Biography written by Evelyn Park Blalock. Please do not publish elsewhere without providing full and proper credit. Thank you.
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Elza D. (Elzie) Park was the son of John Park(s) and Nancy Darnall, who were married in Bourbon County, Kentucky, on 15 Oct 1798. Information collected through Census records and obituaries of his sons provides that Elza was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, about 1799. To date, no birth record has been found.
Elza married Mary "Polly" Morris Mcintire in Bourbon County, Kentucky, on 26 Jul 1826. They remained in Kentucky until Fall 1831, when the family moved to Adams County, Illinois. Elza served as a Corporal in Whiteside's Brigade, Illinois Mounted Volunteers, during the Black Hawk War. A notation that he was "sick and absent on leave" and that his horse had strayed or was stolen appears in his service record on a muster roll dated for May 1832.
As son Francis Marion was born in July 1833 (more than nine months after Elza's service ended), it appears that he did make it home after military duty. However, no records for Elza are found after his discharge. Death apparently occurred between 1833 and 1840. Research is ongoing and updates will be posted as available.
Known children include:
Henry Thomas Park (1827-1911)
Francis Marion Park (1833-1925)
Moved to Adams County, IL in 1832. Adams County had a severe outbreak of cholera and small pox in 1934 and lost hundreds of people. Mary’s husband my have died then.
1Found in the 1850 U.S. Census for Adams County, Illinois. Mary Polly was found living alone in Warren County, Illinois, on the 1865 Illinois State Census. Found the grave of Mary Polly in Fremont, Iowa, and the headstone actually states "Mary, wife of Elzie D. Park".
6Biography researched and written by Evelyn Park Blalock. Please do not publish elsewhere without providing full and proper credit. Thank you.
Full Name at Death:
Mary Polly Morris McINTIRE PARK(The Find-A-Grave guidelines do not currently allow acknowledgement of multiple married surnames within the name field)
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PIONEER AND MATRIARCHMary "Polly" Morris McIntire Park was born in 1792 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. She was married first to Ezekiel McIntire, on 16 Sep 1810. Four children were born to this union: Julia Ann McIntire Carter, Sarah "Sally" McIntire Cadwell, Lucinda McIntire Turney, and George W. McIntire. Ezekiel died about 1822, which is the date of his probate record.
Mary Polly then married Elza D. "Elzy" Park, on 26 Jul 1826. They were also wed in Bourbon County. Two children were born to this union: Henry Thomas Park and Francis Marion Park.
In Jan 1831, daughter Julia Ann married William Carter, and Mary Polly's second husband, Elza Park, signed the marriage bond.
In Sep 1831, Mary Polly's brother, John Morris, was appointed guardian for her daughters Lucinda and Sarah. They remained in Kentucky while the rest of the family moved to Illinois and established a homestead.
Mary Polly, husband Elza, and sons George and Henry Thomas arrived in Adams County, Illinois, sometime between Oct 1831 and Apr 1832. Elza is shown in military service records for the Black Hawk War in May 1832, having entered service as a resident of Quincy, Adams County, Illinos. His record contains the following notation:
"Sick and absent by leave. Horse strayed or stolen at Rushville. Elza D. Park's horse recovered by E. L. Pearson, 1st Lt." As son Francis Marion was born in July 1833 (more than nine months after Elza's service ended), it appears that Elza did make it home after military duty. However, no records for him are found after his discharge. Research is ongoing and updates will be posted as available.
On the 1840 U.S. Census, Mary Polly and sons Henry Thomas and Francis Marion are found still living in Adams County, Illinois, with son George McIntire listed as the head of household. The Census record includes 1M 5-9 [Francis Marion, age 7], 1M 10-14 [Henry Thomas, age 13], 1M 20-29 [George, age 23], and 1F 40-49 [Mary Polly, age 48]. Daughter Sarah Cadwell and her family are shown living next door. Daughter Julia Ann Carter and her family are shown living nearby.
On the 1850 U.S. Census, Mary Polly is listed as a widow living in Fall Creek, Adams County, Illinois. This record shows her son Henry Thomas Park as the head of household, with his wife, infant son, brother Francis Marion and mother Mary Polly also in the home.
In July 1865, Mary Polly is found on the Illinois State Census living alone in Warren County, Illinois, probably relocating there about the same time as son Henry Thomas. By 1870, she is once again living with son Francis Marion, now in Fremont County, Iowa. She died on 27 Mar 1870 at the age of 78.
Like many pioneer women, Mary Polly outlived her husbands yet pushed forward in establishing a household, working a farm and raising children in a new frontier. She left a legacy for her family that will not be forgotten.
First husband: Ezekiel McIntire
Second husband: Elza D. "Elzie" Park
Children with Ezekiel McIntire:
Julia Ann McIntire Carter (1811-1843)
Sarah "Sally" McIntire Cadwell (1813-1856)
Lucinda McIntire Turney (1814-1879)
George W. McIntire (1817-1863)
Children with Elza D. Park:
Henry Thomas Park (1827-1911)
Francis Marion Park (1833-1925)
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ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Many online family trees have Mary Polly Morris McIntire dying in 1822. This is the death date for her first husband, Ezekiel McIntire. Also, several family trees have "Mary Polly Mcintire" as the maiden name for the wife of Elza D. Park. At the time of Mary Polly's marriage to Elza, marriage bonds were required in Bourbon County when never-married women were to wed. There is a marriage bond for the union of Ezekiel McIntire and Mary Polly Morris, signed by her brother Thomas Morris (father Morris Morris had died a year earlier). There is no marriage bond for the union of Mary Polly McIntire and Elza D. Park, indicating that this was not her first marriage (i.e., Mary Polly McIntire was her
married name, not a maiden name). Second, Elza D. Park acted as Julia Ann McIntire's guardian when signing the bond for her marriage to John Reynolds. Finally, Mary Polly's mother, Sarah Cushman Morris Forrest (who had remarried to Gresham Forrest in 1820), specifically mentioned her daughter "Polly Park" in her will, probated in 1842 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.
Family links:
Parents:
Morris Morris (1751 - 1809) Sarah Cushman Morris Forrest (1766 - 1842) Spouse:
Elza D. Park (1799 - ____) Children:
Julia Ann Mcintire Carter (1811 - 1843)*
Sarah McIntire Cadwell (1813 - 1856)*
Lucinda McIntyre Turney (1814 - 1879)*
George McIntire (1817 - 1863)*
Henry Thomas Park (1827 - 1911)*
Francis Marion Park (1833 - 1925)*
Siblings:
Thomas F Morris (1783 - 1846)*
Rachel Morris Morris (1786 - 1863)*
Daniel Cushman Morris (1788 - 1853)*
Mary Morris Park (1792 - 1870) John Morris (1793 - 1870)*
Rebecca W. Morris Parker (1794 - 1869)*
Preston Green Morris (1802 - 1869)*
Beauford Scott Morris (1807 - 1849)*
*
Calculated relationship Inscription:
GOD IS LOVE
Mary,
Wife of Elzie D. Park,
Died Mar 27, 1870
Aged 78Ys 19Ds
SPEAK KINDLY
Burial:
Chambers Cemetery Fremont County
Iowa, USA
Maintained by:
EveyBlOriginally Created by:
Tony & Cindy LloydRecord added: Aug 02, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 55795986