James W. Parks born 25 June 1815 in Franklin County,
GA married Sarah Frances Newton of
Hall County,
GA 15 October 1833 probably in
Hall County although I can't find where they were married. Sarah was born in 1816 in SC. James was a farmer, as well as a Methodist preacher. He spent about 50 years in
Forsyth County,
GA.
In the Southern Christian Advocate on 8 December 1864 is found: Cumming Cr., Ga. Conf- The Rev. J. W. Parks, L. P., writes: " As our P. E. and preacher have been refugees for some months, I write you. The
Lord has not forsaken us. We had no preaching for some months, as there was so much horse stealing, and there were two small raids of Yankees--one on the Southern and the other on the Western border of the circuit. In viewing our condition, I appointed two days' meets at three Churches, and we had a gracious time. There have been about 30 conversions and 19 joined the Church. The members are greatly blessed."
They had eight children who were William
Asbury, Nancy Elizabeth, Isaac Glenn,
Sallie V., Mary C., Henry H., Willis
Bascom and Martha G.
The first born was Wiliam
Asbury on 23 September 1834 near Florence
Alabama. James, as far as I can tell, spent his entire life in
GA except for a short time when William
Asbury was born. The best guess I have is that it had to do with a land lottery in
Alabama but I can't confirm this. Wiliam
Asbury grew up in
Forsyth County,
GA and was baptized by his uncle Rev. William Justice
Parks, a prominent Methodist minister of the day. William
Asbury taught school at Ebenezer Methodist Church School in
Forsyth County,
GA. He was ordained as a Methodist minister in the late 1850s.
He was chaplain for the 52th
Georgia Regiment. It in the early part of the war he was with a Texas unit as chaplain with whom he was captured at Vicksburg, MS and paroled. Later he was chaplain for the
Georgia legislature.
He married Annie Dismukes Moore of Caroll County,
GA on 11 November 1865. They had five children. Their son Marvin McTyeire was a well regarded president of what is now
Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville,
GA. One daughter Sarah married Rev. T. C. Betterton and daughter Carrie married Rev. Luke G. Johnson. Carrie was very well known in Methodist circles especially when it came to missions.
On the 1870 census, he, Annie and daughter Carrie are living with her parents in
Carroll County where he is listed as agent for bible society. By 1880 they have had their five children and he is presiding elder in
Dalton. From census records Annie had six children but only five were living at the time of the census. In the History of Lumpkin County is found the following: Noted Conference Chaplain Pastor Here. 12/21/1894. "The newly appointed pastor of the Methodist church, Rev. W. A. Parks, arrived in Dahlonega last Friday and preached his first sermon last Sabbath to an unusually large congregation. Mr. Parks was chaplain of the Fifty-Second
Georgia Regiment, and several of the old soldiers who used to walk by his side in the time of battle came out to hear their old comrade preach."
He wrote a number of articles for the Southern Christian Advocate, which is a Methodist weekly.
He died at the home of son-in-law Rev. Luke G. Johnson in Gainesville,
GA on 24 June 1910. He and Annie are buried in the Whitesburg City Cemetery in
Carroll County,
GA.
Child number two was Nancy Elizabeth born in 1840. She married Sgt. James Matt
Hughes on 28 April 1864. He was First Sergeant, Company F, and 3rd
Georgia Cavalry. J. M. would later become a Methodist minister and seems to spent his life in
Forsyth County,
GA. He was very involved with Ebenezer Methodist Church. They are buried at Ebenezer Methodist Church.
Number three was Isaac Glenn born 28 August 1841. He like all the children grew up in
Forsyth County. Isaac mustered in for three years or the war on March 3, 1862 in Athens,
GA. He was a member of Capt. Ritch's Cavalry Co. (Co. B
Georgia Troopers), Cobb's
Georgia Legion. ( Cobb's Legion
Georgia Volunteers was organized in August, 1861, as the
Georgia Legion and consisted of an infantry battalion of seven companies and a cavalry battalion of four companies.) He apparently surrendered at
Augusta,
GA and was paroled there on May 18, 1865.
