Joseph
Motherel Parrish was born about 1819 in Tennessee, son of Joel Parrish
and Mary "Polly" Motheral. Carrie D. Parrish, the oldest daughter
of Col. Nathaniel H. Parrish and Mary Snoddy, was born in Glasgow,
Barren Co., Kentucky, December 10, 1828. She attended a young
ladies' seminary in Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee, where she
married her first cousin, Joseph Motherel Parrish, on Christmas Eve
1846. They were living in Sumner Co., Tennessee with the first
two of their children, Henry "Buddie" (b 1848) and Mary Ella "Sissie" (b 1849) in 1850; Joseph's occupation was listed as "teacher". Inez Parrish was born in Tennessee October 25, 1851.
The young family came by covered wagon to Kentuckytown, Grayson Co., Texas, probably in one of the many wagon trains which came to Kentuckytown in late 1852 or early 1853. One of the prized possessions they brought with them to Texas was 2 large bookcasese filled with books as well as necessary household goods. Joseph purchased a farm just south of the road of what is (1879) known as Walnut Grove; their land was situated between the Andrew Thomas-Lonnie Darwin farm and the T.A. Hamilton. The home they built stood on a hill but had a grove of pecan trees in the lowlands bordering Pilot Grove Creek. The other children born to Joseph and Carrie after their arrival in Texas were: Blanche (March 1854 - September 1904), second wife of Dr. Robert H. Saunders Thomas Nathaniel (1857), owner of the one general store and post office from 1887 until his death in 1924 Florence Percie (1860 - 1935), second wife of H.R. "Bob" Eatherly Leila (1864 - 1930 Joseph Motherel (1867 - 1944), husband of Minnie Duff Nathaniel served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; his eldest son, Henry, died in 1864 while his father was off fighting for the South. Joseph returned to his family and home in 1865. There was much dissension in Grayson Co., which had voted against secession and resulted in the infamous Lee-Peacock Feud. Sometime in 1866 - 1867 Joseph Parrish killed a man in self-defense on the square of Kentuckytown; knowing would not get a fair trial in Sherman, he went home to tell his family good-bye, get clothing and food, and escaped to his family home in Tennessee; he never returned to Texas or his family he left behind. He died in the spring of 1870 in Gallatin, Tennessee.  Joseph Parish is buried in Old Shiloh Church Graveyard,
located 1.5 miles from Gallatin Tennessee off of Hartsville Hwy.
A tombstone exists Joel Parish, died September 14, 1859 and
several burials with the Motheral surnames. Jo M. Parrish (1819 -
1870) has no tombstone; however his burial is documented from Tennessee
Records: Tombstones Inscriptions and Manuscripts, c1933. Carrie Parrish taught not only her children but the children of her neighbors as well. Her daughters, Mary Ella and Leila, taught school in the Baptist Church in Kentuckytown until public education was available. Built in 1887 the Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, aka "Cotton Belt", Railroad opened a feeder line from Commerce to Sherman, Tom Parrish's store became a station stop. This railroad later became known officially at The St. Louis Southwestern. ("Railroads." Fannin County Historical Commission, Fannin County, Texas. Viewed January 3, 2018) All the Parrish family were members of the Church of Christ and all were buried in Vittitoe Cemetery except Henry, who died in 1864, was buried in Kentuckytown Cemetery.  Kentuckytown History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |