Only nine years after the Civil War and President Lincoln’s assassination, a
little general store came into existence in a rural area of Monroe County,Ohio
Parks’ General Store was built in 1874 by Jacob Kochert shortly after her
married Elizabeth Knox. In 1899 W.G. (Win) Linda-mood married Jacob Kochert’s daughter Anna and they
assumed ownership of the store a few years later. They operated the store until
1920 when Harold, Herbert and Forrest Conner purchased the business. The Conner
brothers sold the store to Reason (Reese) W. Parks and his wife Lavina in
1938. Mr. Parks died of cancer in 1942 at the age of 55, leaving his wife, and
children. Two sons, Ralph and Harry, were serving in the military during World
War II. The youngest son, 18 year-old Walter entered the U.S Marine Corps
shortly after his father’s passing. The oldest daughter Mary had married and
left home leaving Lavina and her two younger daughters Martyne and Shirley to
keep the store operating until after the war.When Lavina’s sons re-turned home from the military, they helped her in the store. Lavina passed away in 1979.Walter Parks married Mary Thomas in 1950 and operated the store with the help of their six children, Julie, Mark, Marla, Bill, Lisa and Kent. Walter died in 2000 at the age of 75. Mary continued to operate the store until September 2007 at the age of 89 when her health forced her to give up the running of the business. At that time Mary’s middle son William “Bill” took over the store and since that
time has made several improvements, but nothing has been changed from its
original appearance. The inside of the store remains the same with the oak and
walnut counters, the large ornate spool cabinet, the Putnam Dye case and the
bins that once stored bulk food. Mail sorting shelves were installed when a post office was established in the
store in 1880. It was discontinued as a post office in 1961. Bill uses the sorting shelves in a corner of the store that serves as his office.
little general store came into existence in a rural area of Monroe County,Ohio
Parks’ General Store was built in 1874 by Jacob Kochert shortly after her
married Elizabeth Knox. In 1899 W.G. (Win) Linda-mood married Jacob Kochert’s daughter Anna and they
assumed ownership of the store a few years later. They operated the store until
1920 when Harold, Herbert and Forrest Conner purchased the business. The Conner
brothers sold the store to Reason (Reese) W. Parks and his wife Lavina in
1938. Mr. Parks died of cancer in 1942 at the age of 55, leaving his wife, and
children. Two sons, Ralph and Harry, were serving in the military during World
War II. The youngest son, 18 year-old Walter entered the U.S Marine Corps
shortly after his father’s passing. The oldest daughter Mary had married and
left home leaving Lavina and her two younger daughters Martyne and Shirley to
keep the store operating until after the war.When Lavina’s sons re-turned home from the military, they helped her in the store. Lavina passed away in 1979.Walter Parks married Mary Thomas in 1950 and operated the store with the help of their six children, Julie, Mark, Marla, Bill, Lisa and Kent. Walter died in 2000 at the age of 75. Mary continued to operate the store until September 2007 at the age of 89 when her health forced her to give up the running of the business. At that time Mary’s middle son William “Bill” took over the store and since that
time has made several improvements, but nothing has been changed from its
original appearance. The inside of the store remains the same with the oak and
walnut counters, the large ornate spool cabinet, the Putnam Dye case and the
bins that once stored bulk food. Mail sorting shelves were installed when a post office was established in the
store in 1880. It was discontinued as a post office in 1961. Bill uses the sorting shelves in a corner of the store that serves as his office.