He was in the North
Georgia Methodist Conference in 1870 and 1873. He was in the Los Angeles Conference in 1874 serving in the Santa Barbara area. He returned to the NGMC in 1875 and served until his death.
He published at least two articles in the SCA. They were titled "Two Revivals" and "Ocmulgee Circuit., N. GA conf." Both were published in 1876.
Isaac married Jimmie Tarver of
Whitfield County,
GA in
Whitfield County on 9 October 1877 by Rev. Alexander M. Thigpen, presiding elder of the
Dalton Circuit.
Their son,
Luther was born in 1879. On the 1880 census Isaac, Jimmie and
Luther are living in Merriwether County with Harriet Wiliams. Isaac is listed as Methodist minister.
Isaac died while presiding elder of the DeKalb Circuit. A death notice I found reads: "6/14/1885. Mr. Parks, Residence Webster St., Decatur, A member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Leaves wife and child."
Isaac is buried next to his mother and father in the Ebenezer Methodist Church cemetery. In addition to his dates, his tombstone reads "13 years member North
Georgia Conference. The seal of thine house has eaten me up. Ps. LXI.9."
For child number 4,my information about
Sallie is sketchy but I think she was born after Isaac. Sallied married Dr. Irby H. Harrison in December 1865. On the1870 census they are listed as living in Newton County,
GA with children Geroge H. ,3, and Caroline H., 2. Sallie is listed as Sarah on the same census. From the 25 January 1871 issue of the Southern Christian Advocate: "Very suddenly in Oxford,
GA December 31,1870 little Carrie, only daughter of Dr. Irby H. and
Sallie V. Harrison , age 2 years 11 months."
Sallie must have died in the 70s as in 1880 I. H. is married to Mary A. and they are living in Dublin,
GA with children George H. ,12, Joe. L ,9, Pauline ,6, and Charles, 5. In the History of
Laurens County it mentions that I. H. came to
Laurens County in the late 70s.
James W. and Sarah's fifth child was Mary C. From History of
Forsyth County,
Georgia Volume II by Garland C. Bagley. Page 705
Under the heading on Ebenezer Methodist church is found:
"Tribute of Respect to
Sister Mary C. Hughes (
Parks)
Sister Mary C. Hughes (
Parks) was born in
Georgia, August 16, 1848, and died at her home in
Forsyth County,
GA., April 22, 1891. She was the daughter of Rev. J. W. Parks and was married Dec. 21, 1882. Sister
Hughes was converted when quite young and joined the church and was actively engaged in the progress of Christianity till her death, being a schoolteacher and ever cherishing the religion of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was very true and faithful to her church and God and died triumphantly, not withstanding, and she was afflicted nearly all of her life. As a wife she was kind and as a mother loving and gentle and was loved by all who knew her.
Whereas, it has pleased our Heavenly Father to take our Sister and teacher from the fields of labor to the land of rest and joy.
Resolution 1. That we duly mourn our loss and miss the influence of her whose devotions to, and interest in the salvation of souls.
Resolution 2. That we truly sympathize with her husband and children.
Resolution 3. That copy of these resolutions be placed upon our records."
Mary married John Renneau
Hughes 24 Dec 1882. That had one daughter Annie Elizabeth.
The next born was Henry H. in 1851. He married Vesta McDavid in 1880 in
Georgia. They were in
Coweta County,
GA in 1880. From a couple of articles I found about
Coweta County, he was active in the community supporting youth and prohibition. In 1880 he owned over a hundred acres, so, my guess is he had been there several years before that. They were in Tillman County,OK in 1910 and had two children.
Surprise! Twins! Children 7 and 8, Willis
Bascom and Martha G. were born in July 1853. Willis became a medical doctor having studied in
Georgia and Missouri. He practiced medicine in
Fulton County,
GA. He married Annie L. White in
Fulton County on May 6, 1886. Willis and Annie had one daughter, Sarah. Willis died in 1914. I don't know anything about Martha yet.
Can anyone add to the above?