Columbus "Lum" Parsons

Notes:

Lynell Cordell emailed in April, 2006 that "I may have found Columbus with his parents. In 1860 he was 6 years old with William and Margaret Parsons in Hickory Co. MO. In 1870 he was 18 years old with William and Margaret in Lincoln Co. MO. William and Margaret and more children were still in Lincoln Co. in 1880. Since Pike Co. is next door to Lincoln Co., and if William and Margaret are Lum's parents, then it's possible that Lum and Jennie lived near them during the years between 1880 and 1900 but I'm just wondering where the info came from. This was the only Columbus I found and I tried searching for Parson and Lum and every combination I could think of so I think it's probably him. Makes me wonder what he was doing in Texas in the first place."

Ken Harvey writes that he was known as Uncle Lum. He facinated the younger generation by being able to hold a pencil between his nose and his chin.

Lynell Cordell recalls that after his wife died, Lum lived with his brother-in-law, James Edwin Gentry, in Stephens Couty. Harold Gentry, a great-nephew, repeated a story that his Uncle Lum told about living in Missouri during the Civil War. His father was with the Union forces and Confederate soldiers would regularly stop by their home asking where his father was. One day, as Lum was on his way to the mill with a sack of corn the Confederates stopped him and asked again where his father was. When Lum wouldn't tell them anything, they took his sack of corn and slowly poured it out on the ground as they rode along.

His death certificate showed him as widowed, with an address of Duncan, Oklahoma. He died of benin prostatic hypertrophy with acute urinary retintion. He was buried at Fairlawn, probably in Grady County, Oklahoma. He was shown as being buried at the Fairlawn Cemetery, but Charles Strong was unable to find verification of this after personally visiting this cemetery. Even after consulting the cemetery records, a burial spot was not located.

(Research):

Census Listings:

Lynell also found the following census listings for Lum and Jennie.

