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Timeline of Sprostons/Sprosons in America: We know most about the US descendents of John Sproston (emmigrated 1832 from Wolstanton) and Leonard Sproston (emmigrated 1883 from Shrewsbury) - but there were Sprostons in America long before these two families arrived. 1712 - Elizabeth Sproson 'who had "lately come out of New Kent County" in November 1712 when the Henrico County court reported that she had delivered a bastard child at the house of Edward Heathcot' (source). 1726 - New Kent County, Virginia, register of St Peter's parish: Sarah Sproson Dyed Aprl 28th, 1726 (source). 1812 - Naval Officers of the war of 1812 (2nd War of Independence) - Surgeon's Mates: George S Sproston, commissioned 1812, Frigate Congress (source). Also, a George S Sproston is listed as a private in the Maryland Militia - the same man, or not? 1832 - emmigration of John (born 1779) Sproston from Wolstanton, Staffordshire to Canada, then Illinois, then Iowa. See the Wolstanton US branch for further details. 1854 - John Glendy Sproston sailed to Japan from the US (extracts from his journal can be seen here). 1860 - Glendy Sproston and Jane Sproston appear on 1860 Baltimore census. 1862 - the South Atlantic Squandron under Du Pont (US Cival War) - 'Lieutenant John G. Sproston, of the Seneca, an officer of high reputation for gallantry, was killed' (source). 1864 - Baltimore City Directory, Maryland: George S Sproston and William G Sproston both employed at S Dare & Co (source). 1879 - Argonaut Mill & Mining Company (goldmining company) of El Dorado, California. Shares issued to John Sproston. 1880
- US census lists the following Sprostons in the US: 1883 - Emmigration of Leonard Sproston and his family from Shrewsbury, Shropshire to San Francisco (see Shropshire US branch). 1891 - death of John Thomas Sproston of Bay View, Cecil County, Maryland (in his seventies, a farmer and lover of field sports) (source). 1893 - George S Sproston is recorded as being employed by the US Navy in the Ministry of Equipment. 1893
- F Sproston, 30, male, painter, born England: passenger on the SS Alameda
which sailed from Sydney to San Francisco (source). 1892-1923 - several Sproston families arrived in the US via Ellis Island - some may have stayed, others may have just been visiting. The full list (Excel, 18.5KB) is available here. 1895 - Joseph Sprowson, born Styal, Cheshire 1851, arrived in Massachusetts via St John, New Brunswick Canada. Need help with the geography? Click here for a US map with states. Sprostons in Australia & New Zealand At present, we know most about the descendents of Samuel Thomas Carr Sproston (b 1820), part of the Challener branch. Samuel arrived in Avoca, Victoria, sometime in the 1850s and married a local woman, with whom he had several children. He was a landowner by 1858 and may have been involved with the Monte Christo Quartz Gold Mining and Crushing Company. By 1868 at least he was a farmer. One of his grandchildren was Leonard Sproston, who died at Gallipolli in WW1. We also see a Frank Sproston arriving in Victoria in February 1887, age 30 (ship Potosi), from England. Is this the same man who travels from Sydney to San Francisco in 1893 (see above)? The ages don't quite match but this could be a transcription error (he would have been 36 in 1893). A Frank Sproston was born in 1861 in Odd Rode, and he is described as a painter in the 1881 census - was this our man? Ernest Samuel Sproston of the Stafford Branch also arrived in Marrickville, Australia in the 1920s where he married Annie Roe. His children live today in the New South Wales area. The Sprosen family arrived in New Zealand around 1860 where Henry Sprosen worked as a carpenter (see the Harbury Branch). If you have any information on Sprostons abroad, then please let me know. |
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Sproston
Emmigrants 
