Biography researched and written by Evelyn Park Blalock. Please do not publish elsewhere without providing full and proper credit. Thank you.
----------
See 1st Settlers Monument.
Source of birth and death information: Richard Park's date of birth is estimated by many historians to be about 1602. The exact date of his birth, as well as the identity of his parents, is still unknown. The date of his death is recorded in Massachusetts Vital Records.
Richard Park and his wife Margery were married prior to immigrating to America, and together they had three known children: Thomas, Isabel and Elizabeth. The family sailed on the 'Defence' from London to Boston, Massachusetts, arriving with Reverend Thomas Shepard's company on October 3, 1635.
A miller by trade, Richard first settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1642, he was listed in records as the "proprietor" of Cambridge Farms (in an area that now sits within the boundaries of Lexington). In 1647, Richard and his family removed to Newton, Massachusetts, becoming one of its founding families. While in Newton, he served in many positions for the community, including constable. Richard also served upon the committee charged with laying out the highways of Newton and surrounding areas.
Margery died in March 1656 and is buried in the East Parish Burying Ground. In September 1656, Richard married Sarah Collier Brewster, widow of Love Brewster. Sarah is remembered in Richard's will of July 12, 1665, which was witnessed by Elder Wiswall and Captain Hugh Mason.
In this will, Richard leaves to his "only son Thomas" all his housing and lands in Newton, to be passed to Thomas after the death of Richard's second wife, Sarah. All but the 600 acres with buildings was equally divided between Richard's two daughters, Isabel and Elizabeth. In the inventory of his estate, taken by John Sherman and John Spring on October 19, 1665, the dwelling house, barn, outhousing and 600 acres of land were appraised at £660; 20 acres elsewhere was appraised at £100; and the whole of his estate was valued at £972.
Though a home was provided for her in Newton through Richard's will, widow Sarah removed to Duxbury after his death, reuniting with the Plymouth First Church.
The position of the Parke Society regarding a "son" Richard:
(proven through the Parke Society's paternal DNA project)
"The Karl Eaton Parks volumes represent a lineage which descends from Richard's 'son' Richard to a third generation Richard, generally known as Lt. Richard Parks, and DNA testing has confirmed the suspicions that these two Richards were NOT connected to the immigrant Richard [arr. 1635]. Lt. Richard Parks does NOT match Richard [arr. 1635] genetically." -Ken Parks, President of the Parke Society and manager of the Parke Society's paternal DNA project, July 2014
As the paternal DNA project of the Parke Society has proven that this other Richard had no familial relationship with Richard Park who arrived aboard the 'Defence' in 1635, PLEASE do not link a "son" Richard to this memorial. Thank you.
Nativity:
As stated above, the exact date of Richard Park's birth, as well as the identity of his parents, are unknown. Argument has long persisted regarding whether Richard Park was English (inferred from the origin of his voyage) or Scottish (per oral history passed down through many lines). Y-DNA evidence provided through the Parke Society Y-DNA project now supports a Scottish heritage rather than a British heritage, with all documented American descendants of Richard matching at 111 markers to descendants of documented Scottish lines immigrating to Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Research is ongoing and will be updated as available.
Burial Location:
The Old East Parish Burying Ground is the resting place for all of the founding families of Newton. In 1654, families living south of the river started holding religious meetings locally rather than making the journey to Cambridge. John Jackson provided an acre of land for a burial ground and for a meeting house, and this remained the only burying site for residents of Newton until 1781. A monument was placed in memory of Newton's founders in 1852, erected by the descendants of the first settlers. At the time inscriptions were recorded, only six headstones from the earliest inhabitants were still standing. However, their memory lives on through their descendants.
The original acre was added to three times, and the cemetery was used continuously until near the end of the 1800s. The final addition to the burying ground was made in 1834. Family members dying in Newton after 1781 may be found here in the East Parish Burying Ground, in the West Parish Burying Ground (opening 1781), or in the South Parish Burying Ground (opening 1802).
Family members in this cemetery with known plot location:
Park, Richard, see 1st Settlers Monument (no headstone remains), Plot 432
Park, Thomas, d. 1705, Plot 603
Park, Sarah, d. Mar 20, 1737, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 921
Park, Ensign Richard Philip, d. Nov 28, 1746, 52y, Plot 805
Park, Esther, d. Dec 28, 1746, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 806
Park, Thomas, d. Sep 2, 1775, 72y, Plot 1043
Family members in this cemetery with unknown plot:
Park, Margery, d. Mar 31, 1656, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas Jr, d. Jun 23, 1681, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas, d. Aug 11, 1690, Plot unknown
Park, Abigail Dix, d. Feb 3, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Anna Spring, d. Apr 27, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Elizabeth Spring, d. Apr 10, 1713, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. Mar 21, 1717, Plot unknown
Park, Jonathan, d. 23 Jan 1719, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah Coolidge, d. Mar 5, 1721, Plot unknown
Park, Oliver, d. May 4, 1721, Plot unknown
Knapp, Sarah Park, d. Dec 19, 1726, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah King, d. May 16, 1727, Plot unknown
Park, Lucy, d. Jan 9, 1730, Plot unknown
Knapp, John (husband of Sarah Park), d. Feb 2, 1733, Plot unknown
Park, Richard, d. Feb 1, 1738, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. 3 May, 1741, Plot unknown
Park, Edward, d. Mar 1, 1745, Plot unknown
Park, Martha Fiske, d. Nov 29, 1746, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. May 4, 1747, Plot unknown
Fuller, Sarah Park, d. Apr 23, 1774, Plot unknown
----------
See 1st Settlers Monument.
Source of birth and death information: Richard Park's date of birth is estimated by many historians to be about 1602. The exact date of his birth, as well as the identity of his parents, is still unknown. The date of his death is recorded in Massachusetts Vital Records.
Richard Park and his wife Margery were married prior to immigrating to America, and together they had three known children: Thomas, Isabel and Elizabeth. The family sailed on the 'Defence' from London to Boston, Massachusetts, arriving with Reverend Thomas Shepard's company on October 3, 1635.
A miller by trade, Richard first settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1642, he was listed in records as the "proprietor" of Cambridge Farms (in an area that now sits within the boundaries of Lexington). In 1647, Richard and his family removed to Newton, Massachusetts, becoming one of its founding families. While in Newton, he served in many positions for the community, including constable. Richard also served upon the committee charged with laying out the highways of Newton and surrounding areas.
Margery died in March 1656 and is buried in the East Parish Burying Ground. In September 1656, Richard married Sarah Collier Brewster, widow of Love Brewster. Sarah is remembered in Richard's will of July 12, 1665, which was witnessed by Elder Wiswall and Captain Hugh Mason.
In this will, Richard leaves to his "only son Thomas" all his housing and lands in Newton, to be passed to Thomas after the death of Richard's second wife, Sarah. All but the 600 acres with buildings was equally divided between Richard's two daughters, Isabel and Elizabeth. In the inventory of his estate, taken by John Sherman and John Spring on October 19, 1665, the dwelling house, barn, outhousing and 600 acres of land were appraised at £660; 20 acres elsewhere was appraised at £100; and the whole of his estate was valued at £972.
Though a home was provided for her in Newton through Richard's will, widow Sarah removed to Duxbury after his death, reuniting with the Plymouth First Church.
The position of the Parke Society regarding a "son" Richard:
(proven through the Parke Society's paternal DNA project)
"The Karl Eaton Parks volumes represent a lineage which descends from Richard's 'son' Richard to a third generation Richard, generally known as Lt. Richard Parks, and DNA testing has confirmed the suspicions that these two Richards were NOT connected to the immigrant Richard [arr. 1635]. Lt. Richard Parks does NOT match Richard [arr. 1635] genetically." -Ken Parks, President of the Parke Society and manager of the Parke Society's paternal DNA project, July 2014
As the paternal DNA project of the Parke Society has proven that this other Richard had no familial relationship with Richard Park who arrived aboard the 'Defence' in 1635, PLEASE do not link a "son" Richard to this memorial. Thank you.
Nativity:
As stated above, the exact date of Richard Park's birth, as well as the identity of his parents, are unknown. Argument has long persisted regarding whether Richard Park was English (inferred from the origin of his voyage) or Scottish (per oral history passed down through many lines). Y-DNA evidence provided through the Parke Society Y-DNA project now supports a Scottish heritage rather than a British heritage, with all documented American descendants of Richard matching at 111 markers to descendants of documented Scottish lines immigrating to Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Research is ongoing and will be updated as available.
Burial Location:
The Old East Parish Burying Ground is the resting place for all of the founding families of Newton. In 1654, families living south of the river started holding religious meetings locally rather than making the journey to Cambridge. John Jackson provided an acre of land for a burial ground and for a meeting house, and this remained the only burying site for residents of Newton until 1781. A monument was placed in memory of Newton's founders in 1852, erected by the descendants of the first settlers. At the time inscriptions were recorded, only six headstones from the earliest inhabitants were still standing. However, their memory lives on through their descendants.
The original acre was added to three times, and the cemetery was used continuously until near the end of the 1800s. The final addition to the burying ground was made in 1834. Family members dying in Newton after 1781 may be found here in the East Parish Burying Ground, in the West Parish Burying Ground (opening 1781), or in the South Parish Burying Ground (opening 1802).
Family members in this cemetery with known plot location:
Park, Richard, see 1st Settlers Monument (no headstone remains), Plot 432
Park, Thomas, d. 1705, Plot 603
Park, Sarah, d. Mar 20, 1737, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 921
Park, Ensign Richard Philip, d. Nov 28, 1746, 52y, Plot 805
Park, Esther, d. Dec 28, 1746, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 806
Park, Thomas, d. Sep 2, 1775, 72y, Plot 1043
Family members in this cemetery with unknown plot:
Park, Margery, d. Mar 31, 1656, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas Jr, d. Jun 23, 1681, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas, d. Aug 11, 1690, Plot unknown
Park, Abigail Dix, d. Feb 3, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Anna Spring, d. Apr 27, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Elizabeth Spring, d. Apr 10, 1713, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. Mar 21, 1717, Plot unknown
Park, Jonathan, d. 23 Jan 1719, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah Coolidge, d. Mar 5, 1721, Plot unknown
Park, Oliver, d. May 4, 1721, Plot unknown
Knapp, Sarah Park, d. Dec 19, 1726, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah King, d. May 16, 1727, Plot unknown
Park, Lucy, d. Jan 9, 1730, Plot unknown
Knapp, John (husband of Sarah Park), d. Feb 2, 1733, Plot unknown
Park, Richard, d. Feb 1, 1738, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. 3 May, 1741, Plot unknown
Park, Edward, d. Mar 1, 1745, Plot unknown
Park, Martha Fiske, d. Nov 29, 1746, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. May 4, 1747, Plot unknown
Fuller, Sarah Park, d. Apr 23, 1774, Plot unknown
Biography researched and written by Evelyn Park Blalock. Please do not publish elsewhere without providing full and proper credit. Thank you.
----------
See 1st Settlers Monument.
Source of birth and death information: Richard Park's date of birth is estimated by many historians to be about 1602. The exact date of his birth, as well as the identity of his parents, is still unknown. The date of his death is recorded in Massachusetts Vital Records.
Richard Park and his wife Margery were married prior to immigrating to America, and together they had three known children: Thomas, Isabel and Elizabeth. The family sailed on the 'Defence' from London to Boston, Massachusetts, arriving with Reverend Thomas Shepard's company on October 3, 1635.
A miller by trade, Richard first settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1642, he was listed in records as the "proprietor" of Cambridge Farms (in an area that now sits within the boundaries of Lexington). In 1647, Richard and his family removed to Newton, Massachusetts, becoming one of its founding families. While in Newton, he served in many positions for the community, including constable. Richard also served upon the committee charged with laying out the highways of Newton and surrounding areas.
Margery died in March 1656 and is buried in the East Parish Burying Ground. In September 1656, Richard married Sarah Collier Brewster, widow of Love Brewster. Sarah is remembered in Richard's will of July 12, 1665, which was witnessed by Elder Wiswall and Captain Hugh Mason.
In this will, Richard leaves to his "only son Thomas" all his housing and lands in Newton, to be passed to Thomas after the death of Richard's second wife, Sarah. All but the 600 acres with buildings was equally divided between Richard's two daughters, Isabel and Elizabeth. In the inventory of his estate, taken by John Sherman and John Spring on October 19, 1665, the dwelling house, barn, outhousing and 600 acres of land were appraised at £660; 20 acres elsewhere was appraised at £100; and the whole of his estate was valued at £972.
Though a home was provided for her in Newton through Richard's will, widow Sarah removed to Duxbury after his death, reuniting with the Plymouth First Church.
The position of the Parke Society regarding a "son" Richard:
(proven through the Parke Society's paternal DNA project)
"The Karl Eaton Parks volumes represent a lineage which descends from Richard's 'son' Richard to a third generation Richard, generally known as Lt. Richard Parks, and DNA testing has confirmed the suspicions that these two Richards were NOT connected to the immigrant Richard [arr. 1635]. Lt. Richard Parks does NOT match Richard [arr. 1635] genetically." -Ken Parks, President of the Parke Society and manager of the Parke Society's paternal DNA project, July 2014
As the paternal DNA project of the Parke Society has proven that this other Richard had no familial relationship with Richard Park who arrived aboard the 'Defence' in 1635, PLEASE do not link a "son" Richard to this memorial. Thank you.
Nativity:
As stated above, the exact date of Richard Park's birth, as well as the identity of his parents, are unknown. Argument has long persisted regarding whether Richard Park was English (inferred from the origin of his voyage) or Scottish (per oral history passed down through many lines). Y-DNA evidence provided through the Parke Society Y-DNA project now supports a Scottish heritage rather than a British heritage, with all documented American descendants of Richard matching at 111 markers to descendants of documented Scottish lines immigrating to Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Research is ongoing and will be updated as available.
Burial Location:
The Old East Parish Burying Ground is the resting place for all of the founding families of Newton. In 1654, families living south of the river started holding religious meetings locally rather than making the journey to Cambridge. John Jackson provided an acre of land for a burial ground and for a meeting house, and this remained the only burying site for residents of Newton until 1781. A monument was placed in memory of Newton's founders in 1852, erected by the descendants of the first settlers. At the time inscriptions were recorded, only six headstones from the earliest inhabitants were still standing. However, their memory lives on through their descendants.
The original acre was added to three times, and the cemetery was used continuously until near the end of the 1800s. The final addition to the burying ground was made in 1834. Family members dying in Newton after 1781 may be found here in the East Parish Burying Ground, in the West Parish Burying Ground (opening 1781), or in the South Parish Burying Ground (opening 1802).
Family members in this cemetery with known plot location:
Park, Richard, see 1st Settlers Monument (no headstone remains), Plot 432
Park, Thomas, d. 1705, Plot 603
Park, Sarah, d. Mar 20, 1737, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 921
Park, Ensign Richard Philip, d. Nov 28, 1746, 52y, Plot 805
Park, Esther, d. Dec 28, 1746, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 806
Park, Thomas, d. Sep 2, 1775, 72y, Plot 1043
Family members in this cemetery with unknown plot:
Park, Margery, d. Mar 31, 1656, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas Jr, d. Jun 23, 1681, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas, d. Aug 11, 1690, Plot unknown
Park, Abigail Dix, d. Feb 3, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Anna Spring, d. Apr 27, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Elizabeth Spring, d. Apr 10, 1713, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. Mar 21, 1717, Plot unknown
Park, Jonathan, d. 23 Jan 1719, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah Coolidge, d. Mar 5, 1721, Plot unknown
Park, Oliver, d. May 4, 1721, Plot unknown
Knapp, Sarah Park, d. Dec 19, 1726, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah King, d. May 16, 1727, Plot unknown
Park, Lucy, d. Jan 9, 1730, Plot unknown
Knapp, John (husband of Sarah Park), d. Feb 2, 1733, Plot unknown
Park, Richard, d. Feb 1, 1738, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. 3 May, 1741, Plot unknown
Park, Edward, d. Mar 1, 1745, Plot unknown
Park, Martha Fiske, d. Nov 29, 1746, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. May 4, 1747, Plot unknown
Fuller, Sarah Park, d. Apr 23, 1774, Plot unknown
----------
See 1st Settlers Monument.
Source of birth and death information: Richard Park's date of birth is estimated by many historians to be about 1602. The exact date of his birth, as well as the identity of his parents, is still unknown. The date of his death is recorded in Massachusetts Vital Records.
Richard Park and his wife Margery were married prior to immigrating to America, and together they had three known children: Thomas, Isabel and Elizabeth. The family sailed on the 'Defence' from London to Boston, Massachusetts, arriving with Reverend Thomas Shepard's company on October 3, 1635.
A miller by trade, Richard first settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1642, he was listed in records as the "proprietor" of Cambridge Farms (in an area that now sits within the boundaries of Lexington). In 1647, Richard and his family removed to Newton, Massachusetts, becoming one of its founding families. While in Newton, he served in many positions for the community, including constable. Richard also served upon the committee charged with laying out the highways of Newton and surrounding areas.
Margery died in March 1656 and is buried in the East Parish Burying Ground. In September 1656, Richard married Sarah Collier Brewster, widow of Love Brewster. Sarah is remembered in Richard's will of July 12, 1665, which was witnessed by Elder Wiswall and Captain Hugh Mason.
