Pike-Lawrence County KyArchives Biographies.....Parker, Walter Richard September 4, 1911 - November 7, 1986 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ky/kyfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Rita Parker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00021.html#0005073 March 13, 2007, 11:42 am Author: Rita M Parker Walter Parker was the first son of Berry W. Parker and second wife Vina Elizabeth Slone. Walter was born in Cherokee, Lawrence Co Kentucky after his father returned to Lawrence Co with the wife he gathered in Pike County. Berry met Vina Elizabeth Slone about 1910 in Pike County. It is said that he met Vina while he was working at her brother, Joe's sawmill. Vina is recorded in both 1910 census': Pike County, living with her parents and in Lawrence County, living near Berry's parents on Cherokee Creek. This writer had not been able to locate a marriage certificate for Berry and Vina in either Pike or Lawrence Counties. It is possible they never married, as Vina had two illegitimate children by the time she met Berry. After the deaths of his parents in 1916 Berry had left Lawrence for Pike County, KY. Less than three years later Vina died May 2, 1919 at the age of 29. She died due to tuberculosis. Berry and Viney had 2 boys and 3 girls: Walter, Willard, Dorcia or "Ocey", Bernice and Effa who died July 5, 1919 at the age of almost 8 months, 2 months after the death of her mother. Vina was buried in the Fishtrap area. Her remains were moved to Shelbyanna Kentucky, the Anna Young Cemetery 4964 Chloe Road Pikeville 41501 before Fishtrap Lake was created to control flooding in the Pikeville area. Within 2 months of Vina's daeth Berry married Vinas cousin, Polly Ann Slone. According to the 1920 census Berry and family lived on Hurricane Road, next to Shade Slone. Young Walter was only 8 years old at the time of his mother's death. During his formative years Walter and his family moved several times around Pike County. During his teens the family settled around what is present-day Kimper, Kentucky. The family rented a farm above the Harvey Rhodes homestead. Walter met Eddie, one of Harvey's children. Edna (born Pike Co Ky 1912) was a short, thin woman. She had high cheekbones, long blonde hair that reached the small of her back and green eyes. She was known for her direct speech and ways. Mountain women in the early 20th century rarely attended school, as most ended up being homemakers. As many of her peers, Edna could neither read nor write. Edna (or “Eddie”) was the daughter of Harvey L. Rhodes. Harvey, was born in Buchanan Co Virginia September 1893. He died in January 20, 1976 in Pike County KY. Harvey married Malissa Lester about 1890 in Virginia. She died February 4, 1981 in Louisville, Fayette County Ky. Harvey's father was William Russell Rhodes, born in Tennessee or Bell County Kentucky May 1870 or 1872. On Feb 1, 1890 Russ, then about age 18, married Nickatti "Nickey" Matney (born in Virginia October 1875), age 21. They were married in Russ’ dad, George Roads’ (John Jones') home in Buchanan County Virginia by Peter Coleman. Nickatti’s mother was Mary "Polly" Fuller who was born in Kentucky. Nickey's father was Daniel Matney born in Virginia according to census records. Nickey's mother, Mary, lived with Russ and Nickey in John's Creek after she was widowed. Nickey was one of eight children. Russ' dad, George (born about May 5, 1848) has been identified as having been born John M. Jones. John changed his name to Rhodes when he arrived in Pike County, Kentucky in 1880. After the Civil War John married a girl named Elizabeth possibly in Bell County, Kentucky. John/George and Elizabeth had 5 children: John Jr. William Russell, Wylie, Emmaline and Sarah. By the 1900 census, George/John (age 41) lived near his grandchildren Bertha May (born 1895), and Bessie (born 1898) at Russ (age 28) and Nickey's (age 31) home at at Rock Lick Buchanan County Virginia. It appears George's other son, John, may have died by this date. Nickey’s mother, Mary “Polly” Matney also lived with Nicky and Russ. She was, at the time of the 1900 census, 60 years of age, a widow, and had 7 of her 8 children living. The Rhodes/Jones family history has been made into a separate book, as George/John's ancestors and descendants were prolific. Malissa Lester’s father was Miles Lester (born April, 1867) who married Francis Sloan (born April 1869) on July 8, 1887 in Buchannan County, Virginia. Miles’ father was Alex Lester; his mother was Polly, last name unknown. Francis Slone’s parents were Spencer Slone (born about 1829) and Elizabeth Rowe. They were married 30 Mar 1848 in Pike County, Kentucky. James A Chaney married them in James’ Slone’s home. Spencer Slone was the son of early Pike County settlers: Archibald Slone (born 1805) and Susan Hobbs (born in the same time frame). Archibald and Susan were both born in Virginia. Alex and Polly Lester’s Virginia-born children were: John, 1884; Malissa, July 1888; James, May 1891; Jessie, Aug 1892; Kinney, May 1895; Paris, Mar 1897 and Rolen, May 1895. In the 1920 census Russ and Nickey lived in Freeburn, Pike County Kentucky. With them were their Kentucky-born children: Hazel, 13 (a boy), Ida, 12, Mervilla, 8, Elva, 6, and Dortha, 3. At the time Russ was working for a lumber company. They rented their house. In total Russ and Nickey had 8 Kentucky-born children: Harvey, L (Jan 16, 1929) , Bertha May (March 25, 1924), Veraie, Hazel (April 10, 1935), Ida, Mervilla, Elva and Dortha. In the 1920 Census Harvey (age 27) and “Malissie” Rhodes and children Ballard, Effie and Eddie lived near 59 Mile Branch around Raccoon, Kentucky in the area known as Meat House. The census stated that all were born in Virginia. At the time Harvey was working for a logging company. In 1930 Harvey was 37 "Lissie" was 47. Living right next to them are "Rush" Rhodes and Nickey ages 65 and 60. Walter was reported to have noted Eddie wading in Johns Creek catching crawdads when he first noticed her. Daughter Mercy recalls her father telling her how he approached Eddie's parents with the intention of marrying her (their Marriage Bond reveals Eddie was 15 at the time of their marriage.) Eddie's mother reportedly picked up a stick and chased Walter down the road. Walter's persistence paid off. Walter and Eddie (15, not 21 as the marriage license states) were married by Grover C Fields elder of the Church of Christ in Edo on September 12, 1933. Harvey and Ballard Rhodes acted as witnesses. Walter was a tall man of about six feet with long arms and big hands. Eddie, on the other hand, was diminutive, barely over 5 feet tall. Eddie and Walter began having their large family shortly after setting up house in the Raccoon / Fishtrap area. Pikeville is eleven miles by the road that follows the creek through Raccoon. In the 1800’s through the 1950’s many residents in the Raccoon area would ride horses over the mountain to the head of Frozen Creek cross another mountain and follow Chloe Creek to Pikeville. The trip would be shortened to 7 miles. Walter Parker, before immigrating to Ohio, rented several houses around Raccoon and West Virginia. According to oldest daughter, Mercy and son Jake, the Parkers lived within 20 miles of (Rac)Coon Creek, except for a venture into West Virginia. The houses the Parkers lived in were usually log or frame houses. As most houses in Eastern Kentucky, they had big porches built high off the ground. They were heated with rock chimneys and stoves. Small logs were burned in the fireplaces and coal, hand-dug out of nearby mountainsides, fed the fire in the stove. Most houses had hand-dug wells outside the kitchen door as there was no running water. The farms had barns and smoke houses. Food that required refrigeration were stored in root cellars but mostly in the well. Electricity did not become available in rural eastern Kentucky until the 1950's. Evening chores were spent around kerosene lamps. During the years the Parkers lived in Kentucky they did not own a telephone. The Kentucky-born children were born at home with the help of midwives. One of the children's birth was assisted by the oldest daughter, as the baby came too fast for the midwife to arrive. A house Walter owned sat across the Road from Uncle Bob's, Walter's half brother. The house was no longer standing in 1999. Walter's sister-in-law related how, at the age of 11 or 12, she went to stay with Eddie on Jonican Branch after Eddie was delivered of her second child. Hester recalls Walter coming in from a day of mining and falling asleep on the cabin floor in his work clothes while he made dinner. (She also recalls that he cut his home-grown and smoked bacon too thick for her tastes). Later he and Tom would leave at the break of day for the mines. They would drive an International truck, carrying a miner’s lunch pail. The men would return after sundown. Both would often work 6 days a week. Walter and his brother Tom both worked at the coal mines on Dry Fork for the Beckenridge Mine Company. In the early 1950's the family moved to West Virginia where Walter found work. When Walter wasn’t working in the Coal Mines, he was busy handing down time- tested mountain-ways of doing things. His country-wisdom included farming the small family plots with horses and mules. Walter trained horses and mules to plow, pull timber and shovels to grade the roads. Walter could do a little of anything, as the family’s survival required many skills. Walter’s farm-work ranged in from plowing the rocky, mountain ground with a horse or mule with a single-shovel plow stock. He’d grow corn and sugar cane. Jake recalls his dad growing tobacco at one of the farms they rented. Most of the sugar cane and corn was used to produce whisky. Some of the corn was loaded by horse drawn wagons and taken to his brother’s gristmill to make cornmeal. In the summer the boys were taught farming with horse-drawn machines when they were just 10 or 11 years of age. All the boys were taught to hunt game for supper. The kids were expected to collect coal, shoot game, hoe the garden, haul water, tend the fields including plowing and cultivating. Oldest son Jake recalls plowing up to 50 acres with a horse or mule. Walter imparted hundreds of years of horse-wisdom to his son, Berry. Besides teaching his son Berry how to judge good horseflesh he taught him how to care for the animals including application of pine tar for colds, feeding baking soda to fatten lean horses, and shoeing. Walter’s care of horses included