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Tangopappa.com	Wanderlust For Elizabeth The Parson Family Story Chapter 02	N5VHR.com
Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Helen's Benediction Wynn Haynie PHOTOS Stories and Tales (Mostly True)	Great Great Great Great Grandparents Joseph G. Parsons And Parthena Crawford The Parson ancestral line can be traced back to a Joseph G. Parsons who was born in McMinn, Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains in 1827 and would have been Elizabeth’s Great Great Great Great Grandfather. He was one of seven children. His parents were Thomas Strickland Parsons and Susanna Ingram of Virginia and later of Tennessee. At that time, John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States. Beginning in the early 1800’s, the Louisiana Purchase had doubled the size of the United States and the policy of Manifest Destiny had led to the great westward expansion of our country. At this time, America was still largely an agrarian society but an industrial revolution would begin in this century. In Tennessee at that time, the settlement of McMinn was established in 1819 when the white settlers took over the lands that belonged to the Cherokee Indians. The population of McMinn in 1820 was about fifteen hundred settlers but had grown to over twelve thousand by 1830. The Trail of Tears began in the 1830’s and did not end until the 1850’s; a trail which covered roughly 5,000 miles. Andrew Jackson had enacted the Indian Removal Act and this Act forced the migration and relocation of Indian tribes in the Eastern United States to areas west of the Mississippi River, primarily Oklahoma. Four of these tribes were the Cherokee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribes. Thousands died of disease, starvation and exposure along the trail. Their main diet consisted of mainly salt pork and flour. Many did not have shoes and had only a thin blanket to protect themselves as they traveled westward through severe snowstorms, swollen creeks, and the high humid heat of southern summers. The number of Indians who died on this journey is estimated to be between 60,000 and 100,000. Joseph Parsons’ westward migration pattern aligns very closely with this Trail of Tears, both in time and location; from Tennessee in 1827 to Cherokee Co., Alabama in 1850, on lands ceded by the Cherokee Indians, and to Arkansas by 1860. The first English settlers in Arkansas were from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama beginning around 1807. Prior to that only trappers, hunters and expiditionists were found in the Arkansas territory. Joseph was married to Parthena Crawford on August 14, 1843 in Meigs, Tennessee. This was around the time of the California Gold Rush which began in 1848. He was sixteen and Parthena was fifteen. Parthena had been born in 1828, place unknown, but probably in Tennessee. They had a total of seven children. Their first son, George R. Parsons, was born in 1845 when Joseph and Parthena were eighteen and seventeen. Their second son was James William Parsons, who was born when Joseph and Parthena were twenty-one and twenty. He was born on October 2" 1848, in Cherokee, Cherokee Co., Georgia. He was your Great Great Great Grandfather, more of which will be said later. Joseph and Parthena then traveled on to Alabama where the 1850 United States Census shows Joseph, age twenty-five and Parthena, age twenty-two living in District 26, Cherokee, Colbert Co., Alabama. Living with them were sons, George R., age five, and James W., age two. Here their next two children, Harriet C., and Goranval H. were born in 1851 and 1854. Another son, John Thomas Parsons was born in 1857. Their last son, Dewitt Cleveland was born in 1859. Their last daughter, Althea Emmaline was born in 1862 in Independence, Arkansas. In the decade between 1850 and 1860, Joseph and Parthena, like many others in their America, cultivated the land, hunted, fished and trapped to provide for their family. The rumblings of Civil War and secession were rising at an alarming pitch. In 1857, with the Civil War looming, Joseph, Parthena and their children had moved on to Greenbriar, Independence Co., Arkansas. The trip from McMinn, Tennessee to Independence, Arkansas was a little over five hundred miles and it is here that their family journey ended. It was also here that Joseph was able to continue a tradition of love for the land that would last through the next five generations. The 1860 US Census shows Joseph and Parthena Parsons, ages thirty-three and thirty one living in Greenbriar Township, Independence, Arkansas. Living in their household were George R., age sixteen, James W., age twelve, Harriet C., age ten, John Thomas, age three and Dewitt C. Parsons, age 0. It is presumed that this means he had not reached his first birthday. Their son, Goranval H., who would have been six years old in 1860 is not shown in this record. Another record shows that he died in 1860. Althea Emmaline had not yet been born. By 