FOUNDERS OF FORT NO. 4, CHARLESTOWN, NH
From:	Farns10th@aol.com - Janice Farnsworth

Surname: PARKER
Source:  History of Charlestown, NH - The Old No. 4
         by Rev. H. H. Saunderson printed 1876

p.502
The Parkers were among the first settlers (of No. 4)
and Lieut Isaac Parker was among the most prominent men
in the township.  On the Proprietor's Records his name
is found in connection with the most important business
transactions. On the Town Records it is found six times
as moderator and eight times as one of the selectmen;
and when it is considered that he died April 1, 1762,
only nine years after the organization of the town, it
shows that he must have possessed the confidence of his
fellow townsmen to an unusual degree.  He had been
moderator, and had also been elected first selectman
the March previous to his decease.  Mrs. Parker died
March 25, 1759.

Lieut. Isaac Parker, Capt. John Spafford and Stephen
Farnsworth were the first captives taken by the Indians
from No. 4.  They were taken on the l9th of April 1746
They were carried to Canada where they were retained
through the following winter when they were returned to
Boston under a flag of truce.

Lieut. Parker was a member of Capt. Hobb's company in
1748 in which he held the position of lst Lieutenant and
did his duty most bravely and manfully in the almost
unexampled fight which they had with Sackett on the 26th
of June 1748 (see pp45-47)  He was also a lieutenant
in Col. Meserve's regiment in 1756.  After Capt. Stevens
left for the war in Nova Scotia, Lieut Parker was put
in his place as commander of the post of Charlestown (NH)
The following is an extract of a letter from him while
acting in this capacity, dated Charlestown, Oct 3, 1756
It was directed to Governor Wentworth:

Charlestown
October 3 1756
To Governor Wentworth
"This day arrived here one Enoch Byshop, an English
captive, from Canada, who was taken from Contoocook about
two years since.  He left Canada twenty six days ago, in
company with two other English captives, viz. William
Hair late of Brookfield, entered into Shirley's regiment
and taken at Oswego.  The other name unknown taken from
Pennsylvania.  They came away from Canada without gun,
hatchet or fireworks and with no more than three loaves
of bread, and four pounds of pork.  As they suffered
much for want of provisions, his companions were not able
to travel any further than a little on this side Cowoss
(Coos) where he was obliged to leave them last Lord's
day, without any sustenance but a few berries.  Six men
sent out this evening to look for them but it is to be
feared they perhished in the wilderness."

The letter of Lieut Parker also contained important in-
formation given by Byshop of the movements of the enemy
confirming intelligence which had been previously re-
ceived.  The inhabitants of No. 4 having failed to gain
the needed force for their protection from New-Hampshire
had, at the instance of Gov. Shirley, forwarded a petit-
ion to the King.  Before an answer had been received,
the settlement still being in great danger, Lieut Parker
on Sept. 1, 1757 had addressed a letter to Lord Loudoun
informing him of the circumstances of its situation. To
this he received the following answer:
                          New York, Sept. 12th 1757
"Sir.  I am commanded by His Excellancy the Earl of
Loudoun to acquaint you that he has received your letter
of the first instant and to assure you that he will give
proper orders for the protection of the inhabitants in
your part of the country.

I am likewise to acquaint you that his Lordship has re-
ceived the Petition of the inhabitants back from England
with directions thereupon.
               I am Sir Your Most Humble Servant
               Jo. Forbes, Adjutant General."

To Mr. Isaac Parker at No. 4 on Connecticut River
                    _______________
p.503
Isaac Parker Jr. was also a useful and respected citizen
and would probably have stood before the public much more
prominently had it not been for the overshadowing in-
fluence of his father which appears to have been only 
second to that of Capt. Phineas Stevens.  He was still
placed often on the important committees and entrusted
with business of such consequence s would at least be
adapted to show the confidence of the public, both in his
trustworthiness and ability.  He died about two years
before Lieut Parker (senior) and in his death and that
of his father, subsequently a loss was experience which
doubless affect the little settlement deeply.  For there-
by was removed not only an exemplary member of the church
which had been but a short time formed, but a citizen
of much promise.

