Bertie COUNTY NC Biography Parker Families File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Pete Austin http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie/bios/parker.txt JOSEPH S. PARKER FAMILY 1. Joseph S Parker b. 07-09-1843, m. 1891, Mary Moore Rawls, b. 09-15-1841, (daughter of Moore Rawls* g.g.grandfather and Mary Arabella Smith* g.g.gandmother) d. 02-19-1906. Joseph died 02-12-1906, Rhodes Place Crossroad, Bertie Co NC, buried: Peele Cemetery, Rawls Farm. Joseph S Parker married my great Aunt Mary Moore Rawls. He was her second husband. Joseph plus his brother in-laws James W Peele and his wife's sister Elizabeth Watson Rawls and others are burned in the same Peele Cemetery near Rhodes Place Crossroads, Bertie Co NC I have not been able to located the grave of Marry Moore Rawls Cox Parker. She died within a week of the death of her Husband Joseph S Parker in February 1906. She may be one of the unmarked graves in the Peele Cemetery. Mary Moore Rawls married first Samuel Cox (my 1st cousin four time removed) the son of George W Cox and Lydia Peelle. She was the daughter of Josiah Peelle and Milley Higgs who were my (Pete Austin) 4th great grand parents. Samuel Cox married first an unknown spouse and they had a daughter named Lula Cox. He married his second wife on 12-14- 1853 Sarah Frances Prichard and had one issue Mary Cox. On 08-25-1868 Samuel Cox married as his 3rd wife my Great Aunt Mary Moore Rawls. They had one son Henry F Cox. I have not found any information on this son Henry F. Cox Joseph S Parker was the second husband of Mary Moore Rawls Cox Parker. He is buried in the Peele Cemetery located on the former Jonas Rawls Farm. The gravesites are about one mile east on the left side as you leave Rhodes Place Crossroads towards Francis Mill. This area is now in Snakebite Township, Bertie Co NC. Snakebite is the center core of Bertie County and is totally surrounded by all the other Townships. In the Peele Cemetery is a marker with inscription Augustine Parker. This probably was a child of Mary Moore and Joseph Parker. Their only known child was Mary Bualah Parker who married Thomas "Tom" Bryant Bazemore that lived near Lewiston on SR 1201 one mile going west towards Kelford. Tom and Bualah had four children one who was Mary Jessie Bazemore who married Superior Court Judge Joseph Wiley Parker from Kelford. Jessie had told me that I was related to both her and her husband Joe but I never recorded the data. Probably Joseph S and Judge Joseph W. were that connection. Jesse was my 5th grade teacher and contributed to my first research on the Austin Rawls Young, Everett and Peele families. She also wrote several articles on education in Bertie County. Jessie was my 2nd cousin once removed. She and Joe were good friends of my mine and my family. She always brought her family charts to the Peele and Rawls reunions. Also buried in this Peele Cemetery are my great grand parent James W (William) Peele and his wife Elizabeth "Bettie" "Betsey" "Aunt Bet" Watson Rawls. Aunt Bet as called by her relatives and friends lost her hand in mid life from a bite from a Black Widow Spider and had to have it amputated just below the elbow. She never complained nor did it interfere with he duties as a homemaker. She was known as a kind, loving, and a Christian lady. My aunts and uncles loved to go visit "Aunt Bet". She always had a warm biscuit on the back of the kitchen wood stove or pie safe and some yummy preserves fetched from the root cellar. "Aunt Bet" was a sister to Mary Moore Rawls. Their parents were Moore Rawls and Mary Arabella Smith the daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Smith. His parent were my g.g.g.g.garnd parents Silas Smith and Celia Ellis from Woodville, I have family records that go back to my 9th great grandfather George Rawles Sr who was born 1615 in England and immigrated to America and died in Nansemond Co VA. The Peele cemetery is located on the farm formerly owned by Jonas Rawls and later passes down to his grand daughter Elizabeth Watson Rawls who married James William Peele. Note:I have traced the Peele family back to 9th grandfather Lawrence Peelle that was born 1601 in the British Kingdom, England and came to the Virginia's in the American Colony and died c1664 at County Elizabeth Cities on the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River. In family records this gravesite was called the Peele Cemetery and was found on the Rawls Farm near the Peele School. In the WPA cemetery survey report that was found in the Bertie County Courthouse in Windsor it described the location 9.5 miles S.W. from Aulander on the left side of the road to Republican and called it the Peele Cemetery. At that time it was grown-up with undergrowth. The date of birth of James W. Peele was given as Sept.10, 1845 that is an error. Family records give the date as 11-21-1837. The 1850 census gave (James) William's date of birth 1838. Either the surveyor was wrong with the recording or it was put on the tombstone incorrectly. I have never visited the site and did not know about the cemetery until I was researching the Peele history. A cousin, Wade Peele, wrote me to report that he had visited the cemetery in Feb.2001. He found that apparently a