ENOS PARRISH

Enos Parrish. Of the many prominent farmers and old settlers of Ottawa County, Mich., Mr. Parrish is well worthy of mention, for he has resided in this section nearly all his life, and has ever had its interests at heart. A product of the Empire State, born July 26, 1827, he is the youngest child living of seven born to Eli and Elizabeth (Lathrop) Parrish, natives of Maryland. This worthy couple were married I n their native State, but subsequently moved to New York, where they remained until 1836, and then came to Michigan, settling in Wayne County. They were among the very first settlers, and Mr. Parrish followed farming until 1850, when he came to Polkton Township, Ottawa County, and again was among the pioneers. His wife had passed away in Wayne County on 1844, but Mr. Parrish’s death occurred in Ottawa County, after a long and useful career. The seven children born to them were as follows: Atridge, deceased, who was the wife of John Stevison; Orin, deceased, who was a soldier in the rebellion, and died at Nashville in 1864; Edna, widow of Anson Hinman; Joel, deceased, who served in the war with Mexico in 1846, and died in the Lone Star State; Amos, deceased, who was in the rebellion; Elsie, wife of John Dolittle; and Enos, our subject.

The last-named grew to manhood in the newly settled sections of Michigan, and as consequence received only a limited education. When twenty years of age he was filled with a patriotic desire to aid the Old Flag, and he joined Company K, Third Regiment United States Dragoons (Cavalry) and fought in the war with Mexico in 1846, participating in all the major engagements down to the capture of the city of Mexico, in which in which he took part. He was with Gen. Kearney when he made the charge on the city gates, and was one of the first to approach the gates. Here the United States dragoons were repulsed and Gen. Kearney got his arm broken. After the capture of the city Mr. Parrish was in only a few skirmishes with guerrillas. In the spring of 1848 he left Mexico for home, via New Orleans and St. Louis, and was discharged at Jefferson Barracks, at the last named City. Reaching home in August, he worked by the month in Wayne and other counties of Michigan, but finally settled in Polkton Township, Ottawa County, where he had located his land warrant, received for service during the Mexican War.

He had opened up and improved his farm in a great many ways at the breaking out of the Rebellion, and in the month of December, 1863, he joined Company E, of the First Michigan Light Artillery, which was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, but participated only in the battle of Nashville, and a few skirmishes. He was neither wounded nor captured during the Mexican and Civil Wars, although he was under fire in this country and Mexico fifty or more times. On 31 July, 1865, he was discharged at Jackson, Mich. After coming home he continued to reside in Polkton Township until 1868, when he moved onto his present farm, consisting of two hundred and forty acres. It was improved, and to clear it of the heavy timber with which it was covered he engaged in lumbering. He now owns only one hundred acres, but he has sixty acres of this under a fine state of cultivation. He has served as Highway Commissioner for six years, and has held other positions in the township.

Mr. Parrish was married in 1852, to Miss Valeria Wait, a native of Michigan, and daughter of Joseph and Mary (Weeden) Wait, both originally from the Empire State. To Mr. and Mrs. Parrish were born two children: D. W., who lives in Allendale; and Fredora in this county. Mrs. Parrish died in 1856. Two years later Mr. Parrish was married to Miss Harriett Mazuzan, a native of Vermont, and a daughter of Erastus and Amy (Mead) Mazuzan, of French and English extraction respectably. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Mazuzan and named in order of their births as follows: Celia, John (deceased), Harriett, and Julia and Jouliette, deceased. Mrs. Parrish was about seven years og age when her mother died, and her father afterwards married Miss Betsy A. Bailey, who bore him three children, Mary, Paulus and William. After his marriage, Mr. Mazuzan located in the State of New York, and there passed the remainder of his days.

To Mr. and Mrs. Parrish were born five children, as follows: Artema, deceased; John A., who resides in this county; Hattie, wife of Martin H. Brown, who resides in Battle Creek, Mich.; Valeria M., deceased; and Orin L., who resides in this county. Mr. Parrish commenced life poor, and is an example of what can be accomplished by ambitious and intelligent young men, whose only fortune at first consists of good health, energy, integrity and oneness of purpose. He has always been one of the prominent men of the county, and one of the highly respected pioneers. He experienced all the trials and hardships of pioneer life, as when he settled here the nearest store was at Lamont, and only carried a few dollars’ worth of goods, and the nearest mill, was at Berlin. Mr. Parrish is a member of William Thurkettle Post, G. A. R., at Allendale Center, of which he is Quartermaster. Politically, he is a member of the Farmers’ party, or Populists. Mrs. Parrish is a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and two of the children, Mrs. Brown and John, are members of the same.