My Genealogy Hound

Benjamin R. Parks engages in farming and stock raising in the Ninth District, and is the son of Hamilton and Rebecca (Stewart) Parks; was born in Dyer County in 1850, being one of a family of seven children, four of whom are living: Parina V., wife of J. N. Wyatt; Hamilton, Lutie A. Tigrett and our subject. The father was of Irish ancestry, and was born in Sumner County in 1809. His grandfather, Jacob Parks, was born in North Carolina in 1777. The name was, originally, Park, but in the early days of America eleven brothers by the name of Park immigrated to America from Ireland, and some of their descendants were called Parks, and finally the “s” became a permanent affix. Jacob moved to Sumner County, where he married in 1800. He afterward moved to Carroll County, and finally to Dyer County, where he died. Hamilton Parks, our subject’s father, received a good education, and at the age of eighteen commenced teaching, which he continued for a number of years. In 1830 he married Miss Martha Beasley, by whom he had four children, two living: Dr. Smith Parks, of Obion County, and Robert Parks, of Dyer County. At that time he was farming in Sumner County, and in 1836 he was licensed to enter the ministry of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and in 1838 was ordained as a minister. Mrs. Parks died in 1839, and in 1840 he married Mrs. Rebecca Eatherly (nee Stewart), and in 1841 he moved to Dickson County; four years afterward to Dyer County, where he bought 250 acres of land, on which he has since resided. Mrs. Parks was born in Robertson County in 1814, and died in September, 1883. Our subject received a good common school and business education. He clerked two years in a store and December 20, 1872, married Miss Alice Douglas, by whom he had two children, Guy and Hamilton. Since then he has engaged in farming. Mrs. Parks died November, 1876 and in April, 1880, he married Miss Millie, daughter of Frank and Sarah Young, of Lauderdale County, and they had three children, two now living— Frank and Lucy. Mr. Parks is a man of sterling worth and greatly respected. He owns 345 acres of good land two miles east of Newbern. He is one of the progressive farmers of the county; is a Democrat, first voting for Horace Greeley. He is a Cumberland Presbyterian; his wife is a Methodist. She was born in Haywood County September 23, 1860. Her mother was a native of the same county, and her father of Alabama.