HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



227 



and killed one, compelling Mrs. Parry- 

 to cook it for them in the Dutch oven, 

 but before their feast was prepared 

 some American troops arrived on the 

 scene and the British fled, so that the 

 Continental troops enjoyed the meal in- 

 stead. The ancestry of the family is 

 traced back through several generations 

 to Thomas Parry, Sr., who emigrated 

 from Radmanshire, Wales, settling in 

 America in colonial days. He became 

 one of the pioneer residents of Mont- 

 gomery county, and assisted materially 

 in promoting its substantial develop- 

 ment and moral improvement. He lived 

 a straightforward, honorable life, leav- 

 ing an example for his descendants that 

 is well worthy of emulation. He was a 

 coftsistent member of the religious So- 

 ciety of Friends, and successive gener,a- 

 tions of the family have always adhered 

 to that faith, living lives of simplicity 

 without vanity. They have been con- 

 servative to a considerable degree, and 

 yet they have won success and gained 

 the respect of all with whom they have 

 Tseen associated. The family has largely 

 been represented in the great depart- 

 ment of agriculture, and yet certain of 

 its representatives have entered profes- 

 sional and commercial life. Samuel 

 Parry was a broadminded, intelligent 

 business man, whose ability was often 

 sought by people of the neighborhood 

 who wished him to write wills, settle 

 estates or act as guardian to minors. 

 Thomas Parry, Sr., the progenitor of 

 the family in America, obtained a large 

 tract of land near Baronhill, Montgom- 

 ery county, where he improved an ex- 

 tensive farm, being one of the promi- 

 nent and successful agriculturists of his 

 day. Upon the home place he reared 

 his family and continued to reside until 

 his death. 



His son, Thomas Parry, Jr., was 

 reared to manhood on the old home- 

 stead, and after his marriage located in 

 Warminster township, Bucks county, 

 where by j)urchase he became the pos- 

 sessor of large landed holdings. Set- 

 tling thereon he improved the property, 

 and a part of it is yet in possession of 

 Tiis descendants. He continued to reside 

 thereon until his death. 



Jacob Parry, son of Thomas Parry, 

 Jr., was reared on the home farm in 

 Warminster township, and at the time 

 of his marriage took his bride to that 

 farm and reared his family there. 



Isaac Parry, son of Jacob Parry, in- 

 Tierited the old homestead and he, too, 

 reared his family there. 



Isaac Parry, son of Isaac Parry, in 

 turn inherited the old homestead, reared 

 his family thereon, and died on the 

 farm. Isaac Parry was born in June, 

 1774, and passed away in October, 1857. 

 He first married Sarah Hopkins, and 

 they became the parents of three chil- 

 •dren: Rebecca, Jacob, and Richard H. 



After the death of his first wife Isaac 

 Parry wedded Mary Nixon, a daughter 

 of Samuel and Susan (Roberts) Nixon, 

 also of a prominent early family of 

 Bucks county. By the second marriage 

 there were six children: Tacey, who 

 died unmarried; Thomas, Samuel, Isaac 

 C, Susanna, and Mary, who was the 

 wife of Joseph Saunders, of Philadel- 

 phia. 



Thomas Parry, second child of Isaac 

 and Mary (Nixon) Parry, was born at 

 the Parry homestead in Warminster 

 township, was reared upon the farm 

 there and at the time of his marriage 

 took his bride to the old home place. He 

 wedded Lydia Conard, a native of Hors- 

 ham township, Montgomery county, and 

 a daughter of Josephine and Hannah 

 (Nixon) Conard. In his younger days 

 her father was engaged in the lumber 

 business at Philadelphia, but afterward 

 removed to Horsham township, Mont- 

 gomery county, where he purchased 

 land and carried on farming. He also 

 built a mill known in after years as. 

 Walker's mills. This is still in use, 

 being operated by Eugene Blair. 

 Jonathan Conard spent the remainder 

 of his life at that place and died upon 

 his farm near the mill. He was a mem- 

 ber of the religious Society of Friends, 

 and was highly respected. His children 

 were: John; Charles, a carpenter and 

 builder of Philadelphia; Susanna, the 

 wife of W. Folk; Deborah, the wife of 

 N. Cleaver; Mary, the wife of B. Brown, 

 of Byberry; Ann, the wife of B. Mor- 

 gan; Lydia, who became Mrs. Thomas 

 Parry; and Rebecca J., who died un- 

 married. All were members of the re- 

 ligious Society of Friends. Following 

 his marriage Thomas Parry lived on a 

 farm which he purchased from Jonathan 

 Conard, now the property of Isaac Parry. 

 He remodeled this farm, made substantial 

 improvements, and continued to carry 

 on agricultural pursuits there through- 

 out his remaining days, passing away in 

 18.1^7 at the age of forty-five years. He 

 followed general farming and also at- 

 tended the city market, and was practical 

 and successful in all his business deal- 

 ings. He was a devoted member of the 

 Friends Societ>^ ever • active in church 

 work and was a generous contributor 

 toward the erection of the Warminster 

 Meeting, which was built on one cor- 

 ner of his farm and is yet standing as a 

 monument to the religious enterprise 

 of its promoters. Politically he was an 

 Abolitiqnist in early life. He at all 

 times commanded the respect and confi- 

 dence of those with whom he was asso- 

 ciated because of his upright life and 

 honorable purpose. To him and his 

 wife were born eight children: Ed- 

 ward H., who served in the First New 

 jersev Cavalry during the war of the 

 rebellion, joining the army with the 

 rank of corporal and returning with 



