Goodspeed's Henry County Biographies - P surnames
Edward B.
Parker, of Paris, junior member of the firm of Dobbins &
Parker, manufacturers of barrel heading, flour, and dealers in
cotton and tobacco, became a member in 1878. At that time they
dealt in flour, cotton and tobacco, but in 1885 they added the
machinery for the manufacture of barrel heading. Mr. Parker was
born in Louisville, Ky., in 1843, and is a son of Lester L. and
Martha (Jewell) Parker. The father was a native of New York,
born in 1814 and of English descent. He was a steamboat engineer
in early life, but spent the latter part of his days tilling the
soil. At the time of his marriage he was living in Louisville,
Ky., and in 1870 he moved to Floyd County, Ind., bought property
and located near Greenville, where he remained till his career
ended in 1874. The mother of our subject was born in Jefferson
County, Ky., in 1821 and died in 1850. They had seven children
only two of whom are living: Miss R. A., and E. B. our subject.
He was reared at home and received his education in the schools
of Louisville, Ky. At the age of eighteen he began clerking in a
dry goods store at Clarksville, Tenn., where he remained two
years. In 1865 he came to Paris, established a general store,
and carried on business for four years. During his career as a
merchant he was also engaged in speculating in cotton and
tobacco, and after selling his store he continued in the latter
business. In 1876 he erected a cotton-gin and tobacco ware-room,
and in 1878 he and Mr. Dobbins became partners. They handle on
an average from 100 to 500 bales of cotton, 75 to 200 hogsheads
of tobacco per year, and 2,000 sets of barrel heading per day.
In February, 1870, Mr. Parker married Bell Matthewson, a native
of Paris, Tenn., born in 1847, and the daughter of Dr. J. J.
Matthewson. They have one child, Edward B., Jr. Mr. Parker is
one of the leading business men of Paris, and has been for the
past ten years. In politics he is conservative, voting for
principle and not for party. He and family are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
James W. Porter, grocer at
Paris, entered the business on his own responsibility, January,
1875, in company with E. P. Bomar, the firm being known as Bomar
& Porter, till about 1878, when Mr. Bomar retired and E. M.
Russell was taken in as partner. At the end of two years Mr.
Russell sold his interest to W. C. Nance, and he in about one
year retired, and since that time Mr. Porter has continued the
business alone with good success. He carries a stock to the
value of about $2,500, being one of the best grocery houses in
the city. He is a son of Nathaniel and Eveline Porter, natives
of Tennessee. The father was born in Nashville in 1812, and was
of English extraction. He came to Paris when quite small and
lived with his uncle. In 1836 he married and became the father
of twelve children, seven of whom are now living. He settled ten
miles east of Paris, where he owned a large farm, and where he
passed the remainder of his days. He was a man of considerable
prominence, being magistrate for a long time, and chairman of
the county court. He was the first man to represent Henry County
in the State Legislature after the war. He died in 1866. The
mother was born in 1818, and died in 1875. Our subject was born
in Henry County, Tenn., in 1851, and received a good
common-school education in that county, and subsequently
attended Eastman College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He began
clerking at the age of nineteen which he continued for some
time. In November, 1876, he married Nellie Thornton, a native of
Georgia, born in 1858, and the daughter of DeWitt and Clementine
Thornton. To our subject and wife were born two children: James
T. and Nell. In 1877 he erected a fine brick residence on Wood
Street in which he has since resided. He is also the owner of
considerable real estate in Nashville. He is a Democrat in
politics, and cast his first presidential vote for Horace
Greeley. He is a member of the K. of H., and he and wife are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
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