NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Lula May Benson Parker
Nelson's final address was 578 Park Drive, N.E. in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia.
https://www.harrynorman.com/real-estate/578-park-drive-ne-atlanta-ga-30306/5825039/38995536
PARKER Name today, in this direct line
"Are you related to So-and-So Parker?"
The answer is, "Probably not". Today, only three men with the Parker surname are direct descendants of Henry Lyman Parker, and all three are Nelson's descendants. Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker had one child only, Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker Davison.
"What Parkers are your family?" We are direct descendants of Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook, Connecticut. (Nelson Huntley Parker, Henry Lyman Parker, Jonathan Parker IV, Jonathan Parker III, Jonathan Parker Jr., Lt. Jonathan Parker, Joseph Parker, Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook).
After Lula and Nelson's sons died, there were three male line descendants of Henry Lyman Parker (and one female descendant) with the Parker surname. These four are the only Parkers who have the same Parker grandfather (Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) and second great-grandfather (Henry Lyman Parker). Other direct descendants of Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. living today are not named PARKER.
In 2022, three men now carry the Parker surname representing THIS Parker family. Any other PARKER relatives today are only distantly related to Nelson's descendants. Only these three males continue the Parker surname in a direct male line from William Parker, Hartford Founder, to Henry Lyman Parker and forward from Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
BENSON surname, in this direct line
The Benson surname (in Thomas Brewer Benson's direct line) ended when he died without a son. Tom had two daughters, Lula and Mamie. Lula (Mrs. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) had children. Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) did not have children.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER was born in Ivoryton, Middlesex County, Connecticut. His family was from Connecticut. Nelson's ancestors came to Saybrook Colony, now Connecticut, in the colonial era. His family lived in this area for over two hundred years. Sergeant William Parker, a Hartford founder, was the first in this direct Parker male line. William Parker moved to Saybrook. All of the subsequent Parkers in the direct line to Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. lived in Saybrook.
"The Saybrook Colony was first settled at Saybrook Point adjacent to the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound in late 1635. This was not part of the Colony of Connecticut originally, and encompassed an area that today includes the towns of Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Lyme, a small section of East Lyme, Essex, Deep River, Chester, and Westbrook. It became part of Connecticut in the mid-1640s, and by early 1648, had been divided into formal quarters. One of these sections was Potapoug Quarter and included what now are the towns of Essex, Deep River, and Chester, with their villages of Centerbrook, Ivoryton, and Winthrop."
— Brief History of Essex, Connecticut
https://www.essexct.gov/home/pages/brief-history-of-essex
A journal kept by Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. while he was a student at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida was shared by his great-grandson Russell. In this journal, which begins on January 3, 1887, Nelson mentions his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker and his parents. He writes about daily life, school activities, family, and church. Nelson begins his new journal and a new year with a resolution to be more Christ-like.
Nelson also refers to Arbor Day, a holiday founded by Julius Sterling Morton who shares with Nelson Huntley Parker several ancestors in allied families.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Lodge_State_Historical_Park_and_Arboretum
A word on history:
"If, however, a man says that he does not care to know where his grandfather lived, what he did, and what were that grandfather's policies and religious creed, it can merely mean that he is incapable in taking interest of one of the most interesting forms of human knowledge of the details of the past."
— The London Spectator
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Born JANUARY 15, 1868
IVORYTON, MIDDLESEX, CONNECTICUT
As per The Lum Genealogy, Nelson and Lula were parents of Howard Huntley Parker (died young), Julia Benson Parker (no children), George Otis Parker, Sr. (married Mildred, two daughters and one son), Nelson Huntley Parker, Jr. (married Phalba, one son and one daughter), Freeman Benson Parker (married Esther, no children). Nelson and Lula's youngest child Thomas Brewer Parker was born after The Lum Genealogy was compiled. Tom Parker married Louise (three daughters).
Nelson was 74 years old when his grandson George Otis Parker, Jr. was born on January 18, 1943. George was my father. He was Nelson's youngest grandchild.
Nelson was 76 years old when he died on June 2, 1944. America was still recovering from the Great Depression, Lula's distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, and World War II had yet to end. His son Freeman was on duty overseas, and Nelson Jr. was also in the military.
When Nelson Sr. died, he and Lula were living in Atlanta. George Otis Parker, Jr. was born in Savannah, so Nelson may have had the opportunity to meet his grandson. Being very young when Nelson died, George Jr. didn't have personal memories of him. Grandchildren born before 1940 probably did remember Nelson.
After being married, Nelson and Lula lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, and Colorado before finally settling in Georgia circa 1920s. Lula was born in Macon, Georgia. Her only sister Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) lived in Senoia, Coweta County, Georgia. As a descendant of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, Lula had cousins in Georgia. Lula had cousins on the Freeman side still living in Georgia as well.
Lula had a large extended family who knew one another. This family included White, Brewer, and Freeman relatives. After 1915 in Georgia, Lula had one paternal aunt, Gertrude Benson (Mrs. Henry Clay Arnall) and one paternal uncle, Frank Cook Benson, who also lived in Georgia. Her father's only other surviving sibling was Admiral William Shepherd Benson, of Baltimore, Maryland. Admiral Benson maintained close ties to his family in Georgia. He had a paternal relationship with his nieces Lula and Mamie, whose parents died when they were small children. Lula's children visited Admiral and Mrs. Benson, and Admiral Benson spent time visiting Georgia following his retirement from the United States Navy.
In Florida, Lula had one uncle, William Henry Freeman, of Daytona Beach. Mr. Freeman was a brother of Hattie Eliza Freeman (Mrs. Thomas Brewer Benson). Lula, Nelson, and Mamie were residents of Daytona Beach in 1910, at which time William Henry Freeman and an Aspinwall cousin Charles Henry Dearborn Griggs were established residents of Daytona Beach. Being a small and idyllic community in 1910, and Lula's family having a long tradition of maintaining relationships with family, Lula and Nelson will certainly have enjoyed relationships with both men and their families.
Nelson maintained a close relationship with his brother Willie, who lived in Philadelphia. A photo of Willie's daughter Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker is in my personal collection of family memorabilia. Lula knew her husband's extended family, and this photo is inscribed with a brief message to Lula and Nelson.
Nelson and Lula were happily married. They had six children who lived to adulthood. All of their children attended college. Five of their six children married. Their daughter Julia Benson Parker did not marry.
When Nelson died in 1944, he was survived by his wife Lula; daughters Julia and Mary; sons George, Nelson, Freeman, and Tom; and by grandchildren. Nelson was survived also by his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker, niece Hessie, and Hessie's mother Florence, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also surviving were Lula's sister Mamie and Mamie's husband Van Porter Enloe, Sr.
After Nelson died, Lula lived with her unmarried daughter Julia. Lula's son George Sr. died in 1962. Her first child Howard Huntley Parker died while he was an infant.
Lula died in 1964. She was survived by five of her seven children, and by nine grandchildren. Lula didn't have nieces or nephews, but her sister Mamie did have stepchildren.
In 1976, Nelson's surviving children organized the first Parker Reunion. All of Nelson's surviving children attended, bringing their own children who had young families. George Jr.'s widow Mildred was included and came to the reunion with her three children and all of her grandchildren. This was a memorable experience for Lula's grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. The first reunion was in Florida, and the final reunion was held in the early 1980s. The tradition continued, but this was the last formal Parker reunion with all surviving children of Lula and Nelson and their own families.
Nelson was born in Connecticut, as recorded on his headstone. Nelson's obituary names his brother Willis, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photos of Willie's daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker were shared with Nelson and Lula, and today these photos are with descendants of Nelson. Willis Nathaniel Parker was Nelson's only surviving brother, and Hessie was Nelson's niece.
Nelson's parents were Henry Lyman Parker and Julia (Juliett, Juliette) Huntley. The marriage record for Henry Lyman Parker has not been seen by this author. Information provided by descendant Frances (Mrs. Dennis McCrary) notes that Henry Ward Beecher performed the ceremony, while other sources do not mention the officiant.
Nelson's father was Henry Lyman Parker, a son of Jonathan Parker IV and Abigail Wilcox, of Connecticut. Abigail Wilcox's parents were cousins in the Wilcox family, and additionally had shared ancestors in the Hull family and other family lines, including Kelsey.
Nelson's mother Julia Huntley was a daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker. Elisha Huntley's parents were cousins in the Mack, Huntley, Champion, and Bennett family lines.
The name "Nelson" was used by others in the Huntley family. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. had an uncle named Nelson J. Huntley. This uncle named Nelson was a brother of Julia Huntley (Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker). Nelson the uncle was married to Eleanor Anne Parker, a sister of Henry Lyman Parker. Presumably the two couples, each being a sibling of the other's spouse, maintained close relationships as adults.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker were parents of Nelson and Willie, the two siblings who remained in communication all their lives.
Nelson H. Parker - Notary public in Middlefield, Connecticut. Uncle Freeman was born in Rockfall, Connecticut, which is within Middlefield. Presumably this person was Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. – however this has not been confirmed. There were others named Parker and possibly others named Nelson H. Parker. That said, the person listed is probably my great-grandfather Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
https://books.google.com/books?id=h3FIAAAAYAAJ&q=Nelson+H.+Parker#v=snippet&q=Nelson%20H.%20Parker&f=false
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. was from Middlesex County, Connecticut. His parents, if they were in fact married by Henry Ward Beecher, were likely to have been involved in the Temperance movement. As mentioned, Nelson writes about his journey and goals as a follower of Christ. Church was probably important to his family.
Lula May Benson was the eldest child and first daughter of Thomas Brewer Benson and his wife Hattie Eliza Freeman. Lula was born in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Her mother Hattie was a daughter of Charles Henry Freeman and Hannah Lum. Hattie was born in Macon, but her parents were from New Jersey. Lula's father Thomas Brewer Benson was a son of Richard Aaron Benson and Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson, both of whom were Bibb County natives.
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer (Mrs Richard Aaron Benson) was born in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. Her parents came to Georgia from Massachusetts. Her father Thomas Aspinwall Brewer is recorded in "The Aspinwall Genealogy". Mrs. Benson's mother Mary Foster Brewer Brewer was the daughter of Ebenezer Brewer. He was a first cousin to Edward Brewer, the father of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer. Ebenezer Brewer's first wife was Mary Foster. This Foster family appears to be a Jane and John Foster of Boston. At this time, nothing certain is known by this author. There are several Foster families and nothing to connect Mary to any of these families. Foster is unknown. Ebenezer Brewer next married Elizabeth White, who was direct descendant of John White and Frances Jackson, and also a direct descendant of Peter Aspinwall and Remember Palfrey. Elizabeth (second wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does have known ancestry. Mary Foster (first wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does not have known ancestors. Maybe her family can be discovered, but today this information is unknown. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer was living when he was recorded in The Aspinwall Genealogy.
