William T. Parish  

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If you want to know the best way to go to Walla Walla, Wash., or Oologah, Okla., just ask W. T. Parrish, local agent for the railroad. As a result of his experience in routing cadets and visitors at the Academy he can usually give you this data without even loofinf in a timetable.

He began his official railroading October 1, 1899, at Rosedale, Indiana, but had worked before that wihhout pay for the experience. He came to Culver from Rockville, Ind., March 20, 1917, which ought ot be some kind of a record for continued service at one station. He was born in Fontanet, Ind.

Mr. Parish has found time from his many duties at the ticket office to serve the community, having served a term as a member of the township advisory board, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and secretary of the same organization. He is also a member of the executive committe do the American Association of Railroad Ticket Agents.

It is customary for movements of special trains and large sales of tickets to be handled by a special representative of the general passenger agent's office, but all such affairs at the Academy had been delegated to Mr. Parish with full power and authority, including accompanying of special trains while enroute, a recognition in itself of his ability and thoroughness in making routings and directing mass movements by rail. - Culver Citizen Profile

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W. T. Parish is the new station agent for Culver. He comes from Rockville, Ind., and is a married man. His family will remove here about May 1, when Mr. Lenon vacates the cottage owned by the railroad company. - 29 Mar 1917

1922 May 17 - Station Agent Parish has about complerted a six-room cottage of the East side it was built by a Plymouth contractor. It will be for rent.

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Pennsylvania Railroad Honors W. T. Parish

William T. Parish of Culver, a member of the Wabash Vallley Frieght Agent's Association, who recently retired after 50 years service with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, was honored at a meeting of the association held Tuesday at the Elks Club at Logansport. A fired chuicken dinner was served to the 56 attending including all members pf the assoication, H. L. Kimble, superintendent of the Chicago district, train mastes and the manager of personnel.

The regular business of the meeting was dispensed with and Supt. Kimble, who took charge of the meeting presented Mr. Parish a Lord Elgin wrist watch and Mrs. Parish a black calfskin hand bag. The program included talks by various members of the organization and in conculsion Mr. Parish gave an account of his with the company from 1899 to 1954.

W. E. SMith of Culver also attended the meeting. - - 23 Jun 1954 Wed. Citizen.

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Culver Military Academy cadet corps as it honored William T. Parish; recently retired Pennsylvania Railroad agent here, with a garrison review. This is the school's highest personal honor and in normally reserved for retiring faculty members.

WIlliam T Parish Saluted By April Pennsy Magazine

(Reprinted through the courtesy of "The Pennsy', monthly magazine for the employees, stockholders, and friends of the Pennsylvania Railroad).

William T. Parish, Pennsylvania Railroad agent at Culver, Indiana, for 37 years, was honored on his retirement last spring with a full dress garrison review by the cadet corps of Culver Military Academy

It isth ehighest personal tribute the Academy could give and is usually reserved for retiring members of the faculty. Mr. Parish was the first person in the Academy's history not directly connected with the school to be so hoonored.

Mr. Parish had planned to let his 55 years with the Pennsylvania end quietly, without fuss, but old friends at the Academy, where he had arranged transportation for numerous classes and cadets, would not permit it.

"We felt he had served the Academy as nuch as the Pennsylvania", says Col. W. E. Grgeory, Superintendent of Culver. "You might say Parish in his quiet curteous way humanized the Railroad for us. I dealt with him for 30 years and made all my reservations through him. There was a time when we had some friendly quarrels because I was regularly getting space over the wheels. Once I told him, and not too pleasantly either, that if it continued I'd go up to South Bend and take the New York Centeral. Now Parish took any criticism of the Railroad personally. He was of the 'old school' . That was his station and he was proud of it and of the Pennsylvania Railroad. From then on he saw to it I always got a good spot in the center of the car and when I returneded he would call up to learn what kind of a triip I'd had.

"Parish didn't do his just for me, understand. He did it for everyone. We run four specials a year out of here and he handled all arrangements. Never is a cut and dried way, either; each boy got personal attention. And never did he rout a boy by Pennsylvania if he could get him home more quicly by another road. The Railroad can be proud of having a man like Parish to serve it."

Mr. Parish started railroading in October of 1899 as a student telegrapher at Rosedale, Indiana. "i'd been loafing arounf the depot so much.", he says, "I was finally put on the payroll officially at $15 a month." From Rosedale he was transferred to nearby Rockville as a night operator ("the hours were from seven to seven at $45 a month and 30 days a month." he recalls, then to Frankfort ("same hours, same pay") and finally as agent at Culver in 1917.

He watched the Academy grow in size and fame over the years and come to know thousands of cadets, among them Will Rogers Jr., Tim Holt, and Josh Logan, the theatrical producer.

Byt the Academy and cadets were never his sole concern. About a third of his $25,000 annual passenger business came from the local residents, although since 1947 Culver has had no direct Pennsylvania passenger service. "I always too time to give people any information they wanted even got reservations for them over foreign roads. Take care of a man now, I always said, and you'll eventually get his business. - Citizen - Wednesday, May 11, 1955 - Page 17

William T Parish, with two Academy friends Col. W. E. Gregory, superintendent, center, and Col. A. R. Elliot.
	Since retiring the veteran local railroad agent finds time to enjoy his classical records with Mrs. Parish.

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Mrs. W> T. PArish Succumbs After Extended Illness

Funeral services for Mrs. Grace Entwistle Parish, age 70, wife of William T. Parish, were held at 2:20 p.m. Friday at the Culver Methodist Church. Rev. Kendall Sands, pastor of the church, officiated.

Cremation services were held at Indianapolis.

Mrs. Parish passed away Wednesday evening at the Rochester Nursing Homr following an illness of several weeks

She was born May 14, 1886 at Marshall in Parke county Ind. On July 10, 1907 she and Mr. Parish were married at Rosedale, Ind. and the came to Culver in March of 1917 where Mr. Parish was Pennsylvania railroad agent until his retirement two years ago.

Mrs. Parish was an active lifetime member of the Methodist church. She was also a member of the Order of Easten Star, Eastern Star Auxillary, Stitchery Club, and Culver City Club.


Surviving with her husband are a daughter, Mrs Josephine berg and granddaughter, Madeleine Berg of Pittsburgh, Pa. She also had four nieces and two nephews - Citizen 3 Oct 1956

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Notes:

In the early 1960's Mr. Parish lived on southwest corner of Pearl St. and Forrest Place.

William Taylor Parish b. 20 Sept 1883 Fountain County, Indiana son of William Alexander Parish and Julai Ann Wbster.

Grace Helen Entwistle 14 MAY 1885 Marshall Prke county, Indiana daughter of Joseph Entwistle & Hannah Penn Valentine