Lewis H. Parrett
There is no life so free and independent as that which the farmer leads. It is one of the gratifying signs of the times that there are so many of our colleges teaching agriculture and preparing our young men for scientific agriculture. Fayette county has some of the most progressive farmers of the state and few counties have a larger acreage under cultivation.
Lewis H. Parrett, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Harper) Parrett, was born December 1, 1847, in Jefferson township, Fayette county. Joseph was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, and was the son of Isaac Parrett, the first of the family to settle in Ohio. Isaac had four children, John, Henry, Joseph and Christine. Joseph Parrett was eleven years of age when his parents settled in Ross county, Ohio, and about fifteen when they permanently located in Fayette county. He grew to manhood in this county and married Elizabeth Harper. Five children were born to Joseph Parrett and wife: Mrs. Emily J. Saum, James M., Joseph M., Christine K. and Lewis Hamilton, with whom this narrative deals. All of these children except Christine and Lewis H, are deceased.
Lewis H. Parrett attended the Black Oak school house in Jefferson township and early in life began to help with the work on his father's farm. When he married in 1873 he moved to one of his father's farms, three miles south of Washington C. H. and remained there for three years. He then bought part of his present farm, to which he later added until now he has three hundred and forty acres in Paint township which he has brought to a high state of cultivation.
Mr. Parrett was married February 27, 1873, to Mattie Kerr, the daughter of Robert R. and Margaret (McElroy) Kerr. Robert Kerr was born in Ross county, Ohio, near Greenfield. where he lived all his life. Mr. Kerr and wife reared a family of five children, Elizabeth, James, Emma. Mattie, Chalmers, and three others died in infancy.
There have been four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Parrett, Inez, Bessie, Harry D. and Ailee. Inez married Ford Irvin and has two daughters. Louise and Martha. Bessie is the wife of Professor Westhafer, of .Amherst College, Massachusetts, and has one son, Robert L : Harry married Alice Tway, while Ailee is still in college. All the children have had the best of educational advantages and are filling useful places in society.
Politically, Mr. Parrett is a member of the Republican party and always takes an intelligent interest in the civic life of his community. In the past he has served as school director of his township and gave his hearty support to all measures proposed for tbe benefit of the schools. The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church and active workers in all church and Sabbath school work. Mr. Parrett has been the superintendent of the Sabbath school for the past seventeen years and his wife is a teacher. The whole life of Mr. Parrett has been that of a high minded and public spirited citizen and all of his actions have been such as to bring him the hearty commendation of his fellow citizens.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)