WILLIS NATHANIEL "WILLIE" PARKER
Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker married Florence Knight Bickley of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their daughter was Hester Bickley Parker. The George Parker, Jr. family has a studio portrait of Hessie Parker. She was Nelson's niece and thus a first cousin to George Otis Parker, Sr. and his siblings.
Hester married Harry Davison of Pennsylvania and had three daughters. They lived in Pennsylvania. Hessie's mother Florence Knight Bickley Parker was from Germantown, Philadelphia. Florence's family were active and prominent in their church and in community affairs. The family were founders of Germantown, Pennsylvania.
From the obituary of Willie and Florence Parker's great-grandson - the grandson of their daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker and Harry Davison - comes this passage noting Florence Knight Bickley Parker's ancestor Francis Daniel Pastorius — which offers an introduction to their family history.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer:
"Judge Snite was known as "Jack" to friends and family.
Born in Philadelphia, he was a direct descendant of Francis Daniel Pastorius, the founder of Germantown in 1683.
Judge Snite graduated from Olney High School in 1965 and earned an economics degree in 1969 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania."
— An excerpt from "Albert John 'Jack' Snite Jr., 68, 'passionate' retired judge" ~ By Bonnie L. Cook, Staff Writer. News Article and Obituary published August 31, 2016. The Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer.
We know that brothers Nelson and Willie Parker as adults continued their relationship, including with correspondence and photos. A note to Nelson and Lula is on the back of the portrait photo of Hessie Parker. A beautiful photo of Hessie. This information is certain.
CHILDREN of NELSON and LULA PARKER:
HOWARD HUNTLEY PARKER
Howard Huntley Parker died young. Baby Howard was born November 26, 1897, and died on May 5, 1898. (The Lum Genealogy)
JULIA BENSON PARKER
Julia Benson "Julia" Parker was born December 4, 1899 in Connecticut, and died on August 11, 1990. Julia never married, and has no children or descendants. She lived in Atlanta, was close to her parents, and was actively involved with her church. She worked in Atlanta, Georgia, and also travelled widely. She was a founding member of The Pilot Club. Julia was independent and adventurous in an era when many were content simply to marry. She very much enjoyed witnessing her Christian faith, and had a genuine love for the Lord. Julia, after a long and remarkable life, was able to give her house to the Presbyterian Church she attended. The church was located nearby and had been an important part of Julia's life. Julia did not drink alcohol, and was an extraordinary example to others in so many ways. Miss Julia Benson Parker is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, along with her parents and family members including her great-great grandparents Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer who were first in her Brewer direct family line to live in Georgia.
GEORGE OTIS PARKER, SR.
George Otis "George" Parker, Sr. was born June 22, 1904, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Davidson College, North Carolina. George Sr. married Mildred from Georgia. They had two daughters and one son. George Sr. and Mildred lived in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia. George Sr.'s death was unexpected. Note that there is no George III because George Jr.'s son does not have the name Otis; his middle name comes from his mother's family. George Sr. was born in 1904 and died in 1962. George Jr. was born January 18, 1943 and died from cancer in December 1982. There is not a George Otis Parker III in this family.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, JR.
Nelson Huntley "Nelson" Parker, Jr. was born August 13, 1907, in Connecticut. On November 7, 1931, he married Mary Phalba Kennington, daughter of Henry Aquine Kennington and Josephine Schell. Phalba's parents were married in Georgia and had several children including Mary Phalba. Phalba and Nelson had two children. Nelson died March 4, 1987, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. Burial with wife Phalba, who died November 5, 1986, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. One son, Nelson Huntley Parker III, M.D. (1934-2005) was survived by three children, his husband Eric and his sister and her family. One daughter Mary of Florida died in 2020, predeceased by her husband and survived by four children and their families.
FREEMAN BENSON PARKER
The Reverend Freeman Benson "Freeman" Parker married the accomplished young lady Miss Esther Henrietta Hodek, daughter of Anna Marie Holecek and Henry Hodek, of Orlando, Florida. He was known as the Rev. Freeman B. Parker. He was a Presbyterian who was called to lead several congregations and also was involved in community organizations and much volunteer outreach. Freeman served as military chaplain, and was with General McArthur overseas. See his engagement and wedding announcements, and obituary, for more complete biography. Esther Henrietta Hodek Parker predeceased her husband Freeman. Esther's brother, Henry "Hank" Hodek of Live Oak, Florida, died August 2021, having been predeceased by first wife Cuba Marie Parsons Hodek. Freeman and Esther did not have children.
THOMAS BREWER PARKER
Thomas Brewer "Tom" Parker was born July 22, 1911. Tom died December 28, 1995, aged 84. He was a resident of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where he had retired. Tom and Louise Lane McArthur Parker lived in Macon, Georgia, for the greater part of their married years, and are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Loving parents Tom and Louise were blessed with three beautiful daughters. Their daughter Celeste is recently deceased. Tom and Louise were blessed also with a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lula and Nelson lived in a variety of places before settling in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. Locations include Middlesex County, Connecticut; Suffolk County, Massachusetts; San Miguel County, Colorado; Volusia County, Florida; Selma, Dallas County Alabama; and Bibb County, Georgia.
LUM FAMILY
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. is listed in the Lum genealogy.
Lum, Edward H., "Genealogy of the Lum Family", compiled by Edward H. Lum. Unionist-Gazette Association, Somerville, N.J. 1927.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
married Lula May Benson
LULA MAY BENSON
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson's parents were second cousins (not unusual at that time). Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, great-grandson of Stephen Brewer; and Mary Foster Brewer, great-granddaughter of Joseph Brewer, were born in Massachusetts. Stephen and Joseph were brothers. Their parents were Nathaniel III and Elizabeth Mayo Brewer. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and his wife lived in Vineville, Georgia, nearby to Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer were paternal great-grandparents of Lula May Benson. In 1896, Lula May Benson married Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
NELSON'S FAMILY
Mary Tinker was a daughter of Nathan Tinker and his second wife Lucy Smith Tinker.
Julia Huntley was born in Connecticut on December 26, 1830.
Parker family tree:
PARKER
Sergeant William Parker, Hartford Founder
Margaret / Margery Pritchard?
William Parker's parents are unknown.
Joseph Parker
Hannah Gilbert Parker
daughter of Deputy Gov. Matthew Gilbert and Jane Baker Gilbert
Lt. Jonathan Parker
Eleanor Post Parker
daughter of Abraham Post and Mary Jordan Post
Jonathan Parker II
Sarah Bushnell
daughter of Ephraim Bushnell and Ann Hill Bushnell
Jonathan III
Mary Jones Parker
parents of Mary Jones Parker are unknown
Jonathan Parker IV
Abigail Wilcox
daughter of Joseph Wilcox and Grace Wilcox Wilcox
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Lula May Benson
STEVENS / STEPHENS
John Stephens
Mary
William Stevens
Mary Meigs Stevens
Josiah Stevens
Sarah Hubbell Stevens
Daniel Stevens
Esther Chatfield
Sarah Stevens
Silas Wilcox
Grace Wilcox
Joseph Wilcox
Abigail Wilcox
Jonathan Parker IV
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Not everything found online is accurate. There are websites with errors that have not yet been corrected, so inaccurate lineages can be found online. These sites are not primary sources, and are often incomplete or inaccurate. Please research using records. Also, in earlier books published about family lineages, an author might create a history for an ancestor of unknown origin or parentage. Conversely, the era from 1800 to today is another point where problems often appear. With a family record provided by reliable sources, the Parker line is correct on Find A Grave. On one or more websites, a "Henry Lyman Parker" in the same state with nearly the same birth and death dates was assigned as father to Nelson (screenshots saved), and the wrong man is still on at least one other high-traffic website. Official birth, marriage, death, and burial records are typically the best sources for accurate information. Unfortunately, George Sr.'s surviving daughters do not communicate with all of their Parker cousins, or even with each other, making this Find A Grave project a difficult and uncomfortable struggle for correct information. Much can be gained from reading historical publications and records. Nothing is gained by guessing parents or by copying unsourced family trees found online. Professional research is the best source aside from family records and official primary sources.
Nelson Huntley Parker Sr. (1868 - 1944)
Born 15 Jan 1868 in Ivoryton, Essex, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States
Son of Henry Lyman Parker
Brother of Willis Nathaniel Parker
Husband of Lula May (Benson) Paker — married 24 Nov 1896 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia, United States
Recently, information found online said a different Henry Lyman Parker was Nelson's father and obviously different grandparents were shown. Documentation beginning with Nelson Sr.'s birth certificate should be located. Documentation such as any birth, marriage, and death records are basic requirements in genealogy.
Brewer - wife's family
There are two Brewer lines to Lula, both by way of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer. Lula directly descends from TWO sons of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer — Joseph and Stephen.
The children of Lula May Benson Parker are the only descendants of Thomas Brewer Benson and Hattie Eliza Freeman Benson. Tom and Hattie had two daughters, Mamie Shepherd Benson and Lula May Benson. Only Lula had children. Mamie had step-children, but no children of her own. All are deceased.
William Parker, early settler - Wikipedia
William Parker (1618–1686) was an early Puritan settler in the Connecticut Colony and one of the founders of Hartford. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the summer of 1635 after sailing from London on May 21, 1635 aboard the ship Mathew. He settled in Newtowne, the community that is now Cambridge, and became one of the members of Thomas Hooker's congregation. He was one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut.
Life
William was an original proprietor and land owner in Hartford, Connecticut in 1636, where his name is on the west face of the Founders Monument. Here his home–lot in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill," now Trumbull St. He too part in the Pequot War (an armed conflict in 1637-1638 between an alliance of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, with Native American allies - the Narragansett, and Mohegan tribe), against the Pequot tribe.) in 1637 and moved to Saybrook about 1643. He was a pillar in the church in 1646 and a Deputy of Connecticut General Court during the sessions in September 1652, May 1672, May and October 1673, October 1680, May and October 1681, May and October 1682, and May 1683. William was a Sergeant in the Saybrook Train Band, owned land in Saybrook, and he was one of the three appraisers of the estate of George Fenwick in 1660. He was also involved in the inventory of the estate of William Carmackle in 1666.
The History of the Parker Pen Company says: "In the autumn of 1633 William Parker left Dover, England with his wife Margery, aged 17, and eventually set sail from London on the ship "Matthew" departing May 21, 1635. Their ambitious journey no doubt may have been inspired by tales of the great migration in the prior few years by the Wellington Fleet, and several other convoys of ships carrying over thousands of settlers to the New World and The Massachusetts Bay Colony.
His home lot in Hartford in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill" which is now Trumbull Street.
The location of his lot is evidence that he was with Thomas Hooker's party in 1636. He is also listed as an inhabitant who had a right to undivided lands. He was one of the Hartford settlers who served in the Pequot War and attained the rank of sergeant.