blacksmithing horseshoes. Walter also castrated his animals himself. Life-long horse-trading son, Berry, recollects how his father taught him all he know about horses and horse trading. Berry recalls many of the lessons his father imparted- primarily how to conduct horse-trading. Basically, the buyer should be happily leaving the transaction less the greater part of his money. Walter would not tolerate abuse to his animals. A son was once beaten severely for riding his uncle’s palomino horse to exhaustion. Walter inherited this horse after his brother, Tom’s untimely death in the coal mines. A daughter fondly remembers the time Walter made molasses. Walter employed a man to bring his equipment to the farm. Son Berry recalls catching bees for the molasses-maker. The man inflicted himself with bee stings to relieve the pain of arthritis. The cane was hand-fed into a press turned by a mule. Son Berry recalls he owned a horse that was harnessed to the contraption. The horse did not comply, and ran around the press. He intimidated very one by baring his teeth. Berry recalls Walter becoming angry with those who tried to put the horse to the task. Once the horse was finally removed from the harness, the mule completed the job. The squeezed juices from the cane ran into a series of cooking vats and channels. During the cook friends and family would gather to dip the end of cane stalks into the foamy by-product sweet treat was enjoyed by all. The whole process took about a week to complete. People came from all around the area to buy the molasses. Walter's children fondly recall him felling "honey trees". He would harvest honeycombs that were built in the hollow of trees by wild bees. To provide for his growing family, Walter manufactured “moon shine” in the room behind the kitchen. Daughter Mercy recalls her dad hiding the whisky under the truck floorboards when he transported his brew to West Virginia. There were times she and brother Jake were told to sit on the bottles he drove across the State line. Mercy recalls one particular time a neighbor came to drink with her dad on the Porch. After a time the visitor became drunk and belligerent. He pulled a knife on Walter which he wrestled away. Defeated, the Neighbor left threatening to return with a shot gun. Walter's brother Tom also made moonshine, but like his brother-in-law, Ballard, Tom was discovered and sentenced to about a year in prison for the offense. Daughter Vina recalls a time when a man came to the house with a shotgun. Her mother witnessed his threats against Walter and insisted he stop putting himself at risk. According to Vina Walter quit making moonshine shortly after this incident. One of Walter’s childhood stories recalled a time when he and his brother, Tom, placed a bobcat in a suitcase left on the road. The boys waited until a passer- by picked up the suitcase, and drove off with it. Walter described the hilarious reactions of the thieves when they opened the case: all four doors flew open, and everybody jumped out. Daughter Vina recalls Walter swimming in the Big Sandy with her, Berrry and Christine. He would let the kids hold on to his back while he swam. One time Christine entered the water when he was occupied with one of the other kids. Walter saved her minutes before she drowned. Eddie's day would revolve around making meals, maintaining the garden and animals. The livestock included cows, pigs, mules, horses and chickens. On- going work included churning butter and smoking meat. Eddie would wash clothes every Thursday in a big skillet on the stove. She would wash the clothes on a washboard with homemade lye soap. Washday would take all day. Mercy recalls the girls hauling water for her mother on wash day. Eddie would make clothes for herself, dresses for the girls and shirts for Walter and the boys. Oldest child, Mercy remembers the underwear Eddie made for the children. They were sturdy cotton "bloomers'" held-up with drawstrings. Mercy recalls fearing that the drawstrings would be misplaced or lost; which would result in the loss of the "bloomer". Oldest brother Jake recalls wearing long johns that were cut-off. Brother Berry recalls wearing no underwear. Most of the rented farms included at least one apple tree from which Eddie and the girls would make apple butter. According to son Jake, his midwife was paid with the fruit of an apple tree. His daddy, when angry with Jake, would say he "wasn't worth the price of those apples." Eddie would spend weeks canning in the fall. She would can tomatoes, corn, apples, carrots, green beans and meat. She also made sausage. The Parkers kept up to three milk cows and would raise up to 4 hogs a year. They would slaughter the hogs in the fall. The kids were expected to help with the work. They would hang the meat, salt it, and keep the fire going under the big scalding-pot. The pig’s hair would be scraped with a knife. Walters job was to butcher the hogs. All the parts of a pig were used. The coon dogs could count on particularly good eating. All the work was finished in a day. When ill, the children were given turpentine and cod liver oil to drink-which guaranteed the health of the children. Living closer to town than many, Eddie or the kids could get their mail at the local post