Life Sketch of Margaretta Barbara Parchent

Margaretta Barbara Parchent was born in Echersdorf Bayruth, Germany 11 October 1847. She was the fifth child of Margaret Hull and John Parchent. She was a little over five feet tall, had gray eyes and brown hair. She had a pleasant disposition and all who knew her loved her for her kindness and thoughtfulness.

John Parchent was a masson by trade, he was also a farmer. He married Margaret Hull and they were the parents of six children, two boys and four girls. Barbara, Connie (never married, she was a beautiful girl) John Michael, Simon, Margaretta Barbara and Anne Barbara. (German people sometimes named two or more of their children the same name. They called mother Margaretta Barbel and am most sure they called Anna, the youngest Anna Barbel.) – Elizabeth Lewis

All of the family helped with the work on the farm. “Mother would often get up at three o’clock in the morning, tie an apron around her head, go to the field and cut hay[a] with a cycle. When daylight came someone would bring her breakfast. Then the hay was dry she would hitch some cows to the wagon and haul the hay home. She also milked cows for her sister Mrs Butner.” – Annie Haas.

Margaretta loved to dance and would tell of the good times she had in Germany dancing with the young people. They would look down at her and say something about “you little thing”, because she was so tiny. They would wear little hats with ribbons on them, she thought hers was the prettiest. – Retta Hiibner.

She and John Leonard Hiibner, who worked for her brother-in-law, Mr Butner decided to go[b] to America and live in a free land. It was a good place to get a start in farming land. Her parents didn’t want her to go but they had made up their minds so left Germany in 1872.

“On the way over mother talked to another man on the ship, father got jealous so mother told him he had no hold on her but he must have because her clothes were in his trunk and his in hers.” – Annie Haas. “George Hermansdorfer heard that his brother John Leonard was coming so got on a horse and rode through Charleston so fast he was arrested for speeding and fined $5.00” George Hiibner

They lived with George Hermansdorfer for a while then bought some land from him and built a one room log house on it. “It had a dirt floor so father took a big rock in the house and they used it for a fireplace. Pieces of wood kept rolling off and finally set the house on fire. They then dug a hole for a fireplace but mother got up in the night and the moon light blinded her so she fell in the hole. Gather sawed lumber by hand and made a floor for their home.” – Annie Haas. They added more rooms as they could and soon had a nice two story house. “It was one of the finest homes anywhere around.” – Reeta Hiibner.

They had nine children born in the family home at Two Mile, Kanawha County, West Virginia.

1. Mary: Born 20 January 1873. She was a lovely blue eyed blond. She was an active girl, very helpful to her parents. She died of a fever at the age of fifteen years. Passed away between 25^th and 31 August 1888.
2. Dorothea (Dollie) born 8 October 1874. Had dark brown eyes and beautiful blue-black hair. She was a kind and generous girl, a good cook, could cook almost as good as “mother.” Loved for her friendliness and goodness to everyone. Passed away 12 September 1961[c].
3. John: Born 31 January 1877, he died of the croup at the age of one year.  1878.
4. George: Born 15[d] April 1879. Blue eyes and brown hair. Was kind to everyone, loved for his cheerfulness and friendliness to everyone he met. Young and old came to him for council and advise. Passed away 28 November 1965.
5. Anna: Born 20 February 1881[e]. Was a tiny little girl with brown eyes and brown hair. Always full of fun and mischief, good at telling funny stories. All loved her for her cheerfulness, goodness and kindness. Passed away 16 June 1961.
6. John: Born 6 January 1883. A handsome man about five feet ten inches tall. Brown eyes and brown hair. Good natured and kind and generous to everyone. People also came to him for council and advise. Passed away 14 April 1948.
7. Wilhilminia (Minnie) born 10 September 1884. Had brown eyes and brown hair. Had a very pleasant disposition and was loved by everyone who knew her. Died of the influenza 4[f] February 1920.
8. Clara: Born 4 March 1886. Had light hair, was a goodnatured little girl, always smiling and happy. Passed away of a fever at the age of 18 months. September 1888.
9. Elizabeth: Born 12 January 1891. Blond with blue eyes. A pleasant girl, always laughing and happy. Loved for her goodness and kindness to everyone. She has kept the Hiibner descendents together through her visits and letter writing. – Information, George Hiibner, Retta Hiibner, Denver Copen, Dollie Sorensen, Carnice Copen.

