Parker C. Hirons (1824-1905)
Reunited
“Long Separation Is EndedRecently there met at a family reunion at the home of P.C. Hirons, six miles northeast of Muncie, two brothers and a sister who had met but seldom before in fifty years. They were Mr. Hirons [Parker C. Hirons], his brother William J. Hirons, of Early, Ia., and sister, Mrs. John Satterfield [Sarah Mariah Satterfield née Hirons], who resides near her brother, northeast of Muncie. Fifty years ago the family lived in West Virginia. William J. Hirons went west and settled in Iowa. Not until eighteen years ago did Parker C. Hirons go west to see his brother, the latter never returning east until this fall. That one meeting was all the brothers had in fifty years, and the sister had never seen William J. Hirons after he left home, until he came to Indiana. Now they have resolved to hold a reunion every year, either in Iowa or Indiana. The Hirons family is one of the best known in Delaware county.” Muncie, Indiana. The Muncie Star Press. August 1905.
Muncie Star Press, August 1905
I’ve treasured this newspaper clipping from The Muncie Star Press, dated August 1905, for many years. It holds corraborating and correlating genealogical information to other data that I have within my research, and yes, that’s important. It also holds rich context for the Hirons family narrative, but moreover it holds tremendous sentimental value as it features the only known image of my 3rd great-grandfather, Parker C. Hirons (1824-1905). In the image, Parker is seated on the right, alongside his youngest brother, William Jefferson (1833-1910), and their youngest sister, Sarah Mariah (1838-1915). They were the last three surviving Hirons siblings out of eight, the children of Thomas Hirons (1795-1838) and Nancy Ann Shaw (1800-1854) of Washington County, Pennsylvania.
The image is grainy and timeworn, yet it encapsulates a poignant moment in my family history. The brief accompanying article narrates the reunion of three Hirons siblings in Delaware County, Indiana at Parker’s home. After being separated and having met rarely over the span of fifty years, they reunited for what would be their final time together, in August 1905. This reunion was not just a family gathering; it symbolized the enduring bonds of the Hirons family despite the passage of time and the distances that had kept them apart. Punctuating their dedication, they resolved to reunite yearly moving forward — regrettably, a reality that would never transpire — three months after this reunion, Parker passed away, November 1905, age 81.
Every time I’ve look at this clipping, I’ve been reminded of the legacy of my Hirons ancestors and the strength of familial connections. This clipping is a tangible link to the past, a glimpse into the lives of those who have came before me, highlighting the importance of preserving these stories for future generations. Parker, a carpenter and farmer by trade, is marked by his hard work and resilience. However, his face is the hardest to see clearly in the faded newspaper ink, yet it was the one I most yearned to discern.
Facebook Post Muncie 2023
I never knew—NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED—that an actual photo of the image from the 1905 newspaper article existed until I received a Facebook message from my 4th cousin and former high school classmate, Leigh Ann Thornburg-Grider, on November 13, 2023. (Parker C. Hirons is also her 3rd great-grandfather; we did not know we had this shared heritage until we were adults.) When her note appeared on my FB wall with the photo, I was genuinely stunned; that was most definitely not a newspaper image! Finally, and oh so clearly, I could see what my 3rd great-grandfather P.C. Hirons looked like in this heirloom photo. What a gift Leigh Ann shared with me, and furthermore was now entrusting to me. The photo has been passed to me now for preservation and safe-keeping. I am profoundly grateful and honored to have it reunited with other Hirons heirlooms.
Seated William J. Hirons (left) and Parker C. Hirons (right),
Standing Sarah Mariah Hirons Satterfield
Parker C. Hirons
(1824-1905)
Correction to obituary: Parker C. Hirons was born in East Bethlehem Township, Washington County, PA, not in [West] Virginia.
I am a 6th-generation Hirons descendant living in Delaware County, Indiana.
