Written by June Bostick Parham

Submitted by Ken Gates

 

 

 

 

 

 
Benjamin Roland “Chum” Parham, Sr.

December 28, 1883 – December 3, 1968

 

Benjamin Roland “Chum” Parham, Sr. and Priscilla Clark
On their Wedding Day
October 15, 1908   

 
    

     Benjamin Roland Parham Sr. was born December 28,1883 in Bell County to Stith Alfred Parham and Mary Jane (Bowers] Parham.  He married Priscilla Clark on October 15,1908.  They started their lives together at Cego, Texas.

     Chum farmed on a tenant basis until he was able to purchase a 55-acre farm about 1920.  The farm had a house with an upstairs loft and a barn already on the place.  This was where he farmed and rented land to make a living for his family.   He worked hard and diligently, not only farming his land but also doing farm work for neighbors.  His children worked in the fields also.
  

     In the early 1960's he moved to Eddy where he lived until he was placed in a Health Care Center in Austin and died Dec. 3,1968 of pneumonia.  He is buried in the Blevins Cemetery in Falls County surrounded by his parents and loved ones.
  

     He was a member of the Methodist Church in Eddy after the church in Cego disbanded.

Priscilla Eleanor (Clark) Parham
February 18, 1891 - June 25,1966

 

     Priscilla Eleanor Clark was born February 18, 1891 at Cego, Falls County, Texas to Sarah Pauline Wyatt Clark and Charles Fitch Clark.  She went to School at Cego and was further educated at Peniel College at Greenville, Texas, which was a finishing school and college.

     Priscilla Eleanor Parham was the mother of ten children of which two died birth.  She was devoted to her family and provided for them in a manner much to be desired by her family and friends.  She loved sewing and cooking. She was a very neat person who carried herself well.  She was a faithful member of the Methodist Church in Cego and later in Eddy.  She instilled in her children independence and integrity.

     Priscilla Elenor was placed in a Health Care center in Austin, Texas in 1964.  She died June 25, 1966 at Seaton Hospital in Austin, Texas.  She is also buried in the Blevins Cemetery near her parents and grandparents.

     Children were Daphna and a twin that died at birth, Ruth, Mildred, Ben Ella, Sue, B, R., Jr., Dorothy, Betty and an infant who died at birth. As of September 2008 all of the children are deceased.

 

     The following children were born to Benjamin Roland Parham Sr. and Priscilla Eleanor Clark.

     Ila Daphna b. August 11,1910 died October 17,1997 married John Greenhaw b. July 26, 1906, died January 3, 1965

     Lonnie Farris December 12, 1905, died October 1, 1981

     Ola born and died August 11, 1910

     Charlye Ruth b. May 22,1912 died August 1, 1988 married Robert Gates Nance b. December 31, 1911 died May 30, 2005

     Mildred Vermel b. June 27, 1914 died January 27,2003 married John Wilson Gates, b. September 20, 1912 died May 4, 1972

     Ben Ella b. August 26,1917 died January 13,2001 Married Clyde James, 2. Morris Fife, 3 Bruce Ferguson b. June 17, 1908 died July 1, 1976

     Benjamin Roland Jr .b. Nov. 20,1919 died October 15,2001 married, Martha June Parham b. June 26, 1925

     Aurillia Sue b. September 12,1921 died August 25,1992 married Frank Henry Andorka, b. March 16, 1905, died May 19, 1964, 2 Gilbert Julius Chet b. May 4, 1917, died November 7, 1986

     Dorothy Clark November 5, 1922 died September 17,2007, married Abner W. Stephenson b April 7, 1922 died January 31, 1985.

     Betty Jean b. October 6,1924 died March 1, 2003 married Douglas Duty

     Rose, Infant daughter, died at birth

     All the above children were born at Cego, Falls Co., Texas and delivered by Dr. Martin