Cassia County, Idaho - Obituary of Rueben C. Parke, 1873 File submitted for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Parke ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Taken from Progressive Men of Southern Idaho, published by A.W. Bowen & Co., 1904, page 862. I have transcribed the text exactly as it was written. Warning: I have found many mistakes in the text of other biographies in this book. I leave the interpretation of the text to the discretion of the reader. RUEBEN C. PARKE Rueben C. Parke, who was born in Davis county, Utah, on December 18, 1873, is one of the prosperous, enterprising and progressive farmers and stockgrowers of Cassia county, living on a well-improved ranch not far from the village of Albion. He is the son of Ira C. and Mary V. (Call) Parke, whose place of nativity was Indiana, and they came from there to Utah with the first company of their church people in 1847, settling in Davis county where they followed farming until 1800 (sic), when they moved to Albion this state where they continued their farming operations until the death of the father, on February 15, 1897. Their family comprised 12 children, of whom ten are living. their son Reuben attended the public schools at Albion until he reached the age of sixteen years and then finished his education with a term at State Normal School. After leaving school, at the early age of seventeen years, he assumed the burdens of life for himself by leasing a band of sheep which he continued to run until 1899, when he began a farming industry in which he is till successfully engaged with expanding volume and increasing profits, notwithstanding several adverse circumstances, which although they might have discouraged a less resolute man, only stimulated him to greater exertions. He is a young man of public spirit and enterprise, deeply interested in the welfare of this section and at all times willing to do his part toward promoting it. In political faith he is a Republican and takes an active interest in the success of his party, although not desirous of its honors for himself. Mr. Parke was married on August 12, 1893 to Miss Adelaide Pierce, daughter of Charles and Elida (Chadwick) Pierce, natives of New Jersey, who were among the early arrivals in Utah and were married in Utah county, that state in 1852. The mother died at the age of forty-eight years, on March 20, 1882. The family consisted of one son and three daughters. After the death of his wife the father went to Bodie, Mono county, Calif., where he still resides and is successfully engaged in prospecting, an occupation he has followed during the greater part of his life. Three children have been born to the family. Nellie, born on December 10, 1896; Lloyd B., born on December 13, 1898; and Chester McKinley, born on May 27, 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Parke are among the highly respected citizens of the county, and add grace and animation to its social circles as their business activity aids in enlarging its commercial and agricultural wealth and prosperity.