Thomas Henry Parrott (17 October 1836 – 27 March 1899) was an English musician. He operated a music business in East Portland, Oregon, which was noted as energizing the community's business environment.
Thomas H. Parrott | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 November 1836 Kent, England |
| Died | 27 March 1899 (aged 62) Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Genres | Brass band |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, businessman, landlord |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, violin, organ |
| Years active | 1862–1899 |
Early life
editParrott was born in Kent, England, on 17 October 1836 to Samuel Henry Parrott and the former Maria Everest, both of England.[1] His mother's family were notable musicians in England.[1] In 1854, the Parrott family emigrated to the United States.[1] They eventually settled down in Sherwood, Oregon. However, the family moved without Thomas H. Parrott, who stayed behind to study to become a shoe maker.[1] Two years later, he came to Oregon and worked as a shoe maker.[1]
Music and business career
edit
In 1862, Parrott moved to East Portland, Oregon.[1] For $40, Parrott purchased a home on the corner of Fourth and H street.[1] He would go on to operate the business at that location for 30 years.[1] It was noted in the book An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon that Parrott was instrumental in growing the business community of East Portland.[1] He worked as a music teacher and played in many ballrooms across Portland.[1] Parrott could play any musical instrument in a brass band.[1] His specialties were the piano, violin, and organ. In 1889, Parrott opened another music store which featured different instruments, including hand-made pianos and cabinet organs.[1] He also sold music sheets and instruction books.[1] Another business venture of Parrotts was landlord.[1] He rented out two farms in Yamhill County, Oregon.[1]
Personal life
editOn June 8, 1861, Parrott married the former Eliza A. Rhodes of Illinois, who was the daughter of pioneer A. Rhodes.[1] Together they had eight children.[1] All of their children had a thorough education in music.[1] Two of his sons, Jiggs Parrott and Tom Parrott, went on to play Major League Baseball.[2][3] Thomas H. Parrott was independent politically.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Hines, Harvey Kimball. An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. p. 361.
- ^ "Jiggs Parrott Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "Tom Parrott Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 1 June 2011.