He received 36 acres of land in the division of upland in East Hartford in 1666 that he sold to William Pitkin and William Goodwin. He sold his share of land received in 1674 on the west side of Hartford to Thomas and Samuel Olcott. William Parker's six acres were sold in 1684 to Joseph Collier.
William Parker fathered ten children by his first wife. Prior to 1682 he married a second wife, Elizabeth Pratt, the widow of Lieutenant William Pratt. His daughter, Margaret, born about 1650, married Joseph Pratt in 1671, who was the son of Lieutenant William Pratt and Elizabeth (Clark) Pratt.
William Parker moved from Hartford to Saybrook in 1649. He was a large landholder and also had land in Hebron that he had acquired from Joshua, the third son of Uncas.
Edward Johnson in his work published in 1654 wrote of him: "Mr. William Parker, a man of pregnant understanding, and very useful in his place."
William Parker was Deputy to the General Court at the special session of 1652, at the May sessions in 1679 and 1681, and at the October sessions of 1678, 1679, 1680, and 1681.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Parker_(early_settler)
Parker Ancestor
William Parker, Hartford Founder
https://www.foundersofhartford.org/the-founders/william-parker/
Lula May Benson Parker
Nelson's final address was 578 Park Drive, N.E. in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia.
https://www.harrynorman.com/real-estate/578-park-drive-ne-atlanta-ga-30306/5825039/38995536
PARKER Name today, in this direct line
"Are you related to So-and-So Parker?"
The answer is, "Probably not". Today, only three men with the Parker surname are direct descendants of Henry Lyman Parker, and all three are Nelson's descendants. Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker had one child only, Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker Davison.
"What Parkers are your family?" We are direct descendants of Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook, Connecticut. (Nelson Huntley Parker, Henry Lyman Parker, Jonathan Parker IV, Jonathan Parker III, Jonathan Parker Jr., Lt. Jonathan Parker, Joseph Parker, Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook).
After Lula and Nelson's sons died, there were three male line descendants of Henry Lyman Parker (and one female descendant) with the Parker surname. These four are the only Parkers who have the same Parker grandfather (Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) and second great-grandfather (Henry Lyman Parker). Other direct descendants of Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. living today are not named PARKER.
In 2022, three men now carry the Parker surname representing THIS Parker family. Any other PARKER relatives today are only distantly related to Nelson's descendants. Only these three males continue the Parker surname in a direct male line from William Parker, Hartford Founder, to Henry Lyman Parker and forward from Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
BENSON surname, in this direct line
The Benson surname (in Thomas Brewer Benson's direct line) ended when he died without a son. Tom had two daughters, Lula and Mamie. Lula (Mrs. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) had children. Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) did not have children.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER was born in Ivoryton, Middlesex County, Connecticut. His family was from Connecticut. Nelson's ancestors came to Saybrook Colony, now Connecticut, in the colonial era. His family lived in this area for over two hundred years. Sergeant William Parker, a Hartford founder, was the first in this direct Parker male line. William Parker moved to Saybrook. All of the subsequent Parkers in the direct line to Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. lived in Saybrook.
"The Saybrook Colony was first settled at Saybrook Point adjacent to the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound in late 1635. This was not part of the Colony of Connecticut originally, and encompassed an area that today includes the towns of Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Lyme, a small section of East Lyme, Essex, Deep River, Chester, and Westbrook. It became part of Connecticut in the mid-1640s, and by early 1648, had been divided into formal quarters. One of these sections was Potapoug Quarter and included what now are the towns of Essex, Deep River, and Chester, with their villages of Centerbrook, Ivoryton, and Winthrop."
— Brief History of Essex, Connecticut
https://www.essexct.gov/home/pages/brief-history-of-essex
A journal kept by Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. while he was a student at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida was shared by his great-grandson Russell. In this journal, which begins on January 3, 1887, Nelson mentions his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker and his parents. He writes about daily life, school activities, family, and church. Nelson begins his new journal and a new year with a resolution to be more Christ-like.
Nelson also refers to Arbor Day, a holiday founded by Julius Sterling Morton who shares with Nelson Huntley Parker several ancestors in allied families.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Lodge_State_Historical_Park_and_Arboretum
A word on history:
"If, however, a man says that he does not care to know where his grandfather lived, what he did, and what were that grandfather's policies and religious creed, it can merely mean that he is incapable in taking interest of one of the most interesting forms of human knowledge of the details of the past."
— The London Spectator
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Born JANUARY 15, 1868
IVORYTON, MIDDLESEX, CONNECTICUT
As per The Lum Genealogy, Nelson and Lula were parents of Howard Huntley Parker (died young), Julia Benson Parker (no children), George Otis Parker, Sr. (married Mildred, two daughters and one son), Nelson Huntley Parker, Jr. (married Phalba, one son and one daughter), Freeman Benson Parker (married Esther, no children). Nelson and Lula's youngest child Thomas Brewer Parker was born after The Lum Genealogy was compiled. Tom Parker married Louise (three daughters).
Nelson was 74 years old when his grandson George Otis Parker, Jr. was born on January 18, 1943. George was my father. He was Nelson's youngest grandchild.
Nelson was 76 years old when he died on June 2, 1944. America was still recovering from the Great Depression, Lula's distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, and World War II had yet to end. His son Freeman was on duty overseas, and Nelson Jr. was also in the military.
When Nelson Sr. died, he and Lula were living in Atlanta. George Otis Parker, Jr. was born in Savannah, so Nelson may have had the opportunity to meet his grandson. Being very young when Nelson died, George Jr. didn't have personal memories of him. Grandchildren born before 1940 probably did remember Nelson.
After being married, Nelson and Lula lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, and Colorado before finally settling in Georgia circa 1920s. Lula was born in Macon, Georgia. Her only sister Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) lived in Senoia, Coweta County, Georgia. As a descendant of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, Lula had cousins in Georgia. Lula had cousins on the Freeman side still living in Georgia as well.
Lula had a large extended family who knew one another. This family included White, Brewer, and Freeman relatives. After 1915 in Georgia, Lula had one paternal aunt, Gertrude Benson (Mrs. Henry Clay Arnall) and one paternal uncle, Frank Cook Benson, who also lived in Georgia. Her father's only other surviving sibling was Admiral William Shepherd Benson, of Baltimore, Maryland. Admiral Benson maintained close ties to his family in Georgia. He had a paternal relationship with his nieces Lula and Mamie, whose parents died when they were small children. Lula's children visited Admiral and Mrs. Benson, and Admiral Benson spent time visiting Georgia following his retirement from the United States Navy.
In Florida, Lula had one uncle, William Henry Freeman, of Daytona Beach. Mr. Freeman was a brother of Hattie Eliza Freeman (Mrs. Thomas Brewer Benson). Lula, Nelson, and Mamie were residents of Daytona Beach in 1910, at which time William Henry Freeman and an Aspinwall cousin Charles Henry Dearborn Griggs were established residents of Daytona Beach. Being a small and idyllic community in 1910, and Lula's family having a long tradition of maintaining relationships with family, Lula and Nelson will certainly have enjoyed relationships with both men and their families.
Nelson maintained a close relationship with his brother Willie, who lived in Philadelphia. A photo of Willie's daughter Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker is in my personal collection of family memorabilia. Lula knew her husband's extended family, and this photo is inscribed with a brief message to Lula and Nelson.
Nelson and Lula were happily married. They had six children who lived to adulthood. All of their children attended college. Five of their six children married. Their daughter Julia Benson Parker did not marry.
When Nelson died in 1944, he was survived by his wife Lula; daughters Julia and Mary; sons George, Nelson, Freeman, and Tom; and by grandchildren. Nelson was survived also by his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker, niece Hessie, and Hessie's mother Florence, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also surviving were Lula's sister Mamie and Mamie's husband Van Porter Enloe, Sr.
After Nelson died, Lula lived with her unmarried daughter Julia. Lula's son George Sr. died in 1962. Her first child Howard Huntley Parker died while he was an infant.
Lula died in 1964. She was survived by five of her seven children, and by nine grandchildren. Lula didn't have nieces or nephews, but her sister Mamie did have stepchildren.
In 1976, Nelson's surviving children organized the first Parker Reunion. All of Nelson's surviving children attended, bringing their own children who had young families. George Jr.'s widow Mildred was included and came to the reunion with her three children and all of her grandchildren. This was a memorable experience for Lula's grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. The first reunion was in Florida, and the final reunion was held in the early 1980s. The tradition continued, but this was the last formal Parker reunion with all surviving children of Lula and Nelson and their own families.
Nelson was born in Connecticut, as recorded on his headstone. Nelson's obituary names his brother Willis, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photos of Willie's daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker were shared with Nelson and Lula, and today these photos are with descendants of Nelson. Willis Nathaniel Parker was Nelson's only surviving brother, and Hessie was Nelson's niece.
Nelson's parents were Henry Lyman Parker and Julia (Juliett, Juliette) Huntley. The marriage record for Henry Lyman Parker has not been seen by this author. Information provided by descendant Frances (Mrs. Dennis McCrary) notes that Henry Ward Beecher performed the ceremony, while other sources do not mention the officiant.
Nelson's father was Henry Lyman Parker, a son of Jonathan Parker IV and Abigail Wilcox, of Connecticut. Abigail Wilcox's parents were cousins in the Wilcox family, and additionally had shared ancestors in the Hull family and other family lines, including Kelsey.
Nelson's mother Julia Huntley was a daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker. Elisha Huntley's parents were cousins in the Mack, Huntley, Champion, and Bennett family lines.
The name "Nelson" was used by others in the Huntley family. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. had an uncle named Nelson J. Huntley. This uncle named Nelson was a brother of Julia Huntley (Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker). Nelson the uncle was married to Eleanor Anne Parker, a sister of Henry Lyman Parker. Presumably the two couples, each being a sibling of the other's spouse, maintained close relationships as adults.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker were parents of Nelson and Willie, the two siblings who remained in communication all their lives.
Nelson H. Parker - Notary public in Middlefield, Connecticut. Uncle Freeman was born in Rockfall, Connecticut, which is within Middlefield. Presumably this person was Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. – however this has not been confirmed. There were others named Parker and possibly others named Nelson H. Parker. That said, the person listed is probably my great-grandfather Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
https://books.google.com/books?id=h3FIAAAAYAAJ&q=Nelson+H.+Parker#v=snippet&q=Nelson%20H.%20Parker&f=false
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. was from Middlesex County, Connecticut. His parents, if they were in fact married by Henry Ward Beecher, were likely to have been involved in the Temperance movement. As mentioned, Nelson writes about his journey and goals as a follower of Christ. Church was probably important to his family.
Lula May Benson was the eldest child and first daughter of Thomas Brewer Benson and his wife Hattie Eliza Freeman. Lula was born in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Her mother Hattie was a daughter of Charles Henry Freeman and Hannah Lum. Hattie was born in Macon, but her parents were from New Jersey. Lula's father Thomas Brewer Benson was a son of Richard Aaron Benson and Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson, both of whom were Bibb County natives.
