Surnames: PARKHILL CHAMNEY NILES

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 11/22/1888

Parkhill, Eli T. (9 JUN 1823 - 18 NOV 1888)

Died, at his home in the town of Hull, Marathon Co., Wis., Sunday morning, Nov. 18th, 1888, of Asthma complicated with other difficulties, Mr. Eli T. Parkhill, in the 66th year of his age.

Eli T. fourth son and youngest child of Reuben Parkhill, was born in the town of Lennox, Madison Co., New York, June 9th, 1823. He was united in marriage with Susan Ann Niles, Nov. 15th, 1849, at New York Mills. Sep 2nd, 1864, he enlisted in Co. I., 15th N.Y. Vol. Engineers, where he served as a corporal until June 13th, 1865, when he received his discharge. He moved to Marquette Co., Wis., in 1867, and from there came to the town of Hull, Marathon Co., Wis. in March 1873, where he has since resided.

During his residence in the town of Hull, Mr. Parkhill has been chosen to various positions, having been Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, and Court Commissioner. He became a member of Isaac N. Earl Post 112 G. A. R. at the time of its organization and held the offices of Post Surgeon and later Post Commander.

Besides his immediate family there survives him, one sister, Mrs. N. M. Champney of Clockville, N.Y., and three brothers, David of Jefferson, Ohio, and Ezra and George of Madison Co., N.Y. Of his own family there survives him his faithful consort, with whom he has braved the storms of life for nearly forty years, and seven sons, William L. Niles S., Reuben E., Hiram J, George B, Jesse F., and Fred A., also thirteen grandchildren. The sons, with the exception of George B., claim their home in the town of Hull.

During Mr. Parkhill’s fifteen years residence in the town of Hull he has ever been recognized as a man of sterling integrity, though eccentric in many of his ways, he was strictly honest, would wrong no man so much as a penny’s worth. He had many friends, in fact, those who were acquainted with him were glad to call him friend. In such high esteem was he held, that the village schools, in which he always took a decided interest, were closed and flages hung at half mast the day of his funeral.

The funeral occurred at the M. E. Church, on Tuesday afternoon, under the auspices of Isaac N. Earl Post, Rev. J. E. Webster of Cadott, officiating, and was very largely attended. The services at the church were brief and impressive. At the cemetery, the beautiful and impressive ceremony of the G. A. R. was performed and the remains reverently laid away in their final resting place.

The death of Mr. Parkhill will leave a vacancy that it will be impossible to fill. His voice was ever lifted in favor of any enterprise that would tend to benefit the place. For a number of years he has been in feeble health, able to be around but still unable to do any manual labor. About two years ago he was granted a pension under the general laws, receiving quite a sum as arrearage, and a little over a year ago he, with his wife, visited the scenes of his youth in the states of New York and Ohio. Since his return he has lived quietly on his farm two miles north of the village, where he peacefully passed away after an illness of only two days. His every acquaintance was his friend and all will united in tendering a heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family.

From the Colby Phonograph, 15 Oct 1896