Pioneer Mother: The Memoirs of Lillie Belle Grisham Parmenter Horn

By Irene Epler Vickers, Paul Gene Epler and Stephen Edward Epler

At the request of her children and grandchildren, Lillie Belle Parmenter Horn has written the following history and memoirs of her life. She had what few years of schooling were attainable in the 1800s. There was no punctuation whatsoever in the original manuscript which she wrote in long hand. She read voraciously. When her grandsons lived with her while they attended college, she read their textbooks.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 13, 2008
• ISBN: 9781462822713

Book preview

PIONEER

MOTHER

The Memoirs Of

Lillie Belle Grisham Parmenter Horn

Born December 9, 1855-Died May 30, 1949

IRENE EPLER VICKERS,

PAUL GENE EPLER,

STEPHEN EDWARD EPLER

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The above is a copy of what is believed to be the original cover page of Lillie Belle’s memoirs. The original document typed by Irene Epler Vickers has not been seen by those working on the present document. In Lillie Belle’s letter to Irene Vickers (see pages ii & iii) she asks that eight pictures be included and has specific binding requirements. We assume there was an early version of the document, before the one we have here with the publish date of 1979. There were many additional photos taken in the 50’s and 60’s included in the 1979 version, but much of the typing is believed to be unchanged.

In 2004 Guy Podgornik, Ed Parmenter, and Stephen Kronberg (all cousins of George Parmenter) were able to locate original photos of the 1901 and 1926 Parmenter reunions (pages vii and viii) and were able to identify those present and update these pages. Guy Podgornik pursued obtaining an original copy of the entire document as most of the photographs were illegible from repeated photocopying. The 1979 document and photos were generously loaned to Guy, who digitized the pages. Ed took scanned images and converted them to rich text documents, and Stephen converted the photo images and text into this Word document.

Having re-input the entire document, Stephen has a profound respect for the earlier work by the author in her writings and the typing and layout done by IreneVickers. Completed November, 2007.

Copyright © 2008 by Irene Epler Vickers, Paul Gene Epler, Stephen Edward Epler.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

47459

Contents

INTRODUCTION AND DEDICATION

Letter in her own handwriting with same letter typed after it

Family trees and Family pictures

CHAPTER I THE HOME IN ILLINOIS

CHAPTER II EARLY MEMORIES

CHAPTER III AN INDUSTRIOUS FAMILY

CHAPTER IV THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES

CHAPTER V THE BARN RAISING

CHAPTER VI A SAD ENDING

CHAPTER VII TALLOW, BEEF, AND HIDES

CHAPTER VIII EAGERNESS FOR KNOWLEDGE

CHAPTER IX PURCHASE OF THE KINGERY FARM

CHAPTER X THE GIRL BECOMES A WOMAN

CHAPTER XI RECOGNITION BY BEING GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY

CHAPTER XII ENGLISH NEIGHBORS WHO BECAME RELATIVES

CHAPTER XIII THE FIRST PARMENTER HOME IN NEBRASKA

CHAPTER XIV FATHER GRISHAM MOVES TO KANSAS

CHAPTER XV THE GREENBACKERS

CHAPTER XVI A NEW YET OLD CHURCH—THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

CHAPTER XVII THE DISCIPLES AS STUDENTS OF THE BIBLE

CHAPTER XVIII GROWTH OF THE CHURCH

CHAPTER XIX THE YEARS OF 1894 AND 1895

CHAPTER XX A VISIT TO CALIFORNIA AND RETURN TO NEBRASKA

CHAPTER XXI A TRIP EAST

CHAPTER XXII THE PASSING OF FATHER GRISHAM AND OF VIOLA VORSE

CHAPTER XXIII SOME VISITS AND MORE DEATHS

CHAPTER XXIV THE WAR OF 1917 (WORLD WAR I)

CHAPTER XXV THE CINCINNATI CONVENTION

AND MORE TRIPS

CHAPTER XXVI A WEDDING AT ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA

CHAPTER XXVII HOME IN BETHANY AND THEN A VACATION IN FLORIDA (1920-1921)

CHAPTER XXVIII LIFE’S VARIETY—SORROWS AND JOYS

CHAPTER XXIX THE YOUNG EPLERS; DEATH OF JOHN HORN & OF SISTERS FLORENCE & VIOLA

CHAPTER XXX WINTER OF 1933 AND THE YEAR OF 1934

CHAPTER XXXI NOTES FROM A DIARY

CHAPTER XXXII THE TRIP TO PANAMA

CHAPTER XXXIII THE SKYWARD RETURN HOME

CHAPTER XXXIV HOME AGAIN AND MORE VISITS. CHRISTMAS 1937 IN NORTON, KS

CHAPTER XXXV MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IN CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS

CHAPTER XXXVI RETURNING HOME VIA COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS

CHAPTER XXXVII A TRIP TO THE HOSPITAL

CHAPTER XXXVIII A CHANGE IN PLANS AND A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA

CHAPTER XXXIX GOING HOME TO NEBRASKA. SOME COMPANY AND SOME TRIPS

CHAPTER XL THE YEAR OF 1941. SOME READING

CHAPTER XLI FAREWELL

INTRODUCTION AND DEDICATION

At the request of her children and grandchildren Lillie Belle Parmenter Horn has written the following history and memoirs of her life. She had what few years of schooling were attainable in the 1800’s. There was no punctuation whatsoever in the original manuscript which she wrote in long hand. She read voraciously. When her grandsons lived with her while they attended college, she read their textbooks.

The author was born December 9, 1855, but began this story at her home in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1937 at the age of 81. She completed the writing in the year 1941. Not too long after that she had a sun-stroke and went to live with her daughter Blanche and husband. She was quite frail in her later years but kept her intellect and was physically able to get around without assistance.

After being unconscious for a while in her final illness, she did regain consciousness long enough to put her arms around the neck of son-in-law Stephen J. Epler and said to him, Stephen, I love you. Then she died—May 30, 1949.

She dedicated her story to those children and grand-children living at the time of her extensive writings:

Harry Collins Parmenter

Myrtle D. Parmenter

Annabelle Collins Parmenter Yocum

Claudia Blanche Parmenter Epler

Stephen Jules Epler

Lt. Robin Bruce Epler

Stephen Edward Epler

Irene L. Epler Vickers

Paul Gene Epler

Robert Bruce Vorse

Clyde Francis Vorse

Irvin Vorse

Guy A. Vorse

Leta Vorse Helenick

Helen Vorse Linn

May Vorse Wallace

*    *     *

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 (Letter written to her typist, Irene Vickers, from California.)

Los Angeles, California

February 21, 1941

Dear Daughter,

The deed is done and I don’t want Stephen Edward Epler ever to ask me again to write. I hurried so. I made many mistakes, used numbers instead of written words as it took less time.

I will let you correct mistakes in spelling and English.

Cut out anything you see not fit to publish.

I have eight pictures I want to put in with the picture of you in the English home you visited in Land’s End, England.

Please wait till May after I get home to do anything about publishing. I want heavy board with heavy black cloth for the binding also gold lettering.

I will write on the back of pictures what I want written under each picture. I will-pay *$240.00 for the job with all rights reserved for 100 copies. Tell your mother I used my diary as little as possible. She and your daddy can write the appendix and make excuses for old age, lack of education and intelligence. I very much enjoyed your mother’s letter, also yours and your father’s cards.

Susie is at the church today as this is the Ladies Work Day. I remained at home to finish Memoirs. I want to write Robert so will not write more. You can have half of all the books you sell. Susie said she wanted one and would pay *$1.00 for it. I will send names and addresses of friends later on.

Goodbye and may God bless you all,

Mother and Grandmother Horn

* In 1941—the value of the dollar was very high. The amount of $240.00 could be compared to about $1000.00 in 1979. Also the $1.00 was a fair price for each book at that time.

