Towns & Communities

Partinville

A forerunner of the town of Parsons was Partinville.  A youthful, adventurous sewing machine salesman, George Washington Partin of Ringo, Georgia, was attracted by the natural advantages of the high land near Bear Creek.  Believing there would be a profit in starting a town there, he purchased a number of acres near the present Bear Creek Baptist Church.  After marrying Maggie Rushing, he opened a successful general merchandise store.  He sold some of his land to Hop Steed who put up a cotton gin.  Samuel Houston owned a cotton gin there also.

Since there was no post office nearby at this time, G. W. Partin made an application for one.  On November 13, 1885, he became the first postmaster in the town which bore his name.  He served the office from November 13, 1885, until March 31, 1893, when John S. Barham became postmaster.  However, a few years earlier a small settlement named Parsons had developed nearby.  Being on the Midland Railroad, it grew faster and on May 7, 1897, the post office moved to Parsons.  Partin sold his store and possessions at Partinville and also moved to the thriving new town in 1889.  Some of the pioneer families living in the Partinville area were the Bostics, Steeds, Partins, Houstons, Lowes, Edwards, Meggs, Stegalls, Gilberts, Hayes, Myracles, Barnettes, and Iveys.

 

From "Tennessee County History Series: Decatur County" by Lillye Younger 1979. ISBN 0-87870-077-3