Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Parker, Silas I  
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 12:32 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

SILAS I. PARKER, a well-known citizen of Channahon, was born in Franklin 
County, Vt., November 14, 1841,a son of Charles C. and Elizabeth (DeMeritt) 
Parker. He was one of eight children, all but one of whom are still living, 
viz.: Emily M., wife of George Knapp, of North Menominee, Wis.; Samuel D. E., 
a stockman of Deadwood, S. Dak.; Ann Jeannette, of Menominee, Wis.; Silas I.; 
Orin, a farmer of Connersville, Wis. George S., who is engaged in agricultural 
pursuits at the same place; and Genevieve, of Menominee. The father was born 
in Montgomery, Vt., September 5, 1814, and the mother was born in New 
Hampshire, November 7, 1813. The former learned the carpenter's trade in 
youth. In 1843 he removed to Wisconsin and settled in Jefferson County, where 
he followed his trade. In 1858 he removed to a farm he had purchased some 
years before, and there he remained until his sons had grown to manhood and 
left home. About 1870 he sold the place and settled in Aztalan. In 1877 he 
removed to Dunn County and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, 
where he remained until his death, March 31, 1881. His politics were 
Republican. For some years he served as collector of his township. He was an 
active worker in the Methodist Church, where he long served as a class-leader, 
and also took an interest in the Sunday-school. His wife was a daughter of 
Davis and Abigail (Emerson) DeMeritt. At the outbreak of the Civil war our 
subject became an enthusiastic adherent of the Union. August 29, 1862, he 
enlisted in Company B, Fifth Wisconsin Infantry, and went as a recruit to his 
regiment, which he joined on the battlefield of Antietam. He took part in that 
battle and later was at Fredericksburg. In the battle of Chaucellorsville, May 
3, 1863, he was wounded and left for dead on the field. However, he was found 
to be still alive and was taken to the field hospital, where he remained a 
week. Then, with others, he was taken to Washington and placed in the Campbell 
hospital. Afterward his father took him home, he having been given a thirty-
days' furlough. At the expiration of the time he went to Camp Randall hospital 
at Madison, Wis., where he was honorably discharged from the service October 
27, 1863. Upon receiving his discharge, Mr. Parker returned home. As soon as 
he was able he began to work at the wagon-maker's trade, opening a shop and 
hiring an expert workman, from whom he learned the trade. He also engaged with 
his father in the saw-mill and threshing business. In the summer of 1866 he 
went to Fort Larned, Kans., and worked as a carpenter in the government 
employ. March 14, 1869, he married Melinda S. Knapp, and afterward worked for 
a few months in Kansas. On his return east he settled in Will County, Ill., 
and for nine years farmed his father-in-law's farm. In 1879 he removed to 
Missouri and bought a farm in Miller County, but after a year rented his place 
and engaged in contracting and building in Eldon, also carried on a lumber 
business and a flour and feed store. In 1890 he sold his farm and in the 
spring of the next year returned to Channahon, where he has since resided. Of 
recent years he has given his attention principally to farming, although he 
has also to some extent engaged in carpentering. In politics he is a 
Republican. He and his wife are both active workers in the Methodist Church 
and he holds the office of trustee in the same. He is a member of Burden Post 
No. 494, G. A. R., in which he is officer of the day. He and his wife had but 
one child, a daughter, Almira E., who was born June 29, 1874, but died in 
infancy. 

Mrs. Parker is a daughter of Dr. Ira O. and Almira (Joslyn) Knapp, the former 
one of the earliest settlers of this section. He was born in Barre, Vt., 
February 12, 1810. In 1833 he graduated in medicine. On the 14th of July of 
the same year he married Miss Joslyn, after which he and his bride started for 
the west, arriving in Will County in October. During their trip they stopped 
one night in Chicago and slept in the first frame house ever built in that 
town. On reaching Will County they spent a few days with the doctor's uncle in 
Plainfield, thence came to Channahon. He was the first physician in this part 
of the county and his professional calls came from far and near, but the large 
amount of night work and the long drives soon told on his health, and about 
1848 he gave up his practice. He then settled on a farm which he had bought 
shortly after his arrival in the county. Here he spent his remaining years. 
His integrity and benevolence won him the esteem and love of all who knew him. 
In politics he was a Whig, then a Republican, and finally a Prohibitionist. He 
was an enthusiastic worker for good government, but was not an office seeker. 
In 1844 Governor Ford appointed him justice of the peace, which position he 
filled for some years. He was a prominent worker in the Methodist Church, in 
which for years he was trustee and steward. He was one of five persons to form 
the first class in Channahon and was the last of the five to depart this life. 
He passed away January 6, 1894. His parents, Mason and Nabby (Tryon) Knapp, 
were probably natives of Vermont. The former was born February 2, 1785, and 
died October 17, 1871; the latter was born August 20, 1788, and died June 7, 
1862. Mason Knapp enlisted in the war of 1812, but never took part in any 
engagement; he was marching to the engagement at Plattsburg when the war 
closed. In 1852 he and his wife came to Illinois, where they spent their 
remaining years with their son. The wife of Dr. Knapp was a daughter of Luke 
and Lydia (Graves) Joslyn, and was born January 26, 1810, at Waitsfield, Vt. 
To her marriage the following named children were born: George L., born July 
8, 1834, now of North Menominee, Wis.; Orin S., born October 14, 1836, now 
engaged in the saw-mill business at Loveland, Colo.; Melinda S., born August 
24, 1838; Solon, born January 6, 1842, now a salesman at Emerson, Ala.; Lydia 
J., born March 14, 1845, and died October 11, 1846; and Lydia J. (2d), born 
January 22, 1847, and died October 21, 1847. There was also an adopted 
daughter, Sarah M. Goss, who is now the wife of James Barry, of Elk Grove, S. 
Dak. 

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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