Chowan, Perquimans, Northampton, Anson Counties, North Carolina Parkers

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Comment by Kathy Hill Chapman on April 11, 2009 at 1:41pm

I am descended from Caleb Parker's son William J Parker of Lee and Sumter county Georgia. I found this in Bess Vaughn Clark's "Twiggs County Georgia Records: A Reconstructed heritage." History of Twiggs County

James Rowe Coombs Memoirs 1867-1872 at Washington memorial Library, Macon, Ga

Chapter 3, 1826

Twiggs County Georgia Records: A Reconstructed Heritage by Bess Vaughn Clark

Original source "James Rowe Coombs Memoirs 1867-1872" at Washington Memorial Library, Macon, Ga

Chapter 3, 1826

"In Georgia -first year

After many bufferings of a troublous nature, we arrived at a settlement of our old Carolina friends on Gum Swamp in Twiggs county. In August, my father with William P Gilbert and Elijah Small, two neighbors, decided to go through the new country of Georgia then occupied by Indians in the part west of the Ocmulgee river and explore the territory of Florida with the intention of moving there. During their travels they called upon an old Carolina neighbor, Gabriel Parker, at Pindertown, then Lee county, who had settled among the Indians many years before to traffic in various "Yankee Notions". Mr Parker was a hatter. They arrived at the time the Indians were celebrating their Green corn festival and he goes on to give an interesting description of the festival."
From "The North Carolina Booklet" published in 1916 by the DAR, online at Google Books http://books.google.com/books?id=UTAUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA62&dq=%22gabriel+parker%22&lr=&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES&ei=cb_gSdejNJ6-ywTn9pimDQ#PPA60,M1

(Has info on the Lenoir county Parkers and especially the hatter, Gabriel Parker who was assumed by the author to die before 1790, since there was no record in NC.)

"Jan. 5, 1799. Gabriel Parker of Lenoir, Hatter to Stephen Hearing, Lenoir, 190 pounds, 256 acres, in Lenoir, ES Big Swamp and both sides of Bug Marsh Branch, part of patten of 316 acres granted to Zenas Parker by patten bearing date the 16 Dec 1769, conveyed by Zenas Parker, dec by his last Will and Testament, bearing date August 1779. WIT Zach Davis, John Parker. Proved on oath of Zachariah Davis S. Bright Clerk. Enrolled Register's Office of Lenoir in Liber B page 59 on 13 March 1799.

It is thought that Gabriel Parker lived near the line of Duplin and Lenoir and was considered very prosperous. He was a slave holder and made silk harts and even at a recent date there were some of his hat models at the home of granddaughter, Mary Parker Miller. He served in the War of the Revolution and was wounded in the thigh in an engagement with the British at Burn Coat Bridge near Sarecta, Duplin County. He was not listed on the Census of 1790 as the head of family unless he is the Gabriel Parker listed in Johnston County. A copy of Captain Richard Piece';s list from the General Muster on October 4 ?? 1766, give the names Gabriel Parker, Martha Parker (sic)

The census of 1790 of Dobbs County, now Lenoir names the following heads of families – John Parker, Sr, John Parker, Jr., Joseph Parker, Lydia Parker and Sarah Parker.

Gabriel is known to have had three children: John, Gabriel and a daughter. Gabriel and the daughter died without issue. The son Parker died intestate in Lee County, Georgia, May 14, 1834. His inventory taken by Owen Jenkins, James Gay, William Tyson and Mitchael King amounted to $39,744. The entire estate was heired by his brother, John."

I assume this is the same Gabriel Parker found in the 1830 Lee county census, age 60-70 living alone, with 39 slaves. There is also a John P Parker in the county age 50-60, no slaves.

Kathy Hill Chapman

Comment by S.Raymond Parker on May 5, 2008 at 1:58am

I have found my N.C. roots. My immigrant is buried in Wilkes County. Don't tell Kathy Jo, she might kick me out of the group. (Just kidding, Kathy) You are a nice lady, even if you are a Parker.