Rachel’s cremated remains were not initially taken after her death and for years were available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. A relative claimed them in 2020. More information about unclaimed cremains at OSH is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx A book by David Maisel and a short documentary film by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
Rachel Brown was born in Ohio about 1818. She married William C. Parsons on 1/14/1838 in DeKalb, Illinois. He was born in New York about 1812. Their children included: Martha Mae (born about 1840), Nathaniel Marshall (in 1841), William J. (about 1847), Henry (about 1851), Lucy Agnes (in 1852), Sarah Louisa Ellen (in 1855), Samuel (about 1858), and Benjamin (in 1860). The oldest 4 were born in Illinois and the younger children were born in Iowa.
At the time of the 1860 census, Rachel, William and their children were living in Massillon Cedar County, Iowa where William operated his farm valued at $1600. In the 1870 census, the Parson family members were living in Armstrong, Emmet County, Iowa. The kids who were 10, 12, and 15 were unable to write. For some reason William and son William were listed among the men who were denied the right to vote.
On 6/24/1879 Rachel was living in Coos County on the southern Oregon coast. From there she was judged to be insane and was committed to the Hawthorne Hospital for the Insane on the east side of Portland, Oregon. Reportedly she had experienced 2 “attacks” of mania of which the first was in 1874. In the 1880 census she was listed in the Hospital for the Insane. She did not require special restraints and was under lock and key at night. She was 61 and reportedly widowed. In 1883 the state opened an asylum in Salem, Oregon and patients, including Rachael Parsons, were transferred from Portland to the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. In the 1910 census Rachel was listed among the patients at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem.
Rachel died at the asylum of heart disease on 5/13/1917 at the age of 97. On 12/5/1933, after being at the Multnomah County Poor Farm for 7 months, Rachel’s son Benjamin was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. On 12/28/1933 legal guardianship was established. After being a patient at OSH for 2 years in April 1936 he fell out of bed and broke his leg. A month later on 5/23/1936 he died of pneumonia at the state hospital. He was 75 years old. Rachel Benjamin were cremated and their ashes are still unclaimed.
Rachel Brown was born in Ohio about 1818. She married William C. Parsons on 1/14/1838 in DeKalb, Illinois. He was born in New York about 1812. Their children included: Martha Mae (born about 1840), Nathaniel Marshall (in 1841), William J. (about 1847), Henry (about 1851), Lucy Agnes (in 1852), Sarah Louisa Ellen (in 1855), Samuel (about 1858), and Benjamin (in 1860). The oldest 4 were born in Illinois and the younger children were born in Iowa.
At the time of the 1860 census, Rachel, William and their children were living in Massillon Cedar County, Iowa where William operated his farm valued at $1600. In the 1870 census, the Parson family members were living in Armstrong, Emmet County, Iowa. The kids who were 10, 12, and 15 were unable to write. For some reason William and son William were listed among the men who were denied the right to vote.
On 6/24/1879 Rachel was living in Coos County on the southern Oregon coast. From there she was judged to be insane and was committed to the Hawthorne Hospital for the Insane on the east side of Portland, Oregon. Reportedly she had experienced 2 “attacks” of mania of which the first was in 1874. In the 1880 census she was listed in the Hospital for the Insane. She did not require special restraints and was under lock and key at night. She was 61 and reportedly widowed. In 1883 the state opened an asylum in Salem, Oregon and patients, including Rachael Parsons, were transferred from Portland to the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. In the 1910 census Rachel was listed among the patients at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem.
Rachel died at the asylum of heart disease on 5/13/1917 at the age of 97. On 12/5/1933, after being at the Multnomah County Poor Farm for 7 months, Rachel’s son Benjamin was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. On 12/28/1933 legal guardianship was established. After being a patient at OSH for 2 years in April 1936 he fell out of bed and broke his leg. A month later on 5/23/1936 he died of pneumonia at the state hospital. He was 75 years old. Rachel Benjamin were cremated and their ashes are still unclaimed.
