The Parrett Families of Fayette County, Ohio

BENJAMIN H. PARRETT.

Benjamin II. Parrett, farmer, is a son of Joseph J. Parrett (better known as Tennessee Joe). He was born January 18, 1824, on the farm where he now lives, and where he was reared. April 21, 1853, he was married to Miss Nancy Allen. Five children are the result of this marriage: Seth E., Eva J., Oric V., Cora G., and Mary, all living. Seth and Oric are married. This entire family, save Oric, are members of the Methodist Protestant Church, in which faith the parents died triumphantly.

Mr. Parrett has a farm of one hundred and sixty-six acres, well improved, on which he lives, situated five miles southwest of Washington, on the Jeffersonville pike. This family is well and favorably known, and have many friends.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

One of the highly respected farmers of a past generation in Jefferson township, Fayette county, Ohio, was the late Russell Parrett, whose whole life was spent within the county where he was born. He was not only interested in the material prosperity of his county, but took an active part in church work, and was always interested in everything pertaining to the educational welfare of his township and county as well. He was a man of high ideals, strict integrity and great earnestness of purpose, and in everything he did he held duty conscientiously before him. He was charitable to the faults of his neighbors, exhibited a kindly disposition toward> everyone with whom he came in contact and was always willing to help those less fortunate than himself.

The late Russell Parrett was born in Jefferson township, l-'fayette

Google county. Ohio, and died in the county where he was born on July 26, 1905. He was the son of Joseph and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett, both of whom were born in Cocke county, Tennessee. The Parrett family originally came from Virginia to Tennessee, and subsequently to Fayette county, Ohio. Joseph Parrett was married before leaving Tennessee, and upon coming to this county early in its history entered a tract of government land where he lived the remainder of his days. The early education of Russell Parrett was received in the district schools, and all of the education he acquired was received in these schools. He has a fine farm of eighty acres, which he acquired after his marriage in 1855, Init he did not confine all of his attention to his own farming. He bought and sold live stock practically all of his life and made a marked success of this kind of work. He was considered one of the best judges of live stock in the county, and so well established was his reputation that he had no difficulty in securing the best stock in the county for his shipments. He was honest in all of his business transactions and thereby gained the confidence of all with whom he had any business dealings.

Mr. Parrett was married March 23, 1865, to Rebecca Carley, who was born in September. 1845, in Clermont county, Ohio, near Batavia, and was the daughter of Elijah and Margaret (Wiley) Carley. To this union were born six children, Montress, Homer, Alberta, Blanche, Emma and Albert R. Two of these children are married. Homer and Blanche. Homer married Louisa Griffith and has three children, Edith. Russell and Anna L. Blanche married Arthur Parrett. Alberta is deceased, while the other three children are still single and living in this county.

The parents of Mrs. Parrett came from the state of Vermont to Ohio. Elijah Carley was the son of Elijah and Agnes (Graham) Carley. Mrs. Parrett was one of nine children born to her parents, the others being as follows: Caroline. I'rank, Emma, Albert, Locke, Warren. Clayton and Orla. All of these children are now deceased with the exception of Rebecca, the widow of Mr. Parrett. and Clayton and Orla.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE B. PARRETT.

Ninety years ago there was born in this county a lad who was destined to become one of the most prominent citizens of Fayette county. Although he has now passed to his reward, yet the sincere and fruitful life he led was such that his influence is still felt in the community where he spent so many years of his active life. He was a man of great force of character and always stood on the right side of all moral questions. He was an ardent Prohibitionist and was a strong foe of the liquor traffic all his life. Successful in business, he never lost sight of his obligations to those around him and was in the forefront of every movement which was launched for the betterment of his community. Such men give character to a locality and of such strength was Mr. Parrett that he was a leader in all uplifting movements. He will always be remembered as a man who stood for better and higher things and therefore left a name which will always be cherished by his children and honored by those who were so fortunate as to know him.

The late George B. Parrett was born January 19, 1834, in Fayette county and died in Madison township, July 4, 1913. He was the son of Joseph J. and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett, both of whom were natives of Coke county, Tennessee, and the youngest of a family of eight sons and one daughter. Joseph J. Parrett served in the War of 1812 and, among other privations.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LAWSON A. PARRETT.

