1801-Amy Hicks-1896 Amy Hicks Parker, better known in later life as Grandma Parker, was the third daughter and seventh child of John Hicks and Elizabeth Hicks-nee Doby. She was of the seventh generation and a straight line descendant of Robert Hicks, who came from London on the ship Fortune and landed at Plymouth, Mass., on the 11th. Day of November, 1621. She was also a lineal descendant of the famous Ellis Hicks, who was Knighted by Edward the Black Prince on the battlefield of Poitiers Sept. 9th., 1356, for bravery in capturing a set of colors from the French. Amy saw the first ray of light July 30th., 1801, in the township of North East, Dutchess county N.Y. She remained to brighten the home of her parents with her ever bright and cheerful ways, until August 15th., 1818, when she stepped from her girlhood an d went forth to gladden the heart and brighten the home of the man of her choice, Mr. George Parker, a gentleman from Long Island, who was eight years her senior. Mr. And Mrs. Parker lived in her native town until the year following, when their home and hearts were brightened and their household increased, by the advent of their son William H. (of whom, in the line of descendants, I will speak later on.) In December, 1819, Mr. And Mrs. Parker with their baby William, left her native town and moved to the town of Coverskill, Schoharie county, where, in December, 1821, their happiness was increased by the addition of their first daughter, little Elizabeth H., (in after life known as Aunt Betsey McWilliams, who died in Lowell, Michigan, Jan.25, 1893.) In the latter part of the same month the little family moved back to Dutchess county, where they remained about one year, then went to Canandaigua, where, on April 23, 1824, Elias D. (our fellow townsman), first started on his earthly pilgrimage. Soon a fter his birth they moved to the west side of Canandaigua Lake, to a place then known as Number 9, where they remained three years, then returned to Canandaigua. Soon after their return their third son, Sheldon B., on the fourth day of September, 1827, c ommenced his life journey. Soon after this event they went to Avon Springs where their second daughter, Eunice T., received a hearty welcome to their family circle, on May 29th., 1831. In the latter part of this year they moved to Brantford, Canada, where were born their three other sons: George W., in 1834, Wilson J., in 1837, and John M. in 1840. In December, 1844, Mr. Parker again turned his face westward, and, as "Michigan, My Michigan" was then, the land of promise, for the multitude. He with his family, then consisting of his wife, Elias D. and wife, Sheldon B., George W., Wilson J., and John M., (William the oldest, having preceded them by a year and Eunice T. remaining with her married sister Elizabeth, Betsey,) set forth with his team and wagon containing their entire worldly effects except some sheep and cattle, which they drove through a very sparsely settled country, in fact much of it an almost unbroken wilderness, and after many hardships, privations and suffering from the inclemency of a Michgan winter and many days of toil through the deep and untrodden snows, they called a halt at a log house, body without doors or windows and only partly roofed or floored, on Section 24, in the township of Vergennes, Kent county, (now known as the Kerr farm.) It was then truly a howling wilderness, with only the howl of the wolf and the hoot of the owl for music at night, and the ring of the woodsman's ax by day. It soon became evident that Mr. Parker, by hardship, toil and exposure had overtaxed his physica l strength and the dread disease (consumption) made itself manifest and on December 27, 1847, he passed to that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns. Mrs. Parker, being then thrown upon her own resources and left to rear her family, proved herself equal to the emergency and fulfilled her mission with honor to herself and credit to her charge. She pursued her widowed pilgrimage until December 28, 1851 ., when she cast aside her widow's weeds and again resumed the responsibilities of a wife and joined her fate and fortune with Lyman Lull, and took up her residence in the village of Lowell, where they lived most of the time until June 15th., 1873, when d eath again entered the house and called Mr. Lull to his long home. Since that time she has passed many of her declining years with her children, latterly with her youngest daughter, Eunice, at whose home she remained until the end, which came on Monday, Dec. 28th, 1896 at one o'clock p. m. when she passed quietly from t his to the better life beyond. Through her three oldest sons, William H., Elias D. and Sheldon B., there are five generations. In all she had 8 children, 20 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-great-grandchildren. In this biographical sketch many things herein noted may seem superfluous, and of minor importance. But when we stop to consider that all the dates and events of her early life were furnished the writer without the aid of any record or memorandum, relyi ng solely upon her wonderful memory which seemed never at fault although well advanced in her ninety-second year and in the full possession of her mental faculties which ever keen and ready, and knowing the vitality which she must have imparted to her off spring, as, with the exception of her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, all are still living and in comparative health, although most of them passed the meridian and are well on the downward slope, it can most truly said that Amy was a wonderful woman. By way of comment, I will only add: My acquaintance with the deceased dates back to the fall of 1846, since which time the calumet has never been broken and I held the honored place as being counted, (by her) as one of her Johns. Chief among her many sterling and noble qualities was: "Always hew to the line, let the chips fall where they may."