Parry, John

PARRY, FROST, POWELL, WEBB, GARDEN, COTTINGTON

Posted By: Janelle Martin (email)
Date: 5/20/2009 at 23:01:06

History of Hamilton County Iowa,1912, Vol.II p.80

JOHN PARRY

John Parry, who is living retired in Webster City, was for many years actively and successfully identified with the agricultural development of Hamilton County. He was born in England on the 12th of October, 1848, and is a son of John and Eliza (Frost) Parry, who passed their entire lives in the mother country.

The first twenty years in the life of John Parry were passed in the land of his birth, but at the expiration of that period he decided to become a citizen of America, so in 1868 he took passage for Quebec. His destination was Bureau County, Illinois, and in June, 1868, he located in the vicinity of the town of Sheffield, that county, where he worked as a farm hand for two years. He was thrifty and temperate in his habits and during that time he saved a sufficient sum from his meager earnings to enable him to farm on his own account as a renter. He continued to reside in Bureau County for another two years, but at the expiration of that time he disposed of his interests there and came to Iowa, settling in Cass County. After fanning as a renter in that county for fourteen years, he went to Cherokee County, where he cultivated leased land until 1891. In the latter year he came to Hamilton County and bought eighty acres of partially improved land on section 28 of Freedom township. During the succeeding nine years he applied himself energetically to the further improvement and cultivation of this place, which he sold in 1900, investing the proceeds in one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 16 in the same township. Here he continued his agricultural pursuits until the 1st of March, 1908, when he retired from active work and removed to Webster City, where he is now residing.

In 1877, Mr. Parry was married to Miss Mary A. Powell, who was born in England on the 8th of May, 1851, her parents being Alfred and Mary Ann (Webb) Powell, who were born, reared and married in England, and there the mother also passed away. In 1869 the father emigrated to the United States, first locating in Iowa Falls, and buying land in Hamilton County. This tract was raw prairie land and while maintaining his residence in Iowa Falls he broke this land and prepared it for cultivation. After four years spent in Iowa Falls he moved onto his farm in Hamilton County, which he cultivated and improved until he finally retired from agricultural labors and removed to Webster City, where he died on March 13, 1897, at the venerable age of eighty-two years. He is buried in Graceland cemetery, this city. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Parry being the third in order of birth. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Parry also numbered four: John, the only son, who died in childhood; Nellie Florence, the wife of William Garden, a farmer of Webster County, by whom she has had one child; Etheldra Sarah, who married L. B. Cottington, a farmer of this county, to whom have been born four children; and Elizabeth Mary, who died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Parry have a very pleasant residence and many friends in Webster City, and by reason of their diligence and thrift in early life are able to spend their latter years in well earned ease and comfort.

Hamilton Biographies maintained by Lynn McCleary.
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