Born 20 May 1816, Martha Hagler married 11 Jun 1834 John Sprinkle in Cabarrus County. L. Merriman was the bondsman. On 10 Jul 1835 Martha’s brother and George Garman sold lands that appear to be estate lands of either James Love or John Hagler. In the same deed book and the very next entry, dated 11 Jul 1835, Martha’s brother James M. Hagler sold John Sprinkle 150 acres (12-388, Cabarrus County NC). Situated “on the waters of Rocky River on the south side of same and north of the creek called Andersons Creek,” the land adjoined that owned by John White, Geo. Garman, and Joseph White. After legally describing the tract, the deed further stipulates the exclusion and “exception of Mary Haglers Dowry with the house she now lives in during her lifetime.” Filed July 1835, John J. Burkhead witnessed the transaction. This deed establishes that Martha’s mother was living at the time of the deed on land she received as part of a dower agreement within an estate settlement. Though Martha had a sister named Mary, reference in this deed could not be attributed to her as she married Adam Garman prior to the transaction.
Of importance to the story of Martha Hagler, the above deed shows a brother selling lands to his sister who is newly married. Possibly encompassing and yet excluding her mother’s dower land, the deed reads: Containing one hundred and fifty acres be the same more or less and with the exception of Mary Hagler's dowery with the house she now lives in during her lifetime." The transaction hints as to a close bond between daughter and mother. At the very least, Martha was now settled close by so she could take care of her mother’s needs. But two years later John Sprinkle mortgaged all household goods and farm supplies to cover debt owed to several of his neighbors.
John Sprinkle appears on a tithing list for 1850 within the records of Howell’s Baptist Church. Dated 17 Aug 1854, Joseph Howell deeded to Jacob McCurdy agent for Garrison Missionary Baptist Church 3 ¼ acres (22-380, Cabarrus County NC). Situated on waters of David’s Creek, the land adjoined that owned by the heirs of Wilson Bost, J. Sprinkle and Thomas A. Still witnessed the transaction. Stating “that Joseph Howell . . .and J. Sprinkle and Thomas A. Still are all dead,” the deed was recorded 7 Sep 1869 as proved by Robert W. Allison. So John Sprinkle witnessed what was the donation of land on David’s Creek for a church known today as Howell Baptist Church. And that Church was known earlier as Garrison Missionary Baptist. And one year before this transaction, a loose estate document records the death of Adam Garmon, the husband of Martha’s sister Mary Garmon. Via the widow’s dowry, Mary Garmon was allotted a tract on David’s Creek also adjoining lands of Joseph Howell. So it appears that sisters Martha Sprinkle and Mary Garmon lived near present day Howell Baptist Church.
The 1860 Cabarrus County census lists John Sprinkle as 50 years old, a farm hand. His wife Martha is enumerated as 48 years of age. Also listed are children Burnice 16, and Belf 14. And John died before the 1869 recording of the deed for Howell’s Baptist Church. In 1870 Martha is living with a daughter Delilah Hartsell. The burial site for John Sprinkle is unknown. Martha died 24 Feb 1898 and is buried at Bethel UMC in Midland, Cabarrus County NC. The children of John and Martha Hagler Sprinkle are:
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