Page County, Iowa: Parslow family

Parslow Family of Canada and Clarinda, Iowa
from Jean Spearin, Burlington, Ontario, Canada : spearin@cogeco.ca

Some of my relatives moved from the village of Harrietsville, North Dorchester Township, Middlesex County, Ontario to the Clarinda and Shenandoah area in the late 1860's to 1880. In your documents I see the name of one of them....Henry Edmond PARSLOW. Harry had a younger brother, John Gibson PARSLOW who lived in Shenandoah.

I shall attach two pictures which may be of interest to you. Ellen Mahon and her husband, William Henry Jelly, are my great grandparents. Each had Irish born parents but Ellen and William were born in what is now the province of Ontario, Canada. Ellen Mahon, 1839 - 1919, is a younger sister of Hannah Mahon Parslow who emigrated from Ontario to Clarinda, Iowa. If you wish to see and read about William Parslow, son of Hannah Mahon Parslow, he can be googled at WILLIAM PARSLOW AND CALGARY.

One set of my 2x great grandparents were Samuel MAHON 1795 - 1875 Jane GIBSON 1802 - 1882 each was born in Ireland...do not know which county they married in Ireland...likely in a Church of Ireland...do not know when or where they had 7 children of whom some were born in Ireland before they emigrated Samuel may have served in the army in Ireland or he may have come to Canada as a soldier of the Crown...or both likely they left Ireland in the mid 1830's not sure where all they lived in the province of Ontario but likely always in the London area 1856 - 1860 they rented a log house near the village of Harrietsville, ON from Cornelius RICKARD and Jane HENDY RICKARD who are also 2x great grandparents of mine MAHONS may have lived in the city of London for awhile both Samuel and his wife, Jane, died at the home of their son, William MAHON, in Adelaide Twp., Middlesex County, ON both Samuel and Jane are buried in Poplar Hill, Lobo Twp., Middlesex County, ON., west of London. They never lived there but lots of people from miles around are buried there. Children of Samuel Mahon and Jane Gibson the correct order of birth is not known.... most likely William and Ann, at least, were born in Ireland William MAHON, born Dec. 19, 1831 in Ireland...died in 1916 m. Araminta DEMARAY Ann MAHON m. James SMITH John MAHON m. ? SPRING Margaret MAHON known as Mag or Maggie...spinster Hannah MAHON m. Abraham PARSLOW Susan MAHON m. ( Charles) CORBISHLEY...they moved to Michigan Ellen MAHON born circa 1839 - 1919 m. William Henry JELLY 1833 - 1924...they are my great grandparents Hannah MAHON PARSLOW (1834) - 1885 unknown date of birth circa 1834 not sure if born in Ireland or in Canada...records say both married Abraham PARSLOW not known when or where this took place in Ontario...maybe early 1850's may have lived in the Chatham area for awhile as son, Will, was born there they likely farmed in the Harrietsville area and attended St. John's Anglican Church there.....the church records show the family on the roll Abraham died young...likely 1867 to 1869 after Abraham's death Hannah with all her children except William moved to the state of Iowa. Son William moved to western Canada and eventually settled in the city of Calgary, Alberta not known why the Parlow family left Canada nor why they chose Iowa Hannah's death record says she was 51 years old, 10 months, 5 days born in Canada died on March 27, 1885 had had consumption for 4 years burial in the CLARINDA Cemetery, Nodaway Twp., Page County, Iowa Clarinda, Iowa now approx 5,420 pop in Nodaway Twp., Page County known for meat products close to the Missouri state line 80 miles from Des Moines 50 miles from Omaha, Nebraska Children of Hannah MAHON and Abraham PARSLOW Henry Edmond PARSLOW known as Harry 1855 - 1921 Monrovia, Ca William Mahon PARSLOW known as Will and Bill 1856 - 1939 John Gibson PARSLOW known as Jack 1857 - 1948 California Charles PARSLOW known as Charley (1864) - 1944 Clearfield, Ia Margaret Jane PARSLOW known as Jenny or Jennie 1867 - 1941 Buried Clarinda, Ia Henry Edmund PARSLOW born in Middlesex County, Ontario to Abraham Parslow and Hannah Mahon died Nov. 10, 1921, LOS ANGELES, CA Harry taught school for a year and a half while in Ontario when very young, perhaps as a teenager arrived in Clarinda, Iowa on Sept. 3, 1875 admitted to the bar in June, 1879 practiced law in Clarinda..local attorney for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company, city attorney and vice president of the Clarinda National Bank. in 1880 Harry living in CLARINDA, Page Co., Iowa in 1895 Harry still living in CLARINDA 1910 and 1920 in NODAWAY, Page, Iowa also lived in SHENANDOAH, Iowa for awhile due to ill health Harry and his wife, Anna, moved to California married 2x wife #1 Mary L. WARREN...maybe May rather than Mary from Wisconsin do not know when or where married May died on April 12, 1892 in 1892 she had been a resident of Iowa for 10 years died of an internal haemorrhage or heart problems age 25 years, 3 months, 2 days burial in CLARINDA, Iowa no children wife #2 Anna BURROWS, of Clarinda, daughter of John P. BURROWS, druggist in Clarinda Anna was born around 1870 in Iowa Anna's father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother in Indiana her father later retired to Los Angeles, California Harry married Anna in the 1890's...unknown date or place in records of 1910 and 1920 Harry and Anna were living in NODAWAY, Page Co., Iowa in 1920 they were living in a rented house there Harry and Anna had a daughter, Dorothy M. PARSLOW who was born on May 4, 1898 in Iowa Dorothy was still single in 1920 Dorothy lived with her mother in San Diego for awhile before she married Dorothy later married Harold K. RUMBAUGH and they lived at 3026 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA which was their address in 1932 Dorothy later lived in San Diego where she died on August 8, 1990. Her social insurance number was 554016155 Dorothy corresponded with her first cousin, Marjorie PARSLOW KIDNEY, of Calgary, Alberta. Marjorie was about 2 years older than Anna

