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From: "Mike Cosner" <>
Subject: JAMES PARKS, SR., LEADING PIONEER CITIZEN, TELLS HIS OWN LIFE'S STORY (UNCLE JIMMY LIVED TO BE 1011/2) - Source: "THE ELLETTSVILLE STORY 1837-1987" page 13-14
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1999 19:48:11 -0500


Hi All,

I promised several of you a copy of the very interesting autobiography of
James Parks Sr. (Sep 26, 1781 near Yadkin River, Wilks Co, NC -- Apr 4, 1883
IN) who was the son of Rev War soldier George Parks (1759-1837) buried in
the Presbyterian Cemetery, Ellettsville, Richland Twp, Monroe Co, IN.

Thought I'd provide to all.

Enjoy,
Mike Cosner
Fairfax, VA

JAMES PARKS, SR., LEADING PIONEER CITIZEN, TELLS HIS OWN LIFE'S STORY
(UNCLE JIMMY LIVED TO BE 1011/2)
Source: "THE ELLETTSVILLE STORY 1837-1987" page 13-14

(Editor's note: The following autobiography was dictated by James Parks,
Sr., at the age of ninety-seven to Jonathan Ray, an early Ellettsville
school teacher and principal. It appeared in one of the Ellettsville
newspapers during the late 1870s.)

I was born in Wilks County, North Carolina, near the Yadkin River, September
26th, 1781. My grandfather, John Parks, moved from Virginia to this place
before the Revolutionary War, but how long before I do not know. My
grandfather was of Irish descent, and my grandmother of Dutch. They raised
to be men and women 14 children; 7 boys and 7 girls.

My father, George was raised and married in the same settlement. My mother's
maiden name was Milly Davis. They had 6 children; all lived to have families
except one. I lived in that neighborhood until I was 15 years old, when my
father, with his family, moved to Burk County, North Carolina. I lived with
my father, until I was about 25 years of age, when I married Nancy Moore on
the 30th of November, 1806. We settled and lived in Burk County for several
years. We had 10 children, all of whom lived to be men and women except two.
Nancy, my wife, died June 26th, 1828, and I married Frances Kendrick August
27th, 1830. By her I had one son, James.

Now for some of the incidents of my early life. Commence 90 years ago, just
after the close of the Revolutionary War. I remembered grandfather had a
roan horse. He went for his horse one morning, to find that he had been
stolen. Great lamentations followed, but a few mornings afterwards the old
horse stood at the gate well rigged out with new saddle and bridle -- all
complete.

When grandfather's property was sold, after his death a family of his slaves
were exposed for sale, which, by his will I , were not to be sold out of the
family. That was humane in those days. Father bought a boy named Moses, and
he and I were raised together. The people of those days were thrown upon
their own resources. No labor saving machinery. All came out of the
ground -- both eating and wearing. The men would raise cotton and flax; the
women would card, spin and weave clothing for themselves and children. They
had dresses of different colors and stripes. They got their colors from
indigo of their own raising, cooperas and various kinds of blossoms. The
first calico dress I ever saw, father bought for my sister, then about 16
years old. He gave a three year-old steer for six yards, which completed the
dress! I suppose if the ladies nowadays were confined to six yards for a
dress, they would think it rather tight.

Education was quite limited. Our school house was made of round logs, with a
dirt floor. Split logs with legs put in served for seats. Large cracks were
left to admit the light. Our books consisted of, first, a primer, then
Dike's spelling book, the Dillworths, then Webster's first edition completed
one list of spelling books. Our first reader was called a Psalter, some old
English concern, then the Testament and Bible. These completed our reading
books. No grammar, geography, or history, was in use that I ever heard of
till my education was completed. I learned to cipher as far as the rule of
three and some in fractions; could write a tolerable hand, and was
considered a fair scholar for those days. Our school house was also used for
a church. When young people walked to meeting together, the girls would tie
their shoes and stockings in their handkerchief, and carry them on their arm
until within sight of the church, when they would put them on, and go
marching up in style. (We boys were spared that trouble, from the fact we
had none!) The girls' dress in winter was of woolen goods called linsey, in
summer, cotton stripe. Boys' dress for winter was buckskin breeches and
shoes, no boots. The custom was for almost every farmer to tan his own
leather, and make shoes for himself and his family. Our diet was hog and
hominy for breakfast, vegetables for dinner and a hearth full of roasted
sweet potatoes for supper. Sugar and coffee only for special occasions.
Fruit abundant. Peach brandy and honey tolerably plenty. Whiskey scarce.
There were few drunkards. No doctors or lawyers. I never saw either, that I
know of, until I was 15 years old.

