Re: WILLIAMS in Columbia , Ia
WILLIAMS, QUILIEN, PARSONS, QUILLEN
Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email) In Response To: WILLIAMS in Columbia , Ia (Kris)
Date: 2/8/2015 at 17:02:10
Joseph W. Williams probably died between 1870 and 1880 when his wife, Salina is listed as a widow in the 1880 Marion County, Iowa census. The next year, she remarried Benjamin L. Parsons. She died in 1917 and is buried with her second husband.
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Benjamin L. Parsons is well remembered in the village of Columbia and throughout the surrounding country, although twenty years have come and gone since he was called to his final rest. He lived retired in the village, although in earlier years he was a very active, energetic business man. His birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1804, and he was descended from old Quaker stock, the kind that, upheld the political and legal status of the state and promoted its intellectual and moral progress. He was reared in the east, pursued his education there and for many years conducted business in Ohio as proprietor of a store in Marion county.Mr. Parsons came to Marion county, Iowa, about 1862, and at Columbia was united in marriage to Mrs. Salina Williams, the widow of Joseph Williams and a daughter of Adam and Mary Ann Quillen. Her first husband was a carpenter and cabinet maker and followed those trades throughout his entire life. He built a mill at Columbia and operated it until it was destroyed by fire, when he retired from active business and spent his remaining days in the enjoyment of well earned rest. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams were born two children: Alice, now deceased; and Charlotte, who died when but two weeks old. Since the death of her second husband Mrs. Parsons has lived in Columbia, where she is the owner of town lots and other property. She is now eighty six years of age and is a keen minded, well informed woman whose appearance greatly belies her age.
The death of Mr. Parsons occurred September 5, 1894, and he was laid to rest in the Columbia cemetery. During his later years, because of the fact that he was living retired, he had more leisure for social life than many a business man enjoys and he gained a large circle of friends in Columbia. His success in a business way was derived entirely through his energy, his industry, determination and diligence and his history illustrates what may be accomplished by close application and honorable purpose.
Source: History of Marion County, Iowa and its People, Vol II, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1915, page 180.
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March 20, 1881
Columbia, Marion County, Iowa
Marriage of B. L. Parsons to Salina Williams***
Salina Quillen Williams Parsons
Born 25 April 1827
Died 2 Sep 1917http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=par&GSiman=1&GScid=267482&GRid=54844364&
Marion Queries maintained by Allen Hibbard.
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