Captain James Parker of Groton, Mass. ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Source: New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial by William Richard Cutter. p.1543 The surname Parker is derived from the Latin parcarius, park keeper or shepherd. Danes, Saxons and Normans in England all seem to have had the name at an early date. Parcum and de Parco are found in the Domesday Book. As early as 900-925, in the reign of King Edward I, a Geoffrey Parker is mentioned, even before the common use of the surnames in England. The coat of arms of the Browshome family of Parker, the pedigree of which is traced to William le Parker of Entwistle, Lancashire, before 1400, and which seems most likely that to which the American line belongs, is: "Vert, a chevron between three stags' head cabossed or." Crest: "A leopard head affrontee or, ducally gorged gules." Motto: Sepre ande (Dare to be just). This coat of arms p.1544 descended through Park Hall and Staffordshire lines, and is now used by Sir Thomas Parker, Earl of Macclesfield, England. It is similar to the earlier coat-of-arms of the Parker family of Entwistle and doubtless modi- fied from that design. JAMES PARKER. (I) James Parker, the immigrant ancestor, came from England before 1640, when he had settled at Woburn, Massachusetts, and was a taxpayer there as early as 1645. He was probably related to some of the numerous other pion- eers of the name located in that section of the Bay Colony. Abraham Parker, of Woburn and John Parker of Billerica and Woburn, were doubtless brothers. James Parker removed to Billerica about 1654, and to Chelmsford in 1658, and to Groton in 1660. He owned rights in Groton, and increased his hold- ings by purchase, until he was the largest owner of land and probably the richest proprietor in the town. He was a deacon of the church and a Sel- ectman of the town from 1662 to 1699, more than thirty years. He was Town Clerk for a time; Moderator of all the important town meetings of his day; a chairman of important committees to locate highways, lay out lots and establish town boundaries; a Representative to the General Court in 1693. While living at Groton, he was once elected Selectman of Dunstable. He was a brave indian fighter, rising to be Captain of the Groton Company. His home was at a distance from the present village, near Martin's Pond, removed some distance from the highway; no trace of it is left. A descrip- tion of his homestead given in a recent publication doubtless belongs to a later generation of the family. A small part of the original homestead was, at last accounts still owned by descendants in Groton. He owned a large part of Half Moon meadow. He died in 1701, aged 83 years. He m. (1) May 23, 1644, Elizabeth, a daughter of Robert Long of Charlestown, Mass. He m. (2) Eunice ____. Children: 1. Elizabeth Parker bor April 12, 1645 at Woburn. 2. Anna Parker b. Jan 5, 1646-47. 3. John Parker b. Feb 28, 1649. 4. Sarah Parker b. Aug 20, 1650, died Oct 15, 1651. 5. Joseph Parker b. 1651 at Woburn. 6. James Parker Jr., b. April 15, 1652. 7. Josiah Parker is mentioned below. 8. Samuel Parker b. about 1657. 9. Joshua Parker b. March 3, 1658 at Chelmsford. 10. Zachariah Parker b. Jan 14, 1659. 11. Eleazer Parker b. Nov 9, 1660 at Groton. 12. Sarah Parker b. Dec 12, 1697 by the second wife as shown by the Will and Town Records. The Will of James Parker was published in full in Butler's "History of Groton." (II) Josiah Parker, son of James Parker, was born in 1655. He married Elizabeth Saxon of Boston, Mass. Children born at Groton, Mass.: 1. Elizabeth Parker b. Aug 31, 1679. 2. John Parker - mentioned below 3. Sarah Parker b. May 1, 1683. and probably others. (III) John Parker, a son of Josiah Parker, was born at Groton, Mass. April 13, 1681. He married perhaps for a second wife at Groton, November 19, 1715, Mary Bradstreet. Children, born at Groton. 1. Gideon Parker b. July 11, 1719. 2. Mary Parker b. April 7, 1722. 3. Abel Parker is mentioned below. 4. Sarah Parker b. April 14, 1726. 5. John Parker b. October 23, 1728. (IV) Abel Parker, a son of Captain John Parker, was born at Groton, Mass., January 17, 1724, and died there April 29, 1791 aged sixty-seven years. He settled in the easterly part of Peterborough, New Hampshire near the farm lately owned by Captain Samuel McCoy. He was a soldier in the Revolu- tion, July 7th to October 21st 1780. He married (1) at Groton, May 10, 1750, Esther Shattuck, who died April 5, 1759. He m. (2) Sarah Parker, born 1735; died April 16, 1817, nearly 83 years old. Children, born at Groton by his first wife: 1. Esther Parker b. Sept 12, 1751. 