Russell Parrett
One of the highly respected farmers of a past generation in Jefferson township, Fayette county, Ohio, was the late Russell Parrett. whose whole life was spent within the county where he was born. He was not only interested in the material prosperity of his county, but took an active part in church work, and was always interested in everything pertaining to the educational welfare of his township and county as well. He was a man of high ideals, strict integrity and great earnestness of purpose. and in everything he did he held duty conscientiously before him. He was charitable to the faults of his neighbors, exhibited a kindly disposition towards everyone with whom he came in contact and was always willing to help those less fortunate than himself.
The late Russell Parrett was born in Jefferson township. Fayette county, Ohio, and died in the county where he was born on July 26. 1905. He was the son of Joseph and Rebecca (Fansher ) Parrett, both of whom were born in Cooke county, Tennessee. The Parrett family originally came from Virginia to Tennessee, and subsequently to Fayette county, Ohio. Joseph Parrett was married before leaving Tennessee, and upon coming to this county early in its history entered a tract of government land where he lived the remainder of his days. The early education of Russell Parrett was received in the district schools, and all of the education he acquired was received in these schools. He has a fine farm of eighty acres, which he acquired after his marriage in 1855, but he did not confine all of his attention to his own farming. He bought and sold live stock practically all of his life and made a marked success of this kind of work. He was considered one of the best judges of live stock in the county, and so well established was his reputation that he had no difficulty in securing the best stock in the county for his shipments. He was honest in all of his business transactions and thereby gained the confidence of all with whom he had any business dealings.
Mr. Parrett was married March 23, 1865. to Rebecca Carley. who was born in September. 1845, in Clermont county. Ohio, near Batavia. and was the daughter of Elijah and Margaret (Wiley) Carley. To this union were born six children, Montress. Homer, Alberta. Blanche, Emma and Albert R. Two of these children are married. Homer and Blanche. Homer married Louisa Griffith and has three children. Edith, Russell and Anna F. Blanche married Arthur Parrett. Alberta is deceased, while the other three children are still single and living in this county.
The parents of Mrs. Parrett came from the state of Vermont to Ohio. Elijah Carley was the son of Elijah and Agnes (Graham) Carley. Mrs. Parrett was one of nine children born to her parents. the others being as follows: Caroline. Frank. Emma, Albert, Locke, Warren, Clayton and Orla. All of these children are now deceased with the exception of Rebecca, the widow of Mr. Parrett. and Clayton and Orla.
Mr. Parrett was a member of the Methodist Protestant church and took a deep interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of his denomination. Educational matters attracted him from the fact partly that he had such limited education in his boyhood days. He served on the school board of his township for many years and favored any measure which he felt might improve the schools in any way. Mr. Parrett was truly one of the representative citizens of his day and generation and when he passed away the county lost one of its worthiest citizens.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)