It must have broken their hearts to loose three of their children at this time. They never gave up, just worked harder to make a better life for their children.

“I am your cousin, the youngest daughter of your mothers brother Simon Parchent of Hart near Echersorf. I think often of my youth-time when I was in my parents home and father always read to us the letters from America and we children so eagerly listened. Many years passed without hearing more and our parents though that they had died. We see so many soldiers of your nationality and I always wonder whether I have a relative among them.” Kunigunda Gaff – (1947, letter to George Hiibner.)

“Your grandma Hiibner was a pretty little woman, so kind to everyone. I would take butter and eggs to her place and she would take them to Charleston and sell them for me. When I would go to her place she would stop churning or whatever she was doing and take time to visit with me. She always called me “Mis Copen.” After visiting awhile she would walk with me when I left. The Hiibners had such mean dogs I was afraid of them but she or one of the girls would call to them and they would stop barking and lie down. They usually kept the dogs chained up they were so mean or people thought they might be.” – Agnes Copen.

“Margaretta and John brought their children up to be honest and taught them the joy of work. They were the hardest working people you ever met and seemed to like to work.” – Carnice Copen.  “I don’t think they were ever told to go to work or what to do, they just went to work and seemed to enjoy every minute of the time they put in on the farm. I have never seen such pretty girls as the Hiibner girls, every where you went people would talk of their beauty. They could outwork any man and seemed to have fun all the time. The boys would work all day and still have energy enough to do other chores and odd jobs around the place.” – Denver Copen

“When George and me were got married we lived with the Hiibner family for a while. They were so good to me, your grandma was such a good cook and was always fixing me something to eat. She could make the best coffee cake I ever tasted. When she made bread she kept a little bit of dough aside, mixed in sugar, cinnamon, raisins, add some flour and milk let rise and bake it. She would make an icing of sugar and cinnamon and I believe cream or milk. I have tried to make it but it doesn’t taste like your grandma’s. She made German dumplings and all kinds of god things. Nothing was wasted, they used or sold or traded everything they raised.” – Retta Hiibner.

“Mother was a good cook, whatever she cooked was good. She was a farm girl in Germany and there learned to cook wholesome foods. I believe that is why we were so healthy because of the good things she cooked for us.” – George Hiibner.

“”One day it rained awful hard, your grandma ran out to find her little chickens and when she didn’t return the family got worried so Dollie and me ran out to look for her. We found her standing in a shed with her apron full of little chickens, they were dry but she was soaking wet. She laughed when we found her, she was concerned only for her chickens.” “She had the softest beds, made of goose and duck feathers, even the covers wear feather ticks. I used to help pick the geese – live ones. We would catch them and pick the soft feathers, they could grow new ones and we had use for the feathers for bedding.” – Reeta Hiibner

“Fathers word was law around the home. When he spoke to us we knew we had to obey. We were never mistreated in any way, we just knew we had to mind.” “As far as I know father was a Democrat, but he never ran for public office. I don’t remember of mother voting but she might have.” “He always called mother ‘Margaretta’.” – George Hiibner.

“On Sunday afternoons we would often go to the neighboring farms to play. I often went to the Hiibner place where we would spend the time telling funny stories – or jokes, wrestling or just having fun. I would see your grandma she was a quiet little lady. They usually had their German neighbors visiting with them. Your grandmother always had a smile or cheerful word for everyone, even young boys like me. I always looked up to your grandfather as a hero because of his earlier training and because he had been a soldier and fighting man. He was a dignified looking man well liked by his neighbors and was a friend to everyone.” – Denver Copen.

“Dances were often held at the home of my parents. Tables and other furniture[g] would be pushed in one corner and the dance held in that room. One night a group picked a fight with a school teacher. Father ran them off with an ax handle, said ‘if you can’t come and act right, stay away’.” – Annie Haas.

As Margaretta grew older she slowed up and knew she would have to give up her beloved farm. She finally turned it over to her younger son John and moved to Charleston. She still kept a few chickens and did her own housework and yardwork. She enjoyed her grandchildren and was a good neighbor and friend to all who knew her. She was the last living child of John and Margaret Parchent.

She passed away at her home in Charleston 15 October 1943 and was buried on the home place at Two Mile, Kanawha County, West Virginia.