Descendants of Robert Parker of Barnstable

I am indebted to the work of the late MacLean W. McLean who published over 100 pages of his research on this family in the NEHGR from 1958 to 1974.

Generation One

1. ROBERT¹ PARKER married Sarah James on 28 Jan 1657 at Barnstable, Massachusetts. He married Patience Cobb, daughter of Henry Cobb and Patience Hurst, in Aug 1667. He died between 1684 and 1685 at Barnstable.
Children of Robert¹ Parker and Sarah James were as follows:

2. i. MARY² was born on 1 Apr 1658. She married John Jenkins, son of John Jenkins and Mary Wallen, before 2 Mar 1685. She died in 1715.

3. ii. SAMUEL was born on 30 Jan 1660. He married Hannah Bumpus, daughter of Edward Bumpus, on 12 Dec 1695. He died in 1717.

iii. ALICE was born on 20 Jan 1662.

iv. JANE was born on 31 Mar 1664. She married John Isham on 16 Dec 1677.
As of 16 Dec 1677, her married name was ISUM.

Children of Robert¹ Parker and Patience Cobb all born at Barnstable were as follows:

4. i. THOMAS² was born on 24 Aug 1669. He married Sarah James on 28 Jan 1656/57 at Barnstable. He married Mary Jenkins, daughter of John Jenkins and Mary Wallen, on 5 Dec 1693 at Falmouth. He died before 17 Mar 1731/32.

5. ii. DANIEL was born on 18 Apr 1670. He married Mary Lumbert, daughter of Thomas Lumbert and Elizabeth Derby, on 11 Dec 1689. He died on 23 Dec 1728 at age 58.

iii. JOSEPH was born on 12 Feb 1672.

iv. BENJAMIN was born on 15 Mar 1674. He married Rebecca Lumbert, daughter of Thomas Lumbert and Elizabeth Derby, on 8 Dec 1698. He died on 4 Feb 1717/18 at age 43. He was buried at Yarmouth Ancient Cemetery.

v. HANNAH was born in Apr 1676.

vi. SARAH was born in 1678. She died in 1718 at Barnstable.

vii. ELISHA was born in 1680.

viii. ALICE was born on 15 Sep 1681. She died on 20 Aug 1727 at age 45.

Looking back into the history of the Parker family, there are other interesting connections to Rochester preceding Rochester�s incorporation as a Town. The first ancestor of this line was Robert Parker from Barnstable. He married Sarah James in 1656/7 and on 23 June 1671, he married Patience Cobb, daughter of Henry Cobb, Elder of the Church of Barnstable. Could there be relation between Henry Cobb and the Reverend Cobb who married his fourth great granddaughter in Nantucket 150 years later? Robert had 4 children by his first wife and 7 by his second wife. His first son by Patience Cobb was Thomas Parker.

Robert Parker was a man of some means who was able to buy substantial amounts of land in Barnstable. In 1679 he bought a tract of land in Sepican (Rochester) and in 1681 he bought land in Mattapoisett. An inventory for the disbursement of his goods following his death was performed in 1685 and showed his two farms in Barnstable to be worth �220 and his �Sepican lands� to be worth �25.

Generation Two

2. MARY² PARKER (Robert¹) was born on 1 Apr 1658. She married John Jenkins, son of John Jenkins and Mary Wallen, before 2 Mar 1685. She died in 1715.
Children of Mary² Parker and John Jenkins were as follows:

i. JOHN³ was born circa 1687.

ii. MARY was born circa 1689.

iii. SARAH was born circa 1691.

iv. MEHITABLE was born circa 1694.

v. SAMUEL was born on 15 Jul 1697.

vi. PHILIP was born on 6 Jul 1699.

vii. JOSEPH was baptized on 14 Sep 1701. He died on 16 Jan 1749 at age 47.

viii. RUTH was born circa 1704.