office. Through the 50’s the postmaster would deliver the mail to those living far in the hills by horseback. Son Berry remembers the local postmaster riding a big, black horse. Traveling vendors or repairmen would also visit by horseback. Berry recalls the chair caner had ridden past the family home one day drumming up work by repairing chair seats. The caner returned a couple days later complaining he had lost his good, white shirt down the creek. Berry went up the creek and found the shirt. He gave the shirt to his dad, who was pleased to have received it. The Parker children slept 3 to a bed. In the winter months they attended small schools that were often several mile’s walk away. All were expected to complete their chores before heading to school. Because money was scarce, Christmas and birthdays were toned-down events. Christmas gifts included fruit, particularly oranges. Birthdays often came and went. Daughter Vina, after having to go to court to Amend her birth certificate, discovered her birthday was June, 1940; not November, as she was led to believe. Mercy recalls no one received presents on their birthday as children. She never owned a doll as a girl. Son Berry recalls a special presents that his father gave him as a small boy: a cowboy outfit. According to Jake Parker Saturdays were reserved for going to town where the Parker kid's would hang-out. There was a theatre on Main Street where they sometimes watched movies. When they lived on 58 Mile Branch neighbor Jack Johnson would pile his and the Parker kids in his pickup and take them to John's Creek to swim. The large family would come from miles around and gather for weddings and deaths. When Walter’s brother, Tom, was killed in a mining accident, he was laid out at his home. Walter was also severely hurt in the mining accident. Family visited over a couple of days. The dead would lie in state at home. Usually the coffins were homemade. Family cemeteries were placed on flat shelves of land, often high on the mountain. Berry tells the story his Dad told: of a man whose wife died. Several pallbearers dropped her coffin on the way up the mountain to her grave. When the coffin dropped, the woman was revived, and lived two more years. The next time her husband guided her coffin up the hill he implored the pallbearers “not to drop her again, boys”. Graves were dug wide and long. Having reached three feet, the digger(s) would move, create a ledge, and finish the last 3 feet, by then, approximately one foot narrower than the top three feet. The bottommost three feet was called a vault, into which a pine box was placed. The coffin would be placed inside the pine box. Two layers of rough boards were laid over the box so that they rested on the dirt vault. Berry recalls how his daddy was ingenious in his day-to-day work. He watched him use a pan with water as a level. Walter would make-do when tools weren’t available. Walter was known for his superb shooting ability. Son Berry recalls he’d leave for a country meeting and return riding a new horse, leading a group of other horses- all won through shooting wagers. When severely cut while working, Walter was observed taking a handful of soot (not ash) into the wound. The scar healed with the coloration, but never became infected or needed stitches. Walter spent much time socializing with Church members. Walter and other Brothers of the Church would meet at his home to discuss aspects of doctrine, church business, and the behavior of its members. Walter’s keen insights and witty comments of human behavior would often short-circuit growing tension between members. He was often heard telling them, and his children, they were confounded fools, admonishing them to ”use their heads for something besides a hat rack.” Daughter Vina reported that her daddy cursed just once that she could remember. Walter was driving some of the family to church. Her mother continued after hours of complaint. Walter, in exasperation told her: "God damn it woman, I said HUSH!" That was the only time Vina recalls having heard her father curse (and one of the only times her mother "hushed"). As I have heard the stories Berry told about his dad, I get the impression that Walter made a game of showing character, but still pushed the limits to what he got away with. When Berry was dismissed from the Church as a young man for “womanizing” he complained to his dad that he, Walter, liked to flirt with the women. Walter replied, “I didn’t get caught.” Walter chewed tobacco and smoked rolled cigarettes. As he got older (by the mid-1960's) he enjoyed beer; particularly when fishing. Son Berry believed he was partial to Mogan David wine. Eddie smoked cigarettes, drank beer, knew how to play the banjo, but did not do it often or in front of the children. Walter was known for his no-nonsense manner. He was a stern, strict father who demanded compliance with what he knew to be right. He'd often mete out physical punishment if a child (or grandchild) misbehaved. Some of his offspring believe he was a "mean spirited" man, others felt he did what he had to "keep everyone in line". The truth probably embraces all the aspects of Walter's complex character; and I am sure, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. To