USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. I > Part 63
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He died in Methuen, October 19, 1813. (From Methuen town records and monument in Dracut cemetery ).
(VI) Winthrop, son of Lieutenant John and Lydia (Morrill) Parker, born in Methuen, April 22, 1780, and died August 27, 1829, was a lifelong resi- dent of that town. He married, April 2, 1805, Lydia Hall, born October 4, 1778, died March 27, 1825. Their children were: Julia, Riley H., Stephen H., Winthrop A., Marian, Lydia H., Achsa, Harriett and Rhoda.
(VII) Stephen Hall, son of Winthrop and Lydia (Hall) Parker, was born in Methuen, December 16, 1809, and died in North Andover, April 19, 1865. When a young man he went to Bow, New Hamp- shire, and learned the trade of cooper. He removed to Andover, Massachusetts, where he became a prosperous merchant and leading citizen of the town, an active man and widely known. In politics he was a Whig. and later a Republican, took an in- terest in public affairs and filled various town offices, and was postmaster at the time of his death. In church affairs he was a leader, and for many years was deacon in the Congregational Church. Mr. Parker was one of those selfreliant, diligent, pro- gressive, sensible men whose presence in a com- munity counts for much good. He married, in Con- cord, New Hampshire, January 26, 1842, Anne M. Abbot, daughter of Rev. Joshua Abbot, of Concord. (See Abbot, \'). She was born in Concord, October 21, 1813, where she now (1906) resides, at the age of ninety-two. They were the parents of three chil- dren : Charles S., Henry Winthrop, now of the Des Moines Novelty Company, of Des Moines, lowa; and Frank A., who died young.
(VHI) Charles Sullivan, eldest child of Stephen H. and Anne M. (Abbot) Parker, was born in An- dover, now North .Andover, Massachusetts, Oc- tober 21, 1845. After attending the public schools he took a course at Phillips Andover Academy, from which he graduated at the age of eighteen. Pre- ferring mercantile life, he spent two years as an employee of Alexander Strong & Company, promi- nent wholesale shoe dealers, of Boston. He left that place to return to his father who needed his assistance in his business, and lived only a short time after his son's return. Charles S. Parker, then being a minor, did not succeed to his father's busi- ness, which was sold out, and he went to Lowell and was a clerk for the dry goods house of Cook & Taylor two years, and he was also employed in the same line in Lawrence. In 1868 he engaged in the clothing business for himself at Lawrence, carrying it on through the financial panic of 1873, until the spring of 1875, when he became the traveling representative of a Boston house which dealt in gentleman's furnishings. This firm failing in 1876 he went to Concord, New Hampshire, and took a place as bookkeeper with the Page Belting Com- pany, for which he subsequently became a travel- ing salesman. In 1886 he gave up that place and became general agent and manager of the life and accident department of the Aetna Life Insurance Company, for the state of New Hampshire, positions which he still holds. He is also a director in the Page Belting Company. In 1872 he was made a Mason in Tuscan Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Lawrence, Massachusetts. He afterwards transferred to Blazing Star Lodge, Concord, New Hampshire, of which he is a past master. He is also past commander of Mount Horeb Commandery, Knights Templar, a member of Trinity Royal Arch Chapter, No. 2, of llorace Chase Council, No. 4. Royal and Select Masters, all of Concord, and of
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Edward A. Raymond Consistory, Ancient Arabic Scottish Rite, thirty-second degree, of Nashua. He is a member of Monadnock Lodge, No. 145, and of Kearsarge Encampment, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Lawrence, and has passed the chairs in both bodies. He is a charter member of the Wono- lancet Club, in which he takes att active interest. Mr. Parker is an upright citizen, a representative man in his line of business, competence, quickness, energy and fairness being prominent features of his character.
He married in Lawrence, Massachusetts, May 24, 1870, Kate M. Shetler, daughter of George E. and Almira M. (Hogle) Shetler, of that city. They have two children, Alice F. and Elizabeth A. The family are members of the First Congregational Church. Mrs. Parker is a member of various clubs, and interested in works of education and charity.
(IV) Daniel, ninth child and second son of Jonathan and Barbara (Elsley) Parker, was born in Reading in 1725. He served in the Reading com- pany which was attached to Colonel Green's regi- ment, according to a roster dated April 17, 1775. He married Sarah Parker, who was probably a descendant of Deacon Thomas, the immigrant. A diligent research for a record of his children dis- closes but one child, a son.
