L. PARSONS.

L. PARSONS.—Not only has the subject of this sketch seen Allen county grow from a comparatively wild district with only a few white inhabitants, to a rich agricultural country containing thousands of good homes and many thriving towns, inhabited by an industrious, prosperous and progressive people, but he has participated in and assisted with persistent work the development which was necessary to produce the change that has placed this county among the foremost in the commonwealth. For many years he was identified its with[sic] agricultural interests, but is now living retired, although he still makes his home upon his farm.

Mr. Parsons was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on the 8th of August, 1838. His father, Jonathan Parsons, was a native of Virginia, and during his boyhood removed to Ohio, whence he made his way to Indiana. In that state he married Miss Sarah Flanagan, a native of Kentucky. Throughout his life he engaged in farming, making it a source of livelihood for his family. He died in Kansas in 1871, at the age of sixty-seven years, while visiting his son, and his wife, long surviving him,

passed away in 1892, at the age of seventy-four. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom seven are now living, namely: Peter, who makes his home in Ashland, Dakota, L., of this review; Mary, the wife of Richard Healey Ephraim; John; Frank, and America Hines.

Mr. Parsons, of this review, spent the first seventeen years of his life under the parental roof in Indiana. He then went to Minnesota with his parents where he remained for three years and then returned to Indiana. The year 1870 witnessed his arrival in Kansas, and with the interests of Allen county he has since been associated. He located two miles east of Savonburg, pre-empted eighty acres of land and afterward secured one hundred and sixty acres. At a later date he again extended the boundaries of his farm so that it now comprises three hundred and five acres of arable land. It was a tract of raw prairie when he took possession of it, but with characteristic energy he began its development and soon transformed the wild place into richly cultivated fields which brought to him a good income as the years passed by. Thus he gained a comfortable competence which now enables him to live retired, his toil in former years supplying him with a capital sufficient to meet all his wants at the present time.

On the 22nd of December, 1864, Mr. Parsons was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe Fausset, a native of Indiana, who proved to him a faithful companion and helpmate on the journey of life for more than a third of a century, but in 1900 they were separated by death, Mrs. Parsons being called to the home beyond on the 29th of June, of that year, at the age of fifty-nine. Eight children had been born to them, namely: John F., who is now a resident of Oklahoma Territory; C. N., who is a teacher in Bethel College, at Newton, Kansas; W. J., who is a graduate of the State Normal of Texas; James M., Ora and O. H. all at home; A. C., who is engaged in teaching in the home school in Allen county, and is also a Normal and Business College graduate; and Flora, the wife of Elmer Price, who resides near the family homestead.

Mr. Parsons evercises[sic] his right of franchise in support of men and measures of the Democracy, but has never sought the honors or emoluments of public office. He has been an ardent supporter of educational institutions and has lived to see three of his sons, C. N., W. J. and A. C., finish their college courses. He has kept supervision over the doings of his farm that it may be always properly conducted. He is engaged in stock raising and his keen discrimination in business affairs and his unflagging industry made him one of the well-to-do citizens of the community.

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