1861, Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas had all seceded from the United States to join the Confederacy. The Civil War began on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces fired on Union soldiers at Ft. Sumter, South Carolina. This was a war fought between the northern states and the southern states over economic policies, cultural values and the role of slavery within American society. It was a war that tore America apart. As the war raged on, one of the bloodiest battles occurred near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. This battle, the Battle of Shiloh, began on April 6 and ended on April 7, 1862. Around 100,000 Confederate and Union soldiers were engaged in battle on the fields surrounding the Church of Shiloh, a Methodist Meeting House, ironically meaning “a Place of Peace.” Over 24,000 soldiers were lost in this battle, which only ended when fresh Yankee troops were able to drive the Confederate soldiers from the field. Joseph Parsons was one of those soldiers killed that day. It is not known when he joined the Confederacy in their fight for succession but he died there on that battlefield at Shiloh on April 6, 1862. He was thirty-five years old and was buried there on sacred ground at Shiloh National Cemetery in one of five mass graves. A salute to a brave and courageous man! It was probably many months before Parthena learned of Joseph’s death. But, she carried on. She was left alone to care for six children. George R. was eighteen and possibly a Confederate soldier himself. James William would have been thirteen, Harriet C. would have been eleven, John Thomas would have been five, and Dewitt Cleveland would have been three years old. It is not known if Althea Emmaline was born before or after Joseph died, but at most she was only an infant. In the midst of the turmoil and chaos of war, it must have been incredibly difficult to provide for her family. What a strong woman Parthena had to have been! It appears that Parthena and her younger children remained in Arkansas until around 1870 when she and her family began their travels west once again. By 1873, they had reached Camp, Texas where they farmed the land for the next dozen years or so. The 1880 US Census shows Parthena Parsons, age fifty-two, as the widowed Head of Household living in Justice Precinct 3, Camp, Texas; occupation, farmer. In this household were also living her son, Dewitt Parsons, age twenty-one and her daughter, Emily Parsons, age eighteen. Other people on this record were Luna Parsons, a female, age one; Catharine Ezelle, a female, age fifty-six and Mollie Ezelle, a female, age eighteen. It seems likely that Luna is a misspelling as “Luna” would have been an extremely unusual name for that time period. Perhaps the child’s name was “Lula.” Her father was probably one of the older Parson’s children or perhaps a younger cousin or niece. Mollie Ezelle and Catherine Ezelle were probably also related in some way. The 1880 census record also shows that John Thomas Parsons, aged twenty three was a single white farmer living in Precinct 3, Camp, Texas. Other records show that Parthena’s son, John Thomas, died in 1880 perhaps at sometime after the census was taken, thus leaving Parthena with five children, only two of which were still living at home. The 1880 US Census record appears to be the last census record we have for Parthena Parsons. The 1890 US Census record has left us with a black hole. These records were destroyed in 1923 by a fire in the Department of Commerce Building in Washington, D.C. Only six thousand records were able to be saved. It does seem that Parthena most likely traveled on to Clay Co., Texas with her children and continued the farming tradition of the Parson family until she died in 1899. Records have yet to be uncovered about her death and burial. Parthena almost lived long enough to see the beginning of a new century; an industrialized century that would have been very foreign to her. Her America was an America of brave pioneers moving ever westward in search of new land, and Parthena was certainly one of those brave American pioneers. Rabbit Holes Joseph G. and Parthena Parsons Rabbit Holes Dewitt Cleveland Parsons Dewitt Cleveland Parsons was Elizabeth’s Great, Great, Great Uncle. His father died when he was only three years old and we know little of his life after that but what an extraordinary life it must have been! His lifespan began in the Civil War era and ended in the race to space. He died on November 9, 1955, at the age of ninety-six and is buried in Hockley Co., Texas. Your mother, Paula Parson Haynie, was nine years old at the time he died. And we never knew!!!
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The Parson ancestral line can be traced back to a Joseph G. Parsons who was born in
McMinn, Tennessee in the Appalachian Mountains in 1827 and would have been
Elizabeth’s Great Great Great Great Grandfather. He was one of seven children. His
parents were Thomas Strickland Parsons and Susanna Ingram of Virginia and later of
Tennessee.

