PARKINSON, JAMES
, was born Dec. 22, 1805, in Belmont county, Ohio, twelve miles below Wheeling, West Virginia. His parents were from Washington county, Pennsylvania; and when James was an infant they moved back, across the Virginia Pan Handle, to their home in Pennsylvania, and a few years later, moved to what is now Marshall county, West Virginia, in the Pan Handle. James Parkinson came to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving at Springfield in Nov., 1830, just in time for the "deep snow." He returned to Virginia in the spring, and came again to Sangamon county in the fall of 1831. He made his home at the house of David McCoy, on Spring creek, until Nov. 7, 1833, when he was married to Mahala Earnest. They had five living children in Sangamon county, namely--MARY J., born Nov. 1, 1834, married William Baldwin. See his name.
GRIZZELLA A., born March 22, 1836, married William T. Bradford. See his name.
CLARINDA A., born Jan. 22, 1838, married June 23, 1859, to Thomas B. Petefish, who was born Aug. 7, 1833, in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. They have five children, MARION P., LOTTIE LOU, ELIZABETH M., MELINDA E. and PEARLIE M., and reside near Belvoir, Douglas county, Kansas.
JOHN J., born Jan. 23, 1840, enlisted in the fall of 1861, for three years, in Co. B, 10th Ill. Cav.; served full term, and was honorably discharged in 1864. He was married Nov. 9, 1865, to Augusta Patteson, daughter of Dr. Alex. A. Patteson. They had three children--JOHN L. died, aged four years; and ALEXANDER died in his second year. EARNEST resides with his parents in Gardner township, south of Spring creek, Sangamon county, Illinois.
WILLIAM H.
James Parkinson and wife reside in Curran township, eight miles west of Springfield, Ill.--south of Spring creek, and within one mile of where they were married. This sketch was written at their residence on the evening of Nov. 7, 1873, the fortieth anniversary of their marriage. They had at their table that day all their five children, fourteen of their seventeen living grandchildren--three being in Kansas,--and all their sons and daughters-in-law except Mr. Petefish, of Kansas.
The courtships of George Bryan--see his name--and that of James Parkinson and Mahala Earnest are, so far as I am informed, the two shortest on record. For two years previous to their marriage, Mr. Parkinson "waited on" Miss Earnest. Adopting a custom then quite prevalent, he would start on horseback, call for her, and propose that they go to church, to a wedding, to a social gathering or a dancing party. If she assented, he would take her behind himself on the horse, and set out. If she declined, he would usually spend the day or evening, as the case might be, with her. This was the practice with them for about two years, and I have it from their own lips that the subject of their marriage was never mentioned between them. Finally Mr. P. made up his mind to change the programme. He first, without consulting the lady or any friend of hers, went to Springfield and obtained a license for the marriage of James Parkinson and Mahala Earnest. He called at her father's house on the morning of Nov. 7, 1833, and told her that he would be there that evening, and wished her to be at home. That was the first time he ever notified her beforehand to expect him. He then departed hurriedly, without giving the slightest intimation of the object of his proposed visit. The next movement was to call on a Justice of the Peace by the name of Robison, and request that officer to meet him the same evening at the house of David McCoy, where Mr. P. boarded. The Esquire wanted to know if it was necessary for him to take any papers or legal forms. Mr. P. replied, as he departed hurriedly, that he had all the papers necessary. The Justice met him at the appointed time and place, when he was informed that he was expected to solemnize a marriage. 'Squire Robison, Mr. McCoy and Mr. Parkinson set out on horseback, crossing Spring creek from north to south, and arrived about sundown at the residence of Miss Earnest's father, to find the young lady out on the open prairie milking the cows. Mr. P. had not intimated to the other gentlemen that he had his courting yet to do. They separated to find hitching places for their horses; and as they did so, Mr. P. went to Miss Earnest and told her that he had come to marry her, and asked if she would have him. She stood, milk pail in hand, and, after a few moment's meditation, said, "Go in the house, and I will be there directly." These were the only words that ever passed between them by way of courtship. She then resumed her milking, and finished it as though nothing unusual had occurred. The father of Miss Earnest was attending to some outdoor work, and Mr. P. approached and told the old gentleman that he had come to marry his daughter, and asked his consent to the union. Mr. Earnest replied that he had no objection to the marriage, but regretted that he had not been notified in time to make suitable preparations for so important an event. Mr. Parkinson said, "I have made all the preparations necessary, as I have the license in my pocket, and the 'Squire is here, ready to perform his part." They were married that very evening, and the notes from which this sketch was written were taken in their presence, on the evening of the fortieth anniversary of their wedding.
His reasons for taking such a course were secreted in his own breast for forty years, and were revealed, for the first time, to the writer on the evening of the anniversary above named. I can assure the reader that there was nothing in it calculated to cast the slightest shadow of reproach on the character of either of the parties. It was a method of his own for solving a problem, entirely right in itself, but not such a mode as I should have adopted, for the reason that the courting was too soon over. I would much prefer to prolong so pleasant a pastime. I may divulge his secret if he fails to invite me to his golden wedding Nov. 7, 1883; but if he invites me to help celebrate that day, and treats me as well as he did on the fortieth anniversary, he may retain it forty years longer, if he wishes to.
Mr. Parkinson served as Justice of the Peace twelve years, by successive reelection from 1848. When the township organization was adopted, he was elected the first representative of Curran township in the county Board of Supervisors, and was twice re-elected. Edward Robison was the 'Squire who solemnized the marriage. See his name.