  James Madison Parks 9 February 1856 - 14 March 1944
Van Alstyne Leader February 17, 1938 pg 6 J.M. Parks Celebrates 82nd Birthday J.M. Parks, one of Tioga's most prominent and valuable citizens, celebrated his eighty-second birthday Wednesday, February 9, 1938 with a dinner at home attended by a few friends wishing for him that he may enjoy many more such occasions. Mr. Parks was born February 9, 1856 in Whitley County, Kentucky, the son of Noah and Helen Parks. On October 2, 1870, he left Kentucky with two immigrant families, numbering 22 persons in all, to come to Texas. The journey was made in wagons drawn by oxen. Mr. Parks says as driver of one of the wagons he walked many miles of the way. At Memphis, Tenn., the wagons were loaded on flatcars and seventy miles of the journey were made by rail, owing to the boggy condition of the Mississippi valley. On January 21, 1871, the party arrived at Leonard, Texas, where settlement was made. Mr. Parks says he was 15 years old when he began to realize the necessity of an education. At this age, he could neither read nor write. He entered the Honey Grove school, boarding in the country in order to save expense. Later he took a commercial course from J.W. Scudder of Valley Creek and J.W. Wilson of Paris. Going later to Coleman City, he graduated from the public school there and received a teacher's certificate. For seven years he taught school in Coleman county. Returning to Leonard, he served as superintendent of Leonard schools for one term. Afterwards he was bookkeeper for two years each for Denny Bros. and J.J. Conklin, general merchandise stores, and eight years for the Neal-Bradley Lumber Company. Mr. Parks was married Nov. 27, 1879 to Miss Betty Stephens, who.... and again in 1916, serving in all four years. He was a member of the Grayson county school board for fifteen consecutive years, missing only five meetings during the time. He was returned to the board in 1937. Mr. Parks has been a member of the Baptist church sixty years. He learned to read music and to play the violin when past 58 years of age, and he often sings and plays the violin for Sunday school or church. His father died at the beginning of the war between the States, and Mr. Parks has many stories to relate of the experiences of his widowed mother and family during that period. His memory is remarkable. He can give the date of any event in his life and knows the number of acres in every farm in this community and the size of every town lot. During the past two years, Mr. Park's health has begun to fail, necessitating his withdrawal from business activities. TIOGA CEMETERY Susan Hawkins © 2024 Grayson County TXGenWeb |
