According to most Ancestry Family Trees, John William Sperow 1806-1881 was born in Washington Co., MD and a son of George Sr. Sperow 1779-1830 (FAG 111708728) & wife Sarah Varner of Berkeley Co., VA. George & Sarah married about 1805 in Washington Co., MD and moved to Berkeley in Apr 1807. They "fit" very well and could be the parents except...they had son William Sperow born 1814 which is why I question them being the parents of John William Sperow born 1806. It just doesn't seem probable that they would have two "Williams" born only 8 years apart! I suspect that John William is actually a nephew to George & Sarah. First of all, these guys come from the Sparrow family of 1790 Montgomery Co., MD and not from Rev. John William Spira 1729-1789 of Lancaster Co., PA as nearly all researchers believe. The Montgomery Sparrows came from Anne Arundel Co., MD. My mother was a Sperow and a 2nd great-granddaughter of John William. Ancestry DNA shows me to be a direct descendant of Ann West 1683-1749. The only way this is possible is through Ann's son Kinsey Sr. Sparrow 1712-1762. Ann's husband was Thomas Jr. Sparrow 1672-1717. Sparrows Point on Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore Co., MD was named for the first owner Thomas Sr. Sparrow. The only Sparrow or Sperow found in early Washington Co., MD is Thomas Sparrow in the 1810 census. He & wife are marked as being over age 45 which is probably incorrect and they have a son under age 10 who may be our John William Sperow. They also have two daughters under age 10. Thomas isn't found after 1810 so probably died before 1820. Most census records for John William give MD as birth place. 1870 says "born OH", his death record says "born VA" and both are probably incorrect. In 1880 census he gives PA as birth place of parents. This is probably incorrect and is probably a major reason why people think he comes from Rev. John William Spira. I think Thomas and George Sr. are brothers and sons of William Sparrow 1752-1820 & wife Mary Varner. William is listed in 1790 Montgomery Co., MD census. The Varners appear to be from Washington Co., MD in 1790 census. William is of Kinsey Sr. Sparrow 1712-1762 & wife Dinah Richardson 1716-1770 of Anne Arundel Co., MD. Also linking Sperows with Sparrows: There are descendants of George Sr. & Sarah Sperow in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hagerstown, MD and also in that same cemetery are descendants of Jonathan West Sparrow 1738-1807 of Kinsey SR. No doubt, these two families ARE related! (AFT-John Christian Tanner 1708-1784)