Lucinda PARSON

  General Notes:

Portrait: A rare likeness of Lucinda (Parson) Allum, 1832-1863, allows us to see this lovely-looking woman who died at age 30. Although she had birthed six children, two predeceased her. Her youngest--daughter Delila Alice--was 3 months old when Lucinda passed on.

From the collection of Shirley Allum Hudlicky


Shirley, November 2, 1964 letter to DeeAnna:

"I was, and still am, fascinated by the picture of Lucinda. There is an elusive quality about it that almost has a Mona Lisa touch. I think it is around the eyes."


1832 BIRTH of Lucinda Parson

Shirley, 1998 note to DeeAnna:

"The surname is spelled both ' Parson ' and ' Parsons.' Lucinda -- plus family living in Greene County, PA when I visited -- spelled it ' Parson,' but both spellings are used for this family (Parson - Parsons). I am using ' Parson.'

1840 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Morris Township (Lucinda, with parents, would have been one of the females ages 5 through 9 in the "Vincent Parson" household)

1850 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township ("Lucinda," age 18, with parents)

1852 MARRIAGE of Lucinda Parson and Isaac Allum on December 21 in Greene County, Pennsylvania

1860 CENSUS, Iowa, Jasper County, Independence Township, Newton ("Lucinda," age 29, with husband "Isaac," age 31, "Farmer")

1863 DEATH, Lucinda (Parson) Allum, at 31 years 11 months 11 days, buried in Newton Union Cemetery, Jasper County, Iowa


See "Isaac Allum" for additional information


Shirley, October 14, 1998 letter to DeeAnna:

"My primary activity for a return trip to the Midwest would be to go to Newton Union Cemetery once again and stand near, or on, or by, what is probably the grave of my great grandmother, Lucinda Parson Allum. I believe that she and Matilda Ann (Thomas's wife) died of TB, the same as Martha Pettit Simpson. TB was a real scourge in those days. I think Lucinda looks like she has it in that photo I sent you (from the large portrait). She looks so thin, not really anorexic, but not at all well. Can you imagine the hardships women went through in those pioneer days? No conveniences we are blessed with and, without fail, another baby every two years. And, too, there were many, many infant deaths. If a mother was unable to nurse, it was a tragedy. No refrigeration as we have now to keep a substitute formula, to say nothing of the diseases for which there were no vaccinations or antibiotics."


Newton Union Cemetery (excerpts from cemetery web site):

One hundred forty-seven years ago, Newton Union Cemetery was established in an area of native trees and hazel brush. From the original 11 1/2 acres, purchased from Jacob and Elizabeth Guthrie, it has grown to contain almost 60 acres.

The first records of Newton Union Cemetery were destroyed about 1889 which made the identification of unmarked graves difficult. This problem is compounded by the absence of early newspaper files and funeral home records.

The first town cemetery, the Newton Graveyard, was located north of the Square. There is no record of the number of burials, nor of the date of the first burial. Since the cemetery is shown on the 1846 plat of Newton, it may be assumed that the first burial could have been made before 1850.

Newton Union was established in 1854 as the Ladies Union Circle Cemetery, and it is possible that burials were made in both cemeteries until about 1858.

The bodies in the Newton Graveyard were moved to Newton Union prior to the Civil War, so death prior to 1854 indicates the burial was first made in another cemetery.

Reaching Newton Union in the early days was not always easy. It was the custom for many of the mourners to follow the hearse on foot. Wet weather turned the road into a quagmire, a fact noted in some obituaries. Morgan Funeral Home records indicate that a sled was sometimes used to carry coffins to the cemetery in winter.

The plantings in the cemetery include many flowers such as iris, tulips, lilies of the valley, and peonies. Spiraea, lilac, and privet, along with varieties of evergreens are some of the shrubs to be seen. In the older sections of the cemetery there are oak trees over one hundred years old, as well as shag bark hickories, maples, sycamores, cedars, pines, and spruces. Some of these are among the finest specimens of their species to be found in Newton.

On Memorial Day about 400 American flags are placed along both sides of the street from the main gate to the Veteran's section.

Lucinda married Isaac ALLUM, son of Charles W. ALLUM and Jemima BARNHART, on December 21, 1852 in Greene County, Pennsylvania. (Isaac ALLUM was born on November 30, 1828 in Greene County, Pennsylvania, died on January 14, 1907 in Deep River, Poweshiek County, Iowa and was buried on January 16, 1907 in White Oak Cemetery, Prairie Township, Keokuk County, Iowa.)