2. Mary Parker b. Sept 21, 1752. 3. Abel Parker b. Nov 18, 1754. 4. John Parker b. April 15, 1757. Children recorded at Groton: 5. Abial Parker b. Nov 25, 1762 6. Gideon Parker is mentioned below. 7. Sarah Parker b. April 18, 1766. 8. Timothy Parker b. Oct 26, 1767. 9. Sybil Parker b. Sept 9, 1769. (V) Gideon Parker, a son of Abel Parker, was born at Groton, Mass., June 8, 1764 and moved with his father to Peterborough, New Hampshire. He was a farmer there as early as 1787 on the old Deacon Timothy Holt place. By trade he was a carpenter. He married ____. Children born at Peterborough: 1. John Parker died young. 2. James Parker is mentioned below. 3. Gideon Parker b. April 1, 1793, died April 22, 1821. (VI) James2 Parker son of Gideon Parker was born at Peterborough, N.H., February 29, 1791 and died December 9, 1826, aged 35 years. He was a carpenter by trade and lived in his native town. He married, Nov. 6, 1816, Sarah White, who died November, 1875 aged 82 years & eight months, a dau. of David White. Children born at Peterborough: 1. John Gideon Parker is mentioned below. 2. James Parker b. June 13, 1820, m. Nov 16, 1848, Eliza Watson 3. Eliza Parker b. April 24, 1822; died Aug 31, 1838. 4. Mary Parker b. Nov. 15, 1824; died Dec. 8, 1871. (VII) Dr. John Gideon Parker, a son of James2 Parker, was born at Peterborough, N.H., July 2, 1818. He attended the public schools and Norwich University from which he graduated in 1848 with p.1545 DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN JAMES PARKER OF GROTON honors. After teaching for a time he studied medicine at Woodstock and at Dartmouth Medical School, from which he was graduated in 1852. From August 12, 1852, until 1865, he was in general practice at Dublin, New Hampshire. Then he removed to Warner, New Hampshire where he continued to practice un- til he died, September 12, 1869, aged fifty-one years. He married, May 17, 1853, Isabelle E. Hurd of Lempster, New Hampshire. They had one child, James Frederick Parker, mentioned below. (VIII) James Frederick Parker (J.Fred) son of Dr. John Gideon Parker, was born April 9, 1856, at Dublin, New Hampshire. He attended the public schools of his native town and entered the New London Literary and Scientific Insti- tute, which is now Colby College, from which he graduated in 1874. During the next three years he taught school and during the summer vacations played baseball with the Dartmouth College team. He was employed in a wholesale house at Manchester, N.H. until 1885 when he took charge of the store of the Whittenton Manufacturing Company at Taunton, Mass. In 1890 he became associated with Hartwell and Richards, dealers in dry good in Providence, R.I. and three years later, in the fall of 1893, he was appointed clerk in the office of the secretary of the State of Rhode Island under the adminis- tration of the late Honorable George H. Utter. In 1894, when Charles P. Bennett became secretary of state, Mr. Parker was appointed deputy and he served in this office until Mr. Bennett died. He was then appointed secre- tary of for the remainder of Mr. Bennett's term, until the election of 1909 when he was elected to the office of Secretary of State and has been re- elected to that office at each succeeding election. Mr. Parker was a prominent Free Mason, and a member of Orpheus Lodge, No. 36 of which he was past Master; a member of the Providence Chapter, No. I, Royal Arch Masons; Providence Council No. 1, Royal and Select Masters; St. John's Commandery, Knights Templar, of which he was past eminent commander; of Palestine Temple, Mystic Shrine of which he was past potentate. He was Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Rhode Island and attained the 32nd degree of Scottish Rite Masonry. He was also a member of Canonicus Lodge No. 9, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; of the Wanna- moisett Country Club and the Providence Club and the Central Club. He was fond of outdoor sports and especially of golf. In politics he was a Republican. He married, January 15, 1879, Helen M. Prince born Nov 12, 1858, of Lewis- ton, Maine, a daughter of Frank L. and Louise M. (Durgin) Prince. Mr. & Mrs. Parker had no children. End. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth