Maria Bagnell
September 9, 1825 - March 13, 1886
From "Memories of their Mother" by sons,
Robert & Richard
Story recorded by Philip G. Parsons,
August 17,1970
Photo of Maria, 1860
Maria Bagnell was born September 9, 1825 in a small village
near Athlone, in the south west part of West Meath county,
Ireland. Her father, Robert Bagnell, and mother, Maria (or Mary)
Banks, had a large family, possibly eleven or twelve children,
and her father had a brother, William, living at Terrell's Pass,
Ireland, who was married but he and his wife had no children.
When my mother was a girl in her teens, her Uncle William and his
wife asked his brother, Robert, if he and his wife could not take
Maria into their home to be one of the family, as his wife was a
semi-invalid and had no children. They would raise her as one of
the family.
This plan worked well until the wife died and another of her
father's brothers began to come visit them frequently, and asked
William for chairs and other furnishings of his home, and would
take a small load of household goods with him each time he came
to visit. Maria saw how this would end and told her uncle she
was going to America. She picked up and came to America, much to
the surprise of her uncle who didn't think his niece had so much
spunk.
On the voyage, many people were seasick but it did not seem
to bother Maria. One nice lady, a Mrs. McGraw, was so sick, and
Maria felt sorry for her and her three small children. So she
spent many hours with the McGraw little ones, telling them
stories, playing little games, even trying to teach them a little
song. As they neared the wonderful land of America, Mrs. McGraw
had a long talk with Maria. She told her the McGraw's had a fine
home in New York City and that she would like Maria to be
governess for her children. She insisted that Maria accept
twenty dollars for taking such good care of the children on
shipboard. Maria explained that she was going to "Ohio country"
to be with relatives and teach school.
On arrival, Maria found New York by far the biggest city she
had ever seen. She also discovered that Ohio was very far away
and that she did not have enough money to buy passage there. So
it was that she found the address Mrs. McGraw had given her, and
was greeted joyously by the little McGraws and their parents.
After working some months in New York she journeyed up the Hudson
to Albany then westwardly along the Erie Canal route, now a rough
ride on Lake Erie and south through Ohio to Zanesville. Maria
Bagnell, young, eager, industrious and capable arrived among her
friends, the John Banks and Robert Banks families and Richard
Parsons and Mrs. Hannah Banks-Parsons families, in Zanesville,
Ohio.
On the 8th of December, 1851, she was married to Charles
Parsons at Zanesville. To this couple were born six children;
Mary, Hannah (Tallie), William, Charles, Robert and Richard, all
born in the family home in Zanesville, Ohio. The family home was
in Putnam on the west side of the Muskingum River, later called
the Ninth Ward of Zanesville, and my father, Charles, had a shoe
shop in one room of the home.
Photo of Charles Parsons
Maria's uncle William wa a prosperous energetic farmer and a
good manager, except that he was sometimes over generous in
helping his less fortunate relatives and neighbors. Maria had
learned well from her uncle William and aunt Margaret and brought
many nice things with her from Ireland. She had fine dresses,
homespun linens and cloth she had made on spinning wheel and hand
loom. She was an excellent penman and loved books and verses.
Her notebook in her own hand is a joy to behold. The story of
her growing family, its moves, its cares, its joys and its
sorrows are told in the story of her son, Robert Parsons. So we
say simply, Maria Bagnell-Parsons was an exceptional person,
perfect physically and mentally, a loving wife and mother dear to
all her children.
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