J. O. PARRISH, proprietor of
newsstand, and dealer in books, stationery, and fancy articles, at Garden
Grove, was born in Washington County, New York, July 16, 1831, son of Hiram and
Cyrena (Whitney) Parrish, natives of the same State, the latter being of
English ancestry. Mr. Parrish was reared on a farm, where he remained until he
was twenty years of age. He received a good substantial education, and when
eighteen years old commenced teaching school. For twenty-five years he was an
earnest, capable and successful teacher, never shirking his duty, but
performing it firmly and conscientiously. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in
Company A, Tenth Ohio Cavalry, and was appointed First Lieutenant. He served
two years and then resigned. He re-enlisted as a private in Company I, Second
Ohio Heavy Artillery, remaining in that company until the close of the war,
when he was mustered out August 27, 1865. He participated in most of the
battles fought by Sherman's army during the first two months of the Atlanta
campaign. In 1854 he was married to Mary H. Harkness, a native of Delaware
County, New York, and they have two children — Nancy M., wife of George W.
Moore, a resident of Garden Grove; and Ella S., a prominent teacher of Decatur
County. During President Hayes' administration she was appointed deputy
postmistress and held the position seven years. Mr. Parrish was postmaster
during that period. He is now serving his second term as mayor of Garden Grove.
Mr. Parrish lived one year in Licking County, Ohio, after the war, and in 1866
settled in Johnson County, Missouri, where he lived nine years. He came to
Garden Grove in 1875 and commenced editing a paper called the Iowa Express.
In 1881 he sold out to Bryson Bruce, the present proprietor and editor of the Garden
Grove Express. In 1865, while in the service, he met with a very serious
accident by the cars running off the track, which crippled him for life. Three
persons were killed and twenty wounded. By his own industry Mr. Parrish is
possessed of a nice home and a profitable business. He is highly respected by
all who know him. His twelve years' residence has won for him a prominent place
among the leading citizens of Decatur County. Politically he is an ardent and
influential Republican.
SOURCE: “Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and
Decatur Counties, Iowa,” p. 558
