Thomas Parkes

       
      Thomas Parkes, vice-president of the Daisy Coal Company, first began prospecting for coal in 1880, and as soon as coal was discovered in paying quantities, opened up the mine and increased the capacity of the mines to one hundred tons daily average. In 1881 a stock company was organized known as the Daisy Coal and Coke Company. Mr. Parkes was born April 16, 1840, in Williamson County, and is the second of six children of Thomas and Elizabeth (Field) Parkes. Mrs. Parkes was a lineal descendant of Lord Scales, one of the early governors of Virginia, and she and her husband were both of English ancestry. Our subject received his education at Franklin Academy. He was united in marriage to Miss S. E. Smith, of Nashville, Tenn., who is a daughter of George W. and Susan Smith. Mr. Smith was, of German and Mrs. Smith of English descent. The result of our subject's marriage was the birth of three children: Daisy, George and Thomas. Mr. Parkes was chairman of the board of police commissioners of Nashville for seven years. In May, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Twentieth Tennessee Infantry of which he was lieutenant and afterward major on Gen. J. Wheeler's staff. He served during the war, was captured but made his escape three weeks afterward. After the war he opened up the Daisy Coal Mines, and was a cotton commission merchant at Nashville, Tenn., style of the firm being Thomas Parkes & Co. Thomas Parkes, Sr., came to East Tennessee in 1833 to prospect for coal and iron. At that time he purchased land at and near Chattanooga and predicted that that city would be the future Pittsburg of America. He built the first cotton factory in Middle Tennessee , and owned the first steam cotton factory in Middle Tennessee. He was the inventor of the nail cutter now in use, but did not get it patented. Fifteen years later he went to Wheeling, Va., and found his machine in use. It is now about the latest improved nail cutting machine in use. He was the projector and president of the first railroad running south from Nashville, and was a remarkable man in foreseeing the future manufacturing possibilities of the country. The railroad of which he was the projector, running south to Sheffield from Nashville, is now one of the principal routes South. Our subject is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Goodspeed's "History of East Tennessee" 1887