paper company had destroyed six gravesites and damaged others. What a shame this took place. I thought that it was against the law to destroy a grave. We need help as to what recourse we need to take to correct the problem. Additional graves identified in the Peele Cemetery can be found in the text of James William Peele. Mary: Mary Moore Rawls was the third wife of Samuel Cox. He was the son of George W Cox and wife Lydia Peele. She was the child of Josiah Peele and Milley Higgs who were my (Pete Austin) 4th great grandparents. On 08-25-1868 Samuel Cox married his third wife Mary Moore Rawls the daughter of Moore Rawls and his first wife Mary Arabella Smith who was the daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Smith. His parents were Silas Smith and wife Celia Ellis my 4th great grandparents from Woodville Bertie Co NC. There was a son Henry F Cox born to this union Mary Moore Rawls Cox married as her second husband Joseph S Parker. He was buried in the Peele Cemetery located on the Jonas Rawls farm near the Peele school on the road to Francis Mill and then on to Republican, Bertie Co NC. Many, many of my relatives came to this area of Bertie County after they migrated from Norfolk section of Virginia. Some stopped first in other counties before settling here at Rhodes Place Crossroads. There were the Austin, Peele, Rawls, Moore, Bazemore, Young, Rhodes families plus other kin that raised their family in this part of what is now Snakebite Township. Today very few of these people live there now. You would have to fly with the wind to the four-corners of the globe to find all of their descendants. As of this date I have recorded over 18,477 of my ancestors and their relatives into my Brothers Keeper computer program.. Have lots that need to be entered and still finding new ones everyday. It is like an Easter egg hunt. You never known when or where you will find another prize. In the Peele Cemetery is a grave of Augustine Parker who probably is a daughter of Mary Moore and Joseph S Parker. From this union there was one known Child Mary Bualah Parker who married Thomas "Tom" Bryant Bazemore from near Lewiston. Their daughter was Mary Jessie Parker who married Judge Joseph Wiley Parker from Kelford. Jessie my 2nd cousin once removed wrote several articles on Bertie Co history. See Mary Bualah Parker for addition information on this family. Children: + 2. i Mary Bualah Parker b. 1876. Second Generation 2. Mary Bualah Parker (1.Joseph1) b. 1876, m. 1903, Thomas "Tom" Bryant Bazemore, b. 1880, d. 1950. Mary died 1945. Mary Bualah was my (#1) first cousin twice removed. Thomas: Lived on SR 1201 from Lewiston. Road is west of railroad towards Kelford. His son Robert build a house at the Home Place and divides his time between here and Fla. His father's home was across the road. Children: + 3. i Mary Jessie Bazemore b. 1904. + 4. ii Cecil Smith Bazemore b. c1906. + 5. iii Thomas Russell Bazemore b. 1908. 6. iv Robert Wayland Bazemore b. 1909, m. Grace Whitley. Have no children. Robert was in the grocery store bussines together with his brother Russell for many years in Lewiston. Located on the left side of the intersection at the cross roads in Lewiston going towards Kelford. Now divides time with his home in Fla and the one at the homeplace jist outside of Lewiston. Still a member of the Saint Frances Methodist Church. (only a few left now) Robert is my 2nd cousin once removed. Third Generation 3. Mary Jessie Bazemore (2.Mary2, 1.Joseph1) b. 1904, Bertie Co near Lewiston NC, m. 1934, Judge Joseph Wiley Parker, b. c1904, Kelford, Bertie Co. NC, (son of George Parker and Cora (wife: George Parker) #) d. Windsor, Bertie Co NC NC. Mary died c1995, Texas. "Miss Jessie" taught the fifth grade in the Roxobel-Kelford public school. I was fortunate to have her as my teacher. After her marriage to (Superior Court Judge) Joseph Parker she devoted time to traveling with him while he was conducting circuit court in the Bertie and adjoining counties. Jessie would spend time at the courthouse reviewing records as they pertaining to our families. Her dedication to this cause made it possible for many of us to trace our ancestors. Jessie was my ("Pete"Austin #1) (1/2) 2nd cousin, once removed. Her family was raised just north of the Lewiston-Woodville, Bertie Co on a dirt road known as the "back road" that followed the Seaboard Airline Railroad east of these tracks and joined the Lewiston-Woodville road again about a mile east of Kelford. Their father Thomas "Tom" Bryant Bazemore h/o Mary Bualah Parker owned a farm a short ways from Lewiston on this road. Jessie's brother Robert Bazemore owned a summer home here in 1985's and lived in Florida in the winter season. At this time he was one of the few living members of the Saint Frances Methodist Episcopal Church. I was a guest in Robert's home on 8-11-1985. Had to borrow a dress coat from him so that I could attend the funeral of my Aunt Julia Lafayette Austin McGee that had died while I was at the Rawls family reunion. I had not brought dress clothed with me for this gathering and the trip back to Charlotte was to far to go fetch them. Robert insisted that I not go buy new dress clothing as he had plenty for me to choose from in his closet. They