—I. Vickers

A FAMILY TREE AS TOLD TO IRENE EPLER VICKERS BY LILLIE BELLE GRISHAM PARMENTER HORN

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* The old Parminter homestead in England, Wanson Farm, with address Poundstock, Land’s End, England. Irene Epler (Vickers) granddaughter of the author visited the farm in 1938. A man, E. L. Hopper lived on the farm then. He said it was formerly 140 acres but that Wanson Farm was divided and he now lived on fifty-eight of the best acres.

** Elizabeth Watts was a sister of Isaac Watts who wrote Joy to the World and many other famous hymns! (No such relationship ever proved.)

*** Uncle William Parmenter’s children attended Oberlin College. They changed the spelling of the name from Parminter to the new spelling Parmenter. Sampson Parmenter kept the e but Brother Isaac Parminter kept the i. Mary, Robert, and Charlie were the children of Uncle William.

**** GEORGE WESTLAKE PARMENTER was the first husband of the author Lillie Belle Grisham. Born in Honesdale, Pa., he then moved to Coshocton, Ohio, and joined the 65th Ohio Regiment Company D under Captain W. S. Williams. He was discharged in August, 1863, at Hillsborough, Tenn., with the discharge being made out by John E. George, Captain of the 15th Indiana Volunteers.

*    *     *

CHILDREN OF JOHN PARMINTER AND ELIZABETH WATTS PARMINTER

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Death of the parents:

John died Oct. 21, 1848. Elizabeth died Oct. 27, 1838.

Both were buried at Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

Note:

Information for this chart was received after the chart was made on pg iv and is much more accurate.

*    *     *

ANCESTRY OF LILLIE BELLE GRISHAM PARMENTER HORN

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* Great-grandfather Reynolds (father of Laura) was a Yankee from Maine.

** My mother said Grandfather Smith’s penmanship was as nice as a copper plate. Elinor and her father were of High Dutch birth and they educated Grandfather Ralstin. They lived near Georgetown, Ohio, in the same neighborhood as Jessie Grant, father of Ulysses S. Grant. The author of this story remembers one time her grandfather sold Ulysses S. a horse pricing it to him at $25.00. As was the common practice of the day Ulysses S. Grant then said $20.00. When the answer was No Grant said, My father told me to offer you $20.00 and if you would not accept that to give you $25.00. Grant even told in his memoirs of this purchase and how he was laughed at about it.

*** Richard Collins Grisham was 19 years of age when he married Orpha Ralstin Bingaman who was 29. Later whenever his daughter Lillie Belle teased him about the difference in ages he said, Go talk to your mother. She was 29 when we were married and was old enough to know better. Photo of Father Grisham on page xiv.

*    *     *

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GEORGE AND LILLIE BELLE PARMENTER

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PARMENTER FAMILY IN 1907

Back row, left to right:

CLAUDIA BLANCHE     HARRY COLLINS     HETTIE VIOLA

Front: GEORGE AND LILLIE BELLE PARMENTER

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THE PARMENTER FAMILY REUNION in June 1901 at George W. Parmenter’s home, Saunders County, Nebraska.

Left to right front: Charles Grant Parmenter, Andrew Sampson Parmenter, Robert Wilson Parmenter, William Judson Parmenter, Phillipi Willis Parmenter Perrine, Alexander Hamilton Parmenter, Mary Susan Parmenter Miller, George Westlake Parmenter, Isabella (Belle) Willis Parmenter Workman

Left to right in back: James Luther Perrine, John Alvin Parmenter, Alexander H. Workman holding Esther Belle Workman, Harry Collins Parmenter, at far right corner of the house Irven Samuel Workman, seated on the ground, Leon Perrine.

The nine in front are youngest (Charles Grant) to oldest (Belle Workman) and all are direct descendants of Samson Parmenter. The first four, Charles Grant to Robert Wilson Parmenter are sons of Sampson and his second wife Margaret Beaty. The next five, Phillipi Willis Parmenter Perrine to Isabella (Belle) Willis Parmenter Workman are children of Sampson and his first wife, Mary Westlake.

(This page was revised in 2005 using an original photo of the reunion. Full names were added. It was also determined the reunion was held in June, 1901, see page 52.)

