Biography of Richard B. Parrish - Mercer Co. WV

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II
Pg.121

    Richard B. Parrish is known as a banker all over the great coal and 
industrial district of Southern West Virginia. He has been an official in 
several prosperous banking institutions in this part of the state, and is now 
president of the Bluefield National Bank, an institution with upwards of a 
million dollars in resources.
    Mr. Parrish was born at Malden, Kanawha County, West Virginia, August 
15,1876, son of John W. and Lena (Putney) Parrish. His parents were natives 
of West Virginia and his great-grandfather on his mother's side was a member 
of the house of Burgesses in old Virginia, while a great uncle was a patriot 
soldier in the Revolution. John W. Parrish spent the greater part of his life 
as a merchant, and took a keen interest in public affairs. For many years he 
was on he local school board and he was also a member of the State 
Legislature at the time of the Goff contest, one of the notable events in 
legislative annals in West Virginia. While he was in the Legislature his son 
Richard served as a page in the House.
    Richard B. Parrish began his education in the common schools of Malden. 
In 1889 his parents removed to Huntington, where he continued through grammar 
school and high school, leaving high school to go to work as clerk for the 
Ensign Manufacturing Company, now American Car and Foundry Company. He was 
with that concern two years, and since then his experience has been almost 
entirely in banking. His early training for banking was acquired in the First 
National Bank of Huntington, which he entered as bookkeeeping and collection 
clerk, and was teller when he left in 1906.  In that year Mr. Parrish while 
living at Northfork, West Virginia. Mr. Parrish while living in Northfork 
served one term as mayor, and he was also secretary of the Masonic Lodge 
there.  In 1911 he returned to Williamson with the Mingo County Bank, and 
when it was reorganized in 1912 as the National Bank of Commerce he remained 
with it at the post of cashier.
    Mr. Parrish was one of the organizers in 1916 of the Bluefield National 
Bank, which opened its doors for business in March, 1917.  Mr. Parrish was 
the first cashier, and made president in January, 1921, to succeed Mr. 
William Leckie, deceased.  Mr. Parrish in 1918 organized and became the first 
president of the First National Bank of Matoaka, and is still a director.  
While at Williamson, he was secretary of Group 6 of the West Virginia State 
Bankers Association.
    In 1909, at Peterstown, Monroe County, West Virginia, Mr. Parrish married 
Miss May Callaway, daughter of Lewis and Wilda ( Hunter) Callaway.  Her 
father for many years was county clerk of Monroe County.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Parrish have one daughter, Alethea Hunter Parrish.  They are members of the 
Presbyterian Church, Mr. Parrish being an elder.  He is a Royal Arch and 
Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, a director in the Chamber of Commerce, a 
member of the National Advisory Board of the Old Colony Club, and he 
organized the Rotary Club at Bluefield and was its first president, holding 
that office two and a half years.  He is a member of the Bluefield Country 
Club and the New Mercer County Club, one of his recreations being the game of 
golf.


Submitted by PTyler107@aol.com

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