Polk County ArArchives Biographies.....Park, T. A. 1873 - 
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Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

REV. T. A. PARK.
    Rev. T. A. Park, a minister of the Presbyterian church, now engaged in
preaching the gospel at Mena, was born in Greeneville, Tennessee, in October,
1873, and comes of Irish ancestry. His grandfather, James Blair Park, was born
in Ireland and was but four years of age when brought to the United States by
his parents, who settled on what became known as the old Park homestead near
Greeneville, Tennessee. There James B. Park was reared and became a farmer,
devoting his entire life to agricultural pursuits and his was the proud boast
that he had assisted in raising eighty-four crops of corn. He died on the old
home place at the age of eighty-eight years. His son, Robert D. Park, was born
on the farm and in young manhood entered the Presbyterian ministry, devoting his
efforts to the work of preaching the gospel for a number of years. He was a
graduate of the Union and Jefferson College near Knoxville, Tennessee, and
afterward spent four years as president of that institution of learning. He also
became the owner of farm property near Greeneville, Tennessee, his son, T. A.
Park, being a partner with him in the ownership of that property. The father
gave his political endorsement to the democratic party and he served as a
chaplain in the Federal army during the Civil war. He wedded Mary Ann Alexander,
who was also born in the vicinity of Greeneville, Tennessee, and was a graduate
of a young ladies' college at McMinnville, that state. Her father was Thomas
Alexander, who became one of the pioneers of Tennessee, where he owned a good
farm property, spending the major part of his life thereon. He was of Scotch
lineage. To Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Park there were born five children, four of
whom are living: Mrs. S. B. White, whose husband is a merchant of Johnson City,
Tennessee; J. B., a farmer living at Tusculum, Tennessee; T. A., of this review;
and Roy D., who occupies the old homestead farm near Greeneville, which his
father had formerly owned.

    T. A. Park obtained his early education in the schools of Tusculum,
Tennessee, completing his high school work there, after which he pursued a
theological course at the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tennessee, and was
graduated with the class of 1902. Ordained to the ministry of the Presbyterian
church he entered upon pastoral duties at Mason, Tennessee, where he engaged in
preaching for seven years. In 1909 he came to Mena, where he has remained, so
that he has had hut two charges. He has done splendid work in the church, both
congregations growing under his administration and guidance, while his labors
are constituting a forceful element in the moral progress of this community.

    In 1906 Rev. Mr. Park was married to Miss Annie Jean Whitten, who was born
in Covington, Tennessee, and supplemented her early education by a year's study
in the Normal School at Knoxville, Tennessee, while for a year she also studied
at Nashville. She is a daughter of J. C. Whitten, a native of Lynchburg,
Virginia, who in his boyhood days removed to Covington, Tennessee, and later
entered mercantile circles there. He was reared by Major Morgan, his uncle. By
his second marriage he had four children and by a previous marriage there were
two children: Mrs. B. B. Goodman, whose husband is a traveling salesman at
Memphis, Tennessee; and Mrs. J. K. Marshall of Murfreeshoro, Tennessee, whose
husband is a professor in a college. The children born of Mr. Whitten's second
marriage are: J. G. Whitten, who now edits a paper at Greenwood, Arkansas; Mrs.
T. A. Park; Mrs. H. M. Euart of England, Arkansas, where her husband is engaged
in the lumber business; and K. H., an electrician of Jackson, Tennessee, who
married Miss Hollan Greene, a native of Covington, Tennessee, and a daughter of
J. U. Greene, who was a colonel under General Forrest in the Confederate army.

    Rev. Mr. Park is a member of the Masonic fraternity and both he and his wife
are connected with the Order of the Eastern Star. He also belonged to the
Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and in politics
he has always given his allegiance to the democratic party. He has served on the
board of health in Mena and is now a scoutmaster. His wife taught school in
western Tennessee and was principal of the Mena high school during two years of
the World war—1917 and 1918. Like her husband she is most actively interested in
the work of the church and as pastor of the Presbyterian church at Mena Rev. Mr.
Park is contributing in notable measure to the moral development of the
community, taking active part in fixing the standards of right and wrong as
enunciated in Biblical teachings. A man of most earnest purpose, his labors are
far-reaching and resultant and Mena is largely indebted to him for the advanced
standards of living which many of her citizens follow.


Additional Comments:

Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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