Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

aid's visitations that the oldest known
Parsons of record was John Parsons, of
Cuddington, A. D., 1284. In the roll of
possessions in the Abbey of Malmesbury
is the name of William le Parsons, in
1307.
(I) Cornet Joseph Parsons, the ances-
tor of the family, sailed from Gravesend,
England, July 4, 1635, in the "Transport."
He was a son of Sir Thomas Parsons, of
Great Milton. He was among the follow-
ers of William Pynchon's colony of
planters who settled in Agawam, now
Springfield, Massachusetts, in the spring
of 1636. On July 15th of the same year
his name appears on a deed of cession
from the Indians of the Connecticut Val-
ley to Pynchon's company. Joseph Parsons
was a man of considerable importance
in the Colony, and in 1642 was one
of the founders of the new plantation at
Northampton, and one of the first pur-
chasers of land from the Indians there in
1645. He was a fur trader and had the
sole right of barter and traffic in furs in
the valley, for which right he paid annu-
ally the sum of twelve pounds. He accumulated
a large estate in land and
goods. He married, November 26, 1646,
Mary Bliss, daughter of Thomas and
Margaret (Ford) Bliss, of Hartford. Cor-
net Joseph Parsons died October 9, 1683.
(II) Samuel Parsons, son of Cornet
Joseph and Mary (Bliss) Parsons, was
born in Springfield, Massachusetts, January
23, 1652. In 1709 he removed from
Northampton to Durham, Connecticut.
He married (second) about 1691, Rhoda
Taylor, daughter of Robert and Thank-
ful (Woodward) Taylor.
(III) Ithamar Parsons, son of Samuel
and Rhoda (Taylor) Parsons, was born
in Northampton, Massachusetts, June 9,
1707, and died in Durham, Connecticut,
June 21, 1786. The Christian name of
his wife was Sarah.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
87
(IV) Nathan Parsons, son of Ithamar
and Sarah Parsons, was born September
23, 1744, baptized September 30, 1744, and
died June 23, 1785. He married Sarah
Bancroft, baptized May 27, 1744, daughter
of Samuel Bancroft, first settler and
patriarch of Granville, Massachusetts.
He was a son of Nathaniel and Ruth Bancroft,
and his wife was Sarah (White)
Bancroft. Nathan Parsons removed to
Granville about 1760.
(VI) Levi Parsons, son of Nathan and
Sarah (Bancroft) Parsons, was born
March 8, 1788, and died in 1866. From
the year he was eight until he reached
fifteen years of age he lived with his
grandfather, Ithamar Parsons. He married
Abigail Ward.
(VI) William Henry Parsons, son of
Levi and Abigail (Ward) Parsons, was
born in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, Au-
gust 27, 1812, and died April 5, 1898. Although
his educational opportunities were
rather poor, Mr. Parsons never lost an
opportunity to increase his fund of knowl-
edge through observation and extensive
reading. He was one of the best known
men of his community, active in all pub-
lic measures and a high type of citizen.
His early years were spent on the home
farm, assisting his father, who was engaged
in blacksmithing as well as farm-
ing. On April 1, 1833, he went to Collins-
ville, where he bound himself to the Col-
lins Company as apprentice for three
years. On September 10, 1834, this agreement
was dissolved owing to the failure
of the company, and Mr. Parsons took
advantage of the chance to rest and re-
cuperate from a breakdown in his health.
In April, 1835. he took up the selling of
silverware ; he carried two tin trunks on
his shoulders and sold from house to
house, continuing in this line of work for
four and one-half years. In April, 1840,
he returned to farm life again, living on