Hannah's second child was William Mahon PARSLOW 1856 - 1939 son of Hannah and Abraham called Will by the family and Bill by friends not known why he did not go with his mother and siblings to Iowa after his father died his cemetery stone gives his dates as 1856 - 1939 confirmed at St. John's Anglican Church, HARRIETSVIILE, ON on Oct. 17, 1875, age 15..so the record said may have worked at a cheese factory in Ontario...maybe near Ingersoll...maybe the Harrietsviille Cheese factory also lived right in the village of BLYTHE, ON at one point married Margaret PEPPER, 1859 - 1931...married her perhaps in WATFORD, ON in Brandon, Manitoba briefly homesteaded outside REGINA at Long Lake, 1880's referred to Regina as the Pile of Bones hauled supplies to the columns of militia engaged against Riel and the Metis during the North West Rebellion left the REGINA area as fire destroyed his crops...headed for CALGARY in 1886 in CALGARY he sold Massey Harris machinery and had a livery stable was associated with the Alberta Stablea and the Frontier Stables first elected to Calgary City Council in 1894...was a councillor on and off till 1909 raised horses. One of his colts won the Charter Oak at Harford, Connecticut, the oldest stake in the USA raised purebred Herefords 1908 to 1925 active curler attended the Pro Cathedral in Calgary William did return to Ontario to visit relatives and also went to see his siblings in Iowa his wife died in 1931 with burial in Union Cemetery Will died in August of 1939 in Calgary his burial was in Union Cemetery William PARSLOW and Margaret PEPPER PARSLOW lived at the corner of 5th Ave and 3rd Street SE 352 12th Ave SW 127 Scarboro Ave in CALGARY Children of William Mahon PARSLOW and Margaret PEPPER PARSLOW Ethel May PARSLOW likely baptized in BLYTHE, ON 15 years older than her younger sister, Marjorie she married John McNEILL in the Pro Cathedral, CALGARY Isaac Vernon PARSLOW known as Vernon or Vern born on Aug. 11, 1881 in CALGARY 7 years older than sister, Marjorie m. Florence NELSON in Sept. (26), 1912 in the PRO Cathedral, CALGARY Vernon had a firm of PARSLOW and DENOMAT at the CALGARY stockyards Beatrice Louise PARSLOW b. March 12, 1883 or 1884 near REGINA married and had a family died of TB on Dec. 15, 1924 burial in Union Cemetery, CALGARY Harry Havelock PARSLOW b. Jan.23, 1885 or 1886 born near Regina lived most of his life in CALGARY in #131 Battalion...later maybe in another unit a Private single killed in the front line on June 4, 1918 at Ypres is mentioned on a stone in Union Cemetery, Calgary Marjorie PARSLOW I corresponded with her older sister, May, died young...May had 3 children by William Thomas KIDNEY who was born in Toronto later Marjorie married William Thomas KIDNEY in St. Stephen's Anglican Church, in 1931, CALGARY Marjorie and William had no children William had a general store in BANKHEAD, AB...and later in FIELD, BC and GLEICHIN (sp?) later he travelled for Smiles and Chuckles Candy when he married Marjorie they had a small apple orchard in BC Wm. T KIDNEY died on Dec. 29, 1961 in Calgary ..he was buried in Union Cemetery as were several other relatives lived at 1213 Bowness Rd., CALGARY P2N 3J6 also in Union Cemetery, Calgary are Helen Marion PARSLOW, died Dec. 6, 1899 age 7 months, 13 days and Charles Earl PARSLOW, died Sept. 27, 1901 age 7 months. I do not know who the parents of these two babies were. John Gibson PARSLOW 1857 - 1948 son of Hannah and Abraham known as Jack born on January 3, 1857, likely in the London, ON area occupation...veterinarian....may have trained in Canada in 1909 an article in the Calgary Herald said that H.E PARSLOW, lawyer of Clarinda, Iowa and J.G. PARSLOW, veterinay surgeon of Iowa, brothers of ex- councillor William PARSLOW, were coming to Calgary. They were going with a view of investing in Alberta property. Not known if they did. may have owned a section of land in Alberta lived in SHENANDOAH, Iowa for awhile moved to California to be with his brother, Harry Jack lived in MONROVIA and SAN DIEGO, CA and I guess LA Jack died on Jan. 10, 1948 in LA married 2x wife #1 Emma JONES of SHENANDOAH, Iowa she died young, likely in Iowa wife #2 Grace ALDEN, a widow ALDEN likely her maiden name....not sure of this Jack may have died before his second wife no children with either wife Charles PARSLOW son of Hannah and Abraham known as Charley born 1858 to 1864 in the London area moved to Iowa after the death of his father 1920...had a spouse, Iva, and owned his own home in Grant township, Taylor County, Iowa occupation..merchant...no details known also lived in CLEARWATER or CLEARFIELD, Iowa likely had no children not known when or where he died nor details of burial Margaret Jane PARSLOW 1867 - 1941 daughter of Hannah and Abraham known as Jenny or Jennie born on Dec. 29, 1867 in the London, ON area baptized on March 23, 1875 at the home of her aunt and uncle, Wm. Henry JELLY and Ellen MAHON JELLY near Mossley, ON...this may have been on a trip home after settling in Iowa. Record of this baptism was kept by St. John's Anglican Church, Harrietsville. This church ceased to operate in the 1920s. married George Lender MOORE...no details as to when and where they lived in NEWMARKET, Iowa do not seem to have had children Jenny died on July 29, 1941 in NEWMARKET, Iowa on her death record it stated that her father was Abraham PARSLOW Jenny was born in London, Canada she died of arteriosclerosis age 73 years 6 months 27 days George MOORE died on July 22, 1958, in St. Joseph, Missouri Jenny and George are buried in the CLARINDA Cemetery, Page County, Iowa Some of the above dates don't seem to match up