At that time, John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States. Beginning
in the early 1800’s, the Louisiana Purchase had doubled the size of the United States and the
policy of Manifest Destiny had led to the great westward expansion of our country. At this
time, America was still largely an agrarian society but an industrial revolution would begin
in this century.

In Tennessee at that time, the settlement of McMinn was established in 1819 when the
white settlers took over the lands that belonged to the Cherokee Indians. The
population of McMinn in 1820 was about fifteen hundred settlers but had grown to over
twelve thousand by 1830.

The Trail of Tears began in the 1830’s and did not end until the 1850’s; a trail which covered roughly 5,000 miles. Andrew Jackson had enacted the Indian Removal Act and this
Act forced the migration and relocation of Indian tribes in the Eastern United States to
areas west of the Mississippi River, primarily Oklahoma. Four of these tribes were the
Cherokee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribes. Thousands died of disease, starvation
and exposure along the trail. Their main diet consisted of mainly salt pork and flour. Many
did not have shoes and had only a thin blanket to protect themselves as they traveled
westward through severe snowstorms, swollen creeks, and the high humid heat of southern
summers. The number of Indians who died on this journey is estimated to be between 60,000
and 100,000.

Joseph Parsons’ westward migration pattern aligns very closely with this Trail of Tears, both
in time and location; from Tennessee in 1827 to Cherokee Co., Alabama in 1850, on lands ceded
by the Cherokee Indians, and to Arkansas by 1860.

The first English settlers in Arkansas were from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama
beginning around 1807. Prior to that only trappers, hunters and expiditionists were found
in the Arkansas territory.

Joseph was married to Parthena Crawford on August 14, 1843 in Meigs, Tennessee. This was
around the time of the California Gold Rush which began in 1848. He was sixteen and
Parthena was fifteen. Parthena had been born in 1828, place unknown, but probably in
Tennessee.

They had a total of seven children. Their first son, George R. Parsons, was born in 1845 when
Joseph and Parthena were eighteen and seventeen. Their second son was James William
Parsons, who was born when Joseph and Parthena were twenty-one and twenty. He was
born on October 2" 1848, in Cherokee, Cherokee Co., Georgia. He was your Great
Great Great Grandfather, more of which will be said later.

Joseph and Parthena then traveled on to Alabama where the 1850 United States Census
shows Joseph, age twenty-five and Parthena, age twenty-two living in District 26, Cherokee,
Colbert Co., Alabama. Living with them were sons, George R., age five, and James W., age
two.

Here their next two children, Harriet C., and Goranval H. were born in 1851 and 1854.
Another son, John Thomas Parsons was born in 1857. Their last son, Dewitt Cleveland was
born in 1859. Their last daughter, Althea Emmaline was born in 1862 in Independence,
Arkansas.

In the decade between 1850 and 1860, Joseph and Parthena, like many others in their
America, cultivated the land, hunted, fished and trapped to provide for their family.

The rumblings of Civil War and secession were rising at an alarming pitch.
In 1857, with the Civil War looming, Joseph, Parthena and their children had moved on to
Greenbriar, Independence Co., Arkansas. The trip from McMinn, Tennessee to Independence,
Arkansas was a little over five hundred miles and it is here that their family journey ended. It
was also here that Joseph was able to continue a tradition of love for the land that would last
through the next five generations.

