NOBLE COUNTY OHIO - BIO: PARRISH, Isaac *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Tina Hursh frog158@juno.com November 4, 1999 *********************************************************************** >From the The Ohio Biographies Project http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~usbios/Ohio/mnpg.html a part of The U.S. Biographies Project http://members.tripod.com/~debmurray/usbios/usbiog.html HON. ISAAC PARRISH, son of Edward Parrish, who settled in Sharon Township in 1819, was not only the first lawyer who resided within the territory now forming Noble County, but he was also the first and only resident of the county who ever held a seat in Congress. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and was a shrewd politician. He was considered a good speaker, and during his public life delivered many public addresses in this and neighboring counties. He was enterprising and ambitious, somewhat visionary, and often impractical, but always thoroughly in earnest in whatever he undertook. He was an early merchant in the village of Sharon and afterwards was engaged in milling business at the same place. He projected a railroad which ultimately merged into the old Calico railroad scheme, by which he and others were heavy losers. He did not devote himself closely to law practice for any long period, but bore a good reputation in his profession throughout southeastern Ohio. Isaac Parrish was born in Belmont County in March, 1804. He was mainly self-educated. He read law in St. Clairville and was probably admitted to the bar there. He practiced in Guernsey, Belmont and Morgan Counties; was elected prosecuting attorney at Cambridge and rose to prominence. In 1838 he was elected to Congress from the Eleventh district, Guernsey County. He was a candidate for re-election but was defeated by Hon. Benjamin S. Cowen, of Belmont. He then removed to Morgan County and in 1844 was elected to Congress over Dr. Perley B. Johnson, the Whig nominee, after a close and exciting contest. He was active in organizing Noble County, hoping Sharon might secure the county seat. After his second term in Congress, he devoted himself mainly to milling business in Morgan and Noble Counties. In 1854 he removed to Des Moines, Iowa, where he practiced law for a time. He then went to Harrison County, Iowa, where he died in 1860. He was a Democrat, an earnest partisan and very popular with his party. He was genial and agreeable and readily made friends among all classes. He was married in Belmont County to Rachel Haines, and had a family of four sons and two daughters that grew to maturity. History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887 The Legal Profession Transcribed by Deb Murray