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer (Mrs Richard Aaron Benson) was born in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. Her parents came to Georgia from Massachusetts. Her father Thomas Aspinwall Brewer is recorded in "The Aspinwall Genealogy". Mrs. Benson's mother Mary Foster Brewer Brewer was the daughter of Ebenezer Brewer. He was a first cousin to Edward Brewer, the father of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer. Ebenezer Brewer's first wife was Mary Foster. This Foster family appears to be a Jane and John Foster of Boston. At this time, nothing certain is known by this author. There are several Foster families and nothing to connect Mary to any of these families. Foster is unknown. Ebenezer Brewer next married Elizabeth White, who was direct descendant of John White and Frances Jackson, and also a direct descendant of Peter Aspinwall and Remember Palfrey. Elizabeth (second wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does have known ancestry. Mary Foster (first wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does not have known ancestors. Maybe her family can be discovered, but today this information is unknown. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer was living when he was recorded in The Aspinwall Genealogy.
WILLIS NATHANIEL "WILLIE" PARKER
Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker married Florence Knight Bickley of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their daughter was Hester Bickley Parker. The George Parker, Jr. family has a studio portrait of Hessie Parker. She was Nelson's niece and thus a first cousin to George Otis Parker, Sr. and his siblings.
Hester married Harry Davison of Pennsylvania and had three daughters. They lived in Pennsylvania. Hessie's mother Florence Knight Bickley Parker was from Germantown, Philadelphia. Florence's family were active and prominent in their church and in community affairs. The family were founders of Germantown, Pennsylvania.
From the obituary of Willie and Florence Parker's great-grandson - the grandson of their daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker and Harry Davison - comes this passage noting Florence Knight Bickley Parker's ancestor Francis Daniel Pastorius — which offers an introduction to their family history.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer:
"Judge Snite was known as "Jack" to friends and family.
Born in Philadelphia, he was a direct descendant of Francis Daniel Pastorius, the founder of Germantown in 1683.
Judge Snite graduated from Olney High School in 1965 and earned an economics degree in 1969 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania."
— An excerpt from "Albert John 'Jack' Snite Jr., 68, 'passionate' retired judge" ~ By Bonnie L. Cook, Staff Writer. News Article and Obituary published August 31, 2016. The Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer.
We know that brothers Nelson and Willie Parker as adults continued their relationship, including with correspondence and photos. A note to Nelson and Lula is on the back of the portrait photo of Hessie Parker. A beautiful photo of Hessie. This information is certain.
CHILDREN of NELSON and LULA PARKER:
HOWARD HUNTLEY PARKER
Howard Huntley Parker died young. Baby Howard was born November 26, 1897, and died on May 5, 1898. (The Lum Genealogy)
JULIA BENSON PARKER
Julia Benson "Julia" Parker was born December 4, 1899 in Connecticut, and died on August 11, 1990. Julia never married, and has no children or descendants. She lived in Atlanta, was close to her parents, and was actively involved with her church. She worked in Atlanta, Georgia, and also travelled widely. She was a founding member of The Pilot Club. Julia was independent and adventurous in an era when many were content simply to marry. She very much enjoyed witnessing her Christian faith, and had a genuine love for the Lord. Julia, after a long and remarkable life, was able to give her house to the Presbyterian Church she attended. The church was located nearby and had been an important part of Julia's life. Julia did not drink alcohol, and was an extraordinary example to others in so many ways. Miss Julia Benson Parker is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, along with her parents and family members including her great-great grandparents Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer who were first in her Brewer direct family line to live in Georgia.
GEORGE OTIS PARKER, SR.
George Otis "George" Parker, Sr. was born June 22, 1904, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Davidson College, North Carolina. George Sr. married Mildred from Georgia. They had two daughters and one son. George Sr. and Mildred lived in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia. George Sr.'s death was unexpected. Note that there is no George III because George Jr.'s son does not have the name Otis; his middle name comes from his mother's family. George Sr. was born in 1904 and died in 1962. George Jr. was born January 18, 1943 and died from cancer in December 1982. There is not a George Otis Parker III in this family.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, JR.
Nelson Huntley "Nelson" Parker, Jr. was born August 13, 1907, in Connecticut. On November 7, 1931, he married Mary Phalba Kennington, daughter of Henry Aquine Kennington and Josephine Schell. Phalba's parents were married in Georgia and had several children including Mary Phalba. Phalba and Nelson had two children. Nelson died March 4, 1987, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. Burial with wife Phalba, who died November 5, 1986, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. One son, Nelson Huntley Parker III, M.D. (1934-2005) was survived by three children, his husband Eric and his sister and her family. One daughter Mary of Florida died in 2020, predeceased by her husband and survived by four children and their families.
FREEMAN BENSON PARKER
The Reverend Freeman Benson "Freeman" Parker married the accomplished young lady Miss Esther Henrietta Hodek, daughter of Anna Marie Holecek and Henry Hodek, of Orlando, Florida. He was known as the Rev. Freeman B. Parker. He was a Presbyterian who was called to lead several congregations and also was involved in community organizations and much volunteer outreach. Freeman served as military chaplain, and was with General McArthur overseas. See his engagement and wedding announcements, and obituary, for more complete biography. Esther Henrietta Hodek Parker predeceased her husband Freeman. Esther's brother, Henry "Hank" Hodek of Live Oak, Florida, died August 2021, having been predeceased by first wife Cuba Marie Parsons Hodek. Freeman and Esther did not have children.
THOMAS BREWER PARKER
Thomas Brewer "Tom" Parker was born July 22, 1911. Tom died December 28, 1995, aged 84. He was a resident of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where he had retired. Tom and Louise Lane McArthur Parker lived in Macon, Georgia, for the greater part of their married years, and are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Loving parents Tom and Louise were blessed with three beautiful daughters. Their daughter Celeste is recently deceased. Tom and Louise were blessed also with a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lula and Nelson lived in a variety of places before settling in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. Locations include Middlesex County, Connecticut; Suffolk County, Massachusetts; San Miguel County, Colorado; Volusia County, Florida; Selma, Dallas County Alabama; and Bibb County, Georgia.
LUM FAMILY
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. is listed in the Lum genealogy.
Lum, Edward H., "Genealogy of the Lum Family", compiled by Edward H. Lum. Unionist-Gazette Association, Somerville, N.J. 1927.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
married Lula May Benson
LULA MAY BENSON
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson's parents were second cousins (not unusual at that time). Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, great-grandson of Stephen Brewer; and Mary Foster Brewer, great-granddaughter of Joseph Brewer, were born in Massachusetts. Stephen and Joseph were brothers. Their parents were Nathaniel III and Elizabeth Mayo Brewer. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and his wife lived in Vineville, Georgia, nearby to Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer were paternal great-grandparents of Lula May Benson. In 1896, Lula May Benson married Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
NELSON'S FAMILY
Mary Tinker was a daughter of Nathan Tinker and his second wife Lucy Smith Tinker.
Julia Huntley was born in Connecticut on December 26, 1830.
Parker family tree:
PARKER
Sergeant William Parker, Hartford Founder
Margaret / Margery Pritchard?
William Parker's parents are unknown.
Joseph Parker
Hannah Gilbert Parker
daughter of Deputy Gov. Matthew Gilbert and Jane Baker Gilbert
Lt. Jonathan Parker
Eleanor Post Parker
daughter of Abraham Post and Mary Jordan Post
Jonathan Parker II
Sarah Bushnell
daughter of Ephraim Bushnell and Ann Hill Bushnell
Jonathan III
Mary Jones Parker
parents of Mary Jones Parker are unknown
Jonathan Parker IV
Abigail Wilcox
daughter of Joseph Wilcox and Grace Wilcox Wilcox
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Lula May Benson
STEVENS / STEPHENS
John Stephens
Mary
William Stevens
Mary Meigs Stevens
Josiah Stevens
Sarah Hubbell Stevens
Daniel Stevens
Esther Chatfield
Sarah Stevens
Silas Wilcox
Grace Wilcox
Joseph Wilcox
Abigail Wilcox
Jonathan Parker IV
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Not everything found online is accurate. There are websites with errors that have not yet been corrected, so inaccurate lineages can be found online. These sites are not primary sources, and are often incomplete or inaccurate. Please research using records. Also, in earlier books published about family lineages, an author might create a history for an ancestor of unknown origin or parentage. Conversely, the era from 1800 to today is another point where problems often appear. With a family record provided by reliable sources, the Parker line is correct on Find A Grave. On one or more websites, a "Henry Lyman Parker" in the same state with nearly the same birth and death dates was assigned as father to Nelson (screenshots saved), and the wrong man is still on at least one other high-traffic website. Official birth, marriage, death, and burial records are typically the best sources for accurate information. Unfortunately, George Sr.'s surviving daughters do not communicate with all of their Parker cousins, or even with each other, making this Find A Grave project a difficult and uncomfortable struggle for correct information. Much can be gained from reading historical publications and records. Nothing is gained by guessing parents or by copying unsourced family trees found online. Professional research is the best source aside from family records and official primary sources.
Nelson Huntley Parker Sr. (1868 - 1944)
Born 15 Jan 1868 in Ivoryton, Essex, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States
Son of Henry Lyman Parker
Brother of Willis Nathaniel Parker
Husband of Lula May (Benson) Paker — married 24 Nov 1896 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia, United States
Recently, information found online said a different Henry Lyman Parker was Nelson's father and obviously different grandparents were shown. Documentation beginning with Nelson Sr.'s birth certificate should be located. Documentation such as any birth, marriage, and death records are basic requirements in genealogy.
Brewer - wife's family
There are two Brewer lines to Lula, both by way of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer. Lula directly descends from TWO sons of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer — Joseph and Stephen.
The children of Lula May Benson Parker are the only descendants of Thomas Brewer Benson and Hattie Eliza Freeman Benson. Tom and Hattie had two daughters, Mamie Shepherd Benson and Lula May Benson. Only Lula had children. Mamie had step-children, but no children of her own. All are deceased.
William Parker, early settler - Wikipedia
William Parker (1618–1686) was an early Puritan settler in the Connecticut Colony and one of the founders of Hartford. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the summer of 1635 after sailing from London on May 21, 1635 aboard the ship Mathew. He settled in Newtowne, the community that is now Cambridge, and became one of the members of Thomas Hooker's congregation. He was one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut.
Life
William was an original proprietor and land owner in Hartford, Connecticut in 1636, where his name is on the west face of the Founders Monument. Here his home–lot in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill," now Trumbull St. He too part in the Pequot War (an armed conflict in 1637-1638 between an alliance of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, with Native American allies - the Narragansett, and Mohegan tribe), against the Pequot tribe.) in 1637 and moved to Saybrook about 1643. He was a pillar in the church in 1646 and a Deputy of Connecticut General Court during the sessions in September 1652, May 1672, May and October 1673, October 1680, May and October 1681, May and October 1682, and May 1683. William was a Sergeant in the Saybrook Train Band, owned land in Saybrook, and he was one of the three appraisers of the estate of George Fenwick in 1660. He was also involved in the inventory of the estate of William Carmackle in 1666.
