Yolo County CA Archives Biographies.....Parker, John Robert 1838 - 1902
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Author: Tom Gregory (1913)

JOHN ROBERT PARKER

    The laborious existence of a progressive Iowa farmer, whose broad fields of
grain stretch from his barns in every direction, was exchanged for the radically
different yet no less busy life of a California sheep-raiser when in 1876 Mr.
Parker removed to the western coast as a permanent settler. Prior to the removal
his life had been marked by few changes, the first of any importance having been
the migration of the family from Ohio to Iowa when he was a lad of thirteen
years, and the second event of prominence occurring when he made a trip to
Pike's Peak at the time of the discovery of gold in Colorado. The latter journey
interested him in the west, but the results from a moneyed standpoint were
unsatisfactory and he cheerfully returned to agricultural efforts on the home farm.

    John Robert Parker was born at Newark, Licking county, Ohio, November 9,
1838, and at the age of thirteen in 1851 he accompanied his parents, Timothy and
Catharine (Trout) Parker, from Ohio to Iowa, settling in Poweshiek county, where
he aided his father in the clearing of a government claim. Later he took up land
for a homestead and spent many years in making improvements, bringing the soil
under cultivation and securing those returns to which the efforts of capable
farmers entitle them. While he gave his attention almost wholly to agriculture,
there was a time in young manhood when he taught school and he continued in that
profession for a very short period after his marriage, thus earning the money he
needed for defraying indebtedness on his land.

    The establishment of a home on an Iowa farm followed the union of Mr. Parker
with Miss Sarah Dillon, a native of Ohio and a woman of forceful personality and
attractive qualities. Eleven children were born of the marriage, but three of
these died young, namely: Everett, John and Lena; and Elbert died in 1904. Those
now living are as follows: Durward C., Eugene D., Freeman, Jennie K., Luella,
Eva and Mary E. The first-named son, a resident of Esparto, married Minnie Gates
and is the father of two daughters. Eugene D., of Capay, Yolo county, married
Daisy Goodnow and has two children, Milo and Fern. Freeman, who lives at
Esparto, is married and has two sons, Ervin and Everett. The first-named
daughter, Jennie K., is the wife of Richard Chinn and the mother of four
children, John, Lela, Erma and Blanche. Luella, Mrs. Hugh Chinn, has four
children, Lowell, Amy, Nella and Stella. Eva married Jack Simpson, a dairyman
living at Meridian, Sutter county; they are the parents of three children, Elmo,
Elmer and Vernon E. Mary E., the last-named member of the Parker family, married
Paschal Moore and they are living on a dairy ranch near Woodland; their family
comprises three children, Marvyn, Leoma and Ola.

    Shortly after his arrival in Yolo county and his taking up of land, Mr.
Parker went back into the hills, where he bought about three thousand acres of
range land. On this vast tract he herded a flock of three thousand head of
sheep. The business proved profitable, although the net returns were largely
reduced through the depredations of wildcats, wolves and coyotes. In those days
wild animals were plentiful and hunting excursions were frequent in the vicinity
of the Snow mountain, where frequently Mr. Parker aided in the killing of bears.
On his large ranch near Esparto he planted eight acres in an orchard which forms
a valuable adjunct to the place. At one time he owned an almond orchard of
thirty acres in Hungry Hollow, but this he sold. Throughout the long period of
his residence in Yolo county he gave consistent aid to all movements for the
general welfare and especially helped in the work of the Christian Church, whose
doctrines he upheld by precept and theory. His interest in educational progress
led him to consent to serve as a school trustee, but as a rule he declined all
offices and took no part whatever in public affairs and politics aside from
voting the Republican ticket. When death came to him, February 24, 1902, it
removed from the county one of its pioneer sheep-raisers and worthy ranchers, a
citizen of sterling, rugged characteristics, of pronounced strength of character
and unquestioned integrity in every relation of life.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]


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