Birth: 1760 Anson County, North Carolina, USA
Death: Nov. 28, 1837 Montgomery County
North Carolina, USA

While living in Montgomery (formerly a part of Anson) County, North Carolina, Joseph enlisted and served in the North Carolina Troops:

• For 2 months in 1776, he served as a private in Captain Cornelius Robinson’s Company, Colonel David Love’s Regiment.
• From June 1780, he served 2.5 months in Captain James Crump’s Company, during the battle of Camden.
• In summer of 1781, Joseph served  5 weeks as lieutenant in Captain Shadrack Hogan’s Company.
• From October – December 1781, he served 3 months as captain under General Wade.  Joseph fought during the engagement with the Tories on the “Little River Montgomery” and the battle at Betty’s Bridge on Drowning Creek.
• Summer of 1782:
  1.  Three weeks as private in Captain Raiford’s Company, Colonel Lytle’s Regiment
  2. Two weeks as a private under Major Douglass
  3. Three weeks as private in Captain John Lapp’s Company
  4. One month on guard duty under General Rutherford

Joseph married, in the summer or 1790 or 1791, to Nancy Jordan. Nancy and Joseph had seven children;  they all lived to adulthood and gave them grandchildren.

At age 18, Joseph was appointed Justice of the Peace, and continued faithfully to discharge its duties to the day of his death. Joseph served for several years as a member of the Legislature of North Carolina. Joseph Parsons was doubtless the oldest magistrate in the state. In all relations of neighbor, friend or parent, he was humble, conciliatory and affectionate.