(V) Daniel (2) son of Daniel (1) and Sarah (Parker) Parker, was born in Reading, in 1752. He served in the Revolutionary war and participated in the capture of Ticonderoga. In 1780 he married Sarah Richardson, who bore him seven children, one of whom was Jonathan.
(VI) Jonathan, son of Daniel (2) and Sarah (Richardson) Parker, was born in Reading, Novem- ber 26, 1783, and died April 22, 1865, aged eighty- one years. The following sketch of him from the pen of Hon. James Dinsmoor, of Sterling, Illinois, found in the "History of Windham" is so lifelike and apparently so true that it is reproduced here : "He purchased of Rev. Samuel Harris the Isaac Dinsmoor farm, southwest of Jenney's Hill, occupied by G. W. Hanscom, moved on it April 25, 18II, and continued to reside tltere till his death. He was a cooper by trade, and for many years he worked at his trade in the winter months. He was a thrifty farmer, devoting much attention to fruit culture, and while not devoid of taste, the useful was always made to dominate over the ornamental. He was a well read man, thoughtful and self reliant; kept himself well informed on the current topics of the day, and possessed a well balanced mitid, so that his advice was often sought and taken by fellow townsmen. In his manners he was a 'rough dia- mond,' but the attrition of intellectual contact brought out a fund of good sense, pleasantry and wit, which well repaid the labor. In figure he was tall and awkward. No one could eyer accuse him of making or following any fashion in his personal dress. His eccentricities were very great, so much so that he failed to exert as much influence in the community as he otherwise would. He, however, represented the town in the legislature if I822, 1823, 1824, and in 1849 and 1850, with credit to himself and his constituents. He was economical and con- servative in all public matters.
"Up to about 1828 there had been no means of heating the church at Windham. The church was owned and controlled by the town, and for such a startling innovation as putting a stove in the meet- ing house, a vote of a majority, in town meeting assembled, was necessary. At this time some rest- less, aggressive mortals had a town meeting called to see if they would 'vote to put in two stoves to
heat the meeting house.'" Mr. Parker opposed the plan as a useless extravagance and deleterious to health. The aggressive element, as usual in such matters, was dominant, and two huge wood burning stoves were placed in the church. Mr. Parker's pew was on the wall side in the gallery. For some time after he used to go into his pew, raise the window, take off his coat, and sit in his shirt sleeves, to avoid the heat of the "cussed stoves." "He was fond of composition, and used to pride himself on his ability to detect a grammatical er- ror in a sentence although he had studied English grammar but half a day in his life as he used to say. He said he 'could tell whether it jingled right or not, but knew nothing about grammar.' His wife was a most gentle and amiable woman, ever taking his oddities as bits of pleasantry to be phil- osophically enjoyed by her."
He married, April 23, 1811, Susan Bancroft, born in Reading, Massachusetts, and died in Wind- ham, New Hampshire, January 16, 1857. They had the following named children: Sophia, Sarah, Deacon Milo, Anna, Daniel, Ward, Susie, Anna, Laurens, Olin and Emery. (Mention of Ward and descendants forms part of this article).
(VII) Daniel, fifth child and second son of Jon- athan and Susan (Bancroft) Parker, was born in Windham, April 14, 1818. In 1845 he settled in Bedford and during the succeeding forty years was one of the most prominent business men in that town, manufacturing brick, which he shipped to Nashua and Lowell by boat, and at one time he was associated with Humphrey Moore in the real estate and lumber business. He also devoted considerable attention to farming. He died October 9, 1886. In politics he supported the Republican party, and his religious affiliations were with the Presbyterian Church. He married Mary E. Way, daughter of John and Mary (Hayner) Way of Amsterdam, New York. She became the mother of seven chil- dren, namely: Simeon L., born October 21, 1847; Mary R., January 30, 1849, died August 12, 1860; Daniel, August 20, 1850, resides in Philadelphia ; Lauren, April 10, 1854, died August.8, 1854; Charles L., April 10, 1861, died August 17, 1864; Peter and Perham (twins), November 16, 1862. The mother of these children is still living.
