Isaac and Leah Sperling

Following a different tack to discover the name of George Sparling's (b.1750) father. In one family tree (among many that don't), he has a brother listed as Isaac Sperling. I thought that if I could find Isaac's father, then I'd have my answer.

Isaac Sperling, it turns out, is a good candidate for George's brother. He was born 1758, and he also served in the Revolutionary War as a patriot in NJ.

A little research makes Isaac even more interesting. Apparently, he married a woman named Elizabeth Gilliland of Cranbury, Middlesex, NJ. This woman had several brothers and sisters, but one of the most interesting was a John Gilliland, who married a woman named Leah Sperling! Could it be that Leah and Isaac were siblings, that they knew the Gilliland family and each married within it?

Furthermore, John Gilliland served as a patriot in the NJ militia during the Revolutionary War, specifically under Captain Piatt, the same captain recorded by the DAR as George Sparling's commander. The record from Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana (p.340) for George Sparling reads, "Served 1 yr in 1st Regt., N.J., commanded by Capt. Daniel Piatt, 3 yrs. Capt. Longstreet. In battles of Brandywine and Monmouth."

This patriot connection suggests that Leah and Isaac may have had another sibling, George Sparling, but this is all conjecture at this point. Also, none of it adds up to a name for a common father. It suggests, though, that my guess that not all the New Jersey Sparlings headed to Canada or were Loyalists might be leading somewhere.

Lots, lots more to unravel. For example, one public family tree claims that Isaac Sperling is the son of Jan Michiel Sperling, elsewhere reported to be George Sparling's grandfather (see my recent post, Loyalists and Revolutionaries). If you can help put together all these tantalizing hints, please send me an email or leave a comment. I'm more than happy to provide any data I have.