THE PARRISH FAMILY [PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA] Including the related families of COX-DILLWYN-ROBERTS-CHANDLER MITCHELL-PAINTER-PUSEY BY DILLWYN PARRISH 1809 - 1886 With special reference to JOSEPH PARRISH, M.D. I 779 - I 840 With sketches of his children, by members of the family and others Compiled by his Granddaughter SusANNA PARRISH WHARTON PHILADELPHIA GEORGE H BUCHANAN COMPANY 1925 Died 1840 Born 1779 C7bJ~%~'l . From a painting by an unknown artist now in the possession of his granddaughter, Susanna Parrish Wharton JOSEPH PARRISH, M.D. Born 1779 Died 1840 A copy in marble by Augustus St. Gaudens of a plaster cast owned by Dillwyn Parrish. This was presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by Samuel L. Parrish in 1886. A Word of Explanation By SUSANNA PARRISH WHARTON AFTER my Uncle Dillwyn Parrish's death in 1886, numerous family papers, beside a large collection of letters, photographs, and other interesting documents relating to the Society of Friends, was removed from his residence at 1017 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, to the home of my mother, Susanna Dillwyn vVharton, at 910 Clinton Street. My mother being the last of the children of Dr. Joseph Par­ rish, it seemed fitting that she should assume this responsibility. Of direct interest to my grandfather's descendants is a manuscript book compiled from various sources by my Uncle Dillwyn Parrish. This book is still in my possession. vVith the consent of his son, Stephen Parrish, material has been selected for this volume. It is mostly a biography of my grandfather, Dr. Joseph Parrish, but some pages are devoted to his ancestry. There are anecdotes of the Revolution, a sketch of the Chandler Family and the friendly In­ dians; and, still more important and of true value to their descendants, a touching account of his parents, Isaac and Sarah Parrish, and his grandparents, Abraham and Sarah Mitchell. On my grandmother's side there is a most interesting account of the early years of her father, John Cox, from his own pen. It is full of life. Then comes his mar­ riage and the building of Oxmead, 1792. All of these, from the stand­ point of the world, were plain people, but possessed of those homely virtues which are at the foundation of our national strength; faithful [ 5 l in all the relations of life and leaving behind them an inspiring example of integrity and high living. The biography of my grandfather, Dr. Joseph Parrish, is a most significant document, the record of a man vvhose aim in life was to ease the suffering of the mind as well as that of the body; to bind up the wounds of the spirit as well as to minister to "the ills that flesh is heir to." A member of the Society of Friends and in full sympathy with its underlying principles, he expressed in his daily life the religion which was the rock on which he builded. One hundred years ago ancesthetics were unknown to surgery. \Vith fine self-command, in the many crises of his professional career, he instilled a heroic attitude in his patients. In the silence of the Meet­ ing his spirit grew strong for his task. The affection which grandfather poured forth toward his little flock of children, and the ever strengthening bond between him and his wife, are portrayed in his letters and are touching in their simplicity and fervor. Some extracts from his diary have been inserted-they are almost too intimate to print, did they not reveal the struggles of "one who overcometh." There has also been inserted additional matter from Dr. George B. \Vood's Memoir of Grandfather, the words of one not connected with him by ties of blood adding weight to the sketch. After the data relating to my grandfather, Dr. Joseph Parrish, was collected, it was suggested that it would be interesting to the present generation to include personal sketches of his children. I wish to add a warm expression of appreciation of the help given to me by my cousin, Samuel Longstreth Parrish, to make this volume [ 6 J a more adequate record of family history. Beside many valuable suggestions, he has added to it various interesting diplomas, certif­ icates of membership in medical, philanthropic, and learned societies, issued to Dr. Joseph Parrish, and also to his son, Dr. Isaac Parrish, together with the reproduction of the silver pitcher given to Dr. Par­ rish by the City of Philadelphia in 1833, and also the engraving of Joseph Bonaparte in his royal robes as King of Spain. These docu­ ments and the engraving are kept together and safely housed by Samuel L. Parrish at Southampton, Long Island, his summer home. The pitcher, as hereinafter stated, has been presented to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The work has been affectionately entered upon, with the hope that the beauty of the spirit which animates the whole will be preserved. In presenting these pages to the family I ask their kind indulgence. Philadelphia, Penna. June 1, 1925. Parrish History ; By DILLWYN PARRISH I have collected several manuscripts which tend to elucidate family history. They are copied in the hope that my children or some of the descendants of the Parrish family will arrange and condense them into a history which may prove valuable to their successors. [ 7 J DILLWYN PARRISH Born 1809 Died 1886 [ 81 Dedication by Dillwyn Parrish, I850 To Mv BELOVED MoTHER, BROTHERS AND SISTERS- THE FoLLOWING PAGES ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED "My boast is not that I deduce my birth From loins enthroned, and rulers of the earth; But higher far, my proud pretensions rise­ The son of parents past into the skies.'' -Cowper [ 9 l List of Contents PAGE A \VoRD OF EXPLANATION BY SusANNA PARRISH \VHARTON............ 5 DEDICATION BY DILLWYN PARRISH.................................... 9 LIST OF CONTENTS ............................................... 11-12-13 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .............................................. 15-16 INTRODUCTION BY DILLWYN PARRISH.................................. 19 RECORD OF THE FAMILY BIBLE OF ISAAC PARRISH........................ 20 EDWARD PARRISH, ANCESTOR OF THE FAMILY IN AMERICA.............. 25 HUGH ROBERTS..................................................... 26 ROBERTS GENEALOGY. 29 RICHARD JOHNS....... 31 GEORGE CHANDLER. 33 Hrs SoN THOMAS. 36 CHANDLER GENEALOGY. 39 ABRAHAM AND SARAH (ROBINS) MITCHELL........................... 41 MITCHELL GENEALOGY. 43 ISAAC AND SARAH (MITCHELL) PARRISH, BY DILLWYN PARRISH .......... 45 ISAAC AND SARAH PARRISH, BY DEBORAH WRIGHT. 51 SARAH PARRISH BY DEBORAH WRIGHT AND SARAH PARRISH CRESSON...... 55 JAMES ALFORD. 56 THE NAMING OF PARRISH STREET. 58 ISAAC PARRISH . 59 ANN PARRISH BY DEBORAH WRIGHT................................... 61 JOHN PARRISH, JR., BY DILLWYN PARRISH .............................. 63 SAMUEL PARRISH BY SARAH PARRISH CRESSON, OBITUARY NOTICE BY ROBERT VA ux. 65 p A TIEN CE p ARRI SH . 67 JOSEPH PARRISH, M.D., BY DILLWYN PARRISH......................... 73 COMMENCED THE STUDY OF MEDICINE................................ 75 [ 11 l PAGE EXTRACTS FROM DIARY. 76 ADHERENCE TO CUSTOMS OF FRIENDS. 79 HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS............................................. 80 EvENTS oF His MEDICAL LIFE. 81 ToRTOISE SHELL Box. • . 83 H1s MARRIAGE . • . • . 87 Hrs ATTITUDE Tow ARD THE PooR..................................... 87 Hrs MEDICAL PAPERS. 89 Hrs PUPILS ....... : . 91 DR. PARRISH AS A SURGEON. 93 SILVER PITCHER.................................. 95 EPIDEMIC CHOLERA. • . 97 SKETCH BY DR. ISAAC PARRISH.. 97 DR. p ARRISH AND RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE. • . 101 ANECDOTE OF JOHN RANDOLPH .•.•...•................................ 105 Hrs PROTEST AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. 106 Hrs ABSENCE OF BIGOTRY ....•........................................ 108 DR. SAMUEL G. MORTON'S TESTIMONY. 109 DR. p ARRISH AS A MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. 110 Hrs PROTEST AGAINST MAKING ARKANSAS A SLAVE STATE .•.............. 112 PRESIDENT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY ..........•....•....................................• 113 THE BENEVOLENCE OF Hrs CHARACTER •...............................• 115 His HoRsE "LrnN". • . • . • . 117 FORBEARANCE AND PATIENCE UNDER ATTACK ........................... 119 His EFFORTS FOR THE INSANE PooR .................................... 121 Hrs Ho ME LIFE. 122 Hrs SocrAL GIFTS. 124 WILL OF JOSEPH PARRISH. 125 CARE oF His SrsTERs. • . 127 THE CLOSE OF Hrs LrFE. 127 [ 12] PAGE ANECDOTE OF THE ALMSHOUSE HOSPITAL. 128 EXTRACTS FROM DR. GEORGE B. WooD's MEMOIR ........................ 134 "NOTICES AND RESOLUTIONS" AT THE TIME OF DR. JOSEPH PARRISH'S DEATH 140 NEWSPAPER COMMENTS ............................................... 141 LETTERS OF DR. JOSEPH p ARRI SH. 148 VARIOUS DOCUMENTS .............................................. 158-173 PARRISH SILVER ..................................................... 174 FAMILY RECORD OF JOSEPH AND SUSANNA PARRISH .................... 177 SKETCHES OF THEIR CHILDREN DILLWYN PARRISH ................................................... 179 ISAAC PARRISH. 185 WILLIAM DILLWYN PARRISH ......................................... 201 JOSEPH p ARRISH. 203 GEORGE DILL WYN PARRISH. 207 EDWARD PARRISH ................................•................... 211 SUSANNA DILLWYN \1/HARTON ......................................... 215 SAMUEL PARRISH. 223 GENEALOGY OF THE p ARRI SH FAMILY. 224 [ 13] List of Illustrations PAGE Dr. Joseph Parrish, from Painting by an Unknown Artist. 2 Dr. Joseph Parrish, Bust............................. 4 Dillwyn Parrish, Silhouette. 8 Dillwyn Parrish, Photograph. 18 Chandler Shoe Nutmeg Grater made about 1687................ 32 Chandler Robins Sampler. 34 Manscription of Sampler. 35 Isaac Parrish, Father of Joseph Parrish, M.D. 44 Sarah (Mitchell) Parrish, Mother of Joseph Parrish. 46 Isaac Parrish's Highboy. 48 Deborah (Parrish) Wright, Sister of Dr. Joseph Parrish, Married William Wright, Photograph.............................................. SO Deborah Wright, Silhouette. 52 Sarah Parrish Cresson, M. 1816 James Cresson.......................... 54 Ann Parrish, Sister of Dr. Joseph Parrish, Unmarried. 60 John Parrish, Jr., Brother of Joseph Parrish. 62 Silhouettes of Joseph Parrish; His Wife, Susanna; Sarah Parrish.