Eulea Parrott, sometimes known as Eulee Hanna, led a tranquil existence in rural South Carolina, yet she is associated with one of the region’s most heinous crimes. She was the mother of convicted serial killer Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins, who gained global recognition. A lady formed by poverty, farm labour, early childbirth, and Pee Dee socioeconomic conditions was behind that relationship.
In or near Lake City, South Carolina, Eulea was born on September 22, 1910. Her family history may be in Florence or Williamsburg counties. Her name spelling and childhood settings vary between family records. However, the overall picture is consistent. She was raised in a large rural household with minimal funds, limited education, and early farm work.
She died on February 26, 1992, in Scranton, South Carolina, at the age of 81. She was buried in Browns Chapel Cemetery in Florence County.
Childhood in a Large Farming Family
John Louis or John Lewis, Parrott and Fannie Powell had many children, including Eulea. Her parents worked in agriculture. In the early 1900s, the family picked cotton, planted tobacco, and did other seasonal work in South Carolina.
It looks the Parrotts were cramped and broke. Children in such families often worked as soon as they could. Eulea quit school aged 12 to help with farming. Her education was minimal because survival trumped books, formal training, and a career.
Eulea had a terrible upbringing with few options. Poverty shaped her later decisions, but not all. Farm work was hard, income were uncertain, and rural women had little independence or safety.
Her Parents and Siblings
John Lewis Parrott and Fannie Powell had a large family. Genealogical records identify numerous children, though spellings, birth years, and relationships sometimes vary. Several relatives lived into adulthood and remained connected to Florence County and surrounding communities.
Margaret Louise Parrott Tyler, born around 1901, died in 1971, and Myrtle Parrott Tyler, born around 1901, died in 1972. Bemis Parrott died young in 1907. Wildon Osborne, Lonnie Winston, Clinton J., Jasper Rolin, Clyde Elston, Ervin, Daisy S. Parrott Cain, and Alton Parrott were more siblings.
This was more than names. A large familial network spanning throughout tiny towns, churches, farms, and working neighbourhoods. Obituaries, family records, and cemetery lists often included relatives. The Tyler, Cain, and other lines of the Parrott family created a web of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
John Parrott died around 1949, while Fannie died around 1948. Their deaths came during a period when Eulea was already raising children and managing the pressures of adulthood.
Marriage, Motherhood, and Hardship
Eulea gave birth young. Accounts mention children from various partnerships, including some whose dads were not publicly identified. Later stories show her teenage relationships under extreme economic pressure. These latter recollections and retellings show the vulnerability of poor young women in rural communities during that time, but they should be regarded with caution.
Eulea married Hennart H. Hanna, whose first name is spelt differently in family records. Marriage appears to have occurred about 1947. Later, Eulea was called Eulee or Hanna. The Hannas had children from previous relationships and the marriage.
Her son Marvin Parrott was born around 1926 and died in 1989. He was the son of Eulee Parrott Hanna and Lewis Parrott, according to his obituary. Marvin held supervisor positions, notably with Wellman, and lived a life unrelated to the family’s criminal past.
The 1936-to-2024 daughter Inez Parrott Kirby. Inez worked at Campbell Soup before caring for others. She was active in Scranton’s Christian community for years. An typical community-centered existence included job, family, faith, and service, according to her obituary.
Other children and relatives appear in accounts of Donald Gaskins’ childhood, although not all names or relationships are equally documented. Some family members lived private lives and did not become part of public discussions about Donald.
Donald Gaskins and the Family’s Darkest Association
Donald Henry Parrott Jr. was born in 1933. He later became known as Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins. The exact date is reported as either March 13 or March 31, depending on the record.
Donald, Eulea’s son, grew up amid poverty, neglect, and violence. Later reports depict him as the tiniest child in the household, earning the nickname “Pee Wee.” Some biographies say he didn’t know his given name until a court proceeding. The account conveys his feeling of being undesired and ignored, regardless of accuracy.
Donald was physically abused by relatives, stepfamily, and other adults in his early years. He reported sexual abuse and humiliation. These anecdotes are mostly from his later claims and biographies based on them, making facts hard to verify. However, his childhood descriptions show a continuing trend of struggle.
