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126 | BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA |
March 10, 1870, he celebrated his marriage with Miss Catharine B., a daughter of John Glasgow, whose sketch appears elsewhere. This marriage has resulted in the birth of three children: Eva A., a music teacher of much ability; John L., of Glendale; and Frank J., at home.
JOSUE D. PARRISH. A worthy citizen of Cambria county is Josue D. Parrish, a builder and contractor of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. Besides being a man whose business and social life commands the utmost respect, he has the honor of being one of the famous "Cambria Guards," a company which served with great distinction in the Mexican War. This company was raised mostly in Ebensburg, and left Ebensburg January 2, 1847, going to Pittsburg in wagons. January 5, 1847, the "Cambria Guards" were mustered into service, to serve during the war, with the following officers: Colonel, Wm. B. Roberts; Lieutenant-Colonel, John W. Geary, who was afterwards Governor of the State; Major, ------ Brindle. James Murray was captain of company D, the company in which our subject served. Charles Hire was first Lieutenant, and John Given was second Lieutenant, and Chas. McDermott, third Lieutenant of the same company. They were sent to aid Scott's army, were detained at Lobos Island with nine cases of small-pox about one month, and landed at Vera Cruz three days after the battle; but their enthusiasm was not dampened, and they pushed on after Scott, coming up just one day after the battle of Cerro Gordo; the fight, however, was not over, and we find the brave "Guards" from this time to the taking of Mexico in the thickest of the flight, everywhere performing various service. Their first engagement was at Lahoya; this was fol- |
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lowed by those famous battles in the valley of Mexico, at Contretas, Cherubusco, Tucabya, Chapeltepec, and lastly at the taking of the city of Mexico. General Quitman, who commanded the division in which Mr. Parrish served, was the first to raise the flag over the "halls of the Montezumas" and to accomplish by strategy the capture of the citadel of the city of Mexico; for this brilliant feat the division was highly complimented by General Scott. The inferiority in numbers of the American army to the Mexicans contributes much to the glory of this victory, and Americans numbering but 9,500 and the Mexicans, according to Mexican statement, 19,000. August, 1848, after having won glory for themselves, Mr. Parrish's company returned to Ebensburg. Our subject took up his residence in Ebensburg, where he has lived ever since, following carpentering and contracting and building as his life work. In this capacity he has erected many of the best buildings in the town, the Opera House, etc. Politically, he is a Democrat, and is a justice of the peace of the borough, having been appointed in September, 1890, by Governor Pattison, and elected in the following February for a term of five years. He also served as county commissioner, and has filled local offices. Mr. Parrish is a son of George and Catharine (Storm) Parrish, and was born June 3, 1825, in what is now known as O'Hara's Mills, Munster township. His grandfather, Josua Parrish, was a native of England, who emigrated at a very early day, and married Barbara Thimble, a German woman whose father served in the German army. Joshua Parrish, was a millwright, who learned his trade in Western Maryland. He came to this country upon the |
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