LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

The Republican Centennial Edition, Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa
Thursday, July 12, 1956, Section Two, Page 17
Transcribed by Shirley Plumb, June 30, 2019

PARISH PRODUCE & HATCHERY

     On Labor Day of 1922, E. E. Parish and son, Clovis, came to Morning Sun from the “Show Me” state. After operating a produce business there for two weeks, they moved to Wapello. There they were joined by son and brother, Raymond, and formed the Parish Produce Company.

     They handled eggs, cream, poultry and coal in the building now occupied by the Speedee Cleaners. In the spring of 1926 the company moved to its present location and began to deal in poultry and stock feeds. In 1932 the Parish Hatchery began operating with one incubator. At the present time three incubators are in use, each with a capacity of over ten thousand eggs.

     After the death of E. e. Parish in 1937, Clovis became the sole owner of the company. The building and ground west of the library was purchased in 1944. A new cement building was erected in 1948, which is used to store feed and care for poultry.

     Over the years many present and former Wapello residents have been employed at Parish Produce. Mrs. Rex Havenhill, Mrs. Kenneth (Eleanor Allensworth) Thornton, Mrs. August Otto and Mrs. Genevieve Irelan have served as bookkeepers, Vern Thomas, Henry Meyerholz, Earl Eversmeyer, Rex Havenhill August Otto and Dale Callahan have been employed at various times. At present Charles Syphrit and Jim Paris are buy assisting Clovis in making Parish Produce one of the progressive and friendly business places in Wapello serving the surrounding community.

     Parish Produce handles all the best known products that are available, such as, Carbola – the disinfectant white paint; Klein – the K-line of poultry and livestock equipment; Stonemo granite grit; Miller line of chemicals and Burpee complete line of garden seeds.

     When we asked Clovis Parish how he liked being in the same business for thirty four years he modestly replied, “I am just very thankful to all our customers that have come to our doors all of these 34 years. Our friendly service would not have been possible without the loyal help of the many employees which have served us throughout all these year.”