Dates

• Existence: 1841 - 1920

Biographical History

E. H. Parsons (1841-1920) was a U.S. Marshal in Utah from 1889 until he resigned in 1892. He was a cattle dealer and owned and operated a ranch properties dealership out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Parsons was a Civil War veteran and was also involved in the Spanish and Philippine Wars.

Elias Howard Parsons, known as E. H., was born in Worthington, Massachusetts on December 9, 1841 to Maurice Parsons and Amanda Clark. He married Mary Augusta Giesy at Lancaster, Ohio on September 5, 1865. In early life he worked in several businesses in Massachusetts and New York before going to the Cazenovia Academy in Cazenovia, New York. In April 1865 he joined the Union Army and was decorated Civil War veteran, being commissioned as Captain of his regiment, and later First Lieutenant in the regular army by General Grant because of meritorious service. In 1871 he left the army and engaged in mining and livestock raising in Utah. He assisted in organizing the First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City, in which he was the first ordained Elder. He resided in Salt Lake City thirty years, and for nearly four years (1889-1892) served as U. S. Marshal when Utah was under territorial government. In this position, Parsons was a strong supporter of Republican politics, even endorsing and writing letters of introduction for John Henry Smith, a Republican leader and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was instrumental in helping Utah become a state. He would later be called again to assist in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Spanish-American and Philippines Wars, moving from Utah to Washington, D.C., and later California.

Parsons died in Pasadena, California on January 24, 1920.

Citation:

Parsons Family: Descendants of Cornet Joseph Parsons Springfield 1636-Northampton 1655, via WWW, Oct. 24, 2013 (Elias Howard Parsons; b. in Worthington, Massachusetts Dec. 9, 1841; m. Mary Augusta Giesy at Lancaster, Ohio, Sept. 5, 1865; worked in several businessed in Massachusetts and New York.; went to Cazenovia Academy; joined Union Army in April 1865; commissioned as Captain of his regiment and later First Lieutenant of the regular army by General Grant for meritorious service; left army in 1871 to mine and ranch in Utah; assisted in organizing the First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City, in which he was the first ordained Elder; lived in Salt Lake City for 30 yrs; served nearly four years (1889-1892) as US Marshal when Utah was a territory; assisted in US Armed Forced during Spanish-American and Philippines Wars, moving to Washington, D.C. and California; d. in Pasadena, Cal. on Jan. 24, 1920)

Deseret Weekly, vol. 39, p. 117 (E. H. Parsons; commissioned as US Marshal on July 17, 1889; Republican supporter)

FamilySearch, via WWW, Oct. 24, 2013 (parents are Maurice Parsons and Amanda Clark; cattle dealer, according to 1880 census)

U. S. Marshal Services: District of Utah, via WWW, Oct. 24, 2013 (resigned as US Marshal in the district of Utah in Sept. 1892)

Diaries of John H. Smith, Signature Books library, via WWW: Chapter 2 (part c), Oct. 24, 2013 (Parsons wrote endorsements and introductions for John H. Smith during his campaign in 1891-1892)

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