fitted perfectly as we were the same in size and Statue. She and "The Judge" would attend many of the social gatherings that were so common in the 1950s. Many of the people around the Lewiston, Kelford and Roxobel area had a clubhouse or eating shelter build to have such a gathering. Socialize, have a little cheer and eat a great meal prepared by the men folk. There were numerous such places throughout the county. We would attend such events almost every weekend plus some during the week. I'm still paying the price today for all that high fatty foods we ate back then. We moved to Charlotte in 1963 from Williamston NC. Returned on several occasions to attend the Rawls-Peele reunions. Miss Jessie was always there with her hand drawn charts on our family tree. Would also have a get together with her at her sister-in-law Elizabeth Griffin Bazemore's home in Kelford. After failing health she sold her home in Windsor and went to live with her daughter in Texas. Would love to have her family records. I do not known what became of them or where they are now. Have talked with her daughter Mary Margaret Parker regarding Jessie's records. She stated that they were given to the Hope Place for their safekeeping. She does have the hand drawn genealogy charts in her study. Judge: Joseph was raised in Kelford NC. His father operated a store at the corner of Church and Main St. He also had a shop next door to his residence and just across the road was his blacksmith shop. We lived at the corner of Main and Norfleet streets and when Mr Parker started up his single cycle engine that went pow-pow-pow I would go across the small field that divided out place from his to see him work. Usuallty he would make me something on his bandsaw. He on some occasions when he had enough scrap lumber he made a set of wheels by cutting out a small circle and drilling a hole in the center so I could later fix a wooden cart, wagon or car. Also watched as he fabricated and fitted horse shoes for local farmers. One of his real skills was heating a metal rim so that it would expand and then put on a wooden cart wheel. Next it was placed in a tub of water to cool so it would fit snugly around and over the wooden rim of the wheel to prevent wear and keep it from coming apart when it ran over a big rock. After Mr George Parker retired he allowed me and Kenneth Butler to pry the sliding front doors apart & go into his shop to work on some of our personal projects. All of this has carried over into my present life. Over the years I have made a yearly purchase of a major shop tool or a piece of equipment to add to my fully equipped shop that I use for my hobbies. A few years ago I added a 32 x 32 feet tool room to keep my tools and have a work area. I had taken my saw horses to the lake place while making an addition to the sleeping porch and had to borrow my neighbors saw horses to cut up a sheet of plywood for another project that I was doing here at the house. He came over to assist in getting the plyboard out of the Van when he made the smart comment "that he need a building like mine so that he could fill it up with tools and equipement so there was no room inside to rip-up a 4 x 8 sheet of plyboard. A real cut down. Joseph's father, George Parker was also a relative of mine according to Jessie Bazemore Parker. I do not have this connection as of this date. Mr Parker was a leader in the comunity, a notary, city father, leader in the Wood-Men-of-the World, a church leader of the Kelford Baptist Church (the only white church in town), skilled craftsman, blacksmiuth and helpful in many civic affairs. George and Cora Parker had three chldren: Charles a Captain in the U.S.Navy, Dr Cora Lee and Judge Joseph Wiley Parker a Superior Court Judge of the Second District of NC. All outstanding citizens and leaders. Children: + 7. i Mary Margaret Parker. 4. Cecil Smith Bazemore (2.Mary2, 1.Joseph1) b. c1906, Lewiston NC, m. 1943, Alice Pendendton. Cecil died 1991, Scotland Neck NC. Children: + 8. i Thomas Bazemore II. 9. ii Nita Bazemore m. Jimmy K Byrum. 5. Thomas Russell Bazemore (2.Mary2, 1.Joseph1) b. 1908, m. Elizabeth Griffin Harrell, b. 12-22-1912, (daughter of William "Will" Powell Harrell and Margaret Bennett Griffin). Russell was my 2nd cousin once removed. Operated a grocery store in Lewiston for many years with his brother Robert. He also anaged his wife's farms in Kelford where he live there with his wife Elizabeth "E" Harrell. They had one son."Tommy" who now lives in Burlington NC. Russell kept a horse in the large barn next to the Will Harrell house. I would ride it at times during a foxhunt. The horse was a far cry from a five gated Tennessee Walking mount. After a morning in the saddle you needed a pillow to sit. Children: 10. i Thomas Russell Bazemore jr. Fourth Generation 7. Mary Margaret Parker (3.Mary3, 2.Mary2, 1.Joseph1) m. (1) Frank Wynne, m. (2) Louis Corprew Jr. Moved to Sequin, Texas Children by Frank Wynne: 11. i Mary Jo Wynne. 12. ii Frank Parker Wynne. 13. iii Andrew Parker Wynn. Children by Louis Corprew Jr: 14. iv Mary Margaret Corprew. 15. v Louis Corprew III. 8. Thomas Bazemore II (4.Cecil3, 2.Mary2, 1.Joseph1) m. Brenda Calhoon. Enfield, N C. Children: 16. i Matthew Bazemore. 17. ii Camaron Bazemore.