From a newspaper clipping pasted in the Parsons family album backing a tintyne picture of Jacob Parsons.

Obituary written by Elder Sylvester Besse, 1879

In Lincoln, Aug 13, Jacob Parsons, aged about 83 years. Norway, Maine, is the place of his nativity. At the age of 28 years he came to Lincoln, which was then almost an unbroken forest. He cut the first tree on the lot of land where he lived and died. He was industrious and independent. He was honest with God and man. He never harvested hay or grain, or visited on the Sabbath consequently was not troubled with visitors on that day. Through life he honored the requirement, "owe no man anything." At the age of 21 years he was converted to Christ. He was brought into the fuller liberty of the gospel at the age of 36 years. Four or five years after this date he was baptized by a Congregationalist minister and united with the Congregationalist church. But he soon learned by experience, as well as by the word of God, that a pedo-baptist (sic.) church was no home for a Baptist, consequently he obtained a letter of dismission and recommendation from that church, and united, by experience, with the Baptist church at Lincoln Center. When he was forty-six years old the church gave him a license to preach the gospel. He preached for the church a part of the time till a pastor was settled with them, after this, as well as before it, he held meetings in schoolhouses till the infirmities of old age laid him aside. He was intelligently sound in the faith, never creating or fomenting disturbance in the church or community. He took the first number of the first volume of ZION'S ADVOCATE, continuing unbroken his subscription for it till his mental faculties gave way. Then, at last, without an enemy, he came down like a shock of grain fully ripe for the harvest.

S. BESSE