John PARISH (PARRISH)

                   D-Will of John Parish dated 10 May 1843, will made at Forth Ann, Wash.,N.Y.
Bur-Will probated 16 Nov 1843
Sources:Archives Gen. Soc.,Will of Jaohn Parrish Sr. at Salem,Wash.,N.Y.,
Will of John Parish Jr. Watertown, N.Y., Bk. 1, p.
Will William Parish Bk G p 315 Salem, Wash, N.Y.
Rev. Pension File of John Parish Sr., History of Wash. Co. #4821 p.310,
TIB & Archives of Gen. Soc. SLC
Hist. of Jefferson,Co.p.471
Joel bur. Oak Hill Cem, Nashua, Iowa. from Dr. J.G. Parrish
REF: Will of Nathan Parish Watertown BK A-p 193
Troops Furnished to U.S. by Brownville, N.Y. P 215- James Parrish, son of James
and Fanny Dexter Parrish
N.Y. Gen & Bio Recd. V 46 p 278. (William)
Cemetery Inscription - Ft. Ann Cemetery

John and Ruth Parish lived and were buried in Parish Cemetery, Pamelia, New York.

History of Jefferson County, New York, p. 471:
       The Parrish family are of English extraction, the original ancestor having come from England previous to the was of the Rev.  In 1793 John Parrish who was a revolutionary soldier settled in Washington County, New York.  His son, John Parrish was born in Col. Co. in June 1777.  He lived with his father who was a farmer until he was 23 years of age, at which time he married Miss Ruth Farr, who was a native of Mass., where she was born in 1783.
       In the spring of 1803 he left his home in Ft. Ann., Washington County, New York for Jefferson County to locate upon his purchase previously made of 60 acres of big lot No. 4 in the town of Pamelia.  He started with his family which consisted of his wife and 2 children, his household goods and 2 yoke of oxen constituting his worldly effects.  Fifteen days were occupied in making the journey.  His location was a very fortunate one, as there is today no better farm in the town.  Here his family were born, excepting the two eldest, and here he lived and died.
       Mr. Parrish was a successful farmer and a great hunter.  He was a very active and zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and his house was the rendevous for all the itinerant Methodist Ministers of the circuit.  He was a consistent member of the masonic fraternity in the early days of that order.  He was a thorough, energetic business man and his name was a synonym for honor and integrity wherever known.  Genial, whole sculed, (?) no one loved a joke better than he, and no one possessed to a greater extent the faculty of making everyone about him happy.
       In Dec. 1842 his wife died in her 59th year.  she was the mother of 10 children, 2 of whom died in infancy.

Old Watertown and Vicinity in Pictures:
       One of Jefferson County's earliest pioneer settlers was John Parrish, who took up a large farm in the town of Pamelia in 1803.  Mr. Parrish, distantly related to George Parish of Ogdensburg, was born in Columbia County in June, 1777, son of John Parrish, a Revolutionary soldier.
       The Jefferson County settler married Ruth Farr, a native of Massachusetts, and together they left their home in Fort Ann, Washington County for the 60 acres purchased in the town of Pamelia.  There John Parrish became a successful farmer and noted hunter as. . . as a . . .Methodish Episcopal church. . .
       Among their ten children was John L. Parrish, born May 1, 1819.
(PIcture taken in 1960 shown in Watertown Daily Times No. 505, John L. Parrish with his wife and five children.)

Will of John Parish Jr. Watertown, N.Y., Bk. 1, p. 271-4;
DAR #185581, #164204; #63500
Randall Genealogy Family Bible of John Lyman Parish (Pamelia)
Records from Temple Baptisms Gen. Soc Bk., p. 51, 71, 76; Bk 2 Ge p. 292-308


WILL OF JOHN PARISH, Watertown, Jefferson, New York (Book I, p. 271-274):
      John Parish:  In the name of God: I John Parish of the town of Pamelia, Jeff. Co. State of NY, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and memory, etc - do make and declare this my last will and testament: the following my said estate consists of a bond and mortgage upon my former homestead consisting of abt. 132 acres of land etc - thereunto belonging deed by me to my youngest son, John L. Parish on the 1st da of Mar. 1847 etc -
       I hereby give and bequeath unto all my children and their heirs; except the said John L. Parish and his heirs, etc -
       Son, Warren F. Parish
       Dau., Minerva, deceased, former wife of William N. Hodgkins
       Son, Chester Parish
       My dau., Sally w/o Ira J. Patten
       Son, Rice Parish
       Dau., Elizabeth w/o Chester Swan
       and my dau. Melissa w/o Samuel I. Brooks
       My youngest son John L. Parish
       2nd. -
       My daus., aforesaid to wit: Sally, Elizabeth and Hanna Melissa
       I do hereby appoint my three sons to wit: Warren F. Parrish, Chester Parrish, Rice Parrish, sole executors -
       Signed 25 da Sept 1847    John Parish
       etc -
       1st da Oct 1847
       F. Keith of Brownville, NY
       J. Bonney Jr. Pamelia, NY