The History of the Parker Pen Company says: "In the autumn of 1633 William Parker left Dover, England with his wife Margery, aged 17, and eventually set sail from London on the ship "Matthew" departing May 21, 1635. Their ambitious journey no doubt may have been inspired by tales of the great migration in the prior few years by the Wellington Fleet, and several other convoys of ships carrying over thousands of settlers to the New World and The Massachusetts Bay Colony.
His home lot in Hartford in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill" which is now Trumbull Street.
The location of his lot is evidence that he was with Thomas Hooker's party in 1636. He is also listed as an inhabitant who had a right to undivided lands. He was one of the Hartford settlers who served in the Pequot War and attained the rank of sergeant.
He received 36 acres of land in the division of upland in East Hartford in 1666 that he sold to William Pitkin and William Goodwin. He sold his share of land received in 1674 on the west side of Hartford to Thomas and Samuel Olcott. William Parker's six acres were sold in 1684 to Joseph Collier.
William Parker fathered ten children by his first wife. Prior to 1682 he married a second wife, Elizabeth Pratt, the widow of Lieutenant William Pratt. His daughter, Margaret, born about 1650, married Joseph Pratt in 1671, who was the son of Lieutenant William Pratt and Elizabeth (Clark) Pratt.
William Parker moved from Hartford to Saybrook in 1649. He was a large landholder and also had land in Hebron that he had acquired from Joshua, the third son of Uncas.
Edward Johnson in his work published in 1654 wrote of him: "Mr. William Parker, a man of pregnant understanding, and very useful in his place."
William Parker was Deputy to the General Court at the special session of 1652, at the May sessions in 1679 and 1681, and at the October sessions of 1678, 1679, 1680, and 1681.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Parker_(early_settler)
Parker Ancestor
William Parker, Hartford Founder
https://www.foundersofhartford.org/the-founders/william-parker/
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Lula May Benson Parker
Nelson's final address was 578 Park Drive, N.E. in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia.
https://www.harrynorman.com/real-estate/578-park-drive-ne-atlanta-ga-30306/5825039/38995536
PARKER Name today, in this direct line
"Are you related to So-and-So Parker?"
The answer is, "Probably not". Today, only three men with the Parker surname are direct descendants of Henry Lyman Parker, and all three are Nelson's descendants. Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker had one child only, Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker Davison.
"What Parkers are your family?" We are direct descendants of Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook, Connecticut. (Nelson Huntley Parker, Henry Lyman Parker, Jonathan Parker IV, Jonathan Parker III, Jonathan Parker Jr., Lt. Jonathan Parker, Joseph Parker, Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook).
After Lula and Nelson's sons died, there were three male line descendants of Henry Lyman Parker (and one female descendant) with the Parker surname. These four are the only Parkers who have the same Parker grandfather (Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) and second great-grandfather (Henry Lyman Parker). Other direct descendants of Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. living today are not named PARKER.
In 2022, three men now carry the Parker surname representing THIS Parker family. Any other PARKER relatives today are only distantly related to Nelson's descendants. Only these three males continue the Parker surname in a direct male line from William Parker, Hartford Founder, to Henry Lyman Parker and forward from Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
BENSON surname, in this direct line
The Benson surname (in Thomas Brewer Benson's direct line) ended when he died without a son. Tom had two daughters, Lula and Mamie. Lula (Mrs. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) had children. Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) did not have children.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER was born in Ivoryton, Middlesex County, Connecticut. His family was from Connecticut. Nelson's ancestors came to Saybrook Colony, now Connecticut, in the colonial era. His family lived in this area for over two hundred years. Sergeant William Parker, a Hartford founder, was the first in this direct Parker male line. William Parker moved to Saybrook. All of the subsequent Parkers in the direct line to Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. lived in Saybrook.
"The Saybrook Colony was first settled at Saybrook Point adjacent to the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound in late 1635. This was not part of the Colony of Connecticut originally, and encompassed an area that today includes the towns of Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Lyme, a small section of East Lyme, Essex, Deep River, Chester, and Westbrook. It became part of Connecticut in the mid-1640s, and by early 1648, had been divided into formal quarters. One of these sections was Potapoug Quarter and included what now are the towns of Essex, Deep River, and Chester, with their villages of Centerbrook, Ivoryton, and Winthrop."
— Brief History of Essex, Connecticut
https://www.essexct.gov/home/pages/brief-history-of-essex
A journal kept by Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. while he was a student at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida was shared by his great-grandson Russell. In this journal, which begins on January 3, 1887, Nelson mentions his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker and his parents. He writes about daily life, school activities, family, and church. Nelson begins his new journal and a new year with a resolution to be more Christ-like.
Nelson also refers to Arbor Day, a holiday founded by Julius Sterling Morton who shares with Nelson Huntley Parker several ancestors in allied families.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Lodge_State_Historical_Park_and_Arboretum
A word on history:
"If, however, a man says that he does not care to know where his grandfather lived, what he did, and what were that grandfather's policies and religious creed, it can merely mean that he is incapable in taking interest of one of the most interesting forms of human knowledge of the details of the past."
— The London Spectator
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Born JANUARY 15, 1868
IVORYTON, MIDDLESEX, CONNECTICUT
As per The Lum Genealogy, Nelson and Lula were parents of Howard Huntley Parker (died young), Julia Benson Parker (no children), George Otis Parker, Sr. (married Mildred, two daughters and one son), Nelson Huntley Parker, Jr. (married Phalba, one son and one daughter), Freeman Benson Parker (married Esther, no children). Nelson and Lula's youngest child Thomas Brewer Parker was born after The Lum Genealogy was compiled. Tom Parker married Louise (three daughters).
Nelson was 74 years old when his grandson George Otis Parker, Jr. was born on January 18, 1943. George was my father. He was Nelson's youngest grandchild.
Nelson was 76 years old when he died on June 2, 1944. America was still recovering from the Great Depression, Lula's distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, and World War II had yet to end. His son Freeman was on duty overseas, and Nelson Jr. was also in the military.
When Nelson Sr. died, he and Lula were living in Atlanta. George Otis Parker, Jr. was born in Savannah, so Nelson may have had the opportunity to meet his grandson. Being very young when Nelson died, George Jr. didn't have personal memories of him. Grandchildren born before 1940 probably did remember Nelson.
After being married, Nelson and Lula lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, and Colorado before finally settling in Georgia circa 1920s. Lula was born in Macon, Georgia. Her only sister Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) lived in Senoia, Coweta County, Georgia. As a descendant of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, Lula had cousins in Georgia. Lula had cousins on the Freeman side still living in Georgia as well.
Lula had a large extended family who knew one another. This family included White, Brewer, and Freeman relatives. After 1915 in Georgia, Lula had one paternal aunt, Gertrude Benson (Mrs. Henry Clay Arnall) and one paternal uncle, Frank Cook Benson, who also lived in Georgia. Her father's only other surviving sibling was Admiral William Shepherd Benson, of Baltimore, Maryland. Admiral Benson maintained close ties to his family in Georgia. He had a paternal relationship with his nieces Lula and Mamie, whose parents died when they were small children. Lula's children visited Admiral and Mrs. Benson, and Admiral Benson spent time visiting Georgia following his retirement from the United States Navy.
In Florida, Lula had one uncle, William Henry Freeman, of Daytona Beach. Mr. Freeman was a brother of Hattie Eliza Freeman (Mrs. Thomas Brewer Benson). Lula, Nelson, and Mamie were residents of Daytona Beach in 1910, at which time William Henry Freeman and an Aspinwall cousin Charles Henry Dearborn Griggs were established residents of Daytona Beach. Being a small and idyllic community in 1910, and Lula's family having a long tradition of maintaining relationships with family, Lula and Nelson will certainly have enjoyed relationships with both men and their families.
Nelson maintained a close relationship with his brother Willie, who lived in Philadelphia. A photo of Willie's daughter Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker is in my personal collection of family memorabilia. Lula knew her husband's extended family, and this photo is inscribed with a brief message to Lula and Nelson.
Nelson and Lula were happily married. They had six children who lived to adulthood. All of their children attended college. Five of their six children married. Their daughter Julia Benson Parker did not marry.
When Nelson died in 1944, he was survived by his wife Lula; daughters Julia and Mary; sons George, Nelson, Freeman, and Tom; and by grandchildren. Nelson was survived also by his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker, niece Hessie, and Hessie's mother Florence, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also surviving were Lula's sister Mamie and Mamie's husband Van Porter Enloe, Sr.
After Nelson died, Lula lived with her unmarried daughter Julia. Lula's son George Sr. died in 1962. Her first child Howard Huntley Parker died while he was an infant.
Lula died in 1964. She was survived by five of her seven children, and by nine grandchildren. Lula didn't have nieces or nephews, but her sister Mamie did have stepchildren.
In 1976, Nelson's surviving children organized the first Parker Reunion. All of Nelson's surviving children attended, bringing their own children who had young families. George Jr.'s widow Mildred was included and came to the reunion with her three children and all of her grandchildren. This was a memorable experience for Lula's grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. The first reunion was in Florida, and the final reunion was held in the early 1980s. The tradition continued, but this was the last formal Parker reunion with all surviving children of Lula and Nelson and their own families.
Nelson was born in Connecticut, as recorded on his headstone. Nelson's obituary names his brother Willis, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photos of Willie's daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker were shared with Nelson and Lula, and today these photos are with descendants of Nelson. Willis Nathaniel Parker was Nelson's only surviving brother, and Hessie was Nelson's niece.
Nelson's parents were Henry Lyman Parker and Julia (Juliett, Juliette) Huntley. The marriage record for Henry Lyman Parker has not been seen by this author. Information provided by descendant Frances (Mrs. Dennis McCrary) notes that Henry Ward Beecher performed the ceremony, while other sources do not mention the officiant.
Nelson's father was Henry Lyman Parker, a son of Jonathan Parker IV and Abigail Wilcox, of Connecticut. Abigail Wilcox's parents were cousins in the Wilcox family, and additionally had shared ancestors in the Hull family and other family lines, including Kelsey.
Nelson's mother Julia Huntley was a daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker. Elisha Huntley's parents were cousins in the Mack, Huntley, Champion, and Bennett family lines.
The name "Nelson" was used by others in the Huntley family. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. had an uncle named Nelson J. Huntley. This uncle named Nelson was a brother of Julia Huntley (Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker). Nelson the uncle was married to Eleanor Anne Parker, a sister of Henry Lyman Parker. Presumably the two couples, each being a sibling of the other's spouse, maintained close relationships as adults.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker were parents of Nelson and Willie, the two siblings who remained in communication all their lives.