understand the Parkers you have to understand their Church and its beliefs. The Old Regular Baptists were formed in 1854 to retain their “old fashioned ways”. Old Regular Baptists are known for their community-based support. Preachers have outside sources of income, and do not require religious education to Preach. They do not separate children in Sunday schools, but include them patiently in their 3 to 4 hour once a month services (the other Sundays are days to visit other Old Regular Baptist Churches). Old Regular Baptists literally follow Jesus’ admonitions. They continue to baptize church members in bodies of water, practice laying on of hands for the anointing of preachers and foot washing for all members during annual communion Members are admonished publicly for un-Christian behavior including drunkenness, womanizing, feuding. Through public acts of remorse, an erring Member may be “retained” or “restored” by and to the Church. Church Minutes of the pre-civil war era noted “disclusion” or being dismissed by the Church for various offences including lack of attendance, dancing, using foul language (usually spoken by women), beating of slaves (slaves, denoted as “Brothers’ in Church Minutes, were also members of the white Baptist church), gambling on horse-races, elections, card-playing, gossip, physical fights with another Church member. Church members could, by means of a written letter of dismissal/dismission akin to a letter of introduction, join another Old Regular Baptist Church. Each Church would, through the letter, vouch for the character of the Member, as the Brothers would jointly bear all responsibility for the behaviors of their church fellows. Through conscious effort to retain the “old fashion ways”, Old Regular Baptists have continued their traditional worship rituals to this day. Of particular interest is the role music and fellowship play in the worship service. Worship is conducted in plain churches. Members gather around 9:30 Sunday mornings. Services begin with hearty handshakes and a song sung a-cappella (without instrumental accompaniment) by a member so moved to begin the service. The ancient hymns are sung in what is known as the lined-out manner. The member that has begun the song will, throughout the song, sing the verse before the congregation repeats the slow singing of that verse. Members are encouraged to personalize their worship through emotional, forceful singing. In March 2006 a National Geographic writer, Tom O'Neill, recorded the roots of the unique singing when he wrote about a Sunday service held in Scotland on the Isle of Skye in the Outer Hebrides. He described the singing of old hymns in Gaelic: "In a tradition going back to preliterate days, a predecentor stood up and began singing solo, to imprint the melody and words with the congregation. Soon everyone joined in. The voices didn't lift in ecstatic joy but keened and moaned. The singing conjured up words of lament and forbearance..." Membership in an Old Regular Baptist Church required the members display public modesty, humility and strength of character. The physical rites of handshaking, baptism, feet washing and singing encouraged long-lasting friendships and emotional rites of healing among the members. The Parkers of Lawrence and Pike County Kentucky grew with a community obligated to raise-up their children in the “good old fashioned way.” Although demanding, the church also encouraged emotional expression and offered a safe place to experience the joyful grace of living in the Spirit. The Parker family lived in several rented farms. They lived on Grapevine, on Coon Creek, and for few years he moved the family to Merrimac West Virginia where he found work at a coal mine. He eventually returned to rent a house on 58 Mile Branch near Raccoon, Kentucky and then on to Jonican Creek. In the early 50's Walter left his family and the coal mines in Kentucky for a Steel Mill job in Lorain County, Ohio. This arrangement lasted several years until he had enough money to send for the family. In 1955, after the deaths of his dad and brother, Walter moved his 10 children to Lorain. Son Berry recalls that the move to Ohio was a culture shock. It was the first time they ate primarily store-bought food. The toilet was in the house, which was plumbed with running water. It was also the first time the family experienced indoor heat. Very quickly the family began building the Little Edna Church of Old Regular Baptists in Sheffield Lake, Ohio. There were several families that emigrated from Kentucky to Ohio in the North. Many former coal miners were leaving the coalfields of Kentucky during the 50’s and 60’s. Coal was falling out of favor as an energy resource. Many miners were diagnosed with black lung disease after working in the filthy mines. Once reunited, Walter and Eddie had 3 more children in Ohio: Barbara Jean, James “Jimmy”, and Richard (now deceased). Walter died in Lorain Ohio, 1986 of black lung disease. Eddie lived with Jimmy, Bonnie and Shawn Paul until her death in November 1995. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ky/pike/photos/bios/parker368gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ky/pike/bios/parker368gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/