Parker Family History

    Archibald Parker served in the War of 1812 and FIVE of his sons served in the Civil War- one was killed and another was a prisoner in Andersonville.

    My maternal grandmother was a Parker. Known and remembered as Rose, her birth name was Harriet Rosetta Parker. Rose was born in Iowa January 1, 1889, daughter of William Edward Parker and Frances Adeline Ogburn. She was named after her Aunt Rosetta Ogburn, sister of her mother. She was raised in the Corning area of Adams county, Iowa. She had two sisters, Coral and Susan, and a brother, Charlie. In about 1908 she married Howard Johnston, who also grew to manhood in Adams county. They moved to Council Bluffs and together they had three children: Laverne, Maxine (my Mother), and Lyle. They later separated and about 1926 she married Rolla Stevenson. Together they had two children, Rollie and Norma. Rose died June 30, 1933 of cancer at the young age of 44. She is buried with the Stevenson’s in Council Bluffs.

    I have  been able to trace the Parker family back to my fourth great grandfather, but little is known of him. Isaac Parker was probably born in North Carolina between 1775 and 1780. He and his wife had at least five children, including three sons, Jacob (1794-bef 1850), Archibald (1795-1877) and Langdon (1804-aft 1850), and two daughters, Lettice (1796-1855) and Mary (1797-1851).   My third great grandfather, Archibald Parker was born in North Carolina in 1795.  Archibald was married five times in this order: Elizabeth Patton, Anne Sadkerson, Mary Bever, Dolly Langley and Kissiah Sutton. He and Elizabeth had three children born in Indiana: Isaac, John and Mary. Anne died shortly after their marriage and he had no children with Mary Bever. He and Dolly had five children together: Elinor, Ira, my second great grandfather, Jonathon, Margaret, and Milton. He had two children, May and Miles, with Kissiah. Archibald served on the Indiana frontier during the War of 1812 from July 16, 1813 through August 14,1813 under Captain Elliott Herndon. Archibald wrote of his War of 1812 experience, that "(I) was never in any battles on frontier guard service." He enlisted in Brookville, Indiana. He died June 18, 1877 and is buried in Viney cemetery in Madison county, Iowa. Five of Archibald’s sons served in the Civil War. They were Isaac, John, Ira, Milton and Jonathon.

    Isaac Parker, first born son of Archibald and Elizabeth, was born in 1816 in Franklin county, Indiana. He married Christina Smith on 7 March 1847 in Delaware county, Indiana. She was born in 1826 and died 3 March 1859. Isaac served in the 39th Iowa Infantry, company F and was killed in action at the Battle of Allatoona, Georgia on 5 October 1864. His younger brother, Ira (my ancestor), was in the same unit in that battle, and survived.

    John Parker was born 21 February 1817 in Fayette county, Indiana. John had little education. He built a house right on the banks of Killbuck Creek and married Nancy Garner on December 19, 1839. John was a County Commissioner of Delaware Co. and Justice of the Peace in Harrison Twp. He was a member of the Christian Church, Lodge F&A, Lodge #46. He served in the Civil War and his widow, Nancy Garner Parker received a pension for his service.

    A daughter, Mary Parker was born in 1819 and married Jonathan Hockett.

