Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 837 - 838

C. A. PARSONS, a leading builder and contractor of Wichita, whose portrait we give in connection with the following brief outline of his life, came to the city in 1873, when the place was but an insignificant village of less than 500 inhabitants. He purchased two lots containing little over one acre of ground, on which he erected a board shanty, 12x14 feet in size. It was entirely without lath or plaster. In this he took up his residence, and for four years lived in it as it was. He then improved it, adding largely to it, and from time to time has continued to do so, until now it is a very comfortable and neat dwelling. Since coming here he has always followed his business of building and contracting, and has erected some of the city's finest edifices, giving employment to as high as seventy men at one time.

             Mr. Parsons is a native of Sheffield, Mass., and was born Aug. 23, 1833. He is the son of Henry C. and Eliza (Benedict) Parsons, natives of Massachusetts and Connecticut respectively. They made their home in the old Bay State until 1864, when they removed to Iowa, and settled in Jones County, where they lived until 1882, when the father died, leaving a wife and three children - Charles A., Frank F. and Edith. The mother is still living in Iowa. Having been reared and educated in the town of his birth, the subject of this sketch, in 1849, went to Georgetown, Ohio, and commenced his apprenticeship to the trade of brick and stone mason, as a common laborer. Giving his whole attention to his business, and striving to excel, he soon acquired a considerable insight into the handicraft. In April, 1856, he moved to Iowa, and located at Anamosa, Jones County, where he followed his trade until 1873, when he came to Kansas. On his arrival in Wichita he found that he could not find work enough to keep him employed all the time, and during the intervals between his employment procured considerable sustenance from fish which he caught in the river. Being one of the old settlers of this locality, he has passed through most of the trials of a pioneer life.

             The Wichita of 1873-74 was not the city that it is to-day. Having a scattered population of some 500 people, it was to a considerable extent filled with a rough element. In speaking of those early days Mr. Parsons has remarked that it was nothing unusual to see a man shot upon the streets, the latter being filled with cowboys, who stood with revolvers in their hands ready to fire on the slightest provocation.

             Notwithstanding the inconveniences of a life passed among such stormy scenes, he has lived to see a busy and rapidly growing city of 40,000 inhabitants, where he found but 500 people. The property which he purchased for a small amount on coming here has rapidly risen in value, and he not long since refused an offer of $25,000 for it. Besides his town residence, Mr. Parsons is also the owner of a fine farm of 160 acres in Erie Township, this county, all of which is improved and under cultivation, and on which he has a tenant.

             During the trying days of our country's peril by the armed rebellion of several of the States, Mr. Parsons shouldered his musket and went to the front in its defense. He served three years in the 31st Iowa, and was with that valiant old warrier, Gen. Sherman.

             Bearing in mind the Divine injunction that it is not well for man to dwell alone, Nov. 7, 1857, our subject led to the marriage altar Miss Emily Ackerman, a daughter of Erastus and Annice Ackerman. They were both natives of New York. The father was born in Binghamton and the mother in New York City. Mrs. Emily Parsons was born in Binghamton, N. Y., Sept. 7, 1840, and died in Wichita, Kan., Dec. 17,1877, leaving four children - Clara, Charles, Mattie and Bertha - to mourn their loss with her bereaved husband. Again Mr. Parsons entered the marriage state. June 14, 1880, he was united with Miss Annie Williams, of Hutchinson, Reno Co., Kan., who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 13th of June, 1846. She is the daughter of Lewis and Mary (Olden) Williams, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Ohio, who had come to Kansas in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Williams were the parents of eight children, six of whom are now living, viz: Annie, Mrs. Parsons; Jennie, Laura, Melvin, Minnie and George.

            In politics, Mr. Parsons owes fealty to the Republican party, although not actively engaged as politician. He is a member of the Odd Fellow fraternity, having a present connection with Wichita Lodge No. 93.

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