Ray H. Parsons, a capable-and reliable young business citizen of Tippecanoe City, and junior member of the firm of Smith & Parsons, dealers in automobiles and implements, and proprietors of a leading garage business, was born at Fairfield, Ohio, April 5, 1889, a son of George Truman and Matilda Belle (Heffner) Parsons. The grandfather of Mr. Parsons was a soldier in a cavalry regiment in the Union Army during the Civil war, enlisting in the 100-day service. Before the end of his term of enlistment, he was thrown from his horse and incapacitated for further service. He spent the rest of the active years of his life in farming, and is still living at the age of eighty-four years. For many years George Truman Parsons was engaged in agricultural pursuits, later becoming proprietor of a hotel at Phoneton, which he conducted, with success. At this time he is identified with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, at Phoneton. He and his wife were the parents of five children: Guy T., the proprietor of a grocery at Tippecanoe City; Daisy M., the wife of Joseph Snell, a farmer of Miami county; John C., now the partner of his brother, Guy, who enlisted in the United States Army during the World war and was stationed at Camp Greenleaf, Chattanooga, Tenn., from March, 1917, to May, 1919; Ray H., and Harriet, deceased. Ray H. Parsons secured his education in the public schools of Bethel township, Miami county, and as a youth took up the trade of electrician. He was employed in this line of work for thirteen years, and at the outbreak of the war between the United States and Germany entered the Government service as an electrician at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, where he was placed in charge of the telephone maintenance and construction, enumerator systems, etc. He served for nine months, and upon securing his discharge came to Tippecanoe City, where he entered into the garage and farmer supply business with Stanley R. Smith, the concern being founded October 20, 1918, and adopting the business style of Smith & Parsons. The firm now operates a modern garage and sales room, handling Oldsmobile and Chevrolet cars, for which it has the Tippecanoe City agency, tires, automobile accessories and farm implements, and is doing a large and growing business. Mr. Parsons is a young man of energy and ability and has gained confidence and made many friends since locating at Tippecanoe City. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Parsons married Miss C. M. Link, of Cedarville, and they have two children: Earl Ray, born in 1916, and Carl Edward, born in 1918.