Dale County AlArchives Biographies.....Parker, John W. December 5 1831 - living in 1893
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 18, 2004, 8:44 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    JOHN W. PARKER, judge of probate of Dale county, Ala., was born in Butts
county, Ga., December 5, 1831. At the age of two months he was stolen from his
cradle by the Indians while his mother was attending to her household duties. He
was taken to a swamp near by, where he was found next morning by a party
organized to search for him. He was reared and educated upon the farm. At the
age of twelve years his parents brought him to Russell county, Ala., where he
lived until 1848, when they removed to Dale county and there followed farming.
John W. then went to Ansonville, N. C., to attend the Ansonville Male academy,
and after eight months' study there he returned home and worked upon the farm
for two years. He then engaged in mercantile business for himself, opening up a
stock of general merchandise at Barnes' cross roads, Dale county, continuing
here through the years 1857 and 1858. In the fall of 1858 he entered the
Primitive Baptist church, and at once became a minister of that denomination.
After preaching two years he was ordained in 1860. He still continued to operate
his farm in connection with his ministerial duties until the close of the war,
and then, in connection with both farm and church, he opened a stock of general
merchandise at McSwain's mill, three miles west of the present city of Ozark.
Here he remained two years, when he sold his stock of merchandise, moved his
family to Ozark, and became a traveling salesman for a New York house. This life
he followed two years, and then engaged with Joice & Woods, of the Eufaula
flouring-mills, as their traveling representative, which position he occupied
five years. In 1879 he returned to Ozark and was employed by different firms as
a clerk for one year. In 1886 he was elected to the office of probate judge of
Dale county, which office he has held continuously ever since. He still operates
his farm, attends to his official duties, and fills the pulpit of the Pleasant
Grove and Hopeful churches. In March, 1854, he was married to Miss Mary A.
McDonald, daughter of John and Mary McDonald. She was born in Dale county in
1839, was married in her fourteenth year, and is now a mother of eleven
children, nine of whom still live. Washington F. married Laney J. Parker, widow
of Stephen J. Parker. He is a farmer of Dale county. John Mc. Parker married
Emma Hall. He is a commercial agent, located at Ozark; Mollie T., wife of
Charles Trewitt, farmer of Dale county; Ida, wife of A. C. Goff, who resides at
Ozark; M., wife of B. A. Byrd, merchant of Ozark; Porter, married Anna Griffith,
and is a farmer of Dale county; Georgia, who resides at home; David, in
mercantile business in the city of Montgomery, and Bamma. Mr. Parker has a very
large circle of friends. He is public spirited and favors all enterprises that
have for their object the increase of the means of civilization. He aided to
secure the railroads through the county, and is a stockholder. He is a small
real estate owner, both in business and residence property. He has great natural
abilities, and has always been a busy man. He has always been found on the side
of right. As a judge he endeavors to mete out justice to all, and as a citizen
he is admired and respected by all who know him.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 834-835
Published by
Brant & Fuller (1893)
Madison, WI



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