Langdon B. Parsons Biography from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire
From: Betsy Webber - betsy@megalink.net

Surname: PARSONS
Source:  History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens
          by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915

Page 1123

     LANGDON B. PARSONS, author of the History of the Town of Rye,
published in 1903, and now a resident of that town, was born in the house

Page 1124

in which he lives, which is now 107 years old, seven generations of the family
having occupied it in succession. Mr. Parsons is a son of Thomas Jefferson
and Eliza (Brown) Parsons, and a grandson on the paternal side of Dr.
John Wilkes Parsons, who in former years was a well known and popular
physician here, also serving for a number of years as a justice of the peace.
     Thomas J. Parsons, father of Langdon B., was a merchant. About 1826 
or 1827 he went to the West Indies on business, but subsequently returned
and was occupied with mercantile affairs here for the rest of his life. He
was a very prominent citizen, serving as lieutenant-colonel in the First Regi-
ment of Militia under Governor Hill, and also at different times as a member
of the legislature and the New Hampshire Senate. In politics he was a
Jacksonian democrat. Both he and his wife Eliza were natives of Rye.
They had a family of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the
only one now living. 
     Langdon B. Parsons, after attending the common schools in his youth,
continued it at Hampton Academy, Pembroke, and Phillips Andover Acad-
emy. His father, grandfather and great grandfather had acquired their edu-
cation in Phillips Exeter College. After completing his literary education he
went to Portsmouth, where he became bookkeeper for Henry F. Gerrish.
After some time spent in this work, he became associated with his father in
the latter's store. Subsequently he went to New York, where he became a
partner with his uncle. Major John Parsons, in 1874, and was thus occupied
for five years. He then took over the business himself, and also later bought
out his uncle's business in Cedar Key, Florida, selling out his New York
interests in 1887, after which he devoted his time to his Florida interests,
having as partner Mr. F. E. Hale, the style of the firm being Parsons & Hale.
In 1911 he closed out the business and has since lived a retired life in his
pleasant residence at Rye Center.
     Mr. Parsons was married in 1894 to Miss Annie Locke, a daughter of
Richard L. and Sarah P. (Jenness) Locke. Her parents, who belonged to
old time families, were both born in this town, the father being a carpenter
by occupation. On the paternal side Mrs. Parsons is a descendant of John
Locke, of Locke's Neck, who was killed by Indians in Colonial days. Mr.
and Mrs. Parsons are the parents of two children, John Langdon and Corinne 
Brown. The former, born in 1895, was a student at Phillips Exeter Acad-
emy and subsequently at the Massachusetts "Institute of Technology. The
daughter, Corinne B., born in 1896, is a student at Wheaton College. Mr.
Parsons and his family attend the Congregational church. He is a man of
literary tastes and is well informed on local history, in which he takes a
strong interest. His work on the history of the town above referred to
showed his mastery of the subject, and was received with favor by all who
take an interest in local events.

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