One of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county is A. H. Parrish, who is engaged in farming four and one-quarter miles northeast of Alluwe. He was born in Coowescoowee district on the 2d of November, 1870, a son of Holland L. and Cynthia J. (Daniel) Parrish, the latter being of Cherokee extraction. The father located in Indian Territory on the 2d of February, 1869, acquiring land one mile south of Coodys Bluff, where he is still residing. He is now seventy-three years of age and enjoying the best of health. Mrs. Parrish was born in Boone county, Arkansas, and died on the 20th of March, 1893, in her forty-third year. Her father, William C. Daniel, was born near Memphis, Tennessee, on November 4, 1822.
A. H. Parrish received his education in the common schools of Coodys Bluff, but he was unable to attend regularly as it was necessary for him to work in order to contribute to the support of the family.
At the age of twenty-two years he left the home farm and moved to his present place of one hundred and seventy acres, four and a quarter miles northeast of Alluwe and four miles southeast of his old home. His home and outbuildings are modern and kept in a good state of repair and besides having eighty acres under cultivation he has fine timber and pasture land.
He raises some of the finest grain in Nowata county and is also interested in stock raising. Oil has been found on the. land in large quantities and eleven producing wells are now in operation. Mr. Parrish is one of the progressive agriculturists of Nowata county and through reading agricultural literature he keeps in constant touch with the improvement that is ever being made along this line.
On the 29th of July, 1894, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Parrish to Miss Maude M. Roberts, a daughter of James Thomas and Lydia (James) Roberts of Nowata, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Parrish was born in Montgomery, Kansas. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Parrish the following children have been born Claude H., twenty-six years of age, who is married and lives near El Dorado, Kansas; Thomas L., twenty-three years of age, who resides near his brother in Kansas; Gracie F., the wife of A. R. Matheson, of Nowata; Irene M., the wife of C. R. Morgan, who is farming land adjoining Mr. Parrish’s; Tressa E., the wife of Harvey H. Cook, living with Mr. Parrish; Marie, who is living at home and is the only survivor of triplets; and Gladys M. and Virginia L., at home.
Since attaining his majority Mr. Parrish has given his political support to the democratic party, having firm belief in its principles as factors in good government. He has served as clerk of the school board in Salt Creek district, No. 47, since 1903, and there is no movement for the development and improvement of the community that seeks his aid in vain.
Fraternally he is identified with the Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is conceded to be an exemplary member of those organizations. A native of Nowata county, he has resided here all his life and his friends are legion. He is rightly entitled to the proud American title of self-made man, for he has attained his present success as the result of intelligently directed efforts, stanch determination and laudable ambition.