    In 1830, Archibald married his fourth wife, Dolly Langley, daughter of Jonathan Langley and Hannah Smith. Dolly was born in 1811 in Randolph, North Carolina and died in 1855 in Madison county, Iowa. Archibald and Dolly had the following children: Elinor, Ira R, Jonathon, Isaac, Margaret, and Milton G.
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    Ira Parker was born January 3, 1835 in Delaware county, Indiana, first son of Archibald and Dolly. November 13, 1855 he married Margaret Shacklee in Winterset, Madison county, Iowa, where he lived out his life. Ira Parker died May 31, 1917 and is buried at Kings cemetery in St Charles, Iowa.  Ira was a civil war veteran, having enlisted August 22, 1862 as a private in the Iowa Infantry, company F, 39th Regiment. The 39th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment was made up of two companies each from the counties of Madison, Polk and Dallas, with one each from the counties of Clarke, Greene, Des Moines and Decatur, although other counties were represented in most of the companies. Nine of the companies went into camp near Des Moines in September, 1862,and began drill, but the regiment was not organized until November. H. J. B. Cummings was commissioned colonel; James Redfield, lieutenant-colonel; Joseph M. Griffiths, major, and George C. Tichenor, adjutant. Ira served until the end of the civil war. The 39th was in the division with Corse in Sherman’s march to Savannah and participated in that campaign to the end. The unit was in the grand review at Washington, D. C. at the close of the war. Ira was mustered out of the service in that city on June 5, 1865.
    Jonathon Parker was born 18 November 1836 in Delaware county, Indiana and moved to Winterset, Iowa in his childhood years. He married Lucinda Harris on August 1, 18621. Together they had eight children. October r, 1864 he enlisted in Company C 140th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was captured at one of the battles and was interred at Andersonville Prison. He suffered loss of most of his eyesight due to injuries sustained. He was honorably discharged on July 11, 1865. Jonathon died from a severe stroke on 1 September 1907 in Daleville, Delaware county, Indiana and is buried in Jones cemetery there.
    Ira’s younger brother, Milton, was also a civil war veteran, serving with the 10th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment. This regiment was made up of companies raised in the counties of Polk, Boone, Warren, Tama, Madison, Greene, Jasper, Poweshiek and Washington. It numbered nine hundred and thirteen men, who went into camp at Iowa City and were mustered into service in September and October, 1861. After which, at Cape Girardeau, the men were drilled. The first field and staff officers were: Nicholas Purczel, colonel; W. E. Small, lieutenant-colonel; J. C. Bennett, major; W. P. Davis, surgeon; T. W. Jackson, adjutant; John Truesdale, quartermaster; D. W. Tolford, chaplain. In the desperate two days’ Battle of Corinth, the Tenth, under Major McCalla, in General Sullivan’s Brigade, made a most gallant fight. The regiment lost three killed and thirty-seven wounded. Among the wounded was Milton Parker.
    Ira’s fourth child, my great grandfather, William Edward Parker, son of Ira and Margaret Parker was born in Madison county, Iowa March 25, 1862 and died at his home south of Mt Etna Thursday January 23, 1936 at the age of 73 years 9 months and 28 days. He grew to manhood in Madison county. He was married to Frances A Ogburn September 10, 1885 who proceeded him in death. Four of the five children born to this union died before he did.. These are: Ernest who died in infancy, Charlie, Rose Stevenson and Susan Finch. He was survived by one daughter, Cora Maye Hough of Phoenix, Arizona; two brothers, Jonathon of Harlan, Iowa; Charles of Winterset, Iowa; also one sister, Mrs Coral Harrickson of Los Angeles, California. Four grandchildren  made their home with him after the death of their mother, Mrs Susan Finch. They are Gerald, Evelyn, Lyle and Donald Finch. He is also survived by a large number of relatives and close friends, among them his sister in law, Mrs William Ogburn, who was with him and the children when the end came, and who had been so loyal in her care. He was also survived by 15 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Mr Parker was a very loving husband, father and grandfather and was loved by everyone who knew him. No sacrifice was too great, and one of his greatest pleasures was helping others. Funeral services were held Saturday, January 25, 1936 at Mt Etna at 2 PM conducted by Harry K rogers. Burial was made in the Massena cemetery.
    The first child of William and Frances, Harriet Rosetta (Rose) was my maternal grandmother. She died before I was born, so I only knew of her from stories my mother told. Rose was born in Floyd county, but grew up in Adams county when her parents moved there. After her three children were born, she left my grandfather Howard and married Rolla Lee Stevenson. They lived variously in Sioux City, Iowa and Lincoln and Hastings, Nebraska. Eventually, they ended up back in Council Bluffs. After separating from her family, she kept in touch by letters and occasional visits. Rolla and Rose had two children; Rolla, Jr. and Norma.