Town file
Parsons, Tennessee
Parsons, Tennessee (Decatur County, Tennessee) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 732, "Bush Blade In The Hog Bucket" (4 September 2026). In October 1993 Timothy Barnett, known as Timmy, was a twenty-one-year-old farmer living on Wilkinstown Road off US-412 near Parsons, in Decatur County, Tennessee.
- Town
- Parsons
- County
- Decatur County
- State
- Tennessee
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 732
- Approximate location
- 35.651, -88.123
Episode 732 / 4 September 2026 / 73 min / express
Bush Blade In The Hog Bucket
"We're going to Parsons, Tennessee... this is in Decater County" about 0:05:01
The case: Murders of Timothy and Janice Barnett (October 1993). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 2,462
- Median household income
- $21,293
- Median home value
- $126,100
History, in brief
- In 1880 George Washington Parton left his home in Georgia by horse-drawn buggy to sell sewing machines, and ended up in Decatur County, where he married a woman named Maggie. about 0:07:05
- Parton bought land on the Perryville-Lexington dirt road near the present Bear Creek church building and opened a general store, which drew cotton gins, doctors and other businesses. about 0:07:59
- He applied for a post office to be called Partonville after himself; it was approved and he became the town's first postmaster. about 0:08:17
- A railroad from Memphis was completed and ended at Perry Mount, missing Partonville by about a mile to the south, so Parton bought the first lot sold in the new town and moved his buildings there. about 0:08:42
- The post office moved with him and the new town became Parsons; Partonville was gone. about 0:08:54
- The town motto is 'Take pride in Parsons!' about 0:06:54
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Raised in Parsons and would not rather grow up anywhere else; a small town where everyone knows everyone, though there are few job opportunities."about 0:09:38
4 stars
"A small town where you get to know most residents within two years; friendly, with big towns and cities a 30 minute to an hour drive away, but everyone will hear about your life."about 0:09:55
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Selmer, Tennessee43 miles
- Dickson, Tennessee51 miles
- Lawrenceburg, Tennessee52 miles
- Walnut, Mississippi66 miles
- Pulaski, Tennessee69 miles
- Booneville, Mississippi73 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.