In Harrietsville St. John's Anglican Church which the Parslows belonged to was torn down decades ago. The churchyard fell into a terrible state and back 30 years or so ago the remnants of tombstones were imbedded in cement. I am fairly certain that there is one Parslow stone there so I shall take a look. It could be that Hannah's husband, Abraham Parslow, may be buried there and possibly the 6 th child who is mentioned in the article which you just sent to me. Years ago another source mentioned that there had been a 6th child who I assume died quite young. As one of Hannah's known children seems to have been born near or in the city of Chatham, Ontario perhaps Abraham or the young child may be buried in that area rather than in the London area. Harrietsville has always been a tiny village. I think it never has had a population of more than 200 souls. My dad grew up in Harrrietsville and several relatives still live there. At present its only church is Harrietsville United Church formerly Methodist until across Canada in 1925 the Methodists, Presbyterians and Congregationalists united to form the United Church of Canada. I have also attached a picture of my grandfather, Richard Joseph "Dick" Jelly, 1867 - 1949 who was a nephew of Hannah Mahon Parlow and a first cousin of Harry, Charles, Jenny, Will and Jack Parslow. Dick Jelly was a veterinarian as was his son, George, and my first cousin Jerry Jelly so I have three generations of them and now I learn that one of the Parslows was a vet as well. I have seen just a bit of your state. The previously mentioned Jerry Jelly lives in Peoria, Illinois and we have made many visits to him there.

Here is an old newspaper article on the village of Harrietsville, Ontario where the Parslows lived before they moved to Iowa. The Harrietsville Cheese Factory is mentioned in the article. It was built in 1866 - 1867 by my great grandfather, Robert Facey. At the time it was said that it was the largest cheese factory in the world. One of the Parslow boys may have worked at it before emigrating to Iowa.

Attestation Papers for Harry H Parslow of Calgary, Alberta He was a son of William Mahon Parslow. He was a nephew of Jack, Harry, Charley and Jenny of Iowa and a grandson of Hannah Mahon Parslow who died and is buried in Clarinda, Iowa.. Harry died at Ypres, Belgium in 1918.