- Index
- Dedication
- About the Author
- Hobert L. Townsend
- Preface
- Description of the County
- Origin of the County
- Decaturville
- Photographs
- Antiquities
- Photographs
- Early Roads and Basic Occupations
- Photographs
- Religion and the People
- Photographs
- Decatur County Schools
- Photographs
- Medical Professions
- Photographs
- News Papers
- Towns
- Photographs (Part 1)
- Photographs (Part 2)
- Civic and Other Clubs
- Photographs
- Early Decatur County Families
- Photographs
- Wars
- Photographs
- Taylor Alexander Family
- Generation of Meshack Bailey
- The Cleamon Bawcum Family
- The Bawcum History
- Dr. B. M. Brooks
- Generation of Joseph Byrd
- Isaac "Ike" Cotham History
- William Bird Dodson
- William Herschel & Marie Wilson Cox
- Jonothan Duck Family
- Family of Isaac Lewis Gibson
- John William Columbus Gibson and Mary Ila Haywood
- Emanuel Gibson Family
- G. Hobert Goff
- Sam Hays' Lineage
- Robert (Bob) Hays Lineage
- Henry Hendrix (Hendricks)
- John Lucky Houston Family
- The Houston Family
- Kennie Kimbrough Houston
- Doctor Jennings Family History
- Thomas Pleas Lafferty - Ethel Leona Thompson
- History of Lancaster's
- John F. Lipscomb
- Abraham M. Leasure
- The Long Family
- The Luton Family
- John McIllwain Family
- McMillan Family Sketch
- McMurry Family
- C. V. Maxwell
- George Washington Maxwell Family
- Mrs. Eliza Ann Gullege Maxwell
- W. S. Maxwell
- Miller History
- Nathaniel Moore
- Moore Family
- C. A. Palmer
- A History of the Parsons Family
- History of George W. Partin
- Martha Baugus Powers History
- Charlie W. Pratt
- Thomas, Phillip and George Reed
- James Floyd Rogers
- The Shannons
- Micajah "Cager" Scott History
- Strawn (Straughn) Families
- William Stout Family
- Family of Thomas Davis Stout
- George W. Tate
- Joseph Bailey Taylor and Margaret (Maggie) Isabelle Middleton
- Tinker Family
- The Tolley Famly
- The Townsend Family
- Mr. And Mrs. Max L. Townsend Family
- J. P. Troutt Family
- History of Eli Michael Vise Family
- J. B. and Frances Jackson Welch History
- James Reynolds Wyatt
- Yarbro-Jennings History
- The Yarbro Family
- John Garrett and Leora Keeton Yarbro
- Younger-Washburn-White Family
From Lillye Younger, The History of Decatur County Past and Present (Southhaven,
MS: Carter Printing Company, 1978).
Special thanks to Constance Collett for permission to make these web pages.
In Memory of Lillye Washburn Younger 1912-1998.
A HISTORY OF THE PARSONS FAMILY
Chapter XIV
Clarence Parsons
James Franklin Parsons 1863 - 1961.
Great Nephew of Dr. John Parsons
The Parsons' are of English ancestry. Two of the first to immigrate to America was Joseph and Benjamin Parsons. They came to this country about 1636. In 1634, their father, Sir Thomas Parsons, was knighted by King Charles I. Both Joseph and Benjamin settled in or around Springfield, Mass. and their descendents migrated to Virginia and North Carolina. About 1840 these Parsons' descendents came to Tennessee and settled in Middle Tennessee (Bedford County) and west Tennessee (Decatur and Henderson Counties). The three brothers who came from Randolph County, North Carolina were: George Parsons, II, William "Billy" Parsons, and Dr. John Parsons.
George Parsons settled in or near Shelbyville, Tenn. and many of his descendents still live there.
William Parsons lived in Henderson and Decatur Counties and was a farmer.
Dr. John Parsons also settled in these two counties, living in what is now known as Parsons, Tenn., and practiced medicine here in this area for about 50 years. Dr. Parsons owned several pieces of land at one time or another, and according to the records in the State Archives in Nashville, owned 300 acres north of railroad track in Parsons. This railroad, built in the 1880's, ran from Memphis to Perryville. The officials of this, the Tennessee Midland Railroad, honored Dr. Parsons by naming the town of Parsons, Tennessee for him.
The Parsons' have been farmers, educators and professional men. One of these is Joe Parsons, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Parsons of Scotts Hill. Joe is Dean of Men and Chairman of the Math Dept. of The University of North Carolina at Asheville and is married to the former Martha Elizabeth (Betty) Davis, a direct descendent of Jefferson Davis.
Most Parsons' descendents were not very prolific and as is often the case, many re-located in other counties and states after they were grown. These facts make it somewhat difficult to trace parts of the family history.
The only direct descendent of Dr. John Parsons who still resides in Parsons, Tennessee is James Ralph Parsons.
[Note: The remainder of this sketch has an outline/column style. It has been scanned as images for convenience.]
