The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-01
REV. ]. l.. PARRISH DEAD.
A Famous Methodist Missionary ana
Oregon Pioneer.
Salem. Or, May 3i.-Rev. J. L. Parrish
{a.A s1Ia

Josiah Iaraberson Parrish was horn in
C,nondaea county. ". Y. October IA. lsas.
From his father he learned the trades OF
blacksYnithing and farming, and 10 them
he devoted most of his time till he reached
the age of q. At that tirne failure of his
health from oyerwork caused him to turn
his attention to the harness and saddlery
trade. Al about the same time he began
rreaching as a local preacher in the Meth
odist church. at Pike. Allegheny county.
N V In 1888 he was married to Elizabeth
wfnn. Two years later he closed out his
business as a saddle and harness dealer.
and devoted his time mainly to preaching
until 1s2a He was then appointed black
smith TO the Methodist mission OF Oregon
by the New York board. In company with
Jason Lee he came TO oregon In the ship
Lausanne around Cape Horn. After reach
ing Oregon Mr. Parrish spent two years
in blacksnnithing for various missionary
stations and settlers in the Willamette
valley. In 1913 he was appointed mission
ary TO the Indians at the mouth or the
Columbia river. He remained there till
the mission was closed In is4e. After
short stay at Oregon City he was appoint
ed 10 the circuit on the west side OF the
Willamette. his field extending from Port
land to Corvallis. To the arduous duties
of that field he devoted himself with char
acteristic energy and faithfulness for
nearly four years. In isAs an east side cir
cult was added. extending from Spoors
place in Lane county TO Molaiia prairie.
near Oregon City. In fsf9 he was appoint
ed Indian agent for Oregon by President
Taylor He entered upon his duties year
later, having in his jurisdiction the vast
region between the summit of the Rockies
and the Pacific. bounded on the north by
the Straits of Fuca, and on the south by
the California line. Through a curious
hlurier he was appointed as Joseph l..
Parrish. instead of Josiah" and was
obliged TO do all business through the lat
ter parsonage as deputy At his reap
pointment by President Pierce the mistake
was rectifed. Many persons. however, be-
leved that the two names belonged to two
men Owing to ill-health he resigned after
the Rogue river war, at the end of which
the Indians were put on reservations. His
last work in that line was the organiza
ton of the reservation of which Port Or
ford was the headquarters. These impor-
tant official duties having been well ended.
he was again appointed by the Oregon
conference as missionary 10 the Indians.
In 1s5e he was put on the retired list. At
ter that time, though he had no regular
charge, he maintained his connection with
the conference and was not idle. For six
teen years he was acting chaplain of the
Oregon penitentiary, holding services ev-
cry two weeks, for which arduous work he
received neither pay Egr reward. On the
alternate Sundays he preached to various
congregations, often Indians. In his last
years he preached TO the Indian youth at
the government training school at Che
nawa. The name of this school was given
BY Mr. Parrish from band of Calapooas
who occupied the site of the old Methodist
mission near Wheatland, on the west side
of the Willamette. Father Parrish's fam
lily by his first wife consisted Of four sons,
Lamberson, Norman. Samuel and Charles
The eldest died In 1910. Samuel was at one
tine chief of police in Portland. The first
wife died in 1859, and Mr. Parrish was mar
ried again In the following year TO Jennie
l.. Lichtenthaler. She died in 1887. A year
later Mr.. Parrish was married. to Mrs.
Matte A. Pierce.