James O. Parish, Union Parish, Louisiana

Submitted by Randy DeCuir



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1827-1910
James O. Parish was born Oct. 17, 1827 in Shumter Co., Alabama and came with
other Parish family members to Louisiana when he was about 19 years of age. He
was the son of John G. Parish, we learn from the 1861 diary of his brother
Robert T. Parish who stated they and Amanda were siblings. James Parish's
mother was probably Elisa Ann Trevathan Parish.

Mrs. Arelia Breed, a historian of Union Parish wrote in a letter to this
compiler on Feb. 14, 1997 the following about James O Parish:  James O Parish
and a Dendy went to Sabine Parish and picked out the land that Henry
Youngblood had coming to him for fighting in the Indian War in Alabama
about 1854. Henry decided he did not want the this land in Louisiana. This
land is now in Vernon Parish, I believe, anyhow, there was a close association
between these families. James Parish married August 16, 1855 in Union Parish
to Elizabeth Dendy, daughter of Thomas Dendy.  In December of 1859, James O
Parish bought property in what was then Natchitoches Parish, now Vernon
Parish. He also bought original land patents in 1860 in this same location,
and was noted as a resident of Sabine Parish on the deeds.  One May 17, 1860,
James O Parish signed as a witness in the marriage of his sister, Eudora
Parish at the home of their mother, Mrs. Eliza Parish in Sabine Parish. 
James O Parish lived most of his adult life in Union Parish, La. In 1861,
James Parish had a visit from his brother Rev. R. T. Parish, who records in
his diary that his brother lived on Bayou Corney. This would be just north of
Bernice, La. in Union Parish. James O Parish was a civil war veteran and the
unit he belonged to saw action at the nearby battle of Vicksburg. 

The 1870 census lists James Parish, age 40, native of Alabama, living in
Ward Four of Union Parish, Louisiana. He was noted as a farmer, with $500 of
real estate and $200 of personal property. He and his wife, Elizabeth, age 32,
native of Alabama, had three children living in the home with them at the
time: Robert, 12; Malne, 9; and Gallie, 3. The census noted that Robert
and Malne had both attended school during the year.  Over the years, J. O.
Parish either conveyed or donated land for a railroad right of way and also
for a Church for African Americans. At one time he raised money for a
widow and her children to buy a piece of land and a house. That house still
stands, according to Mrs. Aurelia Breed, who had heard this story from older
citizens of Bernice, and later documented from information in a land deed.
Mrs. Breed stated that James O Parish was noted as a kind hearted man. 
In 1878, James O Parish purchased land from the heirs of his father-in-law,
Thomas P. Dendy at Union Parish.  

"Alse E." Dendy, the wife of J. O. Parish, was born Dec. 28, 1837 and died
Aug. 24, 1905. J. O. Parish died Nov. 14, 1910. He and his wife's graves lay
in Pisgah cemetery in Union Parish, just north of the town of Bernice, La. 
Just months before his death, in the spring of 1910, James O Parish, a
widower at the age of about 82, applied to the state of Louisiana for a
Confederate Pension. He stated all he owned at the time was 200 acres of "poor
and worn out hill land". In the application he stated he was born at Shumpter
Co., Ala. in 1827 and had lived in Louisiana for 62 years. He had outlived his
wife and two of his children. At the time of the application, only two of his
four children were living: Robert Marsh Parish, age 57; and Leah Parish, age 25. 

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