There is no group of men to whom greater gratitude is due from the world at large than those who fought for their country in the dark days of the sixties. These patriotic, sacrificing citizens who left their firesides and enrolled to fight for their country’s flag that this might be a united nation cannot be accorded too much honor. They fought to establish forever on this continent the self-evident truth that “all men are created free and equal,” and with the fall of Robert E. Lee in the spring of 1865 there passed from this country the blackest stain which has ever figured in its history. Fayette county. Ohio, furnished hundreds of brave men for this struggle, and among them is Lawson A. Parrett, a life-long resident of this county, a public-spirited citizen and a man who is greatly beloved by all who know him.

Lawson A. Parrett, the son of Isaac F. and Mary Ann (Keplinger) Parrett, was born at Parrett Station in Jefferson township, this county, November 10, 1841. His father was a son of Joseph J. and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett, and was born near Knoxville, Tennessee. Isaac Parrett came to Fayette county, Ohio, when he was one year old with his parents and lived in this county the remainder of his days. Joseph J. Parrett was in the War of 1812, and his wife’s father, Isaac Fansher, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War from the state of Virginia. Joseph J. Parrett, familiarly known to his friends as “Tennessee Joe,” was one of the first settlers in Fayette county and a man who took a prominent part in its early history. Isaac Parrett and wife were the parents of five children, Mrs. Rebecca J. Allen, Noah B., Lawson A., Mrs. Caroline Welton and Mrs. Susan Welton.

Lawson A. Parrett attended the rude log school house in his home neighborhood and finished his education at a select school at Spring Grove, securing the best education which was possible in his day. As a youth he worked on the farm and at a time when farm labor meant the hardest kind of work. At the early age of twenty he enlisted in the Civil War and served throughout that memorable struggle. He enlisted at Washington C. H., December 29, 1861, with the Twelfth Regiment of United States Infantry, and was assigned to duty in Company A, with Thomas Anderson as captain. He was captured on June 2, 1864, at Cold Harbor, Virginia, and placed in Libby prison, where he remained for fifteen days. He was then transferred with a number of other prisoners to Andersonville, Georgia, where he remained for three months, when he was taken to Charleston, South Carolina, where he stayed two weeks, and later taken to Florence, in that state, where he was incarcerated when paroled. He fought in a large number of the severest engagements of the war, among them being Cedar Mountain, Bull Run. Antietam. Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church and several others. His last battle was the battle of Cold Harbor, where he was captured. His record appears remarkable when it is known that he participated in forty-eight different battles and skirmishes before he was finally captured.

Immediately after the close of the war Mr. Parrett returned to Fayette county, and upon his marriage, in 1866, began to farm in Wayne township, where he has since lived. He has retired from active farm life after a successful career of over half a century and is now living quietly in his handsome country home in Wayne township.

Mr. Parrett was married on Christmas day, 1866, to Jennie Campbell, the daughter of Lenox and Rebecca ( Johnson) Campbell. Mrs. Parrett’s father was born in Alexandria, Maryland, and served for two years during the Civil War as a member of the First Ohio Cavalry. Lenox Campbell was a son of James Campbell, a soldier of the Revolutionary War and a native of Scotland, who resided in Maryland. To Lenox Campbell and wife were born eight children, Jennie, Charles, Laura, William, Emma, Marietta, Jessie and Frank. All of these children are still living except William and Emma.

Mr. Parrett and wife have reared a family of seven children to lives of usefulness and honor. Stella, Hallie, Laura, Roy and Ert, Ethel and an infant, deceased. Stella is the wife of C. C. Parrett and has one son, Gale; Hallie is the wife of Charles Durnell and has three children, Sara, Byron and Frank; of these, Sara married S. Giffer and has one daughter, Ruth, the only great-grandchild of Mr. Parrett and wife; Laura married J. B. York and has two children, Mortimer and Maurine; Roy married Mabel Rogers and has two children, Roger and Genevieve: Erk is married to Chloe Eree and has three children, Malcolm, Samuel and Donald; Ethel married Charles Goen and has one son. Dwiedit.

