HORATIO PARKS

 The following bio was taken from page 333 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of TX

 Horatio Parks, alias John Brown, was born in England.  Horatio met and married, about 1842-1843 in Mississippi, Susanah Sumrall, born about 1821 in Mississippi.  Susanah was the daughter of Jessie and Christiana (Sumrall) Sumrall.  Jessie and Christiana were first cousins.

 Horatio Parks was a blacksmith in Clark County, Mississippi.  He paid taxes on clocks and watches in Clark County from 1848 to 1858.  Horatio Parks also served on the jury in Clark County, so he must have been a naturalized citizen before he changed his name to Brown.

 Horatio was working on the riverboats when he first saw his future wife, Susanah Sumrall.  He learned farming from his future father-in-law, Jessie Sumrall.  Horatio had much to learn about farming.  The first time he was told to weed the garden, Horatio cleaned the garden completely, pulling up both the weeds and vegetables.  He also “anchored” the mules out in the field at midday, not knowing to bring them to the house for water and rest.

 Horatio Parks, alias John Brown, bought land in Rusk County, Texas in 1868.  He was known here as John Brown and all of his family in Texas went by the name of Brown.  He was also known as John Brown in all legal documents in Texas.

 John Brown and his family first settled near the Harmony Hill community and in later years lived around the Stewart community.  John was a farmer, a blacksmith, and a silversmith.  His handmade silversmith tools that he brought from England still exists today.

Family tradition says John Brown served in the Royal Navy before coming to the United States, and when people visited John at his home in Rusk County, he told them to “anchor” their horses around back of the house.

 John never lost his English accent.  He was a good spokesman, and his  neighbors would gather at his home to listen to John read the newspaper.

 After Susanah died, John spent his later years living with his children and grandchildren.  Sometime John, often called “Jackie,” could be found standing beside the pond gazing across to the other side.  When asked what he was doing, John would reply, “I am waiting for the ship to come and take me back to England.”

 In July, 1895, John died.  He and Susanah Sumrall Brown are both buried in the Harmony Hill Cemetery, Rusk County, Texas.

 The children of John and Susanah Sumrall Brown, all born in Mississippi, were Albert and David G. (not known to have come to Texas); E. Sarah J, (Mittie, born about 1845 and died in 1904 in Texas) my great-great-grandmother; James Mack, born 1850 and died 1906, in Texas; Horatio Nelson, born about 1852; Adolphus Euginia, born about 1854; John, born about 1857; Thomas, born about 1860; Robert, born about 1862, and Josephine, born about 1863.

 Submitted by Beverly Berry Fogarty