Edward Ankney Parrett
One of the oldest families in Fayette county is the Parrett family, who have been residents of the county for more than a century. The Parretts came to Fayette county, Ohio, from Tennessee, Joseph J. and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett locating in this county immediately following the close of the War of 1812. Mr. Parrett served in the War of 1812, and among many other privations subsisted at one time for three days on a half pint of meal. Isaac Fansher, the father of Mrs. Joseph J. Parrett. served in the Revolutionary War. Joseph J. Parrett and wife reared a family of nine children, eight sons and one daughter, Isaac, Pleasant. Jackson. David, Frederick, Benjamin, Minerva, Russell and George B. Minerva became the wife of Jesse Allen.
George B. Parrett, the youngest of the children born to Joseph Parrett and wife, was the father of Edward A. Parrett, with whom this narrative deals, and was born in Fayette county, January 19, 1834. He grew to manhood in this county, and was married August 21, 1856, to Amelia A. Bush, the eldest daughter of Daniel and Mary E. (Webster) Bush, of this county. Mrs. Parrett was born September 10, 1835. The Bush family came from North Carolina to Ohio and many of their descendants are still living in this county. George B. Parrett was a very prosperous farmer and owned several hundred acres of land in Madison township. He was an ardent Prohibitionist and preached and practiced the same doctrine. He and his wife were loyal and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They reared a family of twelye children: Euphemia; Estaline, born in 1857, married Harry S. Crow; Edward Ankney, born in 1858, married Francies Taylor; Ella Gazelle, born in 1850, married Dr. Jasper N. Clark; Florence Jane, born in 1861. married J. B. Harrison; Ada Verell, born in 1863, married Evert Harrison: Warren Webster, born in 1864, married Miss Noble; Erie Harlan, born in 1866, married Minnie Pucket ; Alice Gertrude, born in 1868: Noyes Marvin, born in 1871; Dio Ladell. born in 1873; George Clyde, born in 1877; Anna Blanche, born in 1881.
Edward Ankney Parrett, the second cliild born to George B. Parrett and wife, was born December 4, 1858, at Parrett Station. Paint township. He attended the district schools of his home neighborhood and remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-one. He then began farming on the home farm for himself and two years later was married. He now owns a fine farm of one hundred and forty acres one mile north of Madison Mills, his farm being known as the Cherry Dale Stock Farm. He raises large crops of grain and gives particular attention to the breeding of Jersey cattle and Duroc hogs.
Mr. Parrett was married in January, 1881, to Mary F. Taylor, the daughter of Philip and Sarah A. (Bennett) Taylor. The Taylors originally came from Pennsylvania to Ohio and were early settlers in Fayette county. To this marriage have been born five children. Earl, Harvey, Inez, Scott and Etura. Earl married Amelia Michael and has two daughters, Helen and Ruth; Inez is the wife of Charles England and has three children, Ella L., Thomas E. and Parrett; Scott married Euda Beal.
Politically, Mr. Parrett is a member of the Prohibition party, as was his father before him. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and has always been very much interested in the success and welfare of this fraternal organization. He and his family are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and for many years he was a steward in the church.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)