Lawson A. Parrett
There is no group of men to whom greater gratitude is due from the world at large than those who fought for their country in the dark days of the sixties, These patriotic, sacrificing citizens who left their firesides and enrolled to fight for their country's flag that this might be a united nation cannot be accorded too much honor. They fought to establish forever on this continent the self-evident truth that "all men are created free and equal," and with the fall of Robert E. Lee in the spring of 1865 there passed from this country the blackest stain which has ever figured in its history. Fayette county. Ohio, furnished hundreds of brave men for this struggle, and among them is Lawson A. Parrett, a life-long resident of this county, a public-spirited citizen and a man who is greatly beloved by all who know him.
Lawson A. Parrett, the son of Isaac F. and Mary Ann (Keplinger) Parrett, was born at Parrett Station in Jefferson township, this county, November 10, 1841. His father was a son of Joseph J. and Rebecca (Fansher) Parrett, and was born near Knoxville, Tennessee. Isaac Parrett came to Fayette county, Ohio, when he was one year old with his parents and lived in this county the remainder of his days. Joseph J. Parrett was in the War of 1812, and his wife's father, Isaac Fansher. was a soldier of the Revolutionary War from the state of Virginia. Joseph J. Parrett, familiarly known to his friends as "Tennessee Joe." was one of the first settlers in Fayette county and a man who took a prominent part in its early history. Isaac Parrett and wife were the parents of five children, Mrs. Rebecca J. Allen, Noah B., Lawson A., Mrs. Caroline Welton and Mrs. Susan Welton.
Lawson A. Parrett attended the rude log school house in his home neighborhood and finished his education at a select school at Spring Grove, securing the best education which was possible in his day. As a youth he worked on the farm and at a time when farm labor meant the hardest kind of work. At the early age of twenty he enlisted in the Civil War and served throughout that memorable struggle. He enlisted at Washington C. H., December 29, 1861, with the Twelfth Regiment of United States Infantry, and was assigned to duty in Company A, with Thomas Anderson as captain. He was captured on June 2, 1864, at Cold Harbor, Virginia, and placed in Libby prison, where he remained for fifteen days. He was then transferred with a number of other prisoners to Andersonville, Georgia, where he remained for three months, when he was taken to Charleston, South Carolina, where he stayed two weeks, and later taken to Florence, in that state, where he was incarcerated when paroled. He fought in a large number of the severest engagements of the war, among them being Cedar Mountain, Bull Run. Antietam. Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Bethesda Church and several others. His last battle was the battle of Cold Harbor, where he was captured. His record appears remarkable when it is known that he participated in forty-eight different battles and skirmishes before he was finally captured.
Immediately after the close of the war Mr. Parrett returned to Fayette county, and upon his marriage, in 1866, began to farm in Wayne township, where he has since lived. He has retired from active farm life after a successful career of over half a century and is now living quietly in his handsome country home in Wayne township.
Mr. Parrett was married on Christmas day, 1866, to Jennie Campbell, the daughter of Lenox and Rebecca (Johnson) Campbell. Mrs. Parrett's father was born in Alexandria, Maryland, and served for two years during the Civil War as a member of the First Ohio Cavalry. Lenox Campbell was a son of James Campbell, a soldier of the Revolutionary War and a native of Scotland, who resided in Maryland. To Lenox Campbell and wife were born eight children, Jennie, Charles, Laura, William, Emma. Marietta, Jessie and Frank. All of these children are still living except William and Emma.
Mr. Parrett and wife have reared a family of seven children to lives of usefulness and honor, Stella, Hallie, Laura, Roy and Ert, Ethel and an infant, deceased. Stella is the wife of C. C. Parrett and has one son. Gale; Hallie is the wife of Charles Durnell and has three children, Sara, Byron and Frank; of these, Sara married S. Giffer and has one daughter, Ruth, the only greatgrandchild of Mr. Parrett and wife; Laura married J. B. York and has two children, Mortimer and Maurine; Roy married Mabel Rogers and has two children, Roger and Genevieve; Erk is married to Chloe Free and has three children, Malcolm, Samuel and Donald; Ethel married Charles Goen and has one son. Dwight.
Mrs. Parrett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Parrett is a Republican and has been casting his ballot for the candidates of this party for over a half century. He has always been more or less interested in local politics and at the present time is trustee of Wayne township, discharging the duties of this responsible posiion in a manner which reflects credit upon himself.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)