. . . Thomas Parsons came to Tucker County in 1769

55Virginia Parsons MacCabe, Parsons Family History and Record, 1913, pp. 21-23. A copy of Thomas Parsons’ will and a record of his three wives and twenty children appear in this reference. His will is quite a remarkable document. In it he thanks God for calling to his attention that he has an appointment with death, disposes of a number of slaves including two named Sampson and David, and specifies that his daughters “must be learned to read and write.”

see copy of will - in ged file [ccs]


635THOMAS PARSONS JR. I.
Thomas Parsons, son of Thomas Parsons Sr., was of English descent and came with his father to Hampshire County, Virginia. He and his brother, Captain James, were the first explorers of Randolph County, Western Virginia, where they pre-empted the Horse Shoe lands in 1770. His adopted son had been captured by the Indians and carried to Ohio, where he was a prisoner several years. They allowed him to cross the Ohio river on a hunting exposition and he made his escape, he traveled east as he knew the South Branch lay in that direction and he came to Cheat river, where the town of Parsons is now located, here he noticed the fine bottom lands suited for farming and covered with walnut and cherry timber. He soon found he was not on a tributary of the Potomac, when he had traveled down to where St. George is located he saw the river turn due north. He retraced his steps to the mouth of the Horse Shoe Run and crossed the mountain to the east. With his tomahawk he blazed the large trees across the mountain from Lead Mine country to the South Branch. On reaching home he told his adopted father of the magnificent lands to the west. The young man contracted consumption from exposure with the Indians and died before Thomas and James Parsons could visit the newly discovered country. But they made their way over the mountain by this blazed trail and took possession of these lands.
At that time there was not any particular war between the Indians and white people, but the Indians were always on the lookout to kill any one they could. The Parsons brothers rode fine horses and made good time when they were visiting their lands, their path was over the Backbone and Alleghany mountains near Fairfax Stone. In order that they might successfully elude the Indians they put the shoes on their horses toes behind. On one occasion, Thomas Parsons Jr. I. made the trip alone from Moorfield. When he arrived at the mouth of Horse Shoe Run and started to enter the house there he noticed the wet moccasin track on the door step. He re-mounted his horse, crossed the river into the Horse Shoe and made his way to the fort near where St. George is now, where he remained about ten days. On starting home as he crossed the river at the mouth of Horse Shoe Run an Indian hidden in the weeds near by hooted like an owl, but he knew its meaning and pushed ahead. The Indians followed him some miles gobbling like a turkey and using every means to trap him, but he put spurs to his horse and did not stop until reaching his home that night, a distance of some seventy miles. Thomas lived on his plantation in what is now Hardy County, until he passed away. His remains lie in the family lot on his plantation and is marked by a stone.

Thomas Parsons: Ancestor # AO88376
Service: Virginia   Rank: Private
Born: Nov. 11, 1730, Moorefield Hampshire Co. Va
Death: Nov. 1, 1804, Hardy County, Va
Service with Captains Rice, Slaughter and Wright, 4th, 15th, and 7th Regiments
Spouse: Mary Rennick

635From husband’s will:
Item 8th--I give unto my beloved wife, Alsia Parsons, her bedstead and furniture and her third of my plantation I now live on, and her third of all my movables to hold the whole in her possession as long as she remains my widow, the remainder of my movables to be sold to discharge my debts and funeral expenses, my two youngest sons to be taught to read and write and cipher as far as the Golden Rule of Three.