My Genealogy Hound

Thomas Parrish has been the efficient assessor of Howard County, Ark., for the past eight years, and has discharged his duties in a manner highly satisfactory to all. He was born in Shelbyville, Shelby County, Ky., in May, 1842, being the fourth of the family and one of a pair of twins born to R. S. and Martha J. (Parrish) Parrish, natives, respectively, of Virginia and Kentucky. The paternal grandfather, James, was born in Jamestown, Va., and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, the mother's father being also a participant in that war. R. S. Parrish was engaged in merchandising, and in 1842 moved to Missouri, settling near Boonville, in Cooper County, moving a short time after to the town, where he kept a general mercantile store for a long time. In 1856 he went to St. Joseph, and now resides there at the advanced age of ninety-one years. The mother is also in good health, and is aged eighty-seven. Thomas F. Parrish remained at home and attended school until he was fourteen years of age, then removed to Sheridan to make his home with an uncle, and remained with him until the opening of the war, when he enlisted in Company E, Seventh Missouri Regiment, Confederate States Army, and was in the battles of Lone Jack, Oak Hill, Boonville, Cross Hollow, Pea Ridge, Mine Creek, Poison Springs, Mansfield, Jenkins’ Ferry, and in all the engagements in which Gen. Price participated in his celebrated raid of 1864. Mr. Parrish surrendered at Vicksburg, after which he went to St. Louis, and engaged as advertising agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, a position he filled until 1869, when he came to Nashville, Ark. Here he at once began teaching school, and followed this occupation in connection with farming until he was elected to the office of deputy assessor for Ed Hunter, one of the old settlers of this section. In 1884 he was elected assessor, and has filled this position by re-election ever since, receiving a plurality of all the votes in the county. He was married, in 1873, to Miss Lou Mitchell, a native of South Carolina, and a daughter of Thomas Mitchell, one of the pioneers of this section, having emigrated here in 1836. Mr. Parrish is the owner of a good farm of sixty acres one and one-half miles west of Nashville, and on this he has erected good buildings, and has a very pleasant and comfortable home. He is a member of the K. of P., Nashville Lodge No. 30, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.