In this will, Richard leaves to his "only son Thomas" all his housing and lands in Newton, to be passed to Thomas after the death of Richard's second wife, Sarah. All but the 600 acres with buildings was equally divided between Richard's two daughters, Isabel and Elizabeth. In the inventory of his estate, taken by John Sherman and John Spring on October 19, 1665, the dwelling house, barn, outhousing and 600 acres of land were appraised at £660; 20 acres elsewhere was appraised at £100; and the whole of his estate was valued at £972.
Though a home was provided for her in Newton through Richard's will, widow Sarah removed to Duxbury after his death, reuniting with the Plymouth First Church.
The position of the Parke Society regarding a "son" Richard:
(proven through the Parke Society's paternal DNA project)
"The Karl Eaton Parks volumes represent a lineage which descends from Richard's 'son' Richard to a third generation Richard, generally known as Lt. Richard Parks, and DNA testing has confirmed the suspicions that these two Richards were NOT connected to the immigrant Richard [arr. 1635]. Lt. Richard Parks does NOT match Richard [arr. 1635] genetically." -Ken Parks, President of the Parke Society and manager of the Parke Society's paternal DNA project, July 2014
As the paternal DNA project of the Parke Society has proven that this other Richard had no familial relationship with Richard Park who arrived aboard the 'Defence' in 1635, PLEASE do not link a "son" Richard to this memorial. Thank you.
Nativity:
As stated above, the exact date of Richard Park's birth, as well as the identity of his parents, are unknown. Argument has long persisted regarding whether Richard Park was English (inferred from the origin of his voyage) or Scottish (per oral history passed down through many lines). Y-DNA evidence provided through the Parke Society Y-DNA project now supports a Scottish heritage rather than a British heritage, with all documented American descendants of Richard matching at 111 markers to descendants of documented Scottish lines immigrating to Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Research is ongoing and will be updated as available.
Burial Location:
The Old East Parish Burying Ground is the resting place for all of the founding families of Newton. In 1654, families living south of the river started holding religious meetings locally rather than making the journey to Cambridge. John Jackson provided an acre of land for a burial ground and for a meeting house, and this remained the only burying site for residents of Newton until 1781. A monument was placed in memory of Newton's founders in 1852, erected by the descendants of the first settlers. At the time inscriptions were recorded, only six headstones from the earliest inhabitants were still standing. However, their memory lives on through their descendants.
The original acre was added to three times, and the cemetery was used continuously until near the end of the 1800s. The final addition to the burying ground was made in 1834. Family members dying in Newton after 1781 may be found here in the East Parish Burying Ground, in the West Parish Burying Ground (opening 1781), or in the South Parish Burying Ground (opening 1802).
Family members in this cemetery with known plot location:
Park, Richard, see 1st Settlers Monument (no headstone remains), Plot 432
Park, Thomas, d. 1705, Plot 603
Park, Sarah, d. Mar 20, 1737, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 921
Park, Ensign Richard Philip, d. Nov 28, 1746, 52y, Plot 805
Park, Esther, d. Dec 28, 1746, 42y, w/o Richard Philip Park, Plot 806
Park, Thomas, d. Sep 2, 1775, 72y, Plot 1043
Family members in this cemetery with unknown plot:
Park, Margery, d. Mar 31, 1656, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas Jr, d. Jun 23, 1681, Plot unknown
Park, Thomas, d. Aug 11, 1690, Plot unknown
Park, Abigail Dix, d. Feb 3, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Anna Spring, d. Apr 27, 1691, Plot unknown
Park, Elizabeth Spring, d. Apr 10, 1713, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. Mar 21, 1717, Plot unknown
Park, Jonathan, d. 23 Jan 1719, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah Coolidge, d. Mar 5, 1721, Plot unknown
Park, Oliver, d. May 4, 1721, Plot unknown
Knapp, Sarah Park, d. Dec 19, 1726, Plot unknown
Park, Sarah King, d. May 16, 1727, Plot unknown
Park, Lucy, d. Jan 9, 1730, Plot unknown
Knapp, John (husband of Sarah Park), d. Feb 2, 1733, Plot unknown
Park, Richard, d. Feb 1, 1738, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. 3 May, 1741, Plot unknown
Park, Edward, d. Mar 1, 1745, Plot unknown
Park, Martha Fiske, d. Nov 29, 1746, Plot unknown
Park, John, d. May 4, 1747, Plot unknown
Fuller, Sarah Park, d. Apr 23, 1774, Plot unknown