Parmenter Reunion in 1926

At The Home of Alexander Parmenter

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From Left to Right, front row to back:

First row:

Florence Mae Parmenter 2. Bess Marie Parmenter 3. Alice Irene Parminter 4. Everett Townley Parminter 5. Alice Irene Schoenleber 6. Unknown 7. Mary Genevieve Parmenter 8. Jack Wilson 9. Harold William Parmenter 10. John Leo Parmenter 11. Guy Norris Parmenter, Jr.

Second row:

12. Samuel Sampson (Samp) Workman 13. Mary Parmenter 14. Alexander (Alex) Hamilton Mayver Parmenter 15. William Judson Parmenter holding Betty Jeane Parmenter 16. Nancy Jane Norris Parmenter 17. Andrew Sampson Parmenter 18. Ruth May Norris Parmenter 19. Lillie Belle Grisham Parmenter Horn 20. John Horn 21. Benjamin Franklin Parmenter

Third row:

22. Bessy Una Demarest Parmenter 23. Gladys Irene Parmenter 24. Lydia Miller 25. Harry Collins Parmenter 26. Nettie Rose Parmenter Sherman 27. Mary Susan Parmenter Miller 28. Helen B. Sherman 29. Annabelle Collins Parmenter 30. Myrtle Dora Hulfish Parmenter 31. Bernice A. Parmenter Wilson 32. Hutoka Jane Knapp Parmenter (Guy’s wife) 33. Edyth M. Parmenter 34. Inez Olivia Parmenter Schoenleber holding Dale Edwin Schoenleber 35. Cora Coleman Parmenter 36. Sarah May Vorse

Fourth row:

37. Guy Norris Parmenter 38. Marvin Clyde Parmenter 39. Martin Shepperd Miller 40. Hugh Ernest Parmenter 41. William J. Bryan Schoenleber 42. Earl Everett Parminter 43. Edward Clyde Parmenter 44. Edwin Marvin Sherman 45. Clarence W. Wilson (Bernice’s husband) 46. Marvel Mae Parmenter Adams holding Betty Jean Adams 47. Richard Pitman Parmenter 48. Sylvia Medora Behrus Parmenter (Wife of Richard)

(This page revised in 2004 by Stephen Kronberg with input by Ed Parmenter and Guy Podgornik using an original photo of the reunion. Full names were added for each person.)

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Born in Saunders County in 1879. Graduated from Cotner University 1901. Graduated from Nebraska College of Oratory in 1902. Took post graduate course in Economics at State University. Has been farmer and stock raiser since 1903 near Yutan. Believes in government ownership of packing plants, flour mills, railroads etc., so the margin between producer and consumer will be reduced. Stands squarely behind the President for a successful prosecution of the War of 1914. (reverse of card).

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L. to R.:

Blanche P. Epler Mary Parmenter Walker.

Lillie Belle Parmenter

(Mary was daughter of Geo. Parmenter’s 1st wife who died).

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The Parmenter Home In

Land’s End, England

WANSON FARM

POUNDSTOCK, ENGLAND

(Picture taken June 30, 1938 by the typist Irene E. Vickers)

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The Parmenter Curly-head Cousins!

Back row: Hester Sherman, Irene Epler

Front: Annabelle Parmenter, Genevieve Parmenter,

and Gladys Parmenter.

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(Lillie Belle’s Father)

CHAPTER I

THE HOME IN ILLINOIS

My father Richard Collins Grisham, son of Richard and Laura Reynolds Grisham was born in Brown County, Ohio, August 19, 1833. My mother Orpha Ralstin, born in Brown County, Ohio, on September 30, 1822, moved to Illinois in the autumn of 1855 where I was born December 9, 1855. They had moved in a covered wagon. My father was the second husband of my mother since she had first been married to James Bingaman by whom she had three sons: namely, Joseph Ralstin Bingaman (Ralstin having been my mother’s maiden name), Orange Bruce Bingaman, and John Bingaman.

My sister Viola Artemecia was born March 24, 1853, in Brown County, Ohio, who with my mother and father made a family of six. That group with the household supplies made a heavy load for one team. At that day there was much swampland in the timbered areas and many times as my mother would live her life over with us children, she would tell us about the wagon miring in the mud till the team could not pull it out.

