OBIT: Joseph Reuben PARKS, 1916, Juniata, Blair County, PA

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JOSEPH REUBEN PARKS.

  Joseph Reuben Parks, one of Blair county's oldest poultry fanciers 
and father of J. W. Parks, proprietor of the Wopsy Poultry yards, died 
at 3:30 Saturday afternoon of a complication of diseases and the home 
of his daughter, Mrs. Ida V. Geissinger, of 709 Fourth avenue, Juniata, 
where he had been making his home during the winter the past two years.
  Mr. Parks for a number of years was associated with his son, J. W. 
Parks, in the breeding of Barred Plymouth Rocks, but owing to failing 
health was obliged to give up active work some six or seven years ago.  
For the next few years he spent most of the time traveling in the south 
and partly regained his health and again answered the calling of the 
feathered tribe, this time taking up the breeding of heavy laying White 
Leghorns and secured what was credited with being the greatest 
collection of heavy laying White Leghorns ever brought together by one 
breeder, having imported birds from England and far away Australia and 
New Zealand and up until the time of his death owned a small poultry 
plan in Juniata Gap known as the Old Hickory Leghorn yards.
  His health began failing early in the fall and the past three weeks 
he lay in a very critical condition.  When he passed away he was 
surrounded by his family.
  He was born February 16, 1851, at Parkersburg, Md.  When the Civil 
war broke out and his father had gone to the front he, too, tried to 
enlist.  Being informed that he was too young, he ran away from home 
and spent about three years trailing along with the army, doing odd 
chores, and could tell some very interesting army experiences.  He came 
to Altoona in 1881 and worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad company for 
over twenty years.
  He was united in marriage June 7, 1872, to Miss Alice C. Ross, 
daughter of a widely known southern Methodist minister.  His wife 
preceded him to the grave thirteen years ago.  He was the father of 
seven children, five of whom survive - Mrs. Ida V. Geissinger, Mrs. 
George Gray and Alice C., of Juniata; John L., a trained nurse of 
Albuquerque, N. M>, and Joseph W., of Juniata Gap.  He is also survived 
by four grandchildren.  He was a lifelong member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church and leaves a host of friends to mourn his loss.
  The remains will be taken to his late home in Juniata Gap.  Funeral 
services will be conducted in the Juniata Gap Methodist Episcopal 
church this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.  Interment in Grand View 
cemetery.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Monday Morning, January 1, 1917