Sometime after the mid-1920s, local accounts began attributing Exeter’s name to Parkhurst’s supposed English roots. But why did people believe he was from England? Before the 1925 historians simply stated that an “early settler from Exeter, England” suggested the name. Over time, this evolved into the persistent—but incorrect—belief that Parkhurst named the town after his English hometown. Shedding this myth has proven difficult. In 2023, Exeter City Manager Adam Ennis received an email from a historian in Exeter, England, who was unable to find any record of a Parkhurst in their town. I was happy to respond to that historian.
Who Was D.W. Parkhurst?
Daniel Webster Parkhurst was born in 1837 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the youngest of seven children born to Ziba and Sophronia Parkhurst. His father was a wool merchant, and both sides of his family traced their lineage back to the earliest settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1600s. It was common in that era to name children after prominent figures, and Daniel Webster, the famed Massachusetts senator, was at the height of his influence when Parkhurst was born. As was the custom of the time, Parkhurst was known by his initials: D.W.
Despite being of military age, there is no record of Parkhurst serving in the Civil War. By tracing newspaper accounts, it appears that by the early 1870s, he had moved west, living and conducting business in Salt Lake City, Utah, and later in Truckee, California. It was in Truckee that he met the lovely Marietta Lucretia Hoag, whose family had come from New York in pursuit of gold two decades earlier.
At the age of 34, Parkhurst married Marietta in 1871 and relocated to San Francisco, launching a bustling career as a land agent for SPRR, the largest business in California at the time. He traveled extensively across central and southern California, purchasing land for new rail lines. The 1870s, following the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, was a period of explosive railway expansion in California. Parkhurst played a key role in developing the line from Salinas through San Luis Obispo County and into Southern California. As Superintendent of the Western Division, he was instrumental in a $46 million deal in 1875 that secured 11 million acres, 1,150 train cars, and telegraph lines for SPRR.
A Brush with Infamy: The Mussel Slough Tragedy
In the spring of 1880, Parkhurst found himself at the center of one of central California’s most infamous events—the Mussel Slough Tragedy. While visiting lands in Hanford, where SPRR and settlers were embroiled in disputes over land prices, he and his wife were confronted late at night by a group of about 100 armed and masked men. They were ordered to leave town by morning. Parkhurst complied, departing on the 8:00 a.m. train.
Days later, tensions erupted into violence when settlers clashed with marshals, resulting in seven deaths. The event, widely covered by major newspapers, became a national symbol of the railroad’s ruthless expansion tactics. Testifying at the ensuing trial in San Francisco, Parkhurst noted that while he had been treated with respect, he had been warned: “If you don’t leave, we can’t ensure your safety from the other settlers.”
Building Exeter and the East Side Rail Line
By 1887, SPRR assigned Parkhurst to acquire land for what became known as the “East Side Line,” running through Fresno and Tulare Counties. His efforts led to the establishment of several towns, including Sanger, Reedley, Dinuba, Ivanhoe (then known as “Klink”), Exeter, Lindsay, and Porterville. Engineers at the SPRR offices in San Francisco meticulously designed the layouts of these townships.
While purchasing land for SPRR, Parkhurst also invested in real estate for himself, acquiring parcels in Fresno, Sanger, Dinuba, Exeter, and Porterville. By May 1888, Chinese labor crews working on the rail line passed through Firebaugh’s property, grading about one mile per day, while steel tracks were laid at a pace of 1.25 miles per day in the race toward Porterville. The former Firebaugh ranch was prime real estate, selling at $62.50 an acre—higher than surrounding areas.
To Parkhurst, Exeter wasn’t just another job for PIC—it was a lucrative investment. The town’s initial layout consisted of seventy-two blocks, both full and partial. Profits from land sales were split three ways: 50% to PIC, 25% to Firebaugh, and 25% to Parkhurst. Seeking greater returns, Parkhurst and Firebaugh expanded the town by adding six more blocks west of the tracks—along Filbert, Quince, and Orange Streets—calling it the “West Villa Addition.” In this venture, the profits were split evenly between the two men.
Boom, Bust, and Legacy
During the economic boom of the late 1880s and early 1890s, Parkhurst expanded into farming, purchasing 160 acres east of Fowler and planting vineyards. He split his time between a home in Berkeley and his agricultural investments, amassing a fortune estimated at over $300,000—equivalent to about $8.5 million today. However, he took out a $120,000 mortgage on his land, a decision that would prove costly.
The Panic of 1893 triggered an economic downturn, leading to the foreclosure of his properties and a string of lawsuits. By 1895, his wife’s cousin, attorney Albert Albrecht—who had been involved in Exeter’s development with the “Albrecht Addition” west of Wilson School—began representing Parkhurst in legal battles with creditors across Exeter, Sanger, and Porterville.
By 1899, at the age of 61, D.W. Parkhurst suffered a fatal heart attack, leaving behind his widow and two sons. 
He was buried in Berkeley, and his attorney settled the mortgage dispute. Adding to the family’s misfortune, a farmhand in Fowler stole diamonds from their home while they attended Parkhurst’s funeral. The thief was later caught and sentenced to a year in San Quentin.
The Mark of Parkhurst
Despite financial troubles in his later years, Parkhurst played a pivotal role in shaping Exeter’s origins, even though he never lived in Exeter. His work with the SPRR and his investments in the town’s early development left a lasting legacy—one intertwined with the myths and history of the region.
Yet, the question remains: How did Exeter get its name? While Parkhurst undoubtedly had a hand in the town’s founding, the long-held belief that he named it after his “hometown” in England is one piece of Exeter’s history that deserves correction.