There were many emigrants moving West that fall with many of them going to Illinois. For self-help they banded together so when it was impossible for a team to extricate a loaded wagon from a bad bog or chuck hole, as we called them, they called for help and hitched on two teams. If the two teams could not pull out the wagon, then part of the load had to be unloaded. This congregating together had its drawbacks as well as its benefits because so many people moving through the country annoyed the residents very much. The travelers wanted to buy hay and feed for the team; bread, butter, and supplies for the family. Thus, as Mother said, they were often met with surly looks and unkind words as they asked for favors. It took about five weeks to make the journey and there must have been many hardships besides the sorrow of leaving their parents, who were growing old, and the younger brothers and sisters, who could not go along. There were few railroads and travel was difficult in those days. My mother returned only once to Ohio before her parents’ death.

Mother had an older brother, Andrew Jackson Ralstin, who had moved to Illinois some years before. He had secured a farm and had a good farm home. He had put out an orchard of such fruit as apples, peaches, and grapes. Father rented a new unfinished frame house a few miles from this uncle. The house was not plastered so Mother said they hung the cover that had been on their wagon against the wall to keep out some of the wind. The winter of 1855 must have been very cold for many times in my later life my father would look at me with a smile saying, I will never forget the night Belle was born. I think it was the coldest night I ever saw. He had to ride six miles to Astoria for a doctor and he always added, I thought I would freeze to death.

Dr. Steel was the man who officiated at the time of my birth. Fortunately there was timber surrounding the house and so fuel was plentiful. Nevertheless, the family must have suffered extremely with the cold.

After Father left Ohio, Grandfather decided he would follow his son to the new country. So with my grandmother; the youngest son, Jerome; three daughters, Elvira, Elmira, and Roxena; and two grandsons, they set out for Illinois. They went by rail to Chicago and then down the river by steamboat to a village, called Bath, where my father met them. My mother has told me of their suffering with the cold as they crossed the river and made their way across country to my father’s rented and unfinished house, where they remained for some time.

In the spring my father bought a farm from a Mr. Joseph Kelly, who was considered a well-to-do man. I do not remember how many acres this farm contained but most of it was in cultivation. Father planted a crop that spring and must have raised a good one for I remember hearing my parents speak of the new settlers coming to buy grain for seed and some to feed their animals. I think he sold his entire crop and for a good price.

CHAPTER II

EARLY MEMORIES

As there wasn’t a great amount of land cleared of timber and in cultivation, banks were few and far between. People kept what money they had in their homes. Father would lay the money he took in for grain during the, day on the window sash. After I had grown strong enough to walk and stand alone, Mother said that sister Viola and I loved to play in the ashes of the stove hearth. One day Father, having sold a load of grain, came in hurriedly for some money to make change. He looked on the window sash but no money was found. The entire house was searched but still no money could be found. When Mother then started to prepare the evening meal, lo and behold the lost money was found buried in the ashes. As all our medium of exchange was silver or gold, burial in ashes did not hurt it unless one buried enough to cause a lowering of prices. Father did not have that much. This was my mother’s first cook stove and she had not had it long or she might have thought to search in the ashes. All small children loved to play in the ashes in the hearth of the cook stoves which were just coming into service.

Mother like other women had cooked by a fireplace or outdoors in the yard in warm weather. I well remember how many of these fireplaces were built. The one or two-roomed house was built of logs with an open place left on the end where the fireplace was built of slats split out of a tree and plastered with clay. This clay became quite hard when dried and burned but as I remember had to be replastered before each winter. The more enterprising would build of stone with large flagstones for hearths and when building would put in what they called a crane, an iron bar on a piece of cast iron. The piece of iron was built into the stones and the bar or crane worked on a sort of pivot which could be swung to one side when not in use. When wanted it was swung straight out and the tea kettle hung on it over the fire where the flames would soon bring it to a boil. This brings to memory how we used to sing a little song which ran something like this:

"Oh, Lucy, put the kettle on.

Lucy, put the kettle on

And we’ll all drink tea."

To boil beef, pork, or