Nathaniel Parker, though his name occurs occasionally
in the Proprietor's records, was not entrusted with much
public business, and of David, another son of Lieut 
Parker, little more is known than that he was wounded
in a fight which Capt. Stevens and Capt. Brown had with
a party of Indians on the l9th of June, 1746 who laid
an ambush for them while they were going to the meadow
for their horses into which fortunately, they did not
fall.

p.504
Elijah Parker, son of Isaac Parker Jr. and his wife,
Mary, b. July 4th 1750 married Nov. 3, 1769 Elizabeth
Farwell dau of William and Bethiah Farwell b. at Mans-
field, CT Aug 12, 1751.  Their children:
1.  Isaac Parker b. Apr 9, 1770
2.  Dolly (or Dorothy) Parker b. May 15, 1772 m. (l)
    Lemuel Cone of Westminster; she m. (2) Benjamin
    Bellows of Charlestown, NH
3.  Elizabeth Parker b. Apr 14, 1774 d. Mar 20, 1791
4.  Jacob Parker b. May 25, 1776
5.  Elijah Parker Jr. b. June 26, 1778
6.  Ora Parker b. March 30, 1780
7.  David Parker b. April 4, 1782 m. Fanny Jones on
    April 1810 and their children:
         1.  Fanny Jones Parker b. Dec 3, 1813
         2.  Mary Ann Parker b. Jan 2l, 18l4.
         3.  Isaac Parker b. Mar 25, l816 d. l837
         4.  David Parker, Jr. died at Evansville,
             Indiana June 5, 1837.
    David Parker was a colonel in the 16th Regiment of
    New Hampshire Militia whence his title Colonel
    Parker, by which he was always called.  He was a
    prosperous farmer and lived where Edwin Hubbard, 
    Esq. later lived and Col. Parker died May 4, 1846
    His widow at last accounts was living at Vergennes
    VT with her daughter.
8.  Polly (or Mary) Parker b. June l9, 1784
9.  Enos Parker b. May 1, 1786
10. Patty (or Martha) Parker b. Mar 7, 1788
11. Phineas Parker b. Apr 2l, 1790
12. Sophia Parker b. Feb 7, 1792
13. John Parker b. Feb 17, 1794
l4. Sarah Parker b. March 9, 1797
Elijah Parker, Senior died Dec. 25, 1804. Mrs. Parker
died Sept 9, 1840.

p.504
Stephen Parker b. Oct 18, 1770 died Feb 7, 1865 m.
Mary Bellows who died 1845 aged 63.  Their children:
1.  Solomon Parker b. at No. 4 1798 m. Miriam Wright of
    Westminster and settled at Middlebury, VT.  He was a
    paper amker and had five children.
2.  Mary A. Parker b. Jan l7, 1798 at No. 4 m. Mar 14,
    1820 Lewis C. Osgood.
3.  Stephen Parker, Jr. b. 1800 m. (1) Caroline Bowles
    (one son by this marriage in 1876 resided in Stock-
    ton, CA)  Stephen Parker Jr. m. (2) in Cleveland,
    Ohio.
4.  Eliza Parker m. Hiram Leach and lived in Middlebury
    VT and had eight children.
5.  Milicent Parker d. in infancy.
6.  Sibil Parker b.___m. James C. Stebbins.
7.  Laura Parker b. Apr 28, 1813 m. George Parker (see
    profile below)
8.  Sarah Parker m. Aurelean Justus Cook of Springfield
    VT had 3 living children.
9.  Royal Bellows Parker m. Nancy Miller of Nantucket
    and resided at Stockton, CA and had nine children
    eight lived.
10. Elithea Parker m. Levi Harlow of Fort 4 and had
    nine children.

George Parker (son of Joseph and Anna (Upham) Parker
b. at Nantucket, Mass. April 8, 18l4 m. July 7th, 1839
Laura Parker (above) dau of Stephen and Mary (Bellows)
Parker, b. April 28, 18l3  Their children:
1.  George Lewis Parker b. Mary 7, 1841 d. Jan 7, 1842
2.  Susan Sophia Parker b. Feb 27, 1844
3.  Willie Leverett Parker b. Apr 9, 1856.
George Parker came to Charlestown, NH in 1843.

*************************************************
* * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and 
libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter 
information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other 
sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any 
other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of 
contents. 



* * * *
The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the 
information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information 
must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is 
always best to consult the original material for verification.