(VIII) Perham, youngest son and child of Dan- iel and Mary E. (Way) Parker, pursued his pre- liminary studies in the district schools and completed his education at the Magaw Institute. He began the activities of life in the meat business, which he followed for nine years, at the expiration of which time he became associated with Everett Parker in the manufacturing of lumber, operating a portable saw-mill and transportating it from place to place as occasion demanded. He has invested quite large- ly in real estate, and is at the present time one of Bedford's most able and well-to-do-business men. In politics he is a Republican and has held all of the important town offices with the exception of town clerk; represented his district in the state legislature with marked ability in 1893; and has been a member of the board of selectmen for the past four years. He is affiliated with Souhegan Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He attends the Presbyterian Church. On September 22, 1891, he was joined in marriage with Mrs. Annie (Allen) Hamilton, daughter of Abraham and Mary (Ston- ners) Allen, of Manchester. They have one daugh- ter, Rhoda J., who was born May 29, 1892.
(VII) Ward, sixth child and third son of Jona- than and Susan (Bancroft) Parker, was born in Windham, October 18, 1819, and was educated in
.
Ward Parker
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the common schools. In 1839 hie removed to Bed- ford, New Hampshire, and engaged in manufactur- ing brick and getting out lumber, which he success- fully followed till 1852, when he turned his atten- tion to farming, in which he was engaged for several years. He is spoken of as an enterprising, pro- gressive and prosperous man. Originally a Whig, he became a member of the Republican party at an early date, and afterward followed the political teachings of Abraham Lincoln. He was one of the selectmen of Merrimack in 1854-61-62-65-66-67, and was a member of the constitutional convention in 1876, and representative in 1877. He was a mem- ber of Thornton Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and one of its organizers, and a life member of the State Orphans' Home. He died February 16, 1904. He married, March 25, 1850, Phebe Ann Strew, daughter of Moses and Anna ( Sylvester) Strew, born at Barnet, Verniont, October 22, 1822, and they had one child, Everett E.
(VIII) Everett Edward, only child of Ward and Phebe Ann (Strew) Parker, was born at Mer- rimack, April 12, 1856. He attended school till nineteen years of age, and then turned his attention to farming and lumber dealings, in which he has ever since been engaged. Well endowed with pat- rimonial benefactions at the start Mr. Parker has always been an alert, energetic and prosperous busi- ness man and a leading citizen of the community where he has spent his life. In politics he is a Re- publican, and has often been honored with positions of trust and honor by his fellow townsmen. He was elected selectman in 1883-84-85-99, and again in 1907. For six years he served as moderator, and was a member of the legislature in the year 1895. He is a charter member of Souhegan Lodge, No. 98, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Merri- mack, in which he has filled the chairs. He is also a charter member of Thornton Grange, No. 31, Pa- trons of Husbandry, instituted in 1873 and in which he lias filled the chairs. He is a member of Wash- ington Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Trinity Commandery, Manchester; Edward A. Ray- mond Consistory, Nashua, and Bektash Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Concord. Fond of history and desirous of broadening his knowledge of the world by contact with it, he has trevelled extensively. In 1894 he and Mrs. Parker made a tour through England, Ireland, Scotland and France, and in 1905 to the Pa- cific coast. Everett E. Parker married (first) August 8, 1884, Clarie F. McGillivray, of Merri- mack, born February 12, 1864, daughter of John and Martha J. (Gage) McGillivray, who died Au- gust 8, 1897, and (second) October 8, 1901, Har- riet M. McGillivray, a sister of the first wife, born January 27, 1871, who was educated at Magaw In- stitute and is a member of Thornton Grange. Both these ladies were teachers before marriage.
(Second Family.)
This name has borne no inconspic- PARKER uous part in the settlement and devel- opment of New England and of New Hampshire, and is now found in all parts of the country and of this state. Not all of its bearers have been traced to a common origin, but most are known to have descended from the Puritan Fathers of the New England colonies. The name has been honored in all generations, has been especially well known in military annals, and those who bear it in this region have held up its prestige. It has been associated with civil reforms, as well as active in military operations.
