Sprouse Family Genealogy Pages

Discovering our Ancestors

James Edward Sprouse

James Edward Sprouse

Male 1923 - 2014  (91 years)

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name James Edward Sprouse 
    Born 20 Sep 1923  Lamar County, AL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 21 Sep 2014  Columbus, Mississippi Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Cremated 26 Sep 2014  Friendship Cemetary, Columbus, MS Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I6  Sprouse Family Tree
    Last Modified 16 Feb 2015 

    Father John Thomas Sprouse,   b. 19 Sep 1875, Lamar County, AL Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Dec 1938, Lamar County, AL Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 63 years) 
    Mother Georgian Walden,   b. 23 Jan 1891, Lamar County, AL Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Dec 1968, Lowndes Cty., Columbus, MS. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years) 
    Married 24 Nov 1907  Vernon, Lamar County, AL. Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F6  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Celeste Alta Atkins,   b. 03 Apr 1923, Columbus, Lowndes Co., MS Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 07 Jul 1983, Columbus, MS Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 60 years) 
    Married 08 Jul 1944  Columbus, MS. Central Methodist Church Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. James Philip Sprouse,   b. 13 Sep 1945, Columbus, Lowndes Co., MS Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)  [Natural]
     2. Gerald Robert Sprouse,   b. 20 Aug 1952, Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, SC. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)  [Natural]
     3. John Alan Sprouse,   b. 04 Jan 1954, Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, SC. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)  [Natural]
    Last Modified 16 Jun 2014 
    Family ID F2  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Mary Nell Parker Ballard Landrum,   b. 27 Sep 1926, Calhoun County, MS Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Sep 2011, Columbus, Lowndes County, MS. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years) 
    Married 15 Jul 1988  Birmingham, AL. Dr. A. T. Sprouse's home... Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • The marriage took place at the home of the groom's first cousin, Dr. A. T. Sprouse's home. He was a retired Methodist minister. Witnesses were Dr. Sprouse's wife, Anne, and his brother Raymond Sprouse and wife Claudine. After the ceremony Anne graciously brought out a cake and we had some refreshments before leaving on our honeymoon. We went to Gatlinburg, TN. and enjoyed some cooler weather for a change.
      We were married by Ed's first cousin Rev. A. T. Sprouse at his home in Birmingham, AL. Also present was Raymond Sprouse & Wife Claudine.

      Took place at the home of Rev. Dr. A. T. Sprouse in Birmingham, AL. Marriage license was bought in Pickens County, AL.
    Last Modified 16 Feb 2015 
    Family ID F5  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Dad.JPG
    Dad.JPG

  • Notes 
    • Ed Sprouse was born on September 20, 1923 on a farm in Lamar County, Alabama located about 10 miles south of Vernon, Alabama. At an early age it seemed he was talented in singing gospel songs at church. By the time he was 4 years of age, he was singing solos in his sunday school class. Later, at 5 or 6 he attended some local singing schools during the summer months and learned to read shaped note music. Our family was a singing family. We owned an organ. You had to pedal the bellows to get the sound going. His father, 2 sisters and 1 brother would stand around the organ and sing while one of the sisters played the organ. At the age of 13 or 14, the Lamar County Quartet asked him to sing high tenor in their group. He tried it and enjoyed it very much. For the next 4 years he sang with the group in many all day singings and did a few concerts. The members of the group were: Ed Sprouse, first tenor; Junie Harper, lead; Jeff Finch, baritone; Noah Pennington, bass; Adine Cross, piano.
      Ed attended Lamar County public schools and graduated from Millport High School in April of 1941 at the age of 17. Shortly after graduation, he won first prize in a contest that Stamps Baxter Music & Printing Company was promoting. The winner received a free trip to Dallas, Texas for the Music School which they had going for 3 weeks in June each summer. He received FREE, all the charges for the 3 weeks tuition, plus all the private lessons he could get in his schedule. In addition, his room rent and food was FREE. He estimated the monetary value to him was worth about $ 400.00. That was a very big amount in 1941. Many people were working at that time for a whole year for around $ 800.00.