Mrs. Parrett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Parrett is a Republican and has been casting his ballot for the candidates of this party for over a half century. Pie has always been more or less interested in local politics and at the present time is trustee of Wayne township, discharging the duties of this responsible position in a manner which reflects credit upon himself.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

EDWARD ANKNEY PARRETT.

One of the oldest families in Fayette county is the Parrett family, who have been residents of the county for more than a century. The Parretts came to Fayette county, Ohio, from Tennessee, Joseph J. and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett locating in this county immediately following the close of the-War of 1812. Mr. Parrett served in the War of 1812, and among many other privations subsisted at one time for three days on a half pint of meal. Isaac Fansher, the father of Mrs. Joseph J. Parrett, served in the Revolutionary War. Joseph J. Parrett and wife reared a family of nine children, eight sons and one daughter, Isaac, Pleasant, Jackson, David, Frederick, Benjamin, Minerva, Russell and George B. Minerva became the wHfe of Jesse Allen.

George B. Parrett, the youngest of the children born to Joseph Parrett and wife, was the father of Edward A. Parrett, with whom this narrative deals, and was born in Fayette county, January 19, 1834. He grew to manhood in this county, and was married August 21, 1856, to Amelia A. Bush, the eldest daughter of Daniel and Mary E. (Webster) Bush, of this county. Mrs. Parrett was born September 10, 1835. The Bush family came from North Carolina to Ohio and many of their descendants are still living in this county. George B. Parrett was a very prosperous farmer and owned several hundred acres of land in Madison township. He was an ardent Prohibitionist and preached and practiced the same doctrine. He and his wife were loyal and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They reared a family of twelve children: Euphemia; Estaline, born in 1857, married Marry S. Crow: Edward Ankney, born in 1858, married Francies Taylor; Ella Gazelle, born in 1850, married Dr. Jasper N. Clark; Florence Jane, born in i85i, married J. B. Harrison; Ada Verell, torn in 1863, married Evert Harrison; Warren Webster, born in 1864, married Miss Noble; Erie Harlan, born in 1866, married Minnie Pucket; Alice Gertrude, torn in 1868: Noyes Marvin, born in 1871; Dio Ladell. born in 1873; George Clyde, born in 1877; Anna Blanche, born in 188 1.

Edward Ankney Parrett, the second child born to George B. Parrett and wife, was tom December 4, 1858. at Parrett Station. Paint township. He attended the district schools of his home neighborhood and remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-one. He then began farming oil the home farm for himself and two years later was married. He now *owns a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres one mile north of Madison Mills,

Google his farm being known as the Cherry Dale Stock Farm. He raises large crops of grain and gives particular attention to the breeding of Jersey cattle and Duroc hogs.

Mr. Parrett was married in January, 1881, to Mary F. Taylor, the daughter of Philip and Sarah A. (Bennett) Taylor. The Taylors originally came from Pennsylvania to Ohio and were early settlers in Fayette county. To this marriage have been bom five children, Earl, Harvey, Inez, Scott and Etura. Earl married Amelia Michael and has two daughters, Helen and Ruth; Inez is the wife of Charles England and has three children, Ella L, Thomas E. and Parrett; Scott married Euda Beal.

Politically, Mr. Parrett is a member of the Prohibition party, as was his father before him. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pjrthias and has always been very much interested in the success and welfare of this fraternal organization. He and his family are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and for many years he was a steward in the church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Mrs. Ann (Fletcher) Parrett, is a daughter of Thomas and Ann (Higby) Fletcher. She was born in Pennsylvania, in 1811, and came to Ohio with her parents the same year. They located in Clermont County, where the parents died. She came to this county about 1820, and married George Parrett, son of John and Catharine (Windle) Parrett, March 4, 1828. Seven children are the result of this union: Elmira, Thomas F., Mary C, Elizabeth E., Belinda A., Susan L., and Lucy O. Susan E. died at the early age of fifteen months. Mr. Parrett died July 29, 1872, aged fifty-nine years. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, in which faith he died triumphantly.

Mrs. Parrett has a farm of one hundred acres, well improved, situated seven miles northwest of Washington, on the Jefi'ersouville pike. She and five of the children are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. Elm;ra joined the Methodist Episcopal Church after marriage. This is an esteemed family.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CAPT. THOMAS F. PARRETT.