(I) Captain James Parker was born in England
about 1617, and came to America about 1638-39. He was a subscriber to town orders in Woburn in 1640, and was made a freeman in that town in 1644. He was one of the grantees of Billerica, Massachusetts, and lived a short time in that town. He was one of the original proprietors of Groton, in which town the major part of his active life was spent. He was one of its first selectmen, chosen in 1662, was made deacon of the church in 1663, and was sergeant and later captain of the militia. He was an extraordinary man, and active in all that pertained to the welfare of the community, being especially prominent in military affairs. He was moderator at most of the town meetings, and a member and chairman of the important committees, laying out lands, highways and boundaries. In 1693 he was representative in the general court, under the charter from William and Mary. He lived to be eighty-four years old, and his will was made May 25, 1700. He was mar- ried in Woburn, in 1643, to Elizabeth Long, and re- sided in Woburn, Billerica, Chelmsford and Gro- ton. Five of his children were born in Woburn, five in Chelmsford, and one in Groton, the last be- ing the offspring of his second wife, whom he mar- ried late in life, being eighty-one years old when the child was born. Their names were as follows : Elizabeth, born 1645; Anna (or Hannah), 1647; Jolın, 1649; Joseph, 1651; James, 1652, killed by Indians in 1694; Josiah, 1655; Samuel, 1656; Joshua, 1658; Zachariah, 1659; Eleazer, 1660; Sarah, 1667.
(II) Captain Josiah, fourth son and sixth child of James and Elizabeth (Long) Parker, born in 1655, in Chelmsford, and married Eliza Saxon (or Sax- ton), of Boston. He lived in Chelmsford, Groton, Watertown and Cambridge. His children were: Eliza, John, Sarah, Josiah, Joshua and Thomas.
(III) Rev. Thomas, youngest child of Captain Josiah and Eliza (Saxton) Parker, was born De- cember 7, 1700, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard College at the early age of eighteen years, in 1718. This fact indicates that he had an excellent mind, and the records of his work prove it further. In 1719 he was called to the pastorate at Dracut, Massachusetts, and became the first settled minister there in 1720, at a yearly salary of eighty pounds. He was a most amiable man, a musician, and often played the clarionet at his door in the cvening. He died March 18, 1765, closing a long and useful ministry. The epitaph upon his tombstone reads as follows: "A gentle- man of shining mental Powers, Adorned with Pru- dence, Benevolence and Curtesie of manners. A warm and Pathetic Preacher of ye Gospel, a most watchful pastor of ye Church in Dracut for ye space of 44 years. Accomplished with learning, Human and Divine, & adorned by ye social virtues." He was married in 1720 to Lydia Richardson, of Chelms- ford, who survived him over thirty-two years and spent her last days with her children in Litchfield, New Hampshire, where she died September 25, 1787, aged eighty-five years, two months and twelve days. Their children were: Thomas, born 1721 ; Lydia (died young) ; Lydia (married Thomas Whit- ing of Concord) ; William, Elizabeth, Lucy (mar- ried an Abbot) ; Sarah, John, Matthew and Dr. Jonathan. (John and Matthew and descendants re- ceive mention in this article.)
(IV) Matthew, fourth son and ninth child of Rev. Thomas and Lydia ( Richardson) Parker, was born (probably) 1730, in Dracut, and lived and died in Litchfield. His children were: Thomas, Matthew, Nathan, James, William, Rachel, Betsey, Fanny, Dolly, Lydia and Polly. (Nathan and James and descendants are noticed in this article. Several
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of Rev. Thomas Parker's sons were among the pio- neer settlers of Litchfield. John being chosen a select- man at the first annual March meeting in 1750. Thomas was town and proprietors' clerk from 1744 to 1748, in 1750 and 1755 to 1759. Jonathan was town clerk from 1778 to 1780 and in 1782. William was selectman in 1754. There were others of the name in that town early, one Alexander Parker being a selectman for many of the first years, and was signer of a petition for the establishment of a church in the present town of Litchfield, the west side of the river being a part of the town at that time, March 28, 1746.
(V) Deacon Matthew, second son and child of Matthew Parker, was born 1764, in Litchfield, where he died November 22, IS26, aged sixty-two years. He was a prominent farmer of the town, a large landholder and highly respected citizen. In politics he was a Whig, and he was actively identified with the Congregational Church of Litchfield. He was married in 1790 to Sarah, daughter of Judge James Underwood, of Litchfield, a leading citizen of the town. Judge Underwood was a scion of an old and prominent family that held large amounts of land and kept slaves in the early days. Deacon Mat- thew Parker's children are noted as follows: Betsey, the eldest, became the wife of Rev. David L. Nich- ols, of West Amesbury, now Merrimac, Massachu- setts. He was principal of academies in Bradford, Massachusetts, and Kingston, this state, where he died. She afterwards resided with her mother in Litchfield, where she died. James Underwood, the second, was an attorney in Merrimack, New York City and Manchester, and died in the latter place. Nathan, the third, is the subject of the following sketch. Others died in infancy.
(VI) Nathan, son of Deacon Matthew and Sarahı (Underwood) Parker, was born in Litchfield, New Hampshire, November 21, ISO8, and died in Manchester, May 7, 1894. Nathan Parker lived in his native town until he was seventeen years old, during which time he attended the public schools and the academy at Henniker. He first engaged in business in Merrimack, but in 1840 removed to Manchester, then a town of five thousand population, where he soon had a large trade. Manchester was then fast developing into an industrial center, and he furnished large quantities of goods to the cor- porations and to persons engaged in erecting factor- ies and in other extensive building operations. In 1845 Mr. Parker was chosen cashier of the Man- chester Bank, then organized, and held this position during the existence of the bank. In 1865 the Man- chester National Bank was organized, succeeding to the business of the Manchester Bank, and Mr. Parker was elected its president, and retained that place until his death. The Manchester Savings Bank was established in 1846, and he was elected treasurer, and held the position until 1883, when he resigned, but remained a member of the board of trustees. During the greater part of this long period he practically conducted the affairs of these banks, and their success, permanence and prosperity were in a great degree due to his skillful, prudent and far-seeing management. Mr. Parker was not only largely engaged in banking, but he was also engaged in the development and management of the railroads of New Hampshire. He was a director of the Con- cord railroad from 1867 to 1871, and treasurer of the road from 1873 to 1890, when the corporation was consolidated with the Boston, Concord & Mont- real railroad, forming the Montreal corporation. He was also a director of the Manchester and Law- rence railroad, and at one time its president. As
treasurer of the Concord railroad, the management of its financial affairs was substantially governed and controlled by his advice, and the steady progress and great increase in value of that important rail- road property, and its influential position among the corporations of the state, were largely due to his conservative and judicious direction.
Mr. Parker was a man of great industry, and gave the closest and most faithful attention to every detail of business. There were elements of earnest- ness and determination in his character which caused him to follow out and accomplish, however arduous and difficult, every undertaking in which he engaged. He was conservative, cautious and prudent, and no man brought more conscientious and untiring at- tention to the performance of every duty and dis- charge of every obligation. He possessed an analyti- cal and logical mind, and from long experience ac- quired the habit of thorough and careful investigation of every subject which he had to consider, and having decided what was right he possessed great confidence in his own judgment and generally adhered to his own conclusions. He seemed to be by nature pe- culiarly fitted to manage financial affairs, and banking seemed to be the employment to which he was most adapted. The confidence of his fellow financiers and the public generally was a thing he fully possessed, and he discharged every obligation and trust with that absolute exactitude that satisfied himself and those for whom he acted. His advice in financial matters was often sought and proved almost invari- ably a thing of value to those who took it.
In disposition Mr. Parker was modest and re- tiring. He was a stanch Republican, but had no political ambition to satisfy by attaining some high office. His service to his party was as much or more of a concession to its demands as it was an honor to him. In the early years of his residence in Manchester he served as one of the first board of selectmen. In 1855 and 1856 he served as a mem- ber of the New Hampshire state senate, and could have been its president, but he was unwilling to accept the position. He was elected to the New Hampshire house of representatives in 1863, and was a member of the governor's council in 1879 and ISSo. Mr. Parker married, September, 1837, Char- lotte M. Riddle, of Merrimack, granddaughter of Captain Isaac Riddle, a wealthy farmer, mill owner and contractor of Bedford, and daughter of Riddle, died in October, 1859, leaving one son, Walter M. Parker.
(VII) Walter Matthew, only child of Nathan and Charlotte M. (Riddle) Parker, was born July 18, 1850, in a house which stood on the site of the present postoffice building in Manchester. Here he grew up and went through the public schools, and fitted for college under private tutors. He entered Dartmouth College in 1867, and was graduated with the class of 1871. Immediately after graduation he entered the Manchester National Bank as a clerk, and has worked his way through the gradations to the present position at its head. For many years he was cashier, and succeeded his father as presi- dent upon the death of the latter, in 1894. The same conservative and prudent management has character- ized his career as governed the life of his father, and he is a worthy successor of one who was held in the highest regard among the business men of Manchester. Mr. Parker is a member of the Second Congregational Society of Manchester, and one of its staunch supporters. He believes that the prin- ciples of the Republican party are best calculated to preserve the integrity and prosperity of the coun- try, and gives them his hearty endorsement and
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