Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-02-12
LANCASTER. WISCONSIN. THURSDAY FEBRUARY 70. 1880.
,oks, the report is quilted by the

looks, the report is quilted by the
fact that soon after he left the
neighborhood and settled near Wat.
sonyille. Parkhurst's celibacy was
not enforced by poverty, as the
neighbors very we'll knew, for being
of saving disposition he had
amassed comfortable sam of some
Thousand dollars; that is, comfort.
able fortune inasmuch as it was suf-
ficient to insure him competency.
In course of time he rented out his
station and went into the cattle rails.
ing business on lands belonging to
+. A. Him, of Santa Cruz, After
raising quito herd of cattle. be sold
out of that business, aud being a suf.
ferer from sciatic rheumatism, he
sought less laborious avocation,
and went to raising chickens in the
hills back of Aptos. In this last oc>
cupation he continued for some
years,but finally yielded to his rheu-
matic troubles, sold his ranch to o
Portuguese, deposited the proceeds,
or part of them, in the bank of
Watsonville, and retired from ac-
tive lite to live on the interest of his
money. Near the Seven, mile house.
out of Watsonville, is a little cabin,
and there during the latter years of
his life, Parkhurst has resided. He
was well known to the tOwnspeople
and those on the surrounding farms
as quiet
LITTLE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN
of about sixty years OF age, badly
afflicted with rheumatism, not given
to talking much, bat apparently
contented to live unnoticed and
alone. This rheumatism was the
natural result of the extreme expo
sure and hard work to which he had
been subjected all his lifetime. The
winters SHOWS in the woods, the
years passed with is face turned
unflinchiugly to the wind and rain,
and his general oarelsssness as to
results, played havoc with what
must originally have been a consti-
tuition of iron. His rheumatism grew
from bad to worse, until it resulted
in the whitening OF his members and
he grew almost helpless. Then, as
if his ills were not crushing enough,
he became afflicted with cancer
Gus tongue aud mouth. This was
his death.wound, 80 to speak, and,
feeling that this world was slipping
from his grasp,he very quietly hired
man to attend 10 his needs, and !,
telling friend he was going 10 die,
directed him what to do with his
belongings, and waited patiently for
a relief to his sutferings, which had
now become most acute. That re-
lief came on Sunday last, Dec. 20,
when Charles Durky Parkhurst, re-
puted native of New Hampshire, vo-
ter of the state of the state Of CALI
fornia, aged 81, departed this life.
With his last breath Charles Park,
hurst, the daring driver, the fearless
fighter of highwaymen, the strong
lumberman, passed out of existence,
and 10 his place was found some.
thing geHtler and more tender. With
the dsath Of one who was always
more or less mystery, was born
one that shadows the other into ut
ter insigniflcapce. The dead man
was being prepared for his last rest.
ing-place, when the astonishing dis.
covery was made by those fulfilling
the sad office that the clay beneath
their hands was that of woman
With astonishment at a deception so
marvelou ~ carried out, comes the
sad thought of all she must have
suffered. 1t is useless to waste time
in coDjectures as to what led the
dead to take up the cross of q mans
laboriDg life; but whether from
NECESSITY OF pHANTAsY,
the fact certainly remains that in the
latter years there must have been
many dark hours whom poorCharles
Parkhurst longed for little sympa-
thy which is accorded every woman.
The story of the discovery was at
first refused credence. but medical
science furnished irrefragibl proof
of the real state of the case when
examination attested the fact of the
dead woman having once been
mother. The keen business sagaci.
ty which had been a distinguishing
feature throughout the whole Of
Parkhurst's life in California, was
unwavering up to the end. The
money matters of the deceased
were found clearly arranged. Ger
tifioates of deposit on the Watson.
vile bank to q considerable amount
were left behind in the charge of
Otto Stessen, and the will which
was only concise statement of the
way in which the money was to be
disposed of-chiefiy in gifts to those
in attendance at the latter days
was shrewdly signed &C. d. Park
hurst" And as c. ID. Parkhurst,
the enigma of stage-driving history
lies in the Odd Fellows Cemstery
at Watsonville, where the body was
deposited on the afternoon of Dec.
80. 1879.