JOHN PARISH'S ESTATE:
       Apr 22 - 1850

       Be it remember that on the 2 da march A.D. 1850, Chester Parish of the town of Pamelia, Rice Parish of the Town of Watertown, Jeff. Co., NY., etc--
       John Parish late of the Town of Theresa, etc- named Warren Parish & said Chester Parish & Rice Parish, executors thereof, that the said John Parish at the time of his death left him surviving the following named heirs at law next of kin, and none other viz:
       Chester Parish & John L. Parish of Pamelia and Melissa Brooks w/o Thompson Brooks, Elizabeth Swan w/o Chester Swan of Theresa and Rice Parish of Watertown, NY.  Warren F. Parish of Mendon, Co. of Monroe, Sarah Patten w/o Ira J. Patten, res. Vorce, Wis. and Wm. N. Hodgkins formerly husband of Minerva Hodgkins, now deceased and the following named children of Minerva- Henry Hodgkins, Louisa Hodgkins, of full age, and Martha Jane Hodgkins, Ellen Hodgkins, Anson Hodgkins, Melissa Hodgkins and Warren Hodgkins minors, having no general guardian in this state, and all residing at South Grove, Wis. etc.-

Chester and Rice Parish, executors, etc-
Recorded 22 da. Apr. 1850 10 o'clock
Wit. F. Keith and Josiah Bonney Jr.


OLD PARRISH HOME ON PERCH LAKE ROAD (Watertown Newspaper):

       The Parrish family was among the early settlers of the own of Pamelia, and the old Parrish home and farm on the Perch Lake Road in the upper part of the town is one of the most picturesque ones in those confines.  Owned by Mrs. Alice Shimel Reese, who with her husband, the late George A. Reese formerly of the town of Theresa, purchased it Feb. 1907, it is maintained in good order.  Mr. and Mrs. Reese acquired it from Mrs. Scott W. (Diana B. Parrish) Blodgett, then of this city.  The farm consists of 183.05 acres.
       Built of native limestone obtained on the property about 111 years ago, the eleven-room house of simple Georgian colonial architecture is neat and attractive.  The rooms are low and the interior doors display the witches' cross in their construction.  There is one fireplace.  Upon the farm is an excellent sugar bush and for many years John L. Parrish, who was a prominent farmer and cattle dealer as well as justice of the peace, operated a limburger cheese factory with a capacity of 40,000 pounds a year.  Son of John and Ruth Farr Parrish, John L. Parrish was born in Pamelia May 1, 1819 and in 1841 married Eliza Ann, daughter of Ruel and Margaret Randall, early Rutland settlers.  She was born Feb. 19, 1819.
       The Parrish family emigrated from England to new England long before the American Revolution.  In 1793 John Parrish, a Revolutionary soldier and grandfather of John l. Parish, settled in Washington County, new York.  His son John, Jr., father of John L. was born in Columbia County in June 1777 and resided on the farm with his father until he was 23, when he was married to Ruth Farr.
       Ruth Farr, native of Massachusetts, was born in July, 1783.  In the spring of 1803 she and her husband, John Parrish, left their home at Fort Ann and located in Pamelia where he had previously bought 60 acres of wilderness.  With their two small children, all their worldly goods and two ox teams, they made their way here, erected a log cabin and resided in it for several years.
       On October 8, 1833 this John Parrish purchased of Washington and Stephanie Coster of New York City through attorney Samuel C. Kanady for $977.11 an acreage of 132.72, which formed the main part of the property now owned by Mrs. Reese.  Upon this he erected his stone house where he brought up eight of his ten children.  On Feb. 26, 1847 he sold the property to his son, John L. Parrish for $3000.  From his brother, Chester Parrish, John L. Parrish acquired an additional tract of 36.3 acres, and another of 11.75 acres for $1,300.  These two plots were part of land bought by John Parrish Nov. 1, 1838 from Abraham Varrick and willed by John to his son, Chester.  On March 5, 1858, John L. Parrish bought another 3.55 acres for $100 from Rufus W. Keith making a total of 181.32 acres in the farm.  Al of this with the exception of .37 of an acre, which embraces the Parrish family cemetery, was bought by Mr. and Mrs. Reese from mrs. Blodgett for $7,000 in 1907.