Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 470.
 
LEWIS MARION PARRISH

     a pioneer of Oregon and a reliable business man of Portland, was born in
Sylvia county, Virginia, June 21, 1830. His father, Abram Childers Parrish, was
a native of Virginia, of English extraction, and was a soldier of the war of
1812. He married Annie Parsons, of Virginia. Her people were equally early
settlers and participated in the war for independence.  Mr. Parrish, the subject
of this sketch, was one of a family of seven children, of whom only three are
now living. In 1832 the family removed to Montgomery county, Missouri, and
he was raised there on a farm. In 1852, in April, he started on the perilous
journey across the plains. On the journey several of the company died, and they
met with the usual incidents with which the emigrants were beset on their
journey.  When they arrived at Snake river they constructed a ferry boat by
fastening their wagon boxes together, and then ran a ferry three weeks. With
this ferry they floated down Snake river from below Salmon Falls to Fort Hall,
they there abandoned the boat, bought two horses, packed them and came on
foot. They took passage for Portland at the Cascades on a little boat called the
J. S. P. Flint. They arrived at Portland at one o'clock in the morning, October
19, 1852. Mr. Parrish had just twenty-five cents left, with which he purchased a
loaf of bread and a piece of butter, on which he and his cousin made their
breakfast. They then started out in search of a job, and as they walked along
the bank of the beautiful Willamette river, a man met them and asked them
if they wanted work, and they replied in the  affirmative. He gave them a second
breakfast, of which they partook freely, notwithstanding  they had eaten the
loaf a short time before.They worked for him three days rolling sawlogs into the
river, for which they were paid $3.50 per day, and they started off feeling
rich.  Mr. Parrish was next employed by Thomas Stephens on his farm, at $50 per
month. He continued at this for about two years. He then took up a donation
claim of 160 acres of land, four and one-half miles from Portland. He built a
cabin on it and made it his home for several years. In 1855 he enlisted in
Company E, Yam Hill County Volunteers, and was engaged in fighting the Yakima
Indians from October until the following May. Upon his return to Portland in
1856, he worked at a door and sash manufactory, and at the same time he was
hired by some of the business men of Portland as watchman, and was a Deputy
Marshal under Samuel Halcam, First Marshal of Portland, so that he had authority
to make arrests. For a time he worked in the day time and watched at night. In
1857 he worked some at the carpenter trade and helped finish off a brick
building, the third brick structure erected in Portland. After this he was in
the fuel and transfer business; then he went to the Orofino mines and was
engaged in placer mining, but he returned in October no richer than he had gone.
He had charge for a time of the distribution of the Daily Oregonian, and at that
time the city list of subscribers was 172.  In March, 1863, Mr. Parrish opened
the first real-estate office in the city, and during the time alluded to he has
handled a great deal of real estate in the city, and has valuable city property
for sale. He has a large and lucrative business. He has built a residence on the
corner of Thirteenth and Mill streets, where he resides with his family.
      He was married in February, 1859, to Sarah Jane Watkins, of New York, who
came to Oregon in 1852, and she was the daughter of Mr. Charles Watkins.  They
resided at the Cascades in the winter of 1855 and 1856, and were in the massacre
by the Indians. There her father and brother were both killed, while she and her
mother sought refuge in a store and escaped with their lives. The building in
which they sought refuge being set on fire three times by the Indians, they were
nearly among the victims. Mr. Watkins' arm was broken by a shot, but he
succeeded in hiding from the Indians, but exposure in the open air with his
broken arm caused his death. The mother and children, with others, were besieged
three days and nights before they were rescued. Mrs. Parrish's half brother was
on board the little steamer Mary Bell. The Indians shot the captain of the boat
and her brother shot the first Indian, and the boat was shoved out into the
river, and by using kindling and grease they got up fire and steam enough to
keep the boat from going over the rapids. Mr. and Mrs. Parrish have had five
children, all born in Portland and all living, namely: Annie Jessie, the eldest
daughter, is the wife of Franklin J. Fuller. The other children are: Loren C.,
George L.; Mary Alica, who is a teacher in the Portland school; and Lily May.
     Mr. Parrish was for twenty-six years a member of the First Congregational
Church, and was a Deacon. He was an active worker in the Sunday-school and
mission work. He is now a member and Elder of the Calvary Presbyterian Church.
He is a Republican in politics, a strong temperance man, and was for six
years Clerk of School District No. 1. He is a member of A. 0. U. W. He is a
worthy and reliable citizen of Portland, and has the confidence and good will of
a wide circle of friends.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in August 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.