Rachel’s cremated remains were not initially taken after her death and for years were available at the Oregon State Hospital to be claimed by anyone who is related. A relative claimed them in 2020. More information about unclaimed cremains at OSH is available at http://www.oregon.gov/oha/amh/osh/pages/cremains.aspx A book by David Maisel and a short documentary film by Ondi Timoner & Robert James, both entitled "Library of Dust" also provide more information.
Rachel Brown was born in Ohio about 1818. She married William C. Parsons on 1/14/1838 in DeKalb, Illinois. He was born in New York about 1812. Their children included: Martha Mae (born about 1840), Nathaniel Marshall (in 1841), William J. (about 1847), Henry (about 1851), Lucy Agnes (in 1852), Sarah Louisa Ellen (in 1855), Samuel (about 1858), and Benjamin (in 1860). The oldest 4 were born in Illinois and the younger children were born in Iowa.
At the time of the 1860 census, Rachel, William and their children were living in Massillon Cedar County, Iowa where William operated his farm valued at $1600. In the 1870 census, the Parson family members were living in Armstrong, Emmet County, Iowa. The kids who were 10, 12, and 15 were unable to write. For some reason William and son William were listed among the men who were denied the right to vote.
On 6/24/1879 Rachel was living in Coos County on the southern Oregon coast. From there she was judged to be insane and was committed to the Hawthorne Hospital for the Insane on the east side of Portland, Oregon. Reportedly she had experienced 2 “attacks” of mania of which the first was in 1874. In the 1880 census she was listed in the Hospital for the Insane. She did not require special restraints and was under lock and key at night. She was 61 and reportedly widowed. In 1883 the state opened an asylum in Salem, Oregon and patients, including Rachael Parsons, were transferred from Portland to the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. In the 1910 census Rachel was listed among the patients at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem.
Rachel died at the asylum of heart disease on 5/13/1917 at the age of 97. On 12/5/1933, after being at the Multnomah County Poor Farm for 7 months, Rachel’s son Benjamin was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. On 12/28/1933 legal guardianship was established. After being a patient at OSH for 2 years in April 1936 he fell out of bed and broke his leg. A month later on 5/23/1936 he died of pneumonia at the state hospital. He was 75 years old. Rachel Benjamin were cremated and their ashes are still unclaimed.
Rachel Brown was born in Ohio about 1818. She married William C. Parsons on 1/14/1838 in DeKalb, Illinois. He was born in New York about 1812. Their children included: Martha Mae (born about 1840), Nathaniel Marshall (in 1841), William J. (about 1847), Henry (about 1851), Lucy Agnes (in 1852), Sarah Louisa Ellen (in 1855), Samuel (about 1858), and Benjamin (in 1860). The oldest 4 were born in Illinois and the younger children were born in Iowa.
At the time of the 1860 census, Rachel, William and their children were living in Massillon Cedar County, Iowa where William operated his farm valued at $1600. In the 1870 census, the Parson family members were living in Armstrong, Emmet County, Iowa. The kids who were 10, 12, and 15 were unable to write. For some reason William and son William were listed among the men who were denied the right to vote.
On 6/24/1879 Rachel was living in Coos County on the southern Oregon coast. From there she was judged to be insane and was committed to the Hawthorne Hospital for the Insane on the east side of Portland, Oregon. Reportedly she had experienced 2 “attacks” of mania of which the first was in 1874. In the 1880 census she was listed in the Hospital for the Insane. She did not require special restraints and was under lock and key at night. She was 61 and reportedly widowed. In 1883 the state opened an asylum in Salem, Oregon and patients, including Rachael Parsons, were transferred from Portland to the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. In the 1910 census Rachel was listed among the patients at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem.
Rachel died at the asylum of heart disease on 5/13/1917 at the age of 97. On 12/5/1933, after being at the Multnomah County Poor Farm for 7 months, Rachel’s son Benjamin was admitted to the Oregon State Hospital, a residential facility in Salem, Oregon for the treatment of people with mental illness. On 12/28/1933 legal guardianship was established. After being a patient at OSH for 2 years in April 1936 he fell out of bed and broke his leg. A month later on 5/23/1936 he died of pneumonia at the state hospital. He was 75 years old. Rachel Benjamin were cremated and their ashes are still unclaimed.
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