Nelson H. Parker - Notary public in Middlefield, Connecticut. Uncle Freeman was born in Rockfall, Connecticut, which is within Middlefield. Presumably this person was Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. – however this has not been confirmed. There were others named Parker and possibly others named Nelson H. Parker. That said, the person listed is probably my great-grandfather Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
https://books.google.com/books?id=h3FIAAAAYAAJ&q=Nelson+H.+Parker#v=snippet&q=Nelson%20H.%20Parker&f=false
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. was from Middlesex County, Connecticut. His parents, if they were in fact married by Henry Ward Beecher, were likely to have been involved in the Temperance movement. As mentioned, Nelson writes about his journey and goals as a follower of Christ. Church was probably important to his family.
Lula May Benson was the eldest child and first daughter of Thomas Brewer Benson and his wife Hattie Eliza Freeman. Lula was born in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Her mother Hattie was a daughter of Charles Henry Freeman and Hannah Lum. Hattie was born in Macon, but her parents were from New Jersey. Lula's father Thomas Brewer Benson was a son of Richard Aaron Benson and Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson, both of whom were Bibb County natives.
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer (Mrs Richard Aaron Benson) was born in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. Her parents came to Georgia from Massachusetts. Her father Thomas Aspinwall Brewer is recorded in "The Aspinwall Genealogy". Mrs. Benson's mother Mary Foster Brewer Brewer was the daughter of Ebenezer Brewer. He was a first cousin to Edward Brewer, the father of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer. Ebenezer Brewer's first wife was Mary Foster. This Foster family appears to be a Jane and John Foster of Boston. At this time, nothing certain is known by this author. There are several Foster families and nothing to connect Mary to any of these families. Foster is unknown. Ebenezer Brewer next married Elizabeth White, who was direct descendant of John White and Frances Jackson, and also a direct descendant of Peter Aspinwall and Remember Palfrey. Elizabeth (second wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does have known ancestry. Mary Foster (first wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does not have known ancestors. Maybe her family can be discovered, but today this information is unknown. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer was living when he was recorded in The Aspinwall Genealogy.
WILLIS NATHANIEL "WILLIE" PARKER
Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker married Florence Knight Bickley of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their daughter was Hester Bickley Parker. The George Parker, Jr. family has a studio portrait of Hessie Parker. She was Nelson's niece and thus a first cousin to George Otis Parker, Sr. and his siblings.
Hester married Harry Davison of Pennsylvania and had three daughters. They lived in Pennsylvania. Hessie's mother Florence Knight Bickley Parker was from Germantown, Philadelphia. Florence's family were active and prominent in their church and in community affairs. The family were founders of Germantown, Pennsylvania.
From the obituary of Willie and Florence Parker's great-grandson - the grandson of their daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker and Harry Davison - comes this passage noting Florence Knight Bickley Parker's ancestor Francis Daniel Pastorius — which offers an introduction to their family history.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer:
"Judge Snite was known as "Jack" to friends and family.
Born in Philadelphia, he was a direct descendant of Francis Daniel Pastorius, the founder of Germantown in 1683.
Judge Snite graduated from Olney High School in 1965 and earned an economics degree in 1969 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania."
— An excerpt from "Albert John 'Jack' Snite Jr., 68, 'passionate' retired judge" ~ By Bonnie L. Cook, Staff Writer. News Article and Obituary published August 31, 2016. The Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer.
We know that brothers Nelson and Willie Parker as adults continued their relationship, including with correspondence and photos. A note to Nelson and Lula is on the back of the portrait photo of Hessie Parker. A beautiful photo of Hessie. This information is certain.
CHILDREN of NELSON and LULA PARKER:
HOWARD HUNTLEY PARKER
Howard Huntley Parker died young. Baby Howard was born November 26, 1897, and died on May 5, 1898. (The Lum Genealogy)
JULIA BENSON PARKER
Julia Benson "Julia" Parker was born December 4, 1899 in Connecticut, and died on August 11, 1990. Julia never married, and has no children or descendants. She lived in Atlanta, was close to her parents, and was actively involved with her church. She worked in Atlanta, Georgia, and also travelled widely. She was a founding member of The Pilot Club. Julia was independent and adventurous in an era when many were content simply to marry. She very much enjoyed witnessing her Christian faith, and had a genuine love for the Lord. Julia, after a long and remarkable life, was able to give her house to the Presbyterian Church she attended. The church was located nearby and had been an important part of Julia's life. Julia did not drink alcohol, and was an extraordinary example to others in so many ways. Miss Julia Benson Parker is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, along with her parents and family members including her great-great grandparents Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer who were first in her Brewer direct family line to live in Georgia.
GEORGE OTIS PARKER, SR.
George Otis "George" Parker, Sr. was born June 22, 1904, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Davidson College, North Carolina. George Sr. married Mildred from Georgia. They had two daughters and one son. George Sr. and Mildred lived in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia. George Sr.'s death was unexpected. Note that there is no George III because George Jr.'s son does not have the name Otis; his middle name comes from his mother's family. George Sr. was born in 1904 and died in 1962. George Jr. was born January 18, 1943 and died from cancer in December 1982. There is not a George Otis Parker III in this family.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, JR.
Nelson Huntley "Nelson" Parker, Jr. was born August 13, 1907, in Connecticut. On November 7, 1931, he married Mary Phalba Kennington, daughter of Henry Aquine Kennington and Josephine Schell. Phalba's parents were married in Georgia and had several children including Mary Phalba. Phalba and Nelson had two children. Nelson died March 4, 1987, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. Burial with wife Phalba, who died November 5, 1986, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. One son, Nelson Huntley Parker III, M.D. (1934-2005) was survived by three children, his husband Eric and his sister and her family. One daughter Mary of Florida died in 2020, predeceased by her husband and survived by four children and their families.
FREEMAN BENSON PARKER
The Reverend Freeman Benson "Freeman" Parker married the accomplished young lady Miss Esther Henrietta Hodek, daughter of Anna Marie Holecek and Henry Hodek, of Orlando, Florida. He was known as the Rev. Freeman B. Parker. He was a Presbyterian who was called to lead several congregations and also was involved in community organizations and much volunteer outreach. Freeman served as military chaplain, and was with General McArthur overseas. See his engagement and wedding announcements, and obituary, for more complete biography. Esther Henrietta Hodek Parker predeceased her husband Freeman. Esther's brother, Henry "Hank" Hodek of Live Oak, Florida, died August 2021, having been predeceased by first wife Cuba Marie Parsons Hodek. Freeman and Esther did not have children.
THOMAS BREWER PARKER
Thomas Brewer "Tom" Parker was born July 22, 1911. Tom died December 28, 1995, aged 84. He was a resident of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where he had retired. Tom and Louise Lane McArthur Parker lived in Macon, Georgia, for the greater part of their married years, and are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Loving parents Tom and Louise were blessed with three beautiful daughters. Their daughter Celeste is recently deceased. Tom and Louise were blessed also with a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lula and Nelson lived in a variety of places before settling in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. Locations include Middlesex County, Connecticut; Suffolk County, Massachusetts; San Miguel County, Colorado; Volusia County, Florida; Selma, Dallas County Alabama; and Bibb County, Georgia.
LUM FAMILY
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. is listed in the Lum genealogy.
Lum, Edward H., "Genealogy of the Lum Family", compiled by Edward H. Lum. Unionist-Gazette Association, Somerville, N.J. 1927.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
married Lula May Benson
LULA MAY BENSON
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson's parents were second cousins (not unusual at that time). Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, great-grandson of Stephen Brewer; and Mary Foster Brewer, great-granddaughter of Joseph Brewer, were born in Massachusetts. Stephen and Joseph were brothers. Their parents were Nathaniel III and Elizabeth Mayo Brewer. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and his wife lived in Vineville, Georgia, nearby to Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer were paternal great-grandparents of Lula May Benson. In 1896, Lula May Benson married Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
NELSON'S FAMILY
Mary Tinker was a daughter of Nathan Tinker and his second wife Lucy Smith Tinker.
Julia Huntley was born in Connecticut on December 26, 1830.
Parker family tree:
PARKER
Sergeant William Parker, Hartford Founder
Margaret / Margery Pritchard?
William Parker's parents are unknown.
Joseph Parker
Hannah Gilbert Parker
daughter of Deputy Gov. Matthew Gilbert and Jane Baker Gilbert
Lt. Jonathan Parker
Eleanor Post Parker
daughter of Abraham Post and Mary Jordan Post
Jonathan Parker II
Sarah Bushnell
daughter of Ephraim Bushnell and Ann Hill Bushnell
Jonathan III
Mary Jones Parker
parents of Mary Jones Parker are unknown
Jonathan Parker IV
Abigail Wilcox
daughter of Joseph Wilcox and Grace Wilcox Wilcox
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Lula May Benson
STEVENS / STEPHENS
John Stephens
Mary
William Stevens
Mary Meigs Stevens
Josiah Stevens
Sarah Hubbell Stevens
Daniel Stevens
Esther Chatfield
Sarah Stevens
Silas Wilcox
Grace Wilcox
Joseph Wilcox
Abigail Wilcox
Jonathan Parker IV
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Not everything found online is accurate. There are websites with errors that have not yet been corrected, so inaccurate lineages can be found online. These sites are not primary sources, and are often incomplete or inaccurate. Please research using records. Also, in earlier books published about family lineages, an author might create a history for an ancestor of unknown origin or parentage. Conversely, the era from 1800 to today is another point where problems often appear. With a family record provided by reliable sources, the Parker line is correct on Find A Grave. On one or more websites, a "Henry Lyman Parker" in the same state with nearly the same birth and death dates was assigned as father to Nelson (screenshots saved), and the wrong man is still on at least one other high-traffic website. Official birth, marriage, death, and burial records are typically the best sources for accurate information. Unfortunately, George Sr.'s surviving daughters do not communicate with all of their Parker cousins, or even with each other, making this Find A Grave project a difficult and uncomfortable struggle for correct information. Much can be gained from reading historical publications and records. Nothing is gained by guessing parents or by copying unsourced family trees found online. Professional research is the best source aside from family records and official primary sources.
Nelson Huntley Parker Sr. (1868 - 1944)
Born 15 Jan 1868 in Ivoryton, Essex, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States
Son of Henry Lyman Parker
Brother of Willis Nathaniel Parker
Husband of Lula May (Benson) Paker — married 24 Nov 1896 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia, United States
Recently, information found online said a different Henry Lyman Parker was Nelson's father and obviously different grandparents were shown. Documentation beginning with Nelson Sr.'s birth certificate should be located. Documentation such as any birth, marriage, and death records are basic requirements in genealogy.
Brewer - wife's family
There are two Brewer lines to Lula, both by way of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer. Lula directly descends from TWO sons of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer — Joseph and Stephen.