Living with Johnson family on 1880 census.
1880 Census Wise Co. TX Pg. 226
Columbus PARSONS Self M Male W 26 MO Farmer MO MO
Jennie PARSONS Wife M Female W 22 MO Keeping House (VA) (VA)
~~~~~~~~~~
1900 census Pickens Co., Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory ED 163 Pg. 289B
Twp. 1NR5W
218/221 Parsons, Columbus, head, WM, March 1854, 46, M-20, MO KY MO FARMER
Virginia, wife, W F, JAN 1855, 45, M-20, 5/5 children, MO -- TN
Charles, son, WM, July 1881, 18, TX MO MO
William H., son, WM, Jan. 1884, 16, MO MO MO
Edwin Malcolm, son, WM, Sept.1887, 12, MO MO MO
Edwin Roy, son, WM, Sept. 1887, 12, MO MO MO
Arthur George, son, WM, Nov. 1891, 8, MO MO MO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1910 census Grady Co. OK ED 90 Pg. 14A
Amber Twp.
185/187 Parsons, Lum, head, MW, 54, M 32, MO KY MO
Virginia, wife, FW, 50, M 32, 6/5 children, MO KY VA
Edwin M., son, MW, 22, MO
Edgar R., son, MW, 22, MO
George, son, MW, 19, MO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 census Oklahoma Co. OK ED 113 Pg. 34B
132/136 Parsons, Columbus, Head, MW, 65, M, MO MO MO
Virginia, wife, FW, 60, M, MO KY TN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1925 City Directory Page 563
Parsons, Columbus (Virginia) farmer r1520 E. 34th
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1930 census Oklahoma Co. OK ED 55-156 Pg. 164B
1630 E. 24th (address is hard to read)
18/19
Parsons, Lum, head, MW, 76, M, age when first married 25, MO MO MO
Virginia E., wife, FW, 72, M, age when first married

Columbus married Virginia E. "Jennie" Gentry in 1878. Virginia (daughter of John Melton Gentry and Pamelia C Harpole) was born in Jun 1859 in Missouri; died after 1930 in Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Lynell writes that his middle name is uncertain. He might be either Charles Ralph or Charles W. She found the family listed as follows in 1910:

1910 census Grady Co. OK ED 75 Pg 123A
Chicksha twp. 1126 So. 9th St.
163/166
Parsons, Charles W., head, MW, 29 M1 6, TX MO MO
Mattie L., wife, FW, 23, M1 6, SC SC SC
Lucille, dau., FW, 5, TX TX SC

Charles married Mattie Lou Jones on 5 Jun 1904 in Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma. Mattie was born on 22 Jan 1887; died on 12 Nov 1977 in Oklahoma; was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Unsure this is William Hardy.
1910 census Grady Co. OK ED 90 Pg. 28B
Amber twp.
173/175 Powel, Sarah, head, FW, 56, AR - TX Boarding house
Walter, son, MW, 2?, OK MO AR
Minnie, dau., FW, 18, OK MO AR
Ava, dau., FW, 16, OK MO AR
?b?Parsons, Hardy, boarder, MW, 25, S, MO - -
Early or Easly, ?, boarder, MW, 39, S, MS OH MO
Headrick, Joe, boarder, MW, 25, S, KS NB, IA
No idea if this is the same person in 1918 but the birth date is about the same.
WWI Draft Registration - 1918
Name: Hardy Parsons
City: Oklahoma City
County: Oklahoma
State: Oklahoma
Birth Date: 07 Jan 1884
Race: White
Roll: 1851895
DraftBoard: 2
Occupation: Brakeman for Frisco RR, Oklahoma City, OK
Next of kin: Mrs. Della Parsons, 719 1/2 Cal, Oklahoma City, OK
Brown eyes, black hair





1920 Census Oklahoma Co. OK ED 153 Pg. 9B
Prect. 14 - Oklahoma City
719 1/2 West California
74/195 Parsons, Hardy, head, MW, 36, M, MO MO TX
Della B., wife, FW, 26, M. OK TN TN
Evelyn E., dau., FW, 8, OK MO OK
Elizabeth E., dau., FW, 6 3/12, OK MO OK
(Above courtesy of Lynell Cordell)

Notes:

Duncan Weekly Banner - September 2, 1910 News of the death of Malcolm Parsons, at Amber, Okla., after an illness of only five days with typhoid fever, was received in this city this week. He was a son of Lum Parsons, a former citizen of Velma, this county. Malcolm was a big stout young fellow, aged twenty-three years and esteemed by all who knew him. Announcement of his death was received here with genuine regret.

(Transcription courtesy of Lynell Cordell)

Notes:

Known as Roy. Lynell Cordell found the information copied below:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Name: Edgar Ray Parsons
City: Chickasha
County: Grady
State: Oklahoma
Birthplace: Ashley, Missouri; United States of America
Birth Date: 28 Sep 1887
Race: A huge letter C is on top of this line (Colored? Caucasian?)
Occupation: Produce Truck Driver for Morrison Parsons Produce, Chickasha, OK
Dependents: Wife and Baby
Tall height, Medium build
Brown eyes, black hair
Roll: 1851777
DraftBoard: 1
~~~~~~~~~~~
This may be Roy and Maggie in 1930:
1930 census Oklahoma Co. OK ED 55-154 Pg. 165A
3300 Prospect St.
32/34 Parsons, Ray E., head, MW, 43, M, age when first married 19, MO MO TX
Margaret A ., wife, 37, M, age when first married 19, AR TX AR
~~~~~~~~~
SSDI - EDGAR PARSONS 28 Sep 1887 Jan 1976 73107 (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, OK) (none specified) 441-01-0222 Oklahoma

Edgar married Maggie Wright Seibert on 5 Jun 1912. Maggie was born about 1893 in Arkansas; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He was known as George. Lynell Cordell supplied the information below:

WWI Draft Registration - 1917
Name: Arthur George Persons
City: Chickasha
County: Grady
State: Oklahoma
Birthplace: Pike Co. Missouri
Birth Date: 19 Nov 1891
Race: Caucasian
Roll: 1851777
DraftBoard: 1
Occupation: Salesman of ?
Employer: J.P. Wolverton(?), Chickasha, OK
Dependent: Wife
Do you claim exemption from draft: Ruptured and ? eye
Brown eyes, dark hair
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1920 census Grady Co. OK ED 172 Pg. 9B
Chicksha City, 1609 Minnesota Ave.
908/908/ Parsons, George, Head, MW, 28, M, MO MO TX
Pearl, wife, FW, 24, M, MO MO MO
George, Jr., son, MW, 1 6/12, OK MO MO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1925 City Directory Page 563
Parsons, A. Geo. (Eunice) parts dept. Fred Jones-Ford Dealer r. 1209 W. Park pl
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1930 census Oklahoma Co. OK ED 55-84 Pg. 272 A
Oklahoma City
1209 West Park Place
105/134 Parsons, George, head, MW, 37, M, age when first married 23, MO MO MO
Pearl, wife, FW, 33, M, age when first married 19, MO MO MO
George, Jr., son, MW, 12, OK MO MO
Bobby, son, MW, 3 ?/12, OK MO MO
~~~~~~~~~~~~
SSDI - ARTHUR PARSONS 19 Nov 1891 Jul 1966 73112 (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, OK) (none specified) 440-05-0991 Oklahoma
SSDI - PEARL PARSONS 05 Nov 1895 Jan 1987 71295 (Winnsboro, Franklin, LA) (none specified) 442-64-8761 Oklahoma


He was living, with his wife and young son, on Minnesota Avenue, Grady County, Oklahoma in 1920.

1920 census in Grady Co. OK - Pg. 9B 908/908

Parsons, George 28, MO MO TX Pearl, 24, MO MO MO George Jr., 1 6/12, OK

Per the SSDI:

ARTHUR PARSONS 19 Nov 1891 Jul 1966 73112 (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, OK) (none specified) 440-05-0991 Oklahoma

Arthur married Eunice Pearl Bain about 1917. Eunice was born on 5 Nov 1895 in Trenton, Grundy County, Missouri; died in Jan 1987 in Franklin Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Military marker, inscribed with a cross and "2nd Lt US Army"

Linked ot Olivette Parsons-Mondie, Beloved Wife, 9 July 1925-24 Oct 1997.