Jacob’s Ladder or stairway to heaven – As Jacob’s vision is opened, God beckons unto him to climb the stairway step by step. (Genesis 28:12-13, 22)
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For many years, the Parker family tree has taken a diversion, due to inaccurate research done by many of our Parker cousins. We have been incorrectly linked to a Parker line from Massachusetts.
This Massachusetts family seemed close enough to us in dates and names – causing many of us to accept this line as our own. We have now discovered, through much effort on the part of dear cousins such as Robert Smith (Caleb Parker) in New Jersey, Suzanne Hansen (Daniel Parker) in Utah, Jerry Parker (Orson Hyde Parker), Debbie Hadden (Charles Henry Parker), and Gregory Parker (DNA testing), that documentation exists disproving this Massachusetts connection.
As we looked at the descendants of the Massachusetts family, Joshua Parker b. 1740, from Westford, Massachusetts, also had a son Joshua, b. 31 Dec. 1764, among his eight children. This Joshua married Hannah Jackman. They had 6 children, named Mary, Betsey, Levi, and Joshua (b. 1803), Abner, and John. He and his family moved to Cavendish, VT. He died and is buried there in Cavendish, 22 Dec. 1827.
The first Joshua, b. 1740 secondly married Hannah Kidder, and moved to Cavendish also. He died in Gouverneur, NY about 1831.
The grandson Joshua, (b. April 17, 1803) is also buried in Cavendish, VT. He was married to a Eunice Conant, and he died in Cavendish Aug. 22, 1879, at the age of 76.
(Book Excerpt (Parker Chapter) “Genes of Abraham” from Westford Public Library.)
This grandson, (Joshus Parker, b. 1803) – (if we follow this Massachusetts line correctly), would have to be our pioneer ancestor, Joshua Parker, b. 2 November, 1809, who married Drusilla Hartley Parker, and died in Salt Lake City, Utah, 17 July, 1880.
Clearly from Joshua’s own hand, we have the following:
“Joshua Parker, was born city of New York in the year 1809, embraced the gospel in the year Eighteen thirty eight Emigrated to Nauvoo in the year eighteen forty two lived In Illinois untill the church Broke up and then went to St. Louis remained there one year and five months and then came back up the Mississippi went to Bonaparte on the Desmoan River lived there untill the year forty nine.
And then a small company of us took up our line of march For council Bluffs iowa Arrived there all well Brother Hamilton Kearns and Family, Joshua Parker and family Brother Jacob degraw and family. Brother Dougherty and family And me and family I remained at Kainesville until the year fifty two and then took up the line of march Again for the valleys of the mountains with the Sixteenth Company of hundreds Arrived in Salt Lake City October 9th, where I have remained until the present Time Eighteen Sixty eight with my family J Parker” (Copied exactly as written)
Our grandfather Joshua Parker, b. 1809, has stated that his parents were Joshua Parker and Sarah Rogers. They were married in the Reformed Dutch Church of New York City, on June 30, 1802.
From the New York City directories and Death Registry, we learn that Joshua Parker, (b. 1778) died at age 41, Sept 27, 1819. In the New York City death registry, Joshua’s (b. 1778) place of “nativity” or birth, is listed as “Cortlandt Manor, SNY.” He was living on Greenwich St. in Manhatten at the time of his death. A year later, Sarah, his wife, is listed in the city directory of 1820, (and is listed as a “widow”), living at 29 Charlton St., New York City.
New York City, and the small cities north near Cortlandt Manor/Tarrytown etc on the banks of the Hudson River, have revealed many more clarifications to our Parker roots in New York.
ore to come!
Melanie Dewsnup (descendant of Frederick Albion Parker, son of Joshua Parker (b. 1809)