The children of Lula May Benson Parker are the only descendants of Thomas Brewer Benson and Hattie Eliza Freeman Benson. Tom and Hattie had two daughters, Mamie Shepherd Benson and Lula May Benson. Only Lula had children. Mamie had step-children, but no children of her own. All are deceased.
William Parker, early settler - Wikipedia
William Parker (1618–1686) was an early Puritan settler in the Connecticut Colony and one of the founders of Hartford. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the summer of 1635 after sailing from London on May 21, 1635 aboard the ship Mathew. He settled in Newtowne, the community that is now Cambridge, and became one of the members of Thomas Hooker's congregation. He was one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut.
Life
William was an original proprietor and land owner in Hartford, Connecticut in 1636, where his name is on the west face of the Founders Monument. Here his home–lot in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill," now Trumbull St. He too part in the Pequot War (an armed conflict in 1637-1638 between an alliance of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, with Native American allies - the Narragansett, and Mohegan tribe), against the Pequot tribe.) in 1637 and moved to Saybrook about 1643. He was a pillar in the church in 1646 and a Deputy of Connecticut General Court during the sessions in September 1652, May 1672, May and October 1673, October 1680, May and October 1681, May and October 1682, and May 1683. William was a Sergeant in the Saybrook Train Band, owned land in Saybrook, and he was one of the three appraisers of the estate of George Fenwick in 1660. He was also involved in the inventory of the estate of William Carmackle in 1666.
The History of the Parker Pen Company says: "In the autumn of 1633 William Parker left Dover, England with his wife Margery, aged 17, and eventually set sail from London on the ship "Matthew" departing May 21, 1635. Their ambitious journey no doubt may have been inspired by tales of the great migration in the prior few years by the Wellington Fleet, and several other convoys of ships carrying over thousands of settlers to the New World and The Massachusetts Bay Colony.
His home lot in Hartford in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill" which is now Trumbull Street.
The location of his lot is evidence that he was with Thomas Hooker's party in 1636. He is also listed as an inhabitant who had a right to undivided lands. He was one of the Hartford settlers who served in the Pequot War and attained the rank of sergeant.
He received 36 acres of land in the division of upland in East Hartford in 1666 that he sold to William Pitkin and William Goodwin. He sold his share of land received in 1674 on the west side of Hartford to Thomas and Samuel Olcott. William Parker's six acres were sold in 1684 to Joseph Collier.
William Parker fathered ten children by his first wife. Prior to 1682 he married a second wife, Elizabeth Pratt, the widow of Lieutenant William Pratt. His daughter, Margaret, born about 1650, married Joseph Pratt in 1671, who was the son of Lieutenant William Pratt and Elizabeth (Clark) Pratt.
William Parker moved from Hartford to Saybrook in 1649. He was a large landholder and also had land in Hebron that he had acquired from Joshua, the third son of Uncas.
Edward Johnson in his work published in 1654 wrote of him: "Mr. William Parker, a man of pregnant understanding, and very useful in his place."
William Parker was Deputy to the General Court at the special session of 1652, at the May sessions in 1679 and 1681, and at the October sessions of 1678, 1679, 1680, and 1681.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Parker_(early_settler)
Parker Ancestor
William Parker, Hartford Founder
https://www.foundersofhartford.org/the-founders/william-parker/
Lula May Benson Parker
Nelson's final address was 578 Park Drive, N.E. in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia.
https://www.harrynorman.com/real-estate/578-park-drive-ne-atlanta-ga-30306/5825039/38995536
PARKER Name today, in this direct line
"Are you related to So-and-So Parker?"
The answer is, "Probably not". Today, only three men with the Parker surname are direct descendants of Henry Lyman Parker, and all three are Nelson's descendants. Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker had one child only, Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker Davison.
"What Parkers are your family?" We are direct descendants of Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook, Connecticut. (Nelson Huntley Parker, Henry Lyman Parker, Jonathan Parker IV, Jonathan Parker III, Jonathan Parker Jr., Lt. Jonathan Parker, Joseph Parker, Sergeant William Parker, of Hartford and Saybrook).
After Lula and Nelson's sons died, there were three male line descendants of Henry Lyman Parker (and one female descendant) with the Parker surname. These four are the only Parkers who have the same Parker grandfather (Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) and second great-grandfather (Henry Lyman Parker). Other direct descendants of Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. living today are not named PARKER.
In 2022, three men now carry the Parker surname representing THIS Parker family. Any other PARKER relatives today are only distantly related to Nelson's descendants. Only these three males continue the Parker surname in a direct male line from William Parker, Hartford Founder, to Henry Lyman Parker and forward from Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
BENSON surname, in this direct line
The Benson surname (in Thomas Brewer Benson's direct line) ended when he died without a son. Tom had two daughters, Lula and Mamie. Lula (Mrs. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.) had children. Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) did not have children.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER was born in Ivoryton, Middlesex County, Connecticut. His family was from Connecticut. Nelson's ancestors came to Saybrook Colony, now Connecticut, in the colonial era. His family lived in this area for over two hundred years. Sergeant William Parker, a Hartford founder, was the first in this direct Parker male line. William Parker moved to Saybrook. All of the subsequent Parkers in the direct line to Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. lived in Saybrook.
"The Saybrook Colony was first settled at Saybrook Point adjacent to the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound in late 1635. This was not part of the Colony of Connecticut originally, and encompassed an area that today includes the towns of Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Lyme, a small section of East Lyme, Essex, Deep River, Chester, and Westbrook. It became part of Connecticut in the mid-1640s, and by early 1648, had been divided into formal quarters. One of these sections was Potapoug Quarter and included what now are the towns of Essex, Deep River, and Chester, with their villages of Centerbrook, Ivoryton, and Winthrop."
— Brief History of Essex, Connecticut
https://www.essexct.gov/home/pages/brief-history-of-essex
A journal kept by Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. while he was a student at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida was shared by his great-grandson Russell. In this journal, which begins on January 3, 1887, Nelson mentions his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker and his parents. He writes about daily life, school activities, family, and church. Nelson begins his new journal and a new year with a resolution to be more Christ-like.
Nelson also refers to Arbor Day, a holiday founded by Julius Sterling Morton who shares with Nelson Huntley Parker several ancestors in allied families.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Lodge_State_Historical_Park_and_Arboretum
A word on history:
"If, however, a man says that he does not care to know where his grandfather lived, what he did, and what were that grandfather's policies and religious creed, it can merely mean that he is incapable in taking interest of one of the most interesting forms of human knowledge of the details of the past."
— The London Spectator
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Born JANUARY 15, 1868
IVORYTON, MIDDLESEX, CONNECTICUT
As per The Lum Genealogy, Nelson and Lula were parents of Howard Huntley Parker (died young), Julia Benson Parker (no children), George Otis Parker, Sr. (married Mildred, two daughters and one son), Nelson Huntley Parker, Jr. (married Phalba, one son and one daughter), Freeman Benson Parker (married Esther, no children). Nelson and Lula's youngest child Thomas Brewer Parker was born after The Lum Genealogy was compiled. Tom Parker married Louise (three daughters).
Nelson was 74 years old when his grandson George Otis Parker, Jr. was born on January 18, 1943. George was my father. He was Nelson's youngest grandchild.
Nelson was 76 years old when he died on June 2, 1944. America was still recovering from the Great Depression, Lula's distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, and World War II had yet to end. His son Freeman was on duty overseas, and Nelson Jr. was also in the military.
When Nelson Sr. died, he and Lula were living in Atlanta. George Otis Parker, Jr. was born in Savannah, so Nelson may have had the opportunity to meet his grandson. Being very young when Nelson died, George Jr. didn't have personal memories of him. Grandchildren born before 1940 probably did remember Nelson.
After being married, Nelson and Lula lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, and Colorado before finally settling in Georgia circa 1920s. Lula was born in Macon, Georgia. Her only sister Mamie (Mrs. Van Porter Enloe, Sr.) lived in Senoia, Coweta County, Georgia. As a descendant of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, Lula had cousins in Georgia. Lula had cousins on the Freeman side still living in Georgia as well.
Lula had a large extended family who knew one another. This family included White, Brewer, and Freeman relatives. After 1915 in Georgia, Lula had one paternal aunt, Gertrude Benson (Mrs. Henry Clay Arnall) and one paternal uncle, Frank Cook Benson, who also lived in Georgia. Her father's only other surviving sibling was Admiral William Shepherd Benson, of Baltimore, Maryland. Admiral Benson maintained close ties to his family in Georgia. He had a paternal relationship with his nieces Lula and Mamie, whose parents died when they were small children. Lula's children visited Admiral and Mrs. Benson, and Admiral Benson spent time visiting Georgia following his retirement from the United States Navy.
In Florida, Lula had one uncle, William Henry Freeman, of Daytona Beach. Mr. Freeman was a brother of Hattie Eliza Freeman (Mrs. Thomas Brewer Benson). Lula, Nelson, and Mamie were residents of Daytona Beach in 1910, at which time William Henry Freeman and an Aspinwall cousin Charles Henry Dearborn Griggs were established residents of Daytona Beach. Being a small and idyllic community in 1910, and Lula's family having a long tradition of maintaining relationships with family, Lula and Nelson will certainly have enjoyed relationships with both men and their families.
Nelson maintained a close relationship with his brother Willie, who lived in Philadelphia. A photo of Willie's daughter Hester Bickley "Hessie" Parker is in my personal collection of family memorabilia. Lula knew her husband's extended family, and this photo is inscribed with a brief message to Lula and Nelson.
Nelson and Lula were happily married. They had six children who lived to adulthood. All of their children attended college. Five of their six children married. Their daughter Julia Benson Parker did not marry.
When Nelson died in 1944, he was survived by his wife Lula; daughters Julia and Mary; sons George, Nelson, Freeman, and Tom; and by grandchildren. Nelson was survived also by his brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker, niece Hessie, and Hessie's mother Florence, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also surviving were Lula's sister Mamie and Mamie's husband Van Porter Enloe, Sr.
After Nelson died, Lula lived with her unmarried daughter Julia. Lula's son George Sr. died in 1962. Her first child Howard Huntley Parker died while he was an infant.
Lula died in 1964. She was survived by five of her seven children, and by nine grandchildren. Lula didn't have nieces or nephews, but her sister Mamie did have stepchildren.
In 1976, Nelson's surviving children organized the first Parker Reunion. All of Nelson's surviving children attended, bringing their own children who had young families. George Jr.'s widow Mildred was included and came to the reunion with her three children and all of her grandchildren. This was a memorable experience for Lula's grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. The first reunion was in Florida, and the final reunion was held in the early 1980s. The tradition continued, but this was the last formal Parker reunion with all surviving children of Lula and Nelson and their own families.
