PARKER
The Parkers of Lowville, Lewis county, New York, descend from Abraham Martin Parker, of Connecticut, who grew up and received his education in that state. He went from Conn. to Canada, where he remained two years, when he returned to the United States, settling on a farm near Munda, Livingston county, N.Y., where he passed the remainder of his days.
He married Harriet Benton of Conn., who bore him eight children: Abraham Martil (see forward), Eleutheria, Harvey, Monroe, Abraham, Mary, Custiss and James.
The only two surviving of this family (Oct. 23, 1909) are Mary and James.
James Parker resides on the homestead farm in Livington county.
(II) Abraham Martin (2), son of Abraham Martin (1) and Harriet (Benton) Parker, was born near Munda, Liivingston county, N.Y., May 4, 1824, died in Wellsville, N.Y., Nov. 13, 1889. He was educated in the common schools, grew up on the farm and became one of the prominent business and public men of the section. He was engaged in milling, lumbering, building and merchandising, having a general country store. He was examined for admissions to the Union army during the civil war, but was declared physically unfit for the life of a soldier. He was supervisor from 1861 to 1865, both inclusive; served as school trustee and in other public capacities. He was a most useful citizen and a most generous, charitable man. Few men of his means did more to relieve the sufferings of the poor and needy, all of which was done in a modest, quiet way. He literally did not let his "right hand know what his left hand was doing." He was a Republican in politics and a member of the Presbyterian church, of which he was a generous supporter. He was successful in business and bore an honorable name in his community.
He married at Whitesville, New York, in the fall of 1844, Sophronia Putnam, born in Woodstock, Vermont, Nov. 9, 1825, died at Whiteside July 29, 1902, daughter of Archelaus and Nancy (Wood) Putnam (see Putnam VII). She had sisters, Amanda and Marcella Putnam.
Children:
1. Clarence Lucas, married (first) Catherine York; (second) May Stebbins; maiden name was Newton; and had a son, H. Yorke Parker.
2. Lester Benton (see forward).
3. Adele Marcella, married Elbert W. Griffith, PhD; children: Mildred Adele, Ruth Marie.
4. Volney, married Libbie Hull.
Five other children are deceased.
He married (second), Cora L., daughter of Charles L. Fenton, of Watson.
Children, all by first wife:
1. Adele E., born Feb. 6, 1878; a graduate of the state normal school; married Charles A. Bostwock of Lyons Falls, N.Y., and had a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Bostwick.
2. Glenn M., March 17, 1880, educated at the Lowville Academy and state normal school at Potsdam, New York; now in business in Lowville, senior partner of Parker & Moore; married June 16, 1907, Nettie C. Spencer; daughter of William Y. Spencer, of Lawrenceville, Kentucky; has one daughter, Maxine, born July 28, 1908. Glenn M. Parker is a member of the Masonic fraternity, holding membership in the same orders as his father; he is a member of the Presbyterian church and politically a Republican.
3. Fay Lester, July 14, 1882; educated at Lowville Academy and state normal school; he is engaged in business with his father, L. B. Parker & Son, and is deputy county clerk of Lewis county. He is a member of Lowville Lodge, F. and A. M., and Lowville Chapter, R. A. M. He atttends the Presbyterian church and is a Repulbican. He married Mary Jessie, daughter of Gilbert A. Blackman, of Lowville, and has a son, Frederick B., born April 28, 1907.
4. Lynn B., born Nov. 26, 1895.
SECOND ENTRY:
Joseph Parker, immigrant ancestor, was born in England in 1614, died at Andover, Mass., Nov. 5, 1678. He came with his brother Nathan in the ship "Confidence" in 1638. He was a carpenter by trade. He recieved land in the first division at Salisbury, Mass., and also in 1640. He removed to Newbury, an adjacent town, in 1642, and in 1645 was at Andover and one of the founders of the church there in October, 1645. He sold his land in Salisbury in 1663 to Richard Goodale, Sr., and John Ilsey. He was a soldier in King Philip's war in 1675-76. His will was dated Nov. 4, 1678, proved Nov. 26. He left property at Rumsey, England, presumably his native place.
He married, before 1651, Mary _____, who died Oct. 2, 1695.
Children:
1. Joseph, born May 15, 1642; mentioned below.
2. Thomas.
3. Sarah, married Benjamin Sabine.
4. Mary, married Benjamin Frye.
5. Stephen, born March 1, 1651.
6. Hester, May 12, 1654.
7. John, June 30, 1656.
8. Samuel, Oct. 14, 1659.
9. Ruth, June 21, 1661.
(II) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (1) Parker, was born in Newbury, May 15, 1642, died at Andover April 6, 1684. His will dated April 5, and proved July 29, 1684. He was also a carpenter.
He married, Oct. 7, 1680, Elizabeth Bridges, and his widow married (second) April 26, 1686, Samuel Hutchinson. He was a soldier in King Philip's war in 1675-76 at Chelmsford. He took the oath of allegiance in 1678. They had one child, Joseph, mentioned below.
(III) Joesph (3), son of Joseph (2) Parker, was born in Andover, Feb. 27, 1682, died there in 1715. His administrator was appointed Dec. 19, 1715. He married Martha _____.
Children:
1. Joseph, mentioned below.
2. Peter, resided at Andover.
3. Captain James.
Probably daughters.
(IV) Joseph (4) son of Joseph (3) Parker, was born at Andover, Oct. 9, 1735, died 1825. He served in the Provincial army during the revolutionary war and was in the camp at Cambridge, May 24, 1775, as his "powder horn record" daily made and preserved attests. After the revolution he settled in New Hampshire and finally removed to Vermont.
He married (first) 1757, Elizabeth Martin, and has son Abraham.
Married (second) Zerviah Lincoln, Feb. 6, 1766, by whom several children were born.
(V) Abraham, son of Joseph (4) Parker, was born in Braintree, Mass. 1763. He married Sarah Whitney of Granville, Vermont, and had among his children a son Isaac, mentioned below.
(VI) Isaac, son of Abraham Parker, was born in 1799, in Granville, Vermont, and at one time was a member of the Vermont legislature. In 1839 he removed to St. Lawrence county, New York, where he became a prosperous farmer and influential citizen. He was a trustee of St. Lawrence Academy, school superintendent and supervisor of the town of Potsdam. He died March 4, 1856.
He married Amanda Patrick in Graville, Vermont.
Children:
Sophia, who died unmarried and Abraham X., mentioned below.
(VII) Abraham X., son of Isaac Parker, was born at Granville, Addison county, Vermont, Nov. 14, 1831, and was a resident of St. Lawrence county, N.Y. after 1839. He attended the public schools, and worked on his father's farm until he was eighteen years old. He finished his education in St. Lawrence Academy and during two winters taught a district school. He then turned to the study of law and after a year of study at Potsdam, attended the Albany Law School. In 1854 he began to practice in Potsdam, having spent two years after graduation in the offices of Cook & Fithian, of Buffalo, and of Judge Noxon at Syracuse. From 1858 to 1861 he was a justice of the peace and member of the Potsdam town board. He resigned in 1861. He was a member of the New York state assembly in 1863 and served as chairman of the committee on claims, which, under the law at that time, had the laborious and responsible duty of hearing and passing upon the numerous canal claims. In 1864 he was chairman of the committee on commerce and navigation and member of the committee on federal relations, accomplishing much important work. He was an earnest and influential Republican. In 1865 President Lincoln appointed him postmaster at Potsdam, but as he publicly opposed the policy of President Johnson, he was removed in the fall of 1866. Next year he was elected state senator and during the ninty-first and ninety-second sessions of that body served as chairman of the committee on insurance and public health and as memeber of the committee on finance, engrossed bills and railroads. In the senate he made few speeches, though he was active in debate and proved himself an able parliamentarian, and when Judge Folger left the senate to take his place on the bench Mr. Parker succeeded him as leader of his party in the senate. In the presidential campaign of 1876 he was first elector-at-large upon the Republican ticket. In 1880 he was unanimously nominated by his party for congress in the nineteenth district, and was elected by a plurality of about nine thousand votes. His term began March 4, 1881. He was re-elected in 1882-84-85, serving continuously until 1889. In the forty-ninth congress he was a member of the judiciary committee and of the committee on private claims and of the committee which terminated the great southwestern railroad strikes. In the fiftieth he was member of the judiciary committee and of a special committee for the investigation of labor difficulties which were then convulsing the coal regions. He was one of the foremost in advocating and securing the enactment of laws regulating the sale of oleomargine. He obtained appropriations for the deepening of the steamboat channel in the Grasse river and important improvements in Ogdensburg harbor as well as the federal building at Watertown.
Returning from his long and honarable career in congress to private life, he resumed the practice of law in Potsdam until appointed by President Harrison assistant attorney general of the United States in accordance with the act of July, 1890. He qualified Sept. 8, 1890, and continued until 1893, when he resigned on account of a change in the policies of the administration of his profession. He has been an active member of the Republican party from its organization in 1856 to the time of his death, and a leader for more than twenty-five years. He was an able and convincing campaign speaker, and his services were always in demand during times of political strife and stress. He took a keen interest in town affairs as well as those of the state and nation, and served the incorporated village of Potsdam as president. He was chief of the fire department in his younger days. He was interested in agriculture and was president of the Raquette River and St. Regis Valley Agricultural Society. He was interested also in educational affairs and for several years was secretary of the State Normal School at Potsdam and trustee of the St. Lawrence Academy. In 1890 he was honored with the degree of Master of Arts by Middlebury College. He was a member of the County and State Bar associations.
He died August 9, 1909.
He married, in 1857, Mary J., daughter of Alpheus Wright, of Henvelton New York.
Children:
Mabel, married Frank Eugene Hawthorne (see Hawthorne VIII).
Thurlow.
Jennie, deceased in childhood.
Kittie, deceased in childhood.
Hattie Alice, deceased in childhood.
Bessie.