One frequently repeated incident involves Donald drinking kerosene when he was about one year old. The accident allegedly caused convulsions and health problems that continued for several years. The story has become a symbol of the neglect associated with his early home life.
Eulea is generally characterised as uncaring toward Donald. Some versions characterise her as emotionally distant or unable to shield him from harmful adults. Separating established family links from later responsibility interpretations is crucial. The public record does not fully depict Eulea’s thoughts, motives, or behaviour. A impoverished mother, multiple children, and unstable adult relationships were trapped in unsafe situations.
Donald’s Adolescence and Reform School
By his early teenage years, Donald was involved in theft and violence. At about 13, he was arrested after breaking into a home and attacking a girl with an axe when she discovered him. He was sent to the South Carolina Industrial School for White Boys in Florence.
No one healed in the reform school. Donald later reported other boys’ sexual exploitation, beatings, and intimidation. He also escaped, joined a funfair, and married or dated young. He was 18 when liberated in 1951.
His childhood cannot justify his crimes. Donald was convicted of murder and rape and claimed more murders. His life showed how early trauma, violence, institutional abuse, and human decisions can be devastating. Though he suffered, he created agony.
Eulea’s Later Life in Scranton
Compared with her son, Eulea’s later years remained largely private. She lived in communities including Johnsonville, Lake City, and Scranton. There is little evidence that she sought public attention or participated in public life beyond ordinary family and community connections.
Her later identity was often expressed through her marriage to Hennart Hanna and through her children. Family obituaries and cemetery records place her within a network of South Carolina relatives who worked in factories, farms, caregiving, supervision, and other modest occupations.
Eulea died in Scranton in 1992, shortly after Donald’s death in 1991. She was buried at Browns Chapel Cemetery, among relatives and neighbors whose lives were rooted in the same region where she had been born.
The Wider Parrott Family
Parrott family history goes beyond Donald Gaskins. Many relatives led typical lives shaped by work, religion, marriage, caregiving, and community. The family includes private people, local obituaries, and descendants who carried the name.
Donald’s daughter Shirley Gaskins has spoken publicly about her father in television programs and discussions about his crimes. Her perspective adds another layer to the family story, showing how the effects of violence continued across generations.
Other descendants and relatives have lived in Florence County, Scranton, Lake City, and nearby South Carolina communities. Their lives should not be defined solely by Donald’s crimes. A family tree can contain both public notoriety and quiet endurance, and the Parrott family reflects that contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Eulea Parrott?
Eulea Parrott was a South Carolina woman born on September 22, 1910. She came from a large rural farming family and later became known publicly as the mother of convicted serial killer Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins. She also used the names Eulee Parrott and Eulee or Eulea Hanna.
When and where did Eulea Parrott die?
Eulea died on February 26, 1992, in Scranton, Florence County, South Carolina. She was 81 years old and was buried in Browns Chapel Cemetery in Florence County.
Who were Eulea Parrott’s parents?
Her parents were John Lewis Parrott, whose name also appears as John Louis or John Lewis, and Fannie Powell. They worked in agriculture and raised a large family in the Pee Dee region.
How many children did Eulea Parrott have?
Donald Henry Parrott Jr., Marvin Parrott, and Inez Parrott Kirby are listed as children in public and family documents. Because names and relationships differ throughout genealogy documents, the comprehensive list of offspring and family relationships is difficult to determine.
Was Eulea Parrott married?
Eulea later married Hennart H. Hanna, with the marriage generally placed around 1947. Before that marriage, she had children from earlier relationships.
What was Donald Gaskins’ relationship with Eulea?
Donald was Eulea’s son. Accounts of his childhood describe neglect, poverty, and abuse within the extended household. Eulea is often portrayed as unable or unwilling to protect him, although the available accounts do not provide a complete or independent picture of her private life and motives.
Did Eulea Parrott have a career?
There is no evidence that Eulea held a professional career or achieved financial prominence. Her life was connected primarily to farm labor, domestic responsibilities, motherhood, and family survival in rural South Carolina.