Nelson was born in Connecticut, as recorded on his headstone. Nelson's obituary names his brother Willis, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photos of Willie's daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker were shared with Nelson and Lula, and today these photos are with descendants of Nelson. Willis Nathaniel Parker was Nelson's only surviving brother, and Hessie was Nelson's niece.
Nelson's parents were Henry Lyman Parker and Julia (Juliett, Juliette) Huntley. The marriage record for Henry Lyman Parker has not been seen by this author. Information provided by descendant Frances (Mrs. Dennis McCrary) notes that Henry Ward Beecher performed the ceremony, while other sources do not mention the officiant.
Nelson's father was Henry Lyman Parker, a son of Jonathan Parker IV and Abigail Wilcox, of Connecticut. Abigail Wilcox's parents were cousins in the Wilcox family, and additionally had shared ancestors in the Hull family and other family lines, including Kelsey.
Nelson's mother Julia Huntley was a daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker. Elisha Huntley's parents were cousins in the Mack, Huntley, Champion, and Bennett family lines.
The name "Nelson" was used by others in the Huntley family. Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. had an uncle named Nelson J. Huntley. This uncle named Nelson was a brother of Julia Huntley (Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker). Nelson the uncle was married to Eleanor Anne Parker, a sister of Henry Lyman Parker. Presumably the two couples, each being a sibling of the other's spouse, maintained close relationships as adults.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lyman Parker were parents of Nelson and Willie, the two siblings who remained in communication all their lives.
Nelson H. Parker - Notary public in Middlefield, Connecticut. Uncle Freeman was born in Rockfall, Connecticut, which is within Middlefield. Presumably this person was Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. – however this has not been confirmed. There were others named Parker and possibly others named Nelson H. Parker. That said, the person listed is probably my great-grandfather Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
https://books.google.com/books?id=h3FIAAAAYAAJ&q=Nelson+H.+Parker#v=snippet&q=Nelson%20H.%20Parker&f=false
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, SR.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. was from Middlesex County, Connecticut. His parents, if they were in fact married by Henry Ward Beecher, were likely to have been involved in the Temperance movement. As mentioned, Nelson writes about his journey and goals as a follower of Christ. Church was probably important to his family.
Lula May Benson was the eldest child and first daughter of Thomas Brewer Benson and his wife Hattie Eliza Freeman. Lula was born in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Her mother Hattie was a daughter of Charles Henry Freeman and Hannah Lum. Hattie was born in Macon, but her parents were from New Jersey. Lula's father Thomas Brewer Benson was a son of Richard Aaron Benson and Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson, both of whom were Bibb County natives.
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer (Mrs Richard Aaron Benson) was born in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia. Her parents came to Georgia from Massachusetts. Her father Thomas Aspinwall Brewer is recorded in "The Aspinwall Genealogy". Mrs. Benson's mother Mary Foster Brewer Brewer was the daughter of Ebenezer Brewer. He was a first cousin to Edward Brewer, the father of Thomas Aspinwall Brewer. Ebenezer Brewer's first wife was Mary Foster. This Foster family appears to be a Jane and John Foster of Boston. At this time, nothing certain is known by this author. There are several Foster families and nothing to connect Mary to any of these families. Foster is unknown. Ebenezer Brewer next married Elizabeth White, who was direct descendant of John White and Frances Jackson, and also a direct descendant of Peter Aspinwall and Remember Palfrey. Elizabeth (second wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does have known ancestry. Mary Foster (first wife of Ebenezer Brewer) does not have known ancestors. Maybe her family can be discovered, but today this information is unknown. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer was living when he was recorded in The Aspinwall Genealogy.
WILLIS NATHANIEL "WILLIE" PARKER
Nelson's brother Willis Nathaniel "Willie" Parker married Florence Knight Bickley of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their daughter was Hester Bickley Parker. The George Parker, Jr. family has a studio portrait of Hessie Parker. She was Nelson's niece and thus a first cousin to George Otis Parker, Sr. and his siblings.
Hester married Harry Davison of Pennsylvania and had three daughters. They lived in Pennsylvania. Hessie's mother Florence Knight Bickley Parker was from Germantown, Philadelphia. Florence's family were active and prominent in their church and in community affairs. The family were founders of Germantown, Pennsylvania.
From the obituary of Willie and Florence Parker's great-grandson - the grandson of their daughter Hester "Hessie" Parker and Harry Davison - comes this passage noting Florence Knight Bickley Parker's ancestor Francis Daniel Pastorius — which offers an introduction to their family history.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer:
"Judge Snite was known as "Jack" to friends and family.
Born in Philadelphia, he was a direct descendant of Francis Daniel Pastorius, the founder of Germantown in 1683.
Judge Snite graduated from Olney High School in 1965 and earned an economics degree in 1969 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania."
— An excerpt from "Albert John 'Jack' Snite Jr., 68, 'passionate' retired judge" ~ By Bonnie L. Cook, Staff Writer. News Article and Obituary published August 31, 2016. The Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer.
We know that brothers Nelson and Willie Parker as adults continued their relationship, including with correspondence and photos. A note to Nelson and Lula is on the back of the portrait photo of Hessie Parker. A beautiful photo of Hessie. This information is certain.
CHILDREN of NELSON and LULA PARKER:
HOWARD HUNTLEY PARKER
Howard Huntley Parker died young. Baby Howard was born November 26, 1897, and died on May 5, 1898. (The Lum Genealogy)
JULIA BENSON PARKER
Julia Benson "Julia" Parker was born December 4, 1899 in Connecticut, and died on August 11, 1990. Julia never married, and has no children or descendants. She lived in Atlanta, was close to her parents, and was actively involved with her church. She worked in Atlanta, Georgia, and also travelled widely. She was a founding member of The Pilot Club. Julia was independent and adventurous in an era when many were content simply to marry. She very much enjoyed witnessing her Christian faith, and had a genuine love for the Lord. Julia, after a long and remarkable life, was able to give her house to the Presbyterian Church she attended. The church was located nearby and had been an important part of Julia's life. Julia did not drink alcohol, and was an extraordinary example to others in so many ways. Miss Julia Benson Parker is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, along with her parents and family members including her great-great grandparents Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer who were first in her Brewer direct family line to live in Georgia.
GEORGE OTIS PARKER, SR.
George Otis "George" Parker, Sr. was born June 22, 1904, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Davidson College, North Carolina. George Sr. married Mildred from Georgia. They had two daughters and one son. George Sr. and Mildred lived in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia. George Sr.'s death was unexpected. Note that there is no George III because George Jr.'s son does not have the name Otis; his middle name comes from his mother's family. George Sr. was born in 1904 and died in 1962. George Jr. was born January 18, 1943 and died from cancer in December 1982. There is not a George Otis Parker III in this family.
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER, JR.
Nelson Huntley "Nelson" Parker, Jr. was born August 13, 1907, in Connecticut. On November 7, 1931, he married Mary Phalba Kennington, daughter of Henry Aquine Kennington and Josephine Schell. Phalba's parents were married in Georgia and had several children including Mary Phalba. Phalba and Nelson had two children. Nelson died March 4, 1987, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. Burial with wife Phalba, who died November 5, 1986, in Cape Coral, Lee County, Florida. One son, Nelson Huntley Parker III, M.D. (1934-2005) was survived by three children, his husband Eric and his sister and her family. One daughter Mary of Florida died in 2020, predeceased by her husband and survived by four children and their families.
FREEMAN BENSON PARKER
The Reverend Freeman Benson "Freeman" Parker married the accomplished young lady Miss Esther Henrietta Hodek, daughter of Anna Marie Holecek and Henry Hodek, of Orlando, Florida. He was known as the Rev. Freeman B. Parker. He was a Presbyterian who was called to lead several congregations and also was involved in community organizations and much volunteer outreach. Freeman served as military chaplain, and was with General McArthur overseas. See his engagement and wedding announcements, and obituary, for more complete biography. Esther Henrietta Hodek Parker predeceased her husband Freeman. Esther's brother, Henry "Hank" Hodek of Live Oak, Florida, died August 2021, having been predeceased by first wife Cuba Marie Parsons Hodek. Freeman and Esther did not have children.
THOMAS BREWER PARKER
Thomas Brewer "Tom" Parker was born July 22, 1911. Tom died December 28, 1995, aged 84. He was a resident of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where he had retired. Tom and Louise Lane McArthur Parker lived in Macon, Georgia, for the greater part of their married years, and are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Loving parents Tom and Louise were blessed with three beautiful daughters. Their daughter Celeste is recently deceased. Tom and Louise were blessed also with a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lula and Nelson lived in a variety of places before settling in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. Locations include Middlesex County, Connecticut; Suffolk County, Massachusetts; San Miguel County, Colorado; Volusia County, Florida; Selma, Dallas County Alabama; and Bibb County, Georgia.
LUM FAMILY
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr. is listed in the Lum genealogy.
Lum, Edward H., "Genealogy of the Lum Family", compiled by Edward H. Lum. Unionist-Gazette Association, Somerville, N.J. 1927.
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
married Lula May Benson
LULA MAY BENSON
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson's parents were second cousins (not unusual at that time). Thomas Aspinwall Brewer, great-grandson of Stephen Brewer; and Mary Foster Brewer, great-granddaughter of Joseph Brewer, were born in Massachusetts. Stephen and Joseph were brothers. Their parents were Nathaniel III and Elizabeth Mayo Brewer. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and his wife lived in Vineville, Georgia, nearby to Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Thomas Aspinwall Brewer and Mary Foster Brewer Brewer were paternal great-grandparents of Lula May Benson. In 1896, Lula May Benson married Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
NELSON'S FAMILY
Mary Tinker was a daughter of Nathan Tinker and his second wife Lucy Smith Tinker.
Julia Huntley was born in Connecticut on December 26, 1830.
Parker family tree:
PARKER
Sergeant William Parker, Hartford Founder
Margaret / Margery Pritchard?
William Parker's parents are unknown.
Joseph Parker
Hannah Gilbert Parker
daughter of Deputy Gov. Matthew Gilbert and Jane Baker Gilbert
Lt. Jonathan Parker
Eleanor Post Parker
daughter of Abraham Post and Mary Jordan Post
Jonathan Parker II
Sarah Bushnell
daughter of Ephraim Bushnell and Ann Hill Bushnell
Jonathan III
Mary Jones Parker
parents of Mary Jones Parker are unknown
Jonathan Parker IV
Abigail Wilcox
daughter of Joseph Wilcox and Grace Wilcox Wilcox
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
daughter of Elisha Huntley and Mary Tinker Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Lula May Benson
STEVENS / STEPHENS
John Stephens
Mary
William Stevens
Mary Meigs Stevens
Josiah Stevens
Sarah Hubbell Stevens
Daniel Stevens
Esther Chatfield
Sarah Stevens
Silas Wilcox
Grace Wilcox
Joseph Wilcox
Abigail Wilcox
Jonathan Parker IV