JOSEPH DOWNEY PARRIOTT is highly regarded in Marshall County for his major contributions to the preservation of the county history.

     Thomas O. James very eloquently describes our friend and associate in 2006:

     "Joe could sit back and enjoy the leisure of retirement but instead chooses to take on challenging projects that are costly to him in time, energy and treasure. His devotion to recording local history is emblematic of his larger belief that all Americans, particularly students, need to cultivate a thorough understanding of our American history. Joe Parriott's philosophical base is rooted in progressivism in that he believes each generation learns and builds upon the wisdom of preceding generations. In Joe's very pragmatic point of view, the only way this can be done is by studying history. The age-old question of whether history teaches us lessons is left for succeeding generations to ponder and answer."

     Joe was born in Marshall County, West Virginia in 1933 and has lived there his entire life. His parents were Raymond Walton Parriott, a farmer, and Flora Leah Downey, a teacher. Raymond and Flora managed the Marshall County Infirmary, commonly called the "Poor House," from April 1939 until October 1946.

     The Parriott family, one of the oldest in Marshall County, participated in the formation of the county. Joe's great-great-great-grandmother, Martha (Clarke) Parrott, settled in Moundsville with her five children, following the death of her husband, Christopher Parrott, in 1820. He was a Revolutionary War Sergeant and died in Hampshire County (later Mineral County), (West) Virginia.

Genealogy File
Descendants of Christopher Parrott

Some Parriott History
Preserving Parriotts Are History Buffs

Log Cabin Moved from Silver Hill to Middle Grave Creek
(Photo by Colette Trader.)

PARRIOTT LINEAGE:
Christopher Parrott (1755-1820) m. Martha Clarke
Joseph S. Parriott (1790-1887) m. Hannah Vandiver
William E. Parriott (abt 1828-1910) m. Sarah E. Crawford
Joseph Lawrence Parriott (abt 1866-1938) m. Anna Heath
Raymond Walton Parriott (1891-1965) m. Flora Leah Downey
Joseph Downey Parriott (1933-2024) m. Nellie Louvia Byrd

EDUCATION:

Park View & 1st Ward Grade Schools

Moundsville High School

West Virginia University, B. S. Industrial Engineering, 1956.

MILITARY SERVICE:

U. S. Navy - Inducted 6 Mar 1956; served 19 months.

EMPLOYMENT:

Wheeling Steel Corporation, Benwood Works: Employed as an engineer immediately following graduation; resumed position after discharge from U. S. Navy in Oct 1957.

Continental Can Company, Glass Factory, Clarksburg, W. Va. - Industrial Engineer, 2 years

Ormet Corporation - Industrial Engineer, 19 years

PUBLIC SERVICE:

1966 - 1980 Advisory Board - Salvation Army

1989 - 1997 Board of Directors - CHANGE, Inc.

1990 - Elected (R) to West Virginia House of Delegates; one term.

MARRIAGE:
JOSEPH DOWNEY PARRIOTT married NELLIE LOUVIA BYRD, a Certified Public Accountant.

MEMBERSHIPS:

Simpson United Methodist Church, Moundsville

National Mechanical Engineering Scholastic Honorary

Marshall County Historical Society

AWARDS:

2006 W. Va. History Hero - Marshall County Historical Society

2006 W. Va. History Hero - Marshall County Virtual Genealogy Society - PHOTO - PHOTO 2, with wife, Nellie

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BOOKS BY JOE PARRIOTT

From the Outhouse to the Poor House to the State House and Marshall County History of the Twentieth Century

     The life and career experiences of Joseph D. Parriott are blended with the history of Marshall County to present the dramatic lifestyle changes in Marshall County, particularly during the 20th century. In addition to Joe's biographical information, topics include: Environment, Working Conditions, Decline in Employment, Veterans, Moundsville 20th Century History, Penitentiary History 1900-1994.

World War II Veterans of Marshall County

     This important book (2004) details the history of the service of 6,467 Marshall County, West Virginia men and women in World War II. Mr. Parriott honors both residents and former residents by presenting not only the Honor Roll inscribed on the Marshall County Courthouse wall, but approximately 1,500 others whose service in WWII was not recognized by those who originally compiled the Honor Roll.

     This book is MUCH more than the names of the veterans; it includes an abundance of information about many of the veterans' service. Mr. Parriott acquired his information from a multitude of sources, including the War Department, the West Virginia Department of Culture & History, the Marshall County Courthouse, interviews with veterans or their families, newspapers, etc. - Local Author Signs Books

Descendants of Christopher Parrott and Martha Clarke Parrott and Their Descendants.

     This book, first published in 1999, is comprehensive history and genealogy of the Parrott/Parriott family, among the earliest settlers in the area that is now Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia.

Marshall County, WV - History of the Twentieth Century. 2007.

Omnibus of Marshall County, West Virginia History.

$25,000 Donated to Marshall County Library to Honor Linda Fluharty

Wheeling Intelligencer - Marshall Memos, November 14, 2021:

The "anonymous donor" in the news story was dear friend, Joseph D. Parriott.

"The Moundsville-Marshall County Public Library received a $25,000 donation from an anonymous individual in honor of Linda Cunningham Fluharty who has contributed thousands of dollars and hours of labor to establish and maintain her Marshall County WVGenWeb website, as well as extensive West Virginia Civil War websites, over a period of 25 years. - Linda, a native of Boggs Run, is a retired nurse. She resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband Eugene "Gene" Fluharty, a retired [Chemical] Engineer and Plant Manager."

