell that land back to the company, as an individual could only file for one homestead in a lifetime. At its peak, Sparks-Tinnin was said to control 6% of the land in Nevada.
In 1885, Sparks moved to his 1,640 acre (6.64 km²) Alamo Ranch, located in the Steamboat Springs area just south of Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. There he built a "hobby" herd of pure-blood Hereford
Hereford (cattle)
Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
cattle. Sparks became famous at western livestock auctions by paying ridiculous sums for pedigreed Hereford cattle. By purchasing stock from other breeders rather than breeding his own, Sparks' herd was soon unbeatable at livestock shows. Sparks' sale of lesser cattle from his herd helped establish the Hereford as the dominant breed in Nevada. Sparks also raised "exotic" animals such as bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
at the Alamo Ranch.
The Sparks-Tinnin operation continued to grow throughout the 1880s until it, like all other western cattle operations, suffered a severe setback in the harsh winter of 1889-1890. During that winter the temperature reached −42 degrees Fahrenheit (−41 degrees Celsius) in Elko, and the range was covered in deep snow from January through March. At that time most large cattle operations in Nevada kept their cattle on the open range year round, with no supplemental feed in the winter. Losses of cattle on the range were catastrophic. In the spring of 1890 it was reported that one could walk for a hundred miles along the Humboldt River
Humboldt River
The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately long it is the second longest river in the Great Basin, after the Bear River. It has no outlet to the ocean, but instead empties into the Humboldt Sink...
on cow carcasses, and floating carcasses jammed against bridges in Elko, causing flooding. Sparks later stated that of his herd of about 45,000 head, only 15,000 survived. He also claimed that of the survivors, 90% had the "white faces characteristic of Herefords". These were probably the descendents of Longhorn brood cows and Hereford bulls. As range cattle operations of the day typically ran one bull per twenty brood cows it was far cheaper to improve an existing herd by replacing the bulls then by creating a whole new herd. The survival rate of these Hereford/Longhorn crosses was ascribed to the superior qualities of the Hereford, however hybrid vigor may have played a role.
Following the winter of 1889-1890, Tinnin could no longer make his mortgage payments to Jasper Harrell, and Harrell took over his shares. Sparks-Tinnin was renamed Sparks-Harrell. Between his expenditures on the Alamo Ranch, and losses in mining speculation, Sparks also ran into financial trouble, and sold his half of Sparks-Harrell back to Jasper Harrell in 1901.
Political career
After an unsuccessful Senate run, Sparks was elected Governor of Nevada in 1902, and re-elected in 1906. During this administration a state railroad commission was formed; the Nevada State Police was organized; an eight-hour work day bill for miners was passed; and a state engineering office was created.In 1904, the town of Herriman, Nevada in Washoe County, Nevada
Washoe County, Nevada
Washoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. The population was 421,407 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Reno. Washoe County includes the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area.-History:...
was renamed Sparks, Nevada
Sparks, Nevada
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. Sparks is often referred to as half of a twin city .-Geography and Climate:...
in honor of the governor.
Sparks died while still in his second term in office on May 22, 1908. At the time of his death he was reportedly broke, and the Alamo Ranch was quickly sold to settle his debts.