The Parrett family was one of the first to settle in Fayette county after its organization in 1810 and have been prominently connected with the various phases of its history for more than a century. A large number of the family served in the Civil War and made gallant records for themselves. One of the leaders of the family in this county for nearly seventy-five years is Captain Thomas F. Parrett, a distinguished veteran of the Civil War and one of the most successful farmers of Fayette county.

Thomas F. Parrett, the son of George and Anna (Fletcher) Parrett, was born April 19, 1840, in Jefferson township, in this county. His father, the son of John and Catherine (Wendell) Parrett, was born in the same township in 181 3, being one of the first white children born in the county. John Parrett was a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, and was married in that state before coming to Ohio. To John Parrett and* wife were born ten children, Mrs. Sarah Griffith, Eli, George, A. F., Mrs. Leah Allen, Mrs. Bessie Kirk, Allan T., Mrs. Balinda Brown and two who died in infancy. The first two children were born in Virginia before the family located in

Fayette county, while the rest of them were born in Jefferson township in this county.

The log school houses were all that the county had during the school days of Mr. Parrett and in them he learned the three R's, "reading, 'itin and arithmetic." He worked on the home farm after leaving school and at the age of twenty-two enlisted in the Civil War. He served about a year as a member of Company H, Sixtieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, enlisting in 1862. Upon the organization of the One Himdred and Sixty-eighth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry he was elected captain of Company D. This regiment was mustered into the service May 2, 1864, and continued in the field until the close of the war. Captain Parrett made a splendid record as a soldier and has always been very much interested in ever)thing pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. He is a loyal member of the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to Hays Post at Washington C. H.

At the close of the war Mr. Parrett returned to peaceful pursuits, buying a small farm of thirty-three acres near Parrett's Station. In the fifty years which have elapsed since the war closed he has accumulated a fine farm of six hundred acres about six miles from the county seat in Wayne township. He has been an extensive stock raiser and ships several car loads of stock to the markets every year.

Mr. Parrett was married first to Mary M. Greenlee and to this union were born three children, Frank L., Fantie B., and Carey G., who married Cora Hays and has two children, Thomas and Mildred. The second marriage was to Mary B. Coffman, the daughter of Nathan and Sarah (Edwards) Coffman. Nathan Coffman was born in Wayne township, this county, and was a prominent farmer and influential citizen. Eight children were born to Mr. Coffman and his wife, William, Lois, Mrs. Charlotte Priddy, Benjamin F., John M., Mary B., Esther and Mrs. Jeanette Coffman. To the second marriage of Mr. Parrett has been born three children, Harry C, T. F., Jr. (deceased), and Louis C. Harry C. married Madge Anderson and has two children, Dorothy M. and Robert C. Louis C. married Mary Hazel Sollars and has two children, Walter L. and Mary B.

Mr. Parrett has always given his support to the Republican party and has voted for every President from Lincoln to Taft. He was formerly very active in local politics and served several years ago as county commissioner. The career of Mr. Parrett has been commendable in every respect and such has been his life that he has earned the high regard and esteem of every one who knows him.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN A. PARRETT.

The Parrett family has been identified with the history of FayeUe county for more than a century, John Parrett, the grandfather of John A. Parrett, having come to this county in 1812. F'frederick and Barbara (Edwards) Parrett, the great-grandparents, came to Ross county in 18 14, when they were well along in years. One of their children was John Parrett, who is the grandfather of John A., whose history is here recorded. John Parrett was born in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, as was his wife, Catherine Windle, and they were married before coming to Ohio. They first settled in Fayette county, this state, in 181 2, with their two children, Mrs. Sarah Griffith, and Eli, the father of the immediate subject of this review. John Parrett saw service in the War of 1812 and then, upon returning to peaceful pursuits at the close of that struggle, located in Jefferson township, on Paint creek, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was familiarly known to the people of his township as **Paint John," while his cousin, Joseph, went by the pseudonym "Paint Joe." **Paint Joe's'' father was wounded at the battle of Brandywine during the Revolutionary War.

