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George and Lydia (Dodson?) Spratlen were married in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in 1787. (for more on the possible Dodson connection, see Lydia's page on this Spratlen website). They had Jane Spratlen b. before 1798, James Spratlen b 1807, and Martha Spratlen b. April 25, 1810 (the only known children but there must have been more).

This family lived in Pittsylvania County until well into the 1820's. George is found on the 1820 census p. 64. Evidende of George Spratlin's life in Pittsylvania County, VA

• Attesting to the will of Edward B. Burgess 1799 were Haliott Townes, George Spratten Josshett Prewitt, Matthew Fitzgerald, William Snody.
• was a witness to the Will of Sylvia Logan 1826.

When this family moved to Stokes Co. North Carolina, they bought a farm next door to Henry and Elizabeth (Jennings) Pell. Both families are listed on the 1830 Stokes Co. North Carolina federal census.

One of Henry's sons, Richard, and George's son, James, became close friends (speculation based on the fact that they spent most of their lives traveling together and always settled the same places). Richard married James' sister, Martha. James married Sarah Lynch (according to Mari Nittler)(The only marriage listed for a James Spratten is Sarah Hardy on 19 May 1826--a mystery to be solved someday). Jane married John Fitzgerald. George Spratlen is listed as head of household on the 1830 Stokes County, NC census and aged between 60 and 70 with a female between 60 and 70 (Lydia, I presume)

In 1837, George sold his land (he was over 60 years old then) and went west with James and Sarah, and Martha and Richard and their families. It was a good time for these families to travel west as their older children were becoming adults.

My much older second cousin, Gertrude Wood, was interested in genealogy early enough to have interviewed an elderly aunt or great aunt in the 1930's. This aunt told Gertrude that George and Lydia Spratlen came west into Nebraska with son James Spratlen (born 1807) and daughter Martha Spratlen Pell (born 1810). I had believed this story until I found the 1850 Buchanan Co. Missouri federal census with only Lydia on it. So the record makes me think the real story went thus:

I believe that George and Lydia, after selling the Stokes County land, did indeed start the journey west with James, their son, and his family; and Martha Pell, their daughter and her family.

The family made it as far west as the next county in 1840 as the whole clan is found on the Surry County, North Carolina federal census for that year. George is still alive and listed as between 70-80 years-old. A 70 -80 year old female is also in the household. A male child under 5 (Edmond?) and a male child 15-20 both live with George and Lydia. These may be grandchildren.

By 1850 only Lydia is living with Martha in Buchanan Co. Missouri. This says to me that George died before 1850. That means he did not get to NE, so the elderly aunt was mistaken. Also, last summer 2000, I went to Cass County and had another cousin, Glen Comer, who is in charge of maintaining several cemeteries, give me a guided tour of the family plots in various cemeteries. We found no marked grave for Lydia (although it's possible she was buried in an unmarked grave), and Glen didn't know of one. So I feel that Lydia probably died in Buchanan County before 1854.

To return to the living Spratlens:

By 1844, they were in Buchanan Co. Missouri at Roubideaux Trading Post later St. Joseph, MO. where Lydia Pell was born. According to one account, both families were there nine years. I believe some of those years were spent developing trade lines that went west.

In 1853 (before it was legal) Richard Pell jumped the line and entered Nebraska. He was allowed to stay, as the story goes, because he had served as a soldier in his early years and earned a land grant. (I've found no proof of this) At any rate, Richard and family and James and family did legally obtain land in 1854 when the territory officially opened.

By 1860 all the members of the two families were busy in commerce and farming. James ran a ferryboat bringing goods and people across the Missouri River to Rock Bluff. One of his sons had a store there and two others were listed as clerks. Richard and Martha's son along with two other men became teamsters and carted goods across the prairies to Utah and beyond (see that story at: Henry Pell).

At some point after 1860, the trading business slumped and the James Spratlen's moved back into Iowa, just across the river from Rock Bluff. There Sarah Lynch died and James married again to Mary Brown. By the 1870 census, Mary has two children and sometime after 1870 I've lost track of James and his families.

I find that they went to Smith and Phillips Counties, Kansas sometime in the 1870's. James (Thomas' father) was still living in 1876 per a letter sent to me by a descendant of the Fitzgerald's (Lora Tindall) and per a history and census sent me by Shirley Ramsey a descendant of James and Mary Brown.

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A transcription of a letter from Thomas Spratlen son of James Spratlen (Martha Spratlen Pell's brother) to George Fitzgerald son of Jane Spratlen Fitzgerald (whom Thomas calls cousin). Misspellings and punctuation are kept as they were in the original.

Kirwin, Phillips County Kansas,
Sept. 24th 1876

George Fitzgerald      Dear Sir
Having found out your where abouts through the medium of your brother living in Virginia and found him our by a Christian Preacher from Virginia who Emigrated to Kansas last spring I take the liberty of addressing the few lines to you that you may know I am still numbered among the living and in very good health hoping when this reaches you it may find you Enjoying the same great Blessing I am living in Smith Co Kansas my family consists of my wife and four sons my oldest is married and is 24 years of age and youngest 16 I have been living here about 2 years last spring I formerly lived in Iowa I should be glad to hear from you and if this should reach you I want you to write and let me know something of Yourself and family and what is your occupation also send me your likeness I should like to see if there is any of the traces of Your Boyhood I am now fifty years of age and weigh 165 pounds I feel almost as active as when I was 25 I seem to Enjoy Equally as good health as at any time of my life I am in a very healthy country we have no prevailing disease in this country.
   I have nothing of any great Interest at present to write but may in the future five you a more Extended and minute Description of Kansas I live in the North western part of this state. I believe we have (something smudged or crossed out) here as fine a country as is to be found in any part of the world as far as soil is concerned. We have as good as any place to be found it averages about two feet deep and nearly all of the face of this country can be cultivated and is adapted to all Kinds of Vegitation      My Father is living with me this fall and probably will all winter he is now 70 years of age and is enjoying very good health he is now got his second wife and she has two children living.
   Our crops here are very good this season wheat is 50 cts corn 20 hogs 5 cts gross hoping to hear from you soon I remain as Ever Your cousin
Thomas A. Spratlen

To Geo Fitz erald
My Addres is (Kirwin
(Phillips Co. Kansas
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Martha died in 1867 but Richard Pell continued to live in Cass County, NE and married again without issue. He died in 1884 and is buried alongside Martha in Buck Cemetery.

Jane Spratlen Fitzgerald died about 1828 or so in Pittsylvania Co. Virginia.

I hope this helps someone, though you must recognize that I've woven this tale from very thin threads. There must be lots more to it... if only we knew.