The 1860 US Census shows Joseph and Parthena Parsons, ages thirty-three and thirty one
living in Greenbriar Township, Independence, Arkansas. Living in their
household were George R., age sixteen, James W., age twelve, Harriet C., age ten, John
Thomas, age three and Dewitt C. Parsons, age 0. It is presumed that this means he had not
reached his first birthday. Their son, Goranval H., who would have been six years old in 1860
is not shown in this record. Another record shows that he died in 1860. Althea Emmaline
had not yet been born.

The Civil War began on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces fired on Union soldiers at
Ft. Sumter, South Carolina. This was a war fought between the northern states and the
southern states over economic policies, cultural values and the role of slavery within American
society. It was a war that tore America apart.

As the war raged on, one of the bloodiest battles occurred near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. This battle, the Battle of Shiloh, began on April 6 and ended on April 7, 1862.

Around 100,000 Confederate and Union soldiers were engaged in battle on the fields
surrounding the Church of Shiloh, a Methodist Meeting House, ironically meaning “a Place of
Peace.” Over 24,000 soldiers were lost in this battle, which only ended when fresh Yankee
troops were able to drive the Confederate soldiers from the field.

Joseph Parsons was one of those soldiers killed that day. It is not known when he joined
the Confederacy in their fight for succession but he died there on that battlefield at Shiloh
on April 6, 1862. He was thirty-five years old and was buried there on sacred ground at
Shiloh National Cemetery in one of five mass graves. A salute to a brave and courageous
man!

It was probably many months before Parthena learned of Joseph’s death. But, she
carried on. She was left alone to care for six children. George R. was eighteen and possibly
a Confederate soldier himself. James William would have been thirteen, Harriet C. would
have been eleven, John Thomas would have been five, and Dewitt Cleveland would have
been three years old. It is not known if Althea Emmaline was born before or after Joseph died,
but at most she was only an infant.

It appears that Parthena and her younger children remained in Arkansas until around
1870 when she and her family began their travels west once again. By 1873, they had
reached Camp, Texas where they farmed the land for the next dozen years or so.

The 1880 US Census shows Parthena Parsons, age fifty-two, as the widowed Head of
Household living in Justice Precinct 3, Camp, Texas; occupation, farmer. In this household
were also living her son, Dewitt Parsons, age twenty-one and her daughter, Emily Parsons,
age eighteen.

Other people on this record were Luna Parsons, a female, age one; Catharine Ezelle, a
female, age fifty-six and Mollie Ezelle, a female, age eighteen. It seems likely that Luna
is a misspelling as “Luna” would have been an extremely unusual name for that time period.
Perhaps the child’s name was “Lula.” Her father was probably one of the older Parson’s
children or perhaps a younger cousin or niece. Mollie Ezelle and Catherine Ezelle were
probably also related in some way.

The 1880 census record also shows that John Thomas Parsons, aged twenty three was a
single white farmer living in Precinct 3, Camp, Texas. Other records show that Parthena’s son,
John Thomas, died in 1880 perhaps at sometime after the census was taken, thus
leaving Parthena with five children, only two of which were still living at home. The 1880 US
Census record appears to be the last census record we have for Parthena Parsons.

The 1890 US Census record has left us with a black hole. These records were destroyed in
1923 by a fire in the Department of Commerce Building in Washington, D.C. Only six thousand
records were able to be saved.

It does seem that Parthena most likely traveled on to Clay Co., Texas with her children
and continued the farming tradition of the Parson family until she died in 1899. Records
have yet to be uncovered about her death and burial.

Parthena almost lived long enough to see the beginning of a new century; an
industrialized century that would have been very foreign to her. Her America was an
America of brave pioneers moving ever westward in search of new land, and Parthena
was certainly one of those brave American pioneers.

Dewitt Cleveland Parsons was Elizabeth’s Great, Great, Great Uncle. His father died
when he was only three years old and we know little of his life after that but what an
extraordinary life it must have been!

His lifespan began in the Civil War era and ended in the race to space. He died on November 9, 1955, at the age of ninety-six and is buried in Hockley Co., Texas.