Eli Parrett was born in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, February 4, 1811, and was less than a year old when his parents settled in Fayette county. Here he grew to manhood and married twice. His first marriage was to Lydia Robinson, and to this union three children were born: Mrs. Lucinda Bailey; Mary, deceased, and Catherine, deceased. Mrs. Bailey has three children who are living in the state of Oregon, Lawrence, Katie and Harry. After the death of his first wife, Eli Parrett married Sarah Connor, and to his second union were born five children: John A.; E. E. S., a

Google farmer of this county; Mrs. MeWa L. Johnson; Clayton C, a farmer of Jefferson township, this county, and Anna M., the wife of Mart L. McCoy. Eli Parrett was a successful farmer and at the time of his death was the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of land in the county.

John A. I'arrest. the oldest son of Eli Parrett and wnfe, was born December 19, 1846, in Jefferson township. He was given the limited education to be obtained during his childhood days and early in life began to work upon the farm. He was not old enough to enlist in the army at the opening of the Civil War, and as soon as he was old enough he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into service on May J, 1864. He served until the close of the war and then returned to this ccnmty and resumed farming. That he was a successful farmer is shown by the fact that he is the owner of three hundred acres of fine land in Jefferson township.

Mr. Parrett was married October 1, 1876, to Emma Mercer, the daughter of John D. and Mary (Moon) Mercer, natives of Greene county, Ohio, and to this union has been born one daughter, Mary, the wife of Auburn Duff.

Mr. Parrett is a member of the D. H. Millikan Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and interested in its welfare. Religiously, he and his wife are local and consistent members of the Methodist Protestant church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

L. ERVIN PARRETT.

The respect which should always be accorded to the brave sons of the North who left their homes and peaceful pursuits to give their services and their lives, if need be, to preserve the integrity of the American Union, is certainly due to L. Ervin Parrett, to a brief review of whose life the historian now addresses himself. Although a mere lad of eighteen at the time of his enlistment, yet he was not to be daunted and on the long and tiresome marches, in all kinds of situations, he proved his love and loyalty to his government. Too much honor cannot be given to those boys in blue who were exposed to the summer's withering sun and the winter's freezing cold, who walked the lonely picket line, a target for the unseen foe, and fought on the field of flame without a thought of their own dangers.

L. Ervin Parrett, the son of A. F. and Caroline (Hess) Parrett, was born in Paint township, Fayette county, Ohio, August 22, 1844. His father was the son of John and Catherine (Windle) Parrett, and was born in Jefferson township. John Parrett came to Fayette county about the year 181 1, the year after the county was organized. John Parrett and his wife are buried on the farm where he first located on the banks of Paint creek. A. F. Parrett was one of the most substantial farmers of the county during his day. and reared a family of four children, Melissa, Ella, Mrs. Indey Van Pelt, and L. Ervin, with whom this narrative deals.

L. Ervin Parrett was reared on the farm in Paint township, attended the district schools of his neighborhood during the short winter sessions and spent his summer vacations on his father's farm, assisting with the farm work. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Sixtyeighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served during the remainder of the Civil War. His regiment, commanded by Col. Conrad Garris, participated in many of the hard-fought battles of that memorable struggle and won a gallant name for itself. Immediately after the close of the war he returned to peaceful pursuits in his home county. He at once took up agricultural pursuits and for nearly half a century has been engaged in farming in Paint township. His farm of four hundred acres, known as the Wildwood farm, is well improved and is one of the most attractive farms of the county.

Mr. Parrett was married to Jennie Hays on the 25th day of March, 1888, and to this union has been born one daughter, Faith, who married Homer Miller, and has two children, Irvin and Marjorie. Mr. Parrett's fraternal associations are confined to John Bell Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Washington C. H., to which he has belonged for many years.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRANK L. PARRETT.

Among the citizens of Fayette county, Ohio, who have built up comfortable homes and surrounded themselves with valuable personal property few have attained a greater degree of success than Frank L. Parrett, the owner of one thousand acres of land in this county. With few opportunities except what his own efforts were capable of mastering, and with many difficulties and discouragements to overcome, he has achieved an exceptional success in life and is one of the four farmers of this county who own one thousand or more acres of land. He has always been regarded as a good business man, an excellent manager and a man who was thoroughly in touch with all of the latest agricultural methods. He has always enjoyed the respect and esteem of those who knew him for his friendly manner, his interest in public affairs and his upright mode of life, and is regarded by those who know him as one of the substantial and worthy citizens of the county, in whose advancement and growth he has always taken a prominent part.

