M. N. Parkes is one of the ten children born to the union of Martin L. and Susan B. (Smith) Parkes. The father was born in North Carolina in 1793, and immigrated to what is now Moore County, Tennessee, in 1818, where he lived the balance of big life. The country then was dense forests and canebrakes. He was a blacksmith and a farmer, and was a man of simple means. He was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, and was a soldier in the war of 1812, being a lieutenant and also a recruiting officer. He died in 1845. The mother was born in 1803, and removed here when quite young:
Our subject was born January 19, 18311 near Lynchburg; was reared on a farm, and learned the tanner’s trade when a boy, which occupation he followed for thirteen years. He then engaged in the cotton factory at Lynchburg. and after that was burned down, he engaged in milling until 1876, when he engaged in the retail liquor dealing, with John L. McWhirter, under the firm name of McWhirter & Parkes, until 1878. He then bought Whirter out, and engaged with D. S. Evans, as Parkes & Evans, the present firm. Mr. Parkes has been quite successful in his business, considering the reverses he has met with.
In 1866 he married Mary F. Womack, which union resulted in the birth of six children, four of whom are now living: Mary A. (wife of William H. Dance), John B., Charles M. find Lema. Mr. Parkes is a democrat and one of the enterprising men of the county. Mrs. Parkes is a member of the Christian Church.
