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Black Hawk County >> 1915 Index History of Black Hawk county, Iowa, and Its
People P Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton. WILLIAM H. PALMER was born in Devonshire , England , June 10, 1829 , and died in Mount Vernon Township , Iowa , November 27, 1886 . He settled in this township on May 9, 1861 , and began farming. Lovane S. Parsons, as proprietor of the L. S.
Parsons Music House, is at the head
of one of the most important commercial enterprises of Waterloo; in fact, this business is the largest of its kind in
this section of the state, having
enjoyed a steady and substantial growth since it was established on the 5th of August, 1876, by him
who is still the proprietor. Mr. Parsons is one of New England's native sons.
He was born in Vermont in
1852 and was reared and educated in the Green Mountain state.
Upon attaining his majority
he left home and went to Boston, where he remained
for about two years, but at that time he heard the call of the west and made his way to Iowa in 1876. He came at once to Waterloo and here embarked in the music trade but his first establishment
bore little resemblance to the
business of the present time, for at the outset he had
but one organ and one piano. He has
continued in the business now for
over thirty-eight years and his trade has gradually increased.
His store was originally
located on East Fourth street, where he remained until
1902, when he erected his present large business block, forty by one
hundred feet and three stories and basement.
He occupies the entire building,
conducting a large retail business, although he also sells to some
extent to the wholesale trade and is represented by several agencies
located in different towns in Iowa. He
handles many of the standard makes
of pianos and about one-third of the output is manufactured
especially for him with his name stamped thereon. He sells about
one hundred thousand dollars' worth of instruments, mostly pianos, annually.
The business has thus grown and the success of the enterprise is
attributable entirely to the progressive methods and the close application
and unflagging enterprise of Mr. Parsons. He
is thoroughly acquainted with the
music trade and long experience has taught him how to
purchase judiciously and sell with a fair profit.
He has ever recognized the
fact that satisfied patrons are the best advertisement and
in trade circles he enjoys an unassailable reputation.
He is also extensively
interested in farm lands in Iowa and Texas and is the owner of
much valuable city property, his investments having been most judiciously
made. In 1878, Mr. Parsons was united in marriage to Miss
Lillie Garrabrant, of Waterloo, who
died December 29, 1893. They had
one son, Harry O., who is now
general manager of the music house. He
was born in Waterloo in 1880, was
reared in this city and completed his education as a student
in the East Waterloo high school. He
has been reared in the piano trade
and is familiar with every phase of the business.
He became his father's
assistant at an early age and as the years passed on larger responsibilities were intrusted to him. On the 11th of September, 1906, he was united in marriage to Miss Mathilda P. Myers, of
Waterloo, and they have become the
parents of two children, Harry Otto and Virginia Myers.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Benevolent Protective
Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He
also belongs to the Commercial Club and Board of Trade and is popular in these different organizations, exemplifying
in his life the beneficent spirit
that constitutes the basic element of these different
fraternities. He is also a
communicant of Christ Episcopal church.
In business circles he is widely and favorably known and is one of
the directors of the Waterloo Retail Merchants Association. L. S. Parsons was again married in 1896.
Dr. Emma Dawson becoming his wife.
She was one of the two doctors who owned the Waterloo Electric Cure
and has attained high rank in her profession.
She received her more
specific literary education at the Western Normal College, Bushnell,
Illinois. She then attended the
medical school at Ann Arbor, Michigan,
for two years and was graduated in medicine in 1890 from the Northwestern University.
Mr. Parsons is Knight
Templar Mason and also a member of
the Mystic Shrine. The principles
which govern his conduct are
further indicated in the fact that he is a member of the First Congregational
church of Waterloo and belongs to the Commercial Club and Board
of Trade and the Waterloo Retail Merchants Association, thus keeping
in active touch with those efforts which are being made to extend
the trade relations of the city and promote its affairs. The sterling
integrity of his character has naturally gained for him the respect
and confidence of his fellowmen. He
is widely and favorably known
throughout the county. The terms
progress and patriotism might be considered
the keynote of his character, for throughout his career he has
labored for the improvement of every line of business or public interest
with which he as been connected. He
stands as an excellent representative
of our best type of American manhood and chivalry. |