Frank L. Parrett, son of Capt. T. F. and Mary (Greenlee) Parrett, was born November 2, 1864, on the Sugar Creek farm in Jefferson township, this county. As a boy he attended the public schools of his township during the winter seasons and worked on his father’s farm during the summers. At the age of eighteen he commenced farming for himself by renting land and later bought one hundred acres, which formed the nucleus of his present extensive land holdings. He has always been an extensive stock raiser and particularly successful in the raising of Belgian horses and Shorthorn cattle. As he has prospered he has added to his original acreage until he is now the owner of one thousand acres in this county located about six miles north of Washington C. H. on the Prairie pike.

Mr. Parrett was married March 25, 1886, to Stella Briggs, the daughter of Abner and Catherine (Johnson) Briggs, and to this union has been born one child, -who died in infancy.

Politically, Mr. Parrett is a Republican, and has always been interested particularly in local politics. He has served on the school hoard of Paint township and in this capacity favored every measure which he felt would benefit the schools of the township in any way.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CAREY GEORGE PARRETT.

A successful farmer and stock raiser of Paint township is Carey G. Parrett, whose ancestors have been identified with the history uf Eayette county for more than a century. The Parrett family came to this county shortly after its organization in 1810 and its various members have filled many positions of trust and honor in the county. They have been people of high ideals and straightforward methods and have risen to places where they have been the leaders in their respective communities.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Parrett was married March 10, 1896. to Cora Hays, the daughter of James and Mary E. (Armstrong) Hays. Mr. Hays was born in Paint township and was the son of John and Catherine (Wibright) Hays. Mr. Parrett and his wife have two children, Thomas H. and Mary Mildred, both of whom are in the schools of Bloomingburg.

The Republican party has claimed the support of Mr. Parrett and he has always taken an intelligent interest in its success. At the present time he is serving as road supervisor in his township and filling the office to the entire satisfaction of all those concerned. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Bloomingburg. Mr. Parrett is a man of strong convictions and by his straightforward and upright life has gained the high esteem of all with whom he has been associated.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LEWIS HAMILTON PARRETT.

There is no life so free and independent as that which the farmer leads. It is one of the gratifying signs of the times that there are so many of our colleges teaching agriculture and preparing our young men for scientific agriculture. Fayette county has some of the most progressive farmers of the state and few counties have a larger acreage under cultivation.

Lewis H. Parrett, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Harper) Parrett, was born December i, 1847, " Jefferson township, Fayette county. Joseph was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, and was the son of Isaac Parrett, the first of the family to settle in Ohio. Isaac had four children, John, Henry, Joseph and Christine. Joseph Parrett was eleven years of age when his parents settled in Ross county, Ohio, and about teen when they permanently located in Fayette county. He grew to manhood in this county and married Elizabeth Harper. Five children were born to Joseph Parrett and wife: Mrs. Emily J. Saum, James M., Joseph M., Christine K. and Lewis Hamilton, with whom this narrative deals. All of these children except Christine and Lewis H. are deceased.

Lewis H. Parrett attended the Black Oak school house in Jeflferson township and early in life began to help with the work on his father's farm. When he married in 1873 he moved to one of his father's farms, three miles south of Washington C. H. and remained there for three years. - He then bought part of his present farm, to which he later added until now he has three hundred and forty acres in Paint township which he has brought to a high state of cultivation.

Mr. Parrett was married February 2y, 1873, to Mattie Kerr, the daughter of Robert R. and Margaret (McElroy) Kern Robert Kerr was born in Ross county, Ohio, near Greenfield, where he lived all his life. Mr. Kerr and wife reared a family of five children Elizabeth, James, Emma. Mattie, Chalmers, and three others died in infancy.

There have been four children bom to Mr. and Mrs. Parrett, Inez, Bessie, Harry D. and Ailee. Inez married Ford Irvin and has two daughters, Louise and Martha. Bessie is the wife of Professor Westhafer, of Amherst College. Massachusetts, and has one son, Robert L.; Harry married Alice Tway, while Ailee is still in college. All the children have had the best of educational advantages and are filling useful places in society.

