|
Johnson County
<< 1893 Index Portrait and Biographical Record of Johnson, Poweshiek and Iowa
counties, Iowa P Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. Among the honored pioneers of Poweshiek County none
have taken a more prominent part
than our subject in advancing her best interests.
For nearly twenty years he
has been a resident of Malcom Township, making his home on section 13, and though he has passed his eightieth
year he is still active, his mind
being as acute and clear as informer years. He was born at Ludlow, near Springfield, Mass., September 12, 1812,
his parents being Benjamin and
Betsey (Shepherd) Parsons, the former also a native
of Massachusetts. He was a soldier
in the War of 1812, and was killed
while in the service of the United States.
The family is doubtless of
English descent, and has ever taken a leading part in our country's
history and progress. Our subject's
mother was born at Middletown,
Conn., and was a daughter of a sea-captain, who was at one time captured with his whole crew, ship and cargo in a foreign
city, but was fortunate in making
friends with the ruler, who allowed him to depart in peace. When
Henry Parsons was about twelve years of age he commenced working in a cotton factory, where he continued for
about ten years, beginning at $1.50
per week, from which amount he paid his board. He became an expert workman, and toward the end of his engagement
earned good wages. About
1835 he commenced keeping a livery stable at Jenksville,
Mass., which occupation he followed in the various points of Springfield,
Belchertown, Palmer and Thorndyke until 1861, carrying on stables
in several towns at once. In 1861 Mr. Parsons sold out his interests in the
East, and going to the vicinity of
Princeton, Ill., engaged in farming for about twelve years, at
the same time keeping a livery at Wyanet and Princeton.
The year 1873 witnessed his
arrival in Iowa, where he located in Marion County, and
engaged in farming for a short time. The
following year he purchased his
present farm in Malcom Township,
Poweshiek County, where he still
resides. During his whole life he
has been much interested in horses,
and has in his possession a diploma which he received at the first national exhibition of thoroughbred American horses,
which was held at Springfield,
Mass., in 1853. He is said to have
owned more fine horses at one time
than any other man in America, and was engaged in shipping
horses to all parts of the country. Among
several noted horses belonging to
him was "Buck," with a 2:30 record, at a time when there were
less than half a dozen horses making that time, and "Cayuga Maid," also quite famous. On April 29, 1833, Henry H. Parsons and Louisa
Kingsbury, a native of Springfield,
Mass., were united in marriage. Her
paternal grandfather kept an hotel
in Boston. They have had a family
of five children: Jane C., now Mrs.
Hills, of Malcom Township; Charles
H.; Emma E.,
Mrs. Merrick, of Chicago;
and Delphina, who became the wife of T. C. Carroll, and makes her home in Montezuma.
One child, Isabella, died in infancy. Notwithstanding their advanced years the father and mother are
still active and industrious, and
bid fair to live for many years to come. They have two living grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Mr. Parsons takes a just
pride in the fact that though he has been a horseman
all his life, he has never used tobacco in any form. We will now take up the history of Charles H.
Parsons, son of our subject, who
has lived nearly his entire life with his parents, and is at
present in partnership with our subject. He
was born in Jenksville, Mass.,
September 27, 1836. He received a
good education, graduating in 1856
from the Williston Seminary at Easthampton, Mass., and later from Hadley
Seminary. In 1860, leaving home, he
went to Wyanet, Ill., where he was
joined by his parents the following year. On
August 10, 1862, he became a member
of Company C, Ninety-third Illinois Infantry, and served under
Gen. Grant in the beginning of the Vicksburg campaign, where he was
taken sick, and was sent to the hospitals at Oxford and Holly Springs,
Miss. He received an honorable discharge March 5, 1863, at Keokuk,
Iowa. The following year he worked as a brakeman and fireman of the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and in 1869 became a resident of Marion County, Iowa. In October, 1874, Charles Parsons came with his
parents to Malcom Township, where
he now owns two hundred and forty acres of the best farm land
in Poweshiek County. He has
improved the same by enlarging the farm
buildings and constructing fences. His
farm is under a high state of
cultivation, and he is considered one of the most intelligent agriculturists
in the county. He has taken special
pride in raising fine blooded
horses, and lately has made a specialty of breeding thoroughbred Jersey cattle and supplying the Chicago market
with unequaled creamery butter.
