My Genealogy Hound

Parnic Reed is one of the leading agriculturists of Mississippi County, Ark., and since locating here, many years ago (in 1845), has seen many changes in the growth and development of this community. He was born in the “Hoosier State’’ in 1826, and was reared to the occupation of blacksmithing, but after leaving home, on the 8th of June, 1843, he spent two years in flat-boating on the river, and after a short time spent in Illinois, came to Mississippi County, Ark., locating at Hickman’s Bend, where he was engaged in boating and rafting, and kept a wood yard. At that time all the white settlers lived contiguous to the river, the interior being still occupied by the Indians, and wild animals of all kinds roamed the woods at will. After residing in this locality until the 20th of May, 1854, he moved to Kansas, where he followed teaming for some time, and during the Kansas War was in the battle of Lawrence, and a number of other engagements in the spring of 1856. The following year he loaded all his effects on a flat-boat and floated down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to Hickman’s Bend, in Mississippi County, Ark., at which place he landed on the 22d of December, 1857, then buying land on Buford Lake, where he soon had a good home. The most of his attention was given to stock farming, in which enterprise he was very extensively engaged during the Rebellion. He continued to make this his residence for about twenty years, opening up some sixty acres in the meantime, but sold out in 1875 and came to Clear Lake, where he purchased the farm on which he is now residing, which comprises a tract of about 100 acres under cultivation of some of the best land in this section, the most of which he devotes to the raising of corn and cotton. He has been so unfortunate as to lose four wives, but is at present living happily with his fifth wife. His first union was to Miss Nancy J. Cotten, whom he married November 9, 1847. She was a native of Missouri and died in Illinois, February 12, 1849, and was buried with her child. His second marriage was to Miss Ellen Pints, of Mississippi County, whose death occurred on the 11th of April, 1851, she leaving a daughter named Elner, who died in the State of Kansas at the age of six years, on the 30th of June, 1857. Susan Sawyer, a native of Tennessee, and a member of a well-known family of that State, became his third wife February 12, 1852, but she left him again a widower on the 12th of April, 1874. Mr. Reed next espoused Miss Caroline A. Mannen, a native of Mississippi County, who died a short time after her marriage, in 1875, also being buried with her child. His fifth and present wife, was Mrs. M. J. Rackley, a Kentuckian by birth, who was the mother of four children by a previous marriage. She and Mr. Reed have one child, a daughter, named Rebecca Susan. Mr. Reed’s various occupations through life have been somewhat diversified, but unlike the old saying, “jack of all trades and master of none,” he has been reasonably prosperous in every enterprise to which he has given his attention, and now, during his declining years, can look back over a useful and well-spent life. He has always been quite an active politician, and has affiliated with the Democratic party.