PHOTOS

Dinner at Oglebay: Joe & Nellie, Tom James, Colette Trader & Linda Fluharty, c 2009

Breakfast in Moundsville: Tom James, Joe Parriott & Linda Fluharty, c 2010

Joe Parriott & Linda Fluharty, Marshall County Library, November 2021

Breakfast with Joe & Nellie at their home, November 14, 2021.

Linda Fluharty presents Joe with her book, "In The Service of Their Country," November 2021.

Joe with his beloved friend and devoted assistant, Colette Trader, April 2024.

OBITUARY OF JOSEPH DOWNEY PARRIOTT: Joseph Downey Parriott, age 91, of Moundsville, West Virginia - a Loving Husband, Industrial Engineer, U.S. Navy Veteran, Home Builder, Landlord, Humanitarian, Politician, Historian, Author, Community Activist - went to be with the Lord on April 14, 2024.

Joe was born on February 15, 1933, in Marshall County, West Virginia to Raymond Walton Parriott, a farmer, and Flora Leah Downey, a teacher. Joe attended Park View, 1st Ward Grade School, and Moundsville High School. Joe graduated from West Virginia University in 1956 with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. In 1956 he was inducted into the U.S. Navy where he proudly served for 19 months. Joe returned to Marshall County following his service to his country, where he met the love of his life, Nellie L. Byrd. The two were married on June 29, 1968. After their marriage, Joe and Nellie traveled the world together side-by-side and with family. When they were not traveling, the two spent every day together at their home in Moundsville, West Virginia.

Joe was employed at Wheeling Steel Corporation, Continental Can Company and Ormet Corporation, serving as an Industrial Engineer. For decades, Joe has built and purchased dozens of homes which made him most known as the local Landlord. Joe prided himself in public service, including the Salvation Army Advisory Board, CHANGE, Inc Board of Directors and served one term in the West Virginia House of Delegates.

Joe’s family, the Parriott family, one of the oldest in Marshall County, participated in the formation of the county. Joe's great-great-great-grandmother, Martha (Clarke) Parrott, settled in Moundsville with her five children, following the death of her husband, Christopher Parrott, in 1820. He was a Revolutionary War Sergeant and died in Hampshire County (later Mineral County), (West) Virginia. Joe’s parents, Raymond and Flora, managed the Marshall County Infirmary, commonly called the "Poor House," from April 1939 until October 1946. As such, Joe devoted a large part of his life to recording local history. Joe believed that all Americans, particularly students, need to cultivate a thorough understanding of American history and believed that each generation learns and builds upon the wisdom of preceding generations. Joe wrote many books dedicated to Marshall County history and local Veterans, detailing the history of those 6,467 Marshall County, West Virginia men and women who served in World War II. Joe’s major service was that of the local Veterans, spending years of time, money and effort to have the Veteran’s Memorial erected at the Marshall County Courthouse. Joe was highly regarded in Marshall County for his major contributions to the preservation of the county history.

Along with his loving wife (Nellie) of 55 wonderful years together, Joe is survived by his beloved family members including David W. Byrd of South Charleston, West Virginia; David, Virginia and Trevor Flick of State College, Pennsylvania; Margaret Cullings of Crofton, Maryland; and Andrew and Christina Byrd, along with their children, Connor and Charlotte of South Charleston, West Virginia. Joe is also survived by his special friends Colette Trader and her partner Matthew Lydick; Jodie Whitlatch and his partner Kerensa Walker; Linda Cunningham Fluharty; Thomas James and James Stultz. Joe also has numerous cousins, friends, colleagues and tenants (past and present) that will surely miss Joe’s presence.

A Celebration of Life service for Joe will be held on Friday, April 19, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Grisell’s Funeral Home, 400 Jefferson Ave., Moundsville, West Virginia.

The family will receive friends one (1) hour prior to service at the funeral home from 12:00 p.m. – 1 p.m. A luncheon will be held at Simpson United Methodist in Moundsville, West Virginia immediately following the service. Graveside services are reserved for family members only.

OBITUARY OF JOE'S FATHER: Raymond Walton Parriott, 74, of Hillview Terrace, Moundsville RD 3, died in Reynolds Memorial Hospital Wednesday at 1:20 a.m. He was born at Bannon, Marshall County, Feb. 22, 1891, the son of Joseph L. and Anna Heath Parriott. He was a member of Simpson Methodist Church, a veteran of World War I and member of Earl Francis Post No. 3, American Legion. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Flora Downey Parriott, a son, Joseph D., at home; and a sister. Mrs. Howard Gibson, Ravenna, O. Friends will be received at the Lutes Chapel. Services there Friday at 3. Burial in the Limestone Cemetery.

OBITUARY OF JOE'S MOTHER: Flora Leah Parriott, 90, of Moundsville, died Saturday in Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Glen Dale. She was a former Marshall County schoolteacher and a member of Simpson United Methodist Church, Moundsville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond W.; two sisters and one brother. Surviving are one son, Joseph D. Parriott of Moundsville; three sisters, Grace Danley of Moundsville, Mary Walter of Frederick, Md., Mildred Robinson of Albuquerque. N.M.; and several nieces and nephews. Friends received 2-4 and 7-9 pm Sunday at Grisell Funeral Home, 400 Jefferson Ave., Moundsville, where services will be held at 1 pm Monday. Interment in Limestone Cemetery, Marshall County.