Soon after the War of 1812, when things had somewhat settled, my father and
family with enough others to make a right smart colony, concluded to
emigrate to some new country.

The Territory of Indiana was the place chosen, and we landed in Lawrence
County, on the east fork of White River, October 1815. The land was not yet
in market, but was surveyed off ready to be sold. We chose our lots, and
settled on them, built our cabins, and cleaned a considerable amount of
land. As the sale was to come off the next season at Jeffersonville, a dozen
or more of us went down. The land was to be sold to the highest bidder. When
the sale took place a man by the name of Bulslitt, had a longer pole than
ours, and "knocked the persimmons," sweeping the entire, settlement. Not the
first man saved his land or improvements. So we marched home, feeling as if
we had lost a friend. I had about eight acres cleared, surrounded by a good
fence. The part of the Territory where we now live did not come into market
until the next summer, so we concluded to make another trial. So we moved
and again selected our lots. The next sale took place at Vincennes in
October 1816. By this time we became acquainted with fever and ague. I was
the only one able to attend the sale, and I took chills while there. I
purchased for nearly the entire colony; about a dozen lots in all I . After
the sale, we went that winter and built cabins on our lots, and cleared some
ground. I got in about six acres of fine corn, which was our sole dependence
for the year. But lo, in October there came a frost, which bit the last ear!
(so with the whole settlement) Then we were in a fix. We had no mills to
grind our corn, so we were compelled to pound it into meal . There was one
hand mill in the settlement. But the corn was so soft, it would neither beat
or grind, until it was kiln-dried. I made a scaffold up in the chimney and
dried mine; then I had my choice, to go a mile to the hand mill, or to pound
it. Many a time I have worked hard all day, and at night taking one-half
bushel of corn to the hand mill and ground it.

I had myself, wife and five children to feed. That would be thought pretty
hard these times. Nevertheless, we never suffered from hunger. I was
considered a good shot. In a few hours I could bring in venison or turkey.
We also had plenty of milk and butter. So we passed through the season
safely. When we first moved here, Delaware and Pottawatomie Indians were
plentiful. They were quite friendly, and would often come with their squaws
and papooses to stay all night with us. They had a trading house within a
half mile of where I now live. In early days, we had grand times at log
rollings. When we got our ground ready for rolling, we would invite our
neighbors to the frolic. Choosing our captains, they would in turn choose
their hands, and at it, we would go. If ever you saw logs come together it
was about that time. Before we commenced work , we had to take a little of
the "critter!" It is not worth while to say we did not feel what we drank,
for that was what we drank it for! We had none who might be called
drunkards, but such a gathering nowadays might all be counted as drunkards.
Such was the custom of the country at that time. Oh, what a thing custom is
when rightly considered, whether good or bad.

The year after we moved to the Territory, delegates were elected for the
purpose of forming a State constitution. Counties were then laid off and
established. Before Monroe County was organized an election was ordered to
choose three Commissioners, a Clerk and a Sheriff. B. Woodward, Michael
Buskirk and myself were elected Commissioners. We proceeded to organize the
county. We purchased a half section of land where the Court House now
stands. We laid off the public square, and had a court house and jail built
thereon. Lots were surveyed and sold bringing a considerable revenue. We
were now ready to hold court, and the county machinery ready for action. It
now became necessary to have a school commissioner. I offered my services
and was elected.

In order to put the school in operation, it became my duty to sell all the
16th sections to the highest bidder. By this means a large fund was raised,
and the school placed upon a firm basis (I have to make long strides on
account of my records being burned up.) In the year 1832 1 offered for the
legislature (lower house), and was elected. I served my time at $2 per day;
and boarded myself. Finding that there was not much money in such warfare,
and perhaps less credit, I would not offer anymore. Some years afterward, I
was elected school commissioner for the county. At the expiration of my term
of office, I retired from public life. (I never was beaten for any office I
offered for.)

The first President I ever voted for was Thomas Jefferson for his second
term of office. I have been a straight forward Democrat ever since, voted
for all the candidates for office except Greely. I thought the Democrats got
off the track there and I would not follow him. I have lived on the farm
where I now live, sixty-two years. I have been the ancestor of 11 children,
56 grandchildren, 80 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
Thus, being at this time the representative of five generations.

I joined the Baptist church in North Carolina about the year of 1807. 1 was
one of! the charter members of Old Vernal church, the first congregation
organized in this county, Monroe, and was deacon of the church for quite a
number of years.

I have endeavored to live peaceably with all men, and to live in accordance
with the will of my heavenly Master, to the best of my knowledge. I have
fought the good fight, have almost run my race, and am now, patiently,
waiting for the good Lord to call me home, where there is a heavenly mansion
prepared for me not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

James Parks

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