Nelson Jackson Parr
 

Those who have no personal knowledge of agriculture appear to judge the farmer by the isolated cases of incompetency and take his frivolous achievements, consider him incapable of comprehending his own problems, and, unconscious of his possibilities, regard him as a public ward, to be assisted but not consulted. That sort of thing has been going on ever since civilization began and will continue until the end of time. The delinquent we will always have with us, and likewise the frivolous, the indulgent and the enthusiast, but those who would assist the farmer must turn from them and co-operate with the bone and sinew of agriculture. One of the farmers of Marion township, Boone county, who has shown himself to be capable of going it alone, without either assistance or advice, and at the same time competent to encourage others in his calling is Nelson Jackson Parr.

Mr. Parr was born in the above named township and county September 19, 1869. He is a son of Jacob and Amand (Cromwell) Parr, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Clay county, Indiana. The grandparents, Jacob and Lucinda (Webb) Parr, were also natives of Tennessee, while the maternal grandparents, Oliver and Nancy (Biby) Cromwell, were natives of Kentucky. The Parr's were among the pioneer settlers of Boone county, Indiana, and the Cromwell's were among the earliest to locate in Clay county, Indiana, living to see the country develop from the wilderness. And in the last named county the parents of our subject were married, January 21, 1854, soon thereafter removing to the present Parr farm in Marion township, Boone county. Jacob Parr owned at one time three hundred and sixty acres in one body, and on this he placed most of the improvements, cleared the timber, ditched and fenced the fields, erected new buildings, etc., and he became a prosperous farmer and stock raiser. His death occurred June 21, 1887. His widow has since resided on the homestead, and is now advanced in years. To these parents the following children were born: Jacob O., of Sheridan, Indiana; Elizabeth I., who married Jerome Barker, is now deceased; Amand J. is the wife of Benjamin Brindel, of Marion, Nebraska; Sarah E. died in infancy; Cordella is the wife of Lincoln Johns, of Colfax, Indiana; Etta is the wife of J. W. Shelby, of Lebanon, Indiana; Nelson J., of this review; Ida is the wife of Arthur Baker, of Marion, Nebraska; Maggie, who married William Nicholson, is deceased.

Nelson J. Parr grew to manhood on the home farm and he received a common school education. When a young man he took up farming for a livelihood and this has continued to be his vocation, having always resided with his mother, and is the owner of one hundred and twelve and one-half acres of the home place, which he has kept well improved and under a high state of cultivation, carrying on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of Duroc-Jersey hogs.

Mr. Parr was married March 4, 1891, to Lizzie Thistlethwaite, a native of Sheridan, Indiana, where she grew to womanhood and was educated in the public schools. To this union two children were born, Lester and Lowell, both at home. The wife and mother passed away January 5, 1897. Mr. Parr was again married December 27, 1899, to Olive Simms, who was born in Marion township, Boone county, where she was reared and educated. She is a daughter of Judson and Mary Jane Simms. One daughter has been born to this second union, Amanda Pauline.

Politically, Mr. Parr is a Democrat; fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 176, at Sheridan; Modern Woodmen of America, No. 6708, at Sheridan, and Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, also at Sheridan. Mr. Parr was elected treasurer of Boone county, November 5, 1914, by a handsome majority.

Submitted by: Amy K. Davis
Source: "History of Boone County, Indiana," by Hon. L. M. Crist, 1914