Politically, Mr. Parrett is a member of the Republican party and always takes an intelligent interest in the civic life of his community. In the past he has served as school director of his township and gave his hearty support to all measures proposed for the benefit of the schools. The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church and active workers in all church and Sabbath school work. Mr. Parrett has been the superintendent of the Sabbath school for the past seventeen years and his wife is a teacher. The whole life of Mr. Parrett has been that of a high minded and public spirited citizen and all of his actions have been such as to bring him the hearty commendation of his fellow citizens.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRANK C. PARRETT.

The Parrett family was one of the first to locate in Fayette county, Ohio, and the various members of this family have been prominently identified with the history of this county for nearly a century. Frank C Parrett is a worthy representative of this family and a man of broad and liberal education, who is now devoting himself to the supervision of extensive farming interests in Fayette and Greene counties. A graduate of the State University of Ohio, a newspaper man of several years' experience, he is now devoting himself to an agricultural career and is exhibiting marked ability in handling the large estate of his parents.

Frank C. Parrett, the son of John S. and Alice (Coffman) Parrett, was born in Union township, Fayette county, Ohio, on the old Samuel CoflFman homestead September 13, 1882. His parents, both of whom were also natives of Fayette county, had only one child, Frank C. John S. Parrett was reared on Sugar creek, Union township, this county, and his wife was born and reared in the same township. He was a life-long farmer and after his marriage lived for one year in Washington C. H.. where he was engaged in the hardware business. He then returned to the old Samuel Coffman homestead, where his wife was born, and lived there until his death, April 22, 191 1. He was born in 1849 "d spent his whole life in the county of his birth. His wife still survives him and lives on East Market street in Washington C. H. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. John S. Parrett was a farmer and stock raiser and a successful man in every way. He was active and industrious and accumulated a Tge estate. At one time he was a director in the Fayette County Bank and was nIso vice-president and a director in the Washington Savings Bank and Trust Company, having had a part in the organization of both banks.

The paternal grandparents of Frank C. Parrett were Frederick A. and Elizabeth (Grove) Parrett, natives of Ohio and pioneer settlers in Fayette <:county. Frederick Parrett cleared and improved a farm in Union township and was a large farmer and stock raiser and well known throughout the county. He lived to an advanced age, while his wife died a comparatively young woman. Frederick A. Parrett and wife were the parents of several children, Frederick, John S., Noah S., Christopher,, and two who died in infancy. After the death of his first wife he married again and three children were born to his second union.

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Fink C. Parrett was reared on his father's farm in Union township and graduated from the high school at Washington C. H. He then attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada, and later entered the Ohio State University at Columbus, graduating from that institution in the spring of 1904 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He was then engaged in newspaper work for about four years, doing both reportorial and editorial work on various Columbus newspapers and on the Toledo Blade. In 1908 he took-charge of a farm in Madison county, Ohio, where he remained for four years and after his father's death, in 191 1, he returned to Washington C. H. and now looks after his father's and mother's lands in Fayette and Greene counties.

Mr. Parrett was married September 26, 1907, to Katherine Eastman, the daughter of Henry Neville and Lillian (Jones) Eastman. Mrs. Parrett was born in Columbus, Ohio, her father being a native of Zanesville and her mother of Columbus.

Politically, Mr. Parrett is a stanch Republican and has been one of the leaders of his party for many years in local affairs. On Novouber 3, 19 14, he was elected to the General Assembly of Ohio as representative from Fayette county, a fact which speaks highly of his standing in his county. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons at Columbus, Ohio, and also of the Royal Arch Masons of the same place.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN H. PARRETT.

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John H., our subject, was married on the 25th day of December, 1850, to Miss Sarah A. Harper, daughter of Caleb and Mary Harper, of Ross County. They have a family of four children: Caleb H., Joseph, MoUie, and Sallie. Mr. Parrett is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was county commissioner and justice of the peace of Wayne Township for some three years. He has a farm of two hundred and fifty acres seven miles south of Washington, adjoining the village of Good Hope, where he makes his home. He is one of the most enterprising farmers of the county, and a man of influence wherever he is known.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.