His herd of Jersey cattle comprises about one
hundred head, which are nearly all thoroughbreds, and which is considered
one of the best herds in the State. On the 25th of July, 1861, was celebrated the
marriage of Charles Parsons and
Eliza A., daughter of J. K. Barry, of Wyanet, Ill.
On October 1, 1863, the
young wife was called to her final rest, leaving one child, Scott B., who also departed this life, March 1,
1881. Mrs. Parsons was a truly lovable and amiable lady, one who numbered
a host of friends, who esteemed her
highly for her sweet womanhood. In
politics, Mr. Parsons is a
Republican, has served as Township Trustee, and has filled other local offices acceptably. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons and of the
Knights of Pythias. Lyman
Parsons, President of the First National Bank of Iowa City,
is a popular, genial and
public-spirited citizen, and has won a host of friends in this vicinity,
who hold him in the regard he so truly deserves.
He is largely interested in
Iowa City property, deals considerably in real estate,
and also owns large tracts of land in North Dakota. In 1882, in company
with several others, he organized the bank above mentioned and was
elected President in 1883, which position he still holds.
He occupies a like position
in the Farmers' Loan and Trust Company of this city,
having been its President since 1883. He
is one of the enterprising and
progressive business men of this community and has ever taken a zealous interest in whatever pertains to its welfare
since his lot was first cast with
them. Mr. Parsons was born in Albany County, N. Y., at a
place some twenty miles north of
the city of Albany, on the 12th of November, 1829.
His father was Alpheus
Parsons and was a son of Adien Parsons, a native of Massachusetts and of English descent. Alpheus Parsons, when a
young man, went to Albany County,
N. Y., and was united in marriage with Miss Anna Osterhout,
who was born in Albany County and was the daughter of John Osterhout,
a native of the Empire State, but of German origin.
Soon after his marriage Mr.
Parsons settled in Munson, Mass., where he operated
a sawmill for a large manufacturing concern, continuing to make that
place his home until late in life, when he removed to Juneau County,
Wis., and subsequently to Iowa City, where his death occurred in 1881,
at which time he was in his seventy-eighth year.
His worthy wife is still
living and resides in Charlton City, Mass., having now also reached
her eighty-sixth year. Lyman Parsons, of whom we write, spent his boyhood
days in Massachusetts, receiving
there a common-school education, and at the age of sixteen began learning the trade of stone cutter.
In 1851 he went South and was engaged in railroading for a while, then
becoming a contractor on the
Tennessee & Georgia Railroad, and subsequently on the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad helped to build the bridge at Kilbourne
City, Wis. For nearly ten years he
was in the employ of the Rock
Island Railroad, then engaged in contracting for about fifteen years
on the some road, contracting from Chicago to Council Bluffs, Iowa,
doing bridge work, and was so engaged with that company until 1882,
when he severed all of his interests with the various railroads. Since that time he has devoted himself principally to carrying on
and conducting the banks mentioned
at the beginning of this record, and is also
largely interested in looking after his valuable real estate.
He has fully proved himself
to be a man of first-class executive ability and
correct business methods, and these qualities, added to his natural characteristics
of industry and perseverance, have brought to him an abundant success. In his twenty-first year, or in 1850, Mr. Parsons
married Miss Malina Stephens, of
Palmer, Mass., a daughter of Ezra Stephens, a prominent citizen
of that place. In August, 1865, our
subject was called upon to mourn
the loss of his faithful wife, who had endeared herself to all by her
womanly qualities. Mr. Parsons
married his present wife in July, 1866.
She was formerly Miss Elsie F. Leonard, a native of Massachusetts,
and a resident of Wisconsin at the time of her marriage, her father, Luther Leonard, having removed to that State in
the early '60s. To Mr. and Mrs. Parsons have been born nine children: Mabel
L., Minnie G., Manvel C., George
M., Irene, Ethel B., Ella B., Ralph L. and Alice
C. The three eldest are married . In his political affiliations our subject is a stanch Republican, and takes an interested part in everything tending to promote its interests. He is a member of the Christian Church, and is now one of the Elders. He is prominently identified with Masonic circles, having attained the degree of Knight Templar and also of the Mystic Shrine. He is conscientious and thoroughly honorable in all his dealings with his fellow-men, and makes it his constant endeavor to put into practice in his daily life the precepts and principles of the faith which he possesses. In personal appearance he is distinguished, and is readily singled out from a group as a man of much more than ordinary intelligence and dignified bearing. His present residence is located on Market Street, near the city limits, where he has a beautiful country home. |