BIOGRAPHY: Josue D. PARRISH, Cambria County, PA 

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by David Monahan.

USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives 
remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in 
accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of 
providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by 
anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities 
so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic 
pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including 
copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to 
uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access. 
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ 
____________________________________________________________

From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 126-7
____________________________________________________________

Josue D. PARRISH

JOSUE D. PARRISH. A worthy citizen of Cambria county is Josue D. Parrish, a 
builder and contractor of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.  Besides being a man whose 
business and social life commands the utmost respect, he has the honor of being 
one of the famous "Cambria Guards," a company which served with great 
distinction in the Mexican War.  This company was raised mostly in Ebensburg, 
and left Ebensburg January 2, 1847, going to Pittsburg in wagons.  January 5, 
1847, the "Cambria Guards" were mustered into service, to serve during the war, 
with the following officers:  Colonel, Wm. B. Roberts; Lieutenant-Colonel, John 
W. Geary, who was afterwards Governor of the State; Major, ------ Brindle.  
James Murray was captain of company D, the company in which our subject served.  
Charles Hire was first Lieutenant, and John Given was second Lieutenant, and 
Chas. McDermott, third Lieutenant of the same company.  They were sent to aid 
Scott's army, were detained at Lobos Island with nine cases of small-pox about 
one month, and landed at Vera Cruz three days after the battle; but their 
enthusiasm was not dampened, and they pushed on after Scott, coming up just one 
day after the battle of Cerro Gordo; the fight, however, was not over, and we 
find the brave "Guards" from this time to the taking of Mexico in the thickest 
of the flight, everywhere performing various service.  Their first engagement 
was at Lahoya; this was followed by those famous battles in the valley of 
Mexico, at Contretas, Cherubusco, Tucabya, Chapeltepec, and lastly at the taking 
of the city of Mexico.
     General Quitman, who commanded the division in which Mr. Parrish served, 
was the first to raise the flag over the "halls of the Montezumas" and to 
accomplish by strategy the capture of the citadel of the city of Mexico; for 
this brilliant feat the division was highly complimented by General Scott.
     The inferiority in numbers of the American army to the Mexicans contributes 
much to the glory of this victory, and Americans numbering but 9,500 and the 
Mexicans, according to Mexican statement, 19,000.
     August, 1848, after having won glory for themselves, Mr. Parrish's company 
returned to Ebensburg.   Our subject took up his residence in Ebensburg, where 
he has lived ever since, following carpentering and contracting and building as 
his life work.  In this capacity he has erected many of the best buildings in 
the town, the Opera House, etc.  Politically, he is a Democrat, and is a justice 
of the peace of the borough, having been appointed in September, 1890, by 
Governor Pattison, and elected in the following February for a term of five 
years.   He also served as county commissioner, and has filled local offices.  
Mr. Parrish is a son of George and Catharine (Storm) Parrish, and was born June 
3, 1825, in what is now known as O'Hara's Mills, Munster township.
     His grandfather, Josua Parrish, was a native of England, who emigrated at a 
very early day, and married Barbara Thimble, a German woman whose father served 
in the German army.  Joshua Parrish, was a millwright, who learned his trade in 
Western Maryland.  He came to this country upon the solicitation of Prince 
Gallitzin, and settled in Cambria county, dying in Cambria township, a mile from 
where our subject was born. He built in Cambria township the mill now called 
O'Hara's, and which was among the first mills of the county.
     George, the father of Josue D. Parrish, was born July 28, 1795, and died on 
August 25, 1837, from injuries received by a fall. His death was followed by 
that of the mother of our subject on November 20th. He helped to build the 
O'Hara mill, where he learned the trade of a miller, following it mainly as a 
means of securing a livelihood.
     He was a Whig in politics, and in religion a devout and worthy member of 
the Catholic church. Josue D. Parrish, Jr., was educated in the subscription 
schools prior to the adoption of the common-school system. The first free 
schools were held in his father's house, and this house is still standing. He 
attended one term of the free schools for about three months. After the death of 
his father he went to live with his grandfather, where he worked upon the farm. 
He then learned the trade of a carpenter, and worked in Loretto two years. In 
the spring of 1844 he came to Ebensburg, and has lived there ever since, except 
during the before-mentioned service in the Mexican War. His wife was Mary 
Magdalene Meyers, a daughter of John Meyers. Of his children, Evaristus C. was 
born September 5, 1853, and is now engaged in the grocery business. He has 
served three terms as school director of the borough, although a democrat, and 
is also borough weighmaster and secretary of the Catholic Beneficial society.
     Calistus M. graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and is now 
in the drug business in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, being a well qualified and 
successful druggist.
     Flora P. is at home; John S. is a real estate and collecting agent and 
notary public in Pittsburg.