No family in Marion county is better or more favorably known than the
Parkinsons, who have been identified with the growth of this locality since
the early pioneer days, and who have in every instance played well their
parts in the county's history. The subject of the present sketch is a worthy
representative of his ancestors.
Joseph C. Parkinson was born on the
old Parkinson homestead in Raccoon township, February 27, 1869, the son of
Brown and Mary J. (Leuty) Parkinson, the former a native of Tennessee, and
the latter of Jefferson county, Illinois. He married in Jefferson county and
came to Marion county, locating in Raccoon township, where he secured one
hundred acres of land in section 23, all wild land, but he was a hard worker
and cleared it, making a good home. He devoted his life to farming, and was
School Director, a Republican, and he also held several minor offices. He
and his wife were members of the Reformed Presbyterian church. He died in
October 1883, and his wife died August 29, 1905. The father of the subject
was not only well known but well liked. To the parents of the subject the
following children were born: John, a farmer in Raccoon township, living on
part of the old place; Luella married B. F. Mercer, of Raccoon township;
William K. is a farmer in Raccoon township; Nettie is deceased; Charles A.
is superintendent of the public schools at Glen Carbon, Illinois; Joseph C.,
our subject, is the youngest child.
Joseph C. Parkinson lived at home
with his mother until he was twenty-two years old. He attended the
neighborhood schools there and got a fairly good education. He was happily
married February 5, 1891, to Flaura J. March, of Raccoon township, the
daughter of John S. March (whose sketch appears in full in this volume). To
the subject and wife seven children have been born as follows: Maude,
Hattie, Harris, Roy, Helen, May and Merle.
After his marriage Mr.
Parkinson located on a part of his father's farm and lived on the old
homestead, making a success of his farming operations until the spring of
1901, when he moved to the south line of the old homestead, where he has
since resided. He owns fifty acres of the old place and twenty-six and
one-half acres adjoining it, making his a very valuable and desirable farm,
highly improved and one of the most productive in the township. The subject
carries on a general farming business. He raises all kinds of grain, horses
and cattle, good hogs; his cattle are Jersey and Durham, and his hogs are
Poland-China and Duroc Red. His fine stock is known all over the county, and
no small portion of his income is derived from this source. He has always
been a farmer and is considered an excellent one by those who know him. He
has a comfortable home and convenient outbuildings.
Mr. Parkinson has
ably served his community as Township Clerk for two years and School
Director for three years. He is a stanch Republican, and always takes an
interest in the affairs of the county, doing what he can to promote his
interests, whether politically, socially or materially. He and his wife are
faithful members of the United Presbyterian church.
Extracted 11 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 368-369.