3. SAMUEL² PARKER (Robert¹) was born on 30 Jan 1660. He married Hannah Bumpus, daughter of Edward Bumpus, on 12 Dec 1695. He died in 1717 at Barnstable.
Children of Samuel² Parker and Hannah Bumpus were as follows:

i. SARAH³ was born on 28 Sep 1696 at Barnstable.

ii. MARY was born in May 1698 at Barnstable.

iii. PEACE was born on 8 Dec 1699 at Barnstable.

iv. JAMES was born on 13 Nov 1701 at Barnstable. He died on 4 Oct 1752 at age 50.

v. PRISCILLA was born on 4 Sep 1704 at Barnstable.

vi. PRUDENCE was born on 6 Aug 1705 at Barnstable.

vii. PATIENCE was born circa 1707.

4. THOMAS² PARKER (Robert¹) was born on 24 Aug 1669 at Barnstable. He married Sarah James on 28 Jan 1656/57 at Barnstable. He married Mary Jenkins, daughter of John Jenkins and Mary Wallen, on 5 Dec 1693 at Falmouth. He died before 17 Mar 1731/32 at Falmouth.
He was a Yeoman.
There were no children of Thomas² Parker and Sarah James.

Children of Thomas² Parker and Mary Jenkins all born at Falmouth were as follows:

i. ROBERT³ was born on 18 Dec 1694. He married Abigail Lumbert, daughter of Joseph Lumbert, on 26 Dec 1717.

ii. THANKFUL was born on 9 Jul 1697.

6. iii. THOMAS was born on 14 Sep 1698. He married Experience Nickerson, daughter of Nathaniel Nickerson and Catherine Stuart, on 12 Feb 1726/27 at Chatham. He died on 22 May 1772 at age 73.

iv. EBENEZER was born on 9 Sep 1700. He died after 1731.

7. v. MARY was born on 9 Feb 1701/2. She married Samuel Lumbert, son of Jonathan Lumbert.

vi. PRUDENCE was born on 27 Jan 1703/4.

vii. ELISHA was born on 15 Jun 1706. He died say 1731.

viii. JOB was born circa 1708. He died on 25 Oct 1735 at Christ Church Parish, South Carolina.
He was a Pastor. He Pastored in Truro and in South Carolina.

Thomas was one of the first founders of Falmouth, MA.

5. JUDGE DANIEL² PARKER (Robert¹) was born on 18 Apr 1670 at Barnstable. He married Mary Lumbert, daughter of Thomas Lumbert and Elizabeth Derby, on 11 Dec 1689. He died on 23 Dec 1728 at age 58.
Children of Judge Daniel² Parker and Mary Lumbert were as follows:

i. PATIENCE³ was born in 1690. She married Nathaniel Bacon. She died between 7 Apr 1717 and 19 Aug 1720.

ii. ABIGAIL was born on 22 May 1692. She married Jeremiah Bacon circa 1714. She married Eliphalet Carpenter on 10 Nov 1731. She died before 12 Apr 1760.

iii. EXPERIENCE was born on 7 Feb 1693/94. She died on 20 Mar 1693/94.

iv. DANIEL was born on 20 Feb 1694/95. He died on 23 Dec 1715 at age 20.

v. REBECCA was born on 1 Apr 1698. She married Joseph Lothrop. Marriage intentions for she and Joseph Lothrop were published on 16 Oct 1725. She married Joseph Hatch. She married Deacon Josiah Perkins. She died on 30 Jul 1785 at Plympton at age 87.

vi. DAVID was born on 17 Feb 1700/1. He married Mary Hawes on 24 Sep 1732. He married Mercy Crosby after 26 Oct 1739. He died on 24 Jun 1788 at age 87.

vii. HANNAH was born on 5 Apr 1702. She died on 13 Oct 1715 at age 13.

viii. SAMUEL was born on 5 Feb 1703/4. He married Desire Freeman after 12 Mar 1731/32. He died on 5 Mar 1766 at age 62.

ix. JONATHAN was born in Jan 1705/6. He married Ruth Avery on 6 Sep 1733. He married Lydia Bartlett on 5 Jul 1748. He died on 24 Apr 1776 at Plympton, Massachusetts, at age 70.

x. NEHEMIAH was born in Oct 1708. He married Bethiah Bassett. He died on 10 Jan 1789 at Willington, Connecticut, at age 80.

xi. MARY was born on 15 Aug 1710. She married Captain Josiah Edson on 25 Nov 1746. She died between 13 Jan 1749 and 1755.

Judge Daniel Parker was the "wealthiest and most prominent" in his family. He sold, along with his brother Joseph, land in Sepican alias Rochester to Henry Dexter of Barnstable.

Generation Three

6. THOMAS³ PARKER (Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 14 Sep 1698 at Falmouth. He married Experience Nickerson, daughter of Nathaniel Nickerson and Catherine Stuart, on 12 Feb 1726/27 at Chatham. He died on 22 May 1772 at Falmouth at age 73. He was buried at Old Falmouth Cemetery.
He was a Deacon. He left a will on 1 May 1771 at Falmouth.
Children of Thomas³ Parker and Experience Nickerson all born at Falmouth were as follows:

8. i. WILLIAM⁴ was born on 8 May 1728. He married Mercy Davis, daughter of Noah Davis and Mercy Weekes, on 25 Nov 1754 at Falmouth. He died on 25 Jan 1778 at age 49.

9. ii. JESSE was born on 5 Mar 1730. He married Mrs. Hannah Chadwick. He died before 1 Jan 1761.

10. iii. THOMAS was born on 14 May 1731. He married Sarah Landers circa 1755. He died before 1 May 1771.

iv. TIMOTHY was born on 19 Apr 1734. He married Rachel Gorham on 12 Feb 1762. He died on 8 Aug 1769 at age 35. He was buried at Granary Cemetery, Boston, Massachusetts.

v. JOB was born on 8 Mar 1735/36. He died on 6 Nov 1736 at Falmouth.

vi. MARY was born in Jan 1737/38. She died on 27 Jan 1737/38 at Falmouth.

vii. JERUSHA was born on 23 Mar 1740. She married Thomas Landers on 11 Mar 1764 at Falmouth, Massachusetts.

11. viii. SILAS was born on 9 Nov 1742. He married Phebe Gardner. He died on 20 Feb 1823 at age 80.

ix. MARY was born on 11 Dec 1745. She married Richard Lake on 27 Sep 1764 at Falmouth, Massachusetts. She died on 17 Nov 1812 at Falmouth at age 66.

x. NATHANIEL was baptized on 10 Apr 1748.

The Deacon Thomas is the first ancestor I have found that held slaves. That he lived on Cape Cod and was a deacon also seems unusual - but apparently not for that time. Holding slaves was for the wealthier families of the day. One of his slaves joined the church which was also unusual.

Deacon Thomas increased the family�s Rochester holdings in 1755 when he bought 220 acres of land in Mattapoisett for �145. The land was bought from Rev. Thomas Prince, minister of the Old South Church in Boston. Most of this land was sold to his sons William and Jesse Parker both of Rochester for �120 on 2 May 1757.

After Thomas� death, Experience moved to Sherborn, Nantucket where she lived with her son Silas. Her will was dated 8 May 1772 and proved 1783. In that will she mentions her 2 daughters, Jerusha Landers and Mary Lake, her grand daughters Hepzibah Parker and Abigail Parker. She willed to the lawful heirs of her deceased sons William, Jesse, Thomas and Nathaniel Parker. The remainder of her estate went to her son Silas Parker- apparently living in 1783.

7. MARY³ PARKER (Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 9 Feb 1701/2 at Falmouth. She married Samuel Lumbert, son of Jonathan Lumbert.
Children of Mary³ Parker and Samuel Lumbert were as follows:

i. ELIZABETH⁴ was born on 10 Oct 1727.

ii. GIDEON was born on 21 Mar 1729/30 at Tisbury.

iii. ELISHA was born on 24 Feb 1732 at Tisbury, Massachusetts.

iv. LEMUEL was born on 17 Aug 1733 at Tisbury, Massachusetts.

Generation Four

8. WILLIAM⁴ PARKER (Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 8 May 1728 at Falmouth. He married Mercy Davis, daughter of Noah Davis and Mercy Weekes, on 25 Nov 1754 at Falmouth. He died on 25 Jan 1778 at Falmouth at age 49.
He lived in 1757 at Rochester, Massachusetts.
Children of William⁴ Parker and Mercy Davis all born at Falmouth were as follows:

i. MERCY⁵ was baptized on 18 Jul 1756. She died Young.

ii. ANNA was baptized on 22 Aug 1756. She married William Stanford. Marriage intentions for she were published on 13 Apr 1776 at Falmouth.

12. iii. ISAAC was baptized on 13 May 1759. Marriage banns for he and Prudence Hatch were published on 3 Oct 1801 at Falmouth. He died on 5 Sep 1842 at age 83.

iv. EUNICE was baptized on 11 Oct 1761.

v. HEPZIBAH was baptized on 29 Apr 1764. She married Ebenezer Tilton on 6 Jan 1785.

vi. MERCY was baptized on 3 Mar 1767.

Only the baptisms were recorded in Falmouth. This could be because the family was living in Rochester for part or all of the above time. Wherever they lived, they went back to the church founded by William�s grandfather and where his father was a Deacon at least for the children�s baptisms. His brother Jesse left more of a trace in Rochester - now Mattapoisett.

William also served in the Revolutionary War as did his son Isaac and other Parkers. He was at Fort Ticonderoga. He became ill during the war and died soon after.

9. JESSE⁴ PARKER (Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 5 Mar 1730 at Falmouth. He married Mrs. Hannah Chadwick. He died before 1 Jan 1761.
He was a seafaringman. He lived in 1757 at Rochester, Massachusetts. He was a husbandman in 1757.
Children of Jesse⁴ Parker and Mrs. Hannah Chadwick all born at Second Church, Rochester, were as follows:

i. MOSES⁵ was baptized on 4 Apr 1756.

ii. BETHIA was baptized on 4 Apr 1756.

iii. AARON was baptized on 4 Apr 1756.

10. THOMAS⁴ PARKER (Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 14 May 1731 at Falmouth. He married Sarah Landers circa 1755. He died before 1 May 1771.
He was a mariner.
Children of Thomas⁴ Parker and Sarah Landers were as follows:

i. CATHERINE⁵ was born circa 1758.

ii. ABIGAIL was born circa 1760 at Falmouth.

iii. SARAH was born circa 1762 at Falmouth.

iv. JESSE was born circa 1764 at Falmouth.

v. THOMAS was born circa 1769 at Falmouth.

Silas Parker House, Siasconset, c. 1790

11. SILAS⁴ PARKER (Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 9 Nov 1742 at Falmouth. He married Phebe Gardner. He died on 20 Feb 1823 at Nantucket, Massachusetts, at age 80.
Children of Silas⁴ Parker and Phebe Gardner were as follows:

i. TIMOTHY⁵ was born on 20 Jan 1769. He died on 21 Jun 1790 at Nantucket, Massachusetts, at age 21.

ii. MARY was born on 14 Nov 1772 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. She married Moses Swain on 3 Feb 1791 at Nantucket, Massachusetts.

iii. LYDIA was born on 11 Jan 1774 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. She died on 12 Jul 1834 at New Bedford, Massachusetts, at age 60.

There is still a Silas Parker house standing today at 7 School St., Siasconset.

Silas at some point moved to New Bedford. He was a Friend and captained the mail packet Maria. He is noted in the biography of Jacob Barker as Jacob goees from Nantucket to New Bedford to attend school:

This same biography notes a mail packet captain named Moses Swain. This was Silas' son-in-law.

Generation Five

12. ISAAC⁵ PARKER (William⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was baptized on 13 May 1759 at Falmouth. Marriage banns for he and Prudence Hatch were published on 3 Oct 1801 at Falmouth. He married Prudence Hatch, daughter of Nathaniel Hatch and Olive Bearse. He died on 5 Sep 1842 at Falmouth at age 83.
Children of Isaac⁵ Parker and Prudence Hatch were as follows:

i. BENJAMIN F.⁶ was born in 1801. He died on 1 Jan 1802 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. He was buried at Old North Cemetery, New Lane, Nantucket, Massachusetts.

13. ii. ELIJAH was born on 14 Jul 1803 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. He married Sarah W. Turner.

14. iii. ISAAC was born on 8 Jan 1808 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. He married Louisa Coffin on 6 Jun 1830 at Nantucket, Massachusetts.

15. iv. MARY ANN was born on 27 Apr 1811 at Nantucket. She married Otis H. Snell, son of Anthony Snell and Betsey Luther, on 15 May 1828 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. She died on 22 Aug 1895 at Rochester at age 84.

v. LYDIA was born on 8 Mar 1813 at Nantucket, Massachusetts.

The Isaac Parker family was in Nantucket in 1802, when son Benjamin was buried. He was buried at the Old North Cemetery. �The Old North Cemetery, on the west side of New Lane, was originally the private burial ground of the Gardner family.�

In 1807, Isaac bought property in Nantucket:

All Men by these Presents that I Obed Mitchell of Nantucket in the County of Nantucket and Commonwealth of Merchant (sic) in Consideration of Two hundred Dollars Receipt whereof I do herby Acknowledge do herby give grant sell and Convey unto the said Isaac Parker an to his heirs and assigns forever all my Right and title in a Certain lot of land in Nantucket aforesaid being in that part of the Town Commonly known by the Name of the Bakerhill upon the west side of Said Hill bounded as followeth on the North by land which was or doth belong to Moses Ellis and on the East by land that did belong to Roland Gardner on the South by land that di d belong to Enoch Gardner on the west by the Road Said piece of land Contane Twenty Rods more of less being all the land which I bought of Paul Coggeshall in the place described as by hi s deed to me bearing date One Thousand Eight hundred and four the 27 of April To Have and to hold the afore grants Premises to the Said Isaac Parker and to his heirs and assigns to their use and Behoof forever and I do Covenant with the said Isaac his heirs and assigns that I am lawfully seized in fee of the afore granted Premises that they are free of all Incumbrances that I have good Right to sell and Convey the same to the said Isaac that I will warrant and defend the same Premises to the said Isaac his heirs and assigns for ever Against the lawful Claims and Demands of all Persons In Witness Whereof I the said Obed Mitchell and Wife Lydia Relinquish her Right of Dower in said piece of land I have hereunto set Our hand and Seal this twentyth day of February in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and Seven

In 1811, Isaac Parker was writing a �Proposal to repair Ship Mary Ann

The owners of the Ship Mary Ann came back with an agreement for Isaac Parker & Co:

Let the reader figure out the writing. I think that Isaac had better handwriting than the ship owners.

The ship Mary Ann�s master was George Russell, Jr. The ship sailed from 1811 to 1813 but was seized by the British in the war of 1812.

In 1823, Isaac bought a house and property:

Know all men by these presents that I Timothy M. Gardner of Nantucket in the County of Nantucket Blockmaker in Consideration of Twelve hundred dollars paid by Isaac Parker of said Nantucket ship Wright the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give grant sell and convey unto the said Isaac Parker and to his heirs and assigns forever, my Dwelling House in said Nantucket where I now Live together with all the Land under, round and belonging to the same � bounded by the house and Land formerly belonging to Eliza Bunker Deceased and now occupied by Charles Hussey & on the South, and by the Street on the East West and North, with all the Fences out building Rights and Priviledges therein belonging. The one half of the above granted house and Land derived to me from [my?] late mother Pamela Gardner and the other half I bought of my brother Nathan [B Gardner?] including all the Land to the Northwest of said house that I bought of the Agent the proprietors of the Common and undivided Land To have and to hold the afore granted forever to the said Isaac Parker and to his heirs and assigns to his others use and Behoof forever and I the said Timothy M. Gardner for myself and heirs Executor Administration do covenant with the said Isaac Parker his heirs and assigns that I Lawfully Seized in fee of the afore granted premises that they are free of all Encumbrances; that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Isaac Parker and that I will warrant and defend the same hereunder to the said Isaac Parker his heirs and assigns forever against the lawful claims and Demands of all persons in witness whereof I the said Timoth M Gardner and my wife Lydia, etc�..
Recorded June 13^th 1823

This may be the same property shown on a portion of map of Nantucket that shows streets widened after the fire of Nantucket in 1846. This fire burnt down many of the downtown buildings. Lower Pearl Street is now India Street. North is up and Main Street is the lower east-west street shown on the map below. The dotted lines show property that was taken for the widening of Nantucket streets following the 1846 fire. This fire was undoubtedly devastating to the Parker family.

Generation Six

13. ELIJAH⁶ PARKER (Isaac⁵, William⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 14 Jul 1803 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. He married Sarah W. Turner.
He was a ship master in 1850.
Children of Elijah⁶ Parker and Sarah W. Turner were as follows:

i. WILLIAM E.⁷ was born in 1833 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. He died on 1 Nov 1885 at San Louis Obispo, California.

ii. ANN L was born in 1837 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. She married Peter Folger.

iii. HELEN was born in 1846.

At least one of the Parkers was involved in the Gold Rush.

14. ISAAC⁶ PARKER JUNIOR (Isaac⁵, William⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 8 Jan 1808 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. He married Louisa Coffin on 6 Jun 1830 at Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Children of Isaac⁶ Parker Junior and Louisa Coffin both born at Nantucket, Massachusetts, were as follows:

i. PARDON C.⁷ was born in 1845.

ii. CHARLES H was born in 1849.

15. MARY ANN⁶ PARKER (Isaac⁵, William⁴, Thomas³, Thomas², Robert¹) was born on 27 Apr 1811 at Nantucket. She married Otis H. Snell, son of Anthony Snell and Betsey Luther, on 15 May 1828 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. She died on 22 Aug 1895 at Rochester at age 84.
Children of Mary Ann⁶ Parker and Otis H. Snell were as follows:

i. OTIS P.⁷ was born on 1 Jul 1832 at Nantucket. He married Lydia Parker. He died in 1862.
He was a Mariner. He Served in the Navy in the Civil War.

ii. ISAIAH HATCH was born on 5 Apr 1837 at Rochester. He married Hannah Thomas Bradford, daughter of Harvey Bradford and Wealthy Cowing Hathaway, on 9 Apr 1859. He married Alice E. Besse, daughter of Joseph Besse, on 4 Jun 1891 at Rochester, Plymouth, Massachusetts. He died on 8 Dec 1910 at age 73.
He was a Farmer, sawyer, shoemaker. He was also known as JOSIAH.

iii. LYDIA J was born on 1 Apr 1839 at Rochester. She married William F. Sherman on 11 Aug 1859.
She was a housekeeper for George Ashley in 1880 at Rochester.

iv. SARAH LOUISA was born on 20 May 1841 at Rochester. She married Lewis J. Parson on 8 Dec 1860 at Rochester.

v. PRUDENCE H was born on 12 Dec 1843 at Rochester. She died on 14 Oct 1863 at Rochester, Plymouth, Massachusetts, at age 19.
She was also known as PRUDENCE N. SNELL.

vi. MARCIA CHURCH was born on 3 Dec 1845 at Rochester. She married James Peckham Tripp on 8 Jan 1884.

vii. WILLIAM HENRY was born on 11 May 1848 at Rochester. He married Susan Ellen Haskins on 31 Oct 1869 at Rochester.
He lived in 1903 at Walnut Plain Road, Rochester, Massachusetts. He was a farmer and a stone mason in 1903.

viii. ENOCH C was born in 1849 at Massachusetts.

ix. ALBERT FRANKLIN was born on 14 Jan 1851 at Rochester. He married Lydia Angeline Franklin on 16 Jun 1875 at Rochester.
He Rochester V.R lists a Franklin Snell born January 17, 1851 son of Josiah (mariner) and Hannah Snell.

x. CLARA S was born on 18 Jul 1854 at Rochester. She married Frederick R. Nye on 6 Dec 1873 at Rochester.

xi. MARY A was born in Jun 1857 at Rochester. She married Allen H. Nickerson on 8 Aug 1875 at Rochester.

Please send e-mail to: joel@jmhartley.com
Created with the help of The Master Genealogist for Windows on 2 Dec 2010 at 00:37 pm.