"William M Sprinkle, Sr, known as Uncle Billy.....
Religion has played an essential role in our Sprinkle history. WilliamS prinkle was a farmer and Christian lay preacher. Worship serviceswere h eld in William and Isabella's home. The children and communitywere ra ised and educated in the baptist faith. William wanted toprovide a lo cation for the community to worship and bury theirfamilies. William d eeded the land and the Gabriel's Creek BaptistChurch and cemetery were e stablished in 1837."
He and Isabella had 13 children, according to descendants.
Residences & events:
1810 Buncombe Co, NC. Recorded in that census was William Sprinkle,a ge 16-25, with 2 males under the age of 10, 1 female under 10, and 1al so age 16-25. No other Sprinkles were there but Isabella's fatherand o ther Palmers were found there.
8/7/1820 Same place. That census taker found a much larger family inW illiam Sprinkle's house. He was 26-45 years old with 3 males under10, 1 a t 10-16, 3 females under 10, 1 age 10-16, and his wife, also26-45. Tw o of them were engaged in agriculture. They were still theonly Sprink le family.
1830 Still there. The census is hard to read but in William's familya re 2 males under 5, 1 age 5-10, 1 was 10-15, 1 at 15-20, 1 age20-30, W illiam was 40-50, 1 male 80-90, 2 females under 5, 1 age10-15, 1 was 1 5-20, 1 at 40-50 and 1 at 70-80. The old couple wereprobably Isabella 's aged parents not found elsewhere in the census.
1840 Southern Div, Buncombe Co, NC. Wm Sprinkle was 50-60 years olda t census time. Living with him were 1 male age 5-10, 1 at 10-15, 2wer e 15-20, 2 females at age 10-15, and his wife also 50-60.
12/9/1850 Still there. Recorded in that census were WilliamSprinkle, 6 6, Isabella, 61, Thurza, 20 and Mich J, 18. William was afarmer with $ 600 worth of real estate, Mich was a laborer. Isabellawas born in VA, t he rest of the family in NC. Two people in thefamily could not read o r write. Down the road was Isabella's brotherLewis Palmer.
7/20/1860 Madison Co, NC. At the next census the family was found int he next door county but they may not have moved since Madison wascarve d from Buncombe in 1851. William was 77 years old, stillfarming and h is estate had grown to $800/500. Isabel was 72, andstill at home was T hursey, 30, without occupation but probably takingcare of the old folk s. Next door was son Mikle Sprinkle, 26, also afarmer but without lan d so probably helped William.
7/22/1870 Twp 3, PO Raysville, Madison Co, NC. Having lost his wifea fter the last census, William,87, was retired and living with sonMicha el, or perhaps Michael had moved in with William and taken overthe far m because his property was valued at $1000/500. Lewis Palmerwas livin g next door.
William donated land for the Gabriel's Creek Baptist Church church andc emetery where many of the Palmer family are buried.
The inscription on his gravestone says:
"William Sprinkle Sr died Jun 15 1872 aged 89 years"
The cemetery is full of Sprinkles as well as Isabella's parents.
