John Michael Sparling in NJ

I've culled the internet for references to Jan Michiel Sperling, hoping to verify any connection between him and Daniel, Isaac, Leah or George Sparling (Sperling). I haven't...yet. What I have found is a community of Dutch immigrants who gather in their churches, where the young folk meet, mingle and eventually marry and build families of their own. In the meanwhile, they brew ale, mend shoes and pots and are farmers and, when they have to be, soldiers.

Below is my attempt to organize (what I hope are) relevant bits of information.

New Jersey-only references to John (Jan, Johannes) Michael (Michiel) Sparling (Sperling) arranged by date

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Dec 10, 1709. A marriage recorded in the Dutch Reformed Church between Jan Michiel Sperling and Geertie Pieters. Location: Hackensack, Bergen, NJ (Residence: Acquiggenock [Passaic])

between 1720-1748. Head of family, Jan Sperling, joins the Reformed Dutch Church. Location: Six Mile Run, Somerset, NJ

1730. John Michael Sperling serves as the appraiser for the will of Charles Androvet. Location: Six Mile Run, Somerset, NJ

Jun 18, 1752. John Michael Sperling serves as witness of the will of John Vleet. Location: Six Mile Run, Somerset, NJ

1752. Daniel Sperling and Johannes Sperling appear on a list of freeholders in the source, "First Settlers of Piscataway and Woodbridge," p551, O.E. Monette. Location: New Brunswick, Somerset, NJ

1752-1772. Two, individual John Sparlings appear on John Piatt's "Cobbler Census." Location: Somerset, NJ

NJ militia. George, Abram, Isaac, James, Joseph, Peter and John Sparling appear on the Revolutionary War Rolls.

Sarah 1793-1867. The inscription on the gravestone of Sarah Van Pelt reads, "wife of John Sparling." Location: Dayton, Middlesex, NJ

1813. John Michael Sperling serves as a witness to the will of Abraham Sperling. John Gilliland Sperling is Abraham's son mentioned in the will. Location: North Brunswick, Middlesex, NJ

If you can add to this list, amend, correct or help me make any connections, the help is warmly appreciated. In the interest of clarity, I omitted my sources, but can provide them on request. In addition to the names above, there is a host of associated Van Pelts, Van Cleefs (Van Cleaves), Gillilands, Vliets (Vleets, Fleets), Vunks (Vonks), Piatts and others who may have known or married Sperlings over the course of the 18th century in New Jersey. I have more information to offer anyone who is interested.

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.