Logan County, West Virginia Biography of EARL V. PARSONS This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 430 Logan EARL V. PARSONS. A lawyer by training and profession, Earl V. Parsons after receiving his honorable discharge from the army found it to his advantage to take up teaching instead of law practice, and for several years he has been a prominent figure in the educational affairs of Logan County. He is now district superintendent of schools at Logan. Mr. Parsons was born June 13, 1886, in Parchman Valley, Jackson County, West Virginia. His ancestors were among the first settlers in the southwest corner of West Virginia. His parents, Austin L. and Clara E. (Dawkins) Parsons, were both natives of this state. His father was a farmer and cattleman, and one of the leading stock men of his day in this section of the country. Earl V. Parsons ac- quired a common school education in Parchman Valley, and by special study earned a teacher's certificate. For four years he taught .school in Jackson County and in other districts in this section of the state. What he was able to earn and save from this work he applied to his higher educa- tion in Valparaiso University in Indiana, where he took both the pedagogical and law courses, graduating in 1915 with the degrees P. B. G. and LL. B. He was superinten- dent of city schools and principal of the high school two years of Matewan, Mingo County. He came to Logan County in 1917 as district superintendent of schools, with the intention to practice law later, but continued as district superintendent of schools until he was called to the colors. He was examined and in July, 1918, went to Camp Meade, where he remained eleven months. He had charge of a ward in the hospital all through the influenza epidemic. Mr. Parsons was discharged in May, 1919, and on returning to Logan he again accepted the position of district superin- tendent of schools of Logan District. This is one of the largest school districts in the state, and 186 teachers are under his supervision. While he is doing some very com- mendable work in the educational affairs of Logan County, Mr. Parsons intends eventually to get back into his regular profession as a lawyer. On August 24, 1920, he married Miss Hazel Crigler, daughter of William F. and Sarah Crigler, natives of West Virginia. They have one son, William Earl. Mrs. Parsons is a Presbyterian, while Mr. Parsons is a Baptist and is a Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner.