Charles & Rebecca Shared by Alan Williams Click above for a larger view and to read two obituaries.		Rebecca Trowell Parker (right) & sister Shared by Betty Bevans Davis Click above to view the full-size image and read Rebecca's obituaries.

Charles Washington Parker was born December 7, 1811, in Bedford County, Virginia.  Descendant and researcher Betty Bevans Davis, believes he was the son of Nathaniel B. Parker (who was counted in Bedford County censuses in 1810 and 1820).

Per the research of Bob Castledine, Charles and Rebecca's third great-grandson, Rebecca's parents were James Trowell (or Trowel) and Alcey (or Alsa) Maddox, who were married March 24, 1816.  James, a soldier during the Revolutionary War, died August 24, 1850.

Rebecca was born in Anderson County, Tennessee, November 3, 1818.  Her middle name is found spelled Oakes and Oaks.  She may have been related to another early Hancock County resident, Laban Oakes.  Follow this link for further explanation.

Labeled at right, Bedford, Marion and Anderson Counties.  According to Charles' obituaries, one obituary for Rebecca and a 60th anniversary news item, they were married in Marion County on August 20, 1840, remained there until 1846 and then came to Illinois.  Some present day web authors have taken this statement at face value OR reported the marriage location as Marion, Anderson County.  However:
(1) We have found no evidence of a place, past or present, named Marion (town, municipality, township, precinct, etc.) in Anderson County.
(2) James Trowell and family were listed in Anderson County in 1840; his name was spelled Trowel in the column of heads of households, and Trowell in the column headed Pensioners for Revolutionary or military services.
(3) A second obituary for Rebecca stated that she married Charles Parker of Marion County.  Also note that the writer of this obituary, published in The LaHarper, obviously drew text from one of Charles' obituaries.
(4) Speaking with authority limited to local custom in rural southwestern Illinois in the 1840s, it would have been unusual for a couple to travel several counties away to get married.
(5) GeneaLinks Marriage Records Database, unfortunately with no submitter's name or citation, reports the marriage of Charles Washington Parker and Rebecca Oakes Trowel in "Anderson, Tennessee."  Also listed are the marriages of other Trowell family members, including Rebecca's parents.  If you follow the link, return to this page with your browser back button.

Several sources incorrectly reported that Charles and Rebecca came to Hancock County in the 1830s, including a news item written in 1911 by Ella May Parker, their daughter-in-law.  See also the Majorville Souvenir booklet.  We have found no indication that Charles migrated to Illinois, went back to Tennessee, married, and then returned to Illinois.

Some web authors are repeating an odd spelling of Rebecca's given name.  With the exception of a single census record (1900 - Rebica), we have not seen any spelling other than Rebecca.

Charles and Rebecca put down their roots in what would become known as the Majorville neighborhood.  Purchased in 1848 were 48 acres in Section 16.  We do not know if the family ever actually resided in Section 16; one of Rebecca's obituaries indicated they did not.  In 1851 Charles received title to a 40 acre farm situated 3/4 of a mile south of the eventual site of Majorville Church and Cemetery.  This was the farm referred to as 'the old homestead' in Lemuel's and Ada's obituaries.  For a visual representation of both the 48 acres and the old homestead, click here.

Charles and Rebecca took an active part in the affairs of the church from its inception.  They were charter members and two of the first four trustees.  Charles is named as one of those who helped most with the construction and founding of the church.  He is also mentioned in an article regarding the founding of the Majorville Cemetery Association, written by E. W. Huston in the early 1920s.

From the obituary of daughter Ada Bethena: In this pioneer home in Hancock township many of the circuit riders crossing the country on horseback found food and shelter.  We read in the tri-county history that many distinguished persons found a warm welcome in the Charlie Parker home.  James and Jemima Barb wouldn't have fallen into the category of distinguished persons, but they certainly received a neighborly welcome from Charles and Rebecca.  Prior to the Civil War, mounting tension in Scotland County, Missouri, forced James Barb to bring his wife and children to Hancock Township before he had time to build a home.  The Parkers took them in, all seven of them, and provided shelter until James could build a new log cabin - no doubt with the help of Charles and his sons.  Benjamin Franklin Barb recounted how it would be so crowded in the evening when they gathered around the fireplace in the Parker home, that the older children would have to hold the little ones on their laps.  Eventually a Parker son, Charles, married a Barb daughter, Sarah Jane, and together they provided Charles and Rebecca with twelve grandchildren.

Aug. 25.  Last Thursday Aug. 21 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parker were married 50 years, and to their surprise 215 guests came in to spend the day with them.  They brought along baskets well-filled with good things to eat.  Mr. and Mrs. Parker have lived in this community for many years and have a large number of friends here and abroad.  Rev. Mr. Cummings, of Colchester, was present, and made the address of welcome, and among others from abroad was Mrs. Geo. Mundof [Mondorff/Mundorff] and Mrs. Beard, of Keokuk, Mrs. M     Strong from Chicago, T. B. McCubbin, of Selma, Fresno Co., Cal., and Rev. James Gohegen [Geoghegan], of Mo. Among the number present there were fourteen over 70 years of age.  Mr. and Mrs. Parker received many useful as well valuable presents, and it is the wish of the writer that they may live to be present and enjoy many similar gatherings.

Based on the verbiage, the following article probably came from a '~~ Years Ago' column published in The Republican, and excerpted information from the original article.  Contributed by Cora R. Swift.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parker of Majorville, celebrated Aug. 20th, their 60th wedding anniversary at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Ada Wright, with whom they lived.  A picnic dinner was spread on tables under the trees in the door yard where 150 guests assembled to do honor to them.  James Simmons made an after dinner address, covering the history of Mr. and Mrs. Parker and Rev. H. M. Bloomer of Fountain Green, spoke also.  The marriage took place in 1840 in Marion county, Tenn., and six years later they came in a covered wagon to Hancock county.  They were the parents of ten children, one of whom died in Tennessee.  John M., a volunteer in the civil war, died of measles and his was the first body buried in Majorville cemetery. Samuel died in 1879, a little girl in infancy and Mrs. Annie Chatterson [sic] soon after her marriage, she too dying of measles.  Surviving were: James, Zachariah, Laban and Lemuel, and Mrs. Wright.  Mr. Parker was 88 years old, Mrs. Parker was 81.  Mr. Parker helped build the first Majorville church and make the seats.  He frequently walked ten miles to Colchester to attend quarterly meeting and acted as steward over a large district of the church.  His first piece of land was purchased of the government, and it was now in the possession of his son Lemuel.  Mr. and Mrs. Parker kept their door always open to strangers and especially ministers of the gospel.  Peter Cartwright and Uncle Dick Haney were frequently entertained by them when on the circuit.

The two Parker children who died very young were not named in any of the documents in our possession.  The birth order shown below is partly guesswork.  The townships in Hancock County weren't named until 1850.  Any references to the effect that a Parker family event took place at Majorville, Hancock County (other than references to the church or cemetery), are misleading: Majorville was never a town or village - it was a neighborhood.

i.	James Washington Parker, born January 3, 1842, in Tennessee.  He died April 5, 1926, and was buried at Majorville Cemetery.
ii.	John N. Parker, born about 1843 in Tennessee.  He died at Bolivar, Tennessee, in 1862, and his remains were returned for burial at Majorville Cemetery.
iii.	Child Parker, born and died in Tennessee between 1840 and 1846.
iv.	Samuel Parker, born about 1846 in Hancock County.  He died Apr 22, 1879, in Siskiyou County, California, and was buried there.
v.	Charles Zachariah Parker, born September 1, 1849, in Hancock County.  He died December 9, 1926, at Speed, Phillips County, Kansas, and was buried there in Marvin Cemetery.
vi.	Laban Oakes Parker, born March 7, 1852, died January 24, 1924, in Santa Monica, California.  He was buried at Kanorado Cemetery, Kanorado, Sherman County, Kansas. DISREGARD the statement from his obituary that Laban was born at Colchester, McDonough County: there was no Colchester town until 1855 and Colchester Township was not formed until 1880.  It's entirely possible that Rebecca was away from their home in Hancock Township, Hancock County, and Laban was born elsewhere, but it's far more likely that the person who provided the information for the obituary was following the oft-used, misleading practice of naming a present-day nearby town, rather than the rural location where an event actually occurred.  When Laban's obituary was written, and still today, some areas of Hancock County received/receive mail service from Colchester - but that constitutes a postal address, not a physical location.
vii.	Ann E. Parker, born June 6, 1855, in Hancock Township.  After being incorrectly reported in her mother's obituaries, the time frame of Annie's death was erroneously repeated in subsequent family obituaries.  She died on February 22, 1879, three weeks (not six) after her wedding day.  She was buried at Majorville Cemetery.
viii.	Lemuel L. Parker, born October 6, 1857, in Hancock Township, died February 13, 1944, in Hancock Township, interred at Majorville Cemetery.
ix.	Infant Daughter Parker
x.	Ada Bethena Parker, born July 4, 1862 in Hancock Township.  She died April 9, 1933, at Nauvoo, Hancock County, and was buried at Majorville Cemetery.

Household of James Trowel
Males 10 through 14 - 2
Males 70 through 79 - 1
Females 0 through 4 - 1
Females 5 through 9 - 2
Females 15 through 19 - 1
Females 20 through 29 - 1
Females 40 through 49 - 1
Total - 9
Persons employed in agriculture - 3
Pensioners for Revolutionary or military services, included in the foregoing - James Trowell, 78

Charles W Parker, 38, male, farmer, value of real estate 175, born VA
Rebecca, 30, female, born TN
James W, 9, male, born TN, attended school within the year
John, 7, male, born IL
Samuel, 4, male, born IL
Zechariah, 1, male, born IL
C W Hacwith, 24, male, laborer, born TN

Charles Parker, 48, male, farmer, value of real estate 1000, value of personal estate 440,
born VA
Rebecca, 42, female, born VA
James, 19, male, farmer, born TN, attended school within the year
John, 17, male, farmer, born TN, attended school within the year
William*, 11, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Labon, 9, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Ann, 6, female, born IL
Emanuel, 3, male, born IL   [Lemuel]

*This must be Charles Zachariah, born September 1, 1849.  Son Samuel is missing from this listing.

Parker, Charles W, 58, male, white, farmer, born VA, male citizen of the U.S. age 21 or more
Rebecca, 51, female, white, keeping house, born TN
Ada B, 7, female, white, born IL, [school attendance not indicated]
Lemuel, 12, male, white, born IL, [school attendance not indicated]
Ann E, 14, female, white, born IL, [school attendance not indicated]
Labon, 18, male, white, born IL, [school attendance not indicated]

Parker, Charles W, white, male, 68, married, farmer, born VA, both parents born VA
Rebecca, white, female, 51, wife, married, keeping house, born TN, father born NC, mother
born TN
Lemuel, white, male, 22, son, single, farmer, born IL, father born VA, mother born TN
Ada, white, female, 17, daughter, single, keeping house, born IL, father born VA, mother born TN

Wright, Ada B, head, white, female, July 1862, 47, widow; mother of 1 child, living; born IL, father born VA, mother born TN; manage, manager or manages farm; months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, owned her farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 163

Thomas, stepson, white, male, Feb 1882, 18, single, born IL, both parents born IL, day labor, months not employed - 4, could read, write and speak English

Grace, stepdaughter, white, female, Mar 1885, 15, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at home, attended school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Frak H, son, white, male, July 189 [last digit overwritten, could be a 5 or a 6], 4, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Parker, Charls W, father, white, male, Dec 1811, 88, married for 39 [clearly 39] years, born VA, both parents born VA, could not read or write, spoke English

Rebica, mother, white, female, Nov 1818, 81, married for 39 [clearly 39] years; mother of 10 children, 5 living; born TN, both parents born TN, could read, could not write, spoke English

Ford, William, hand, white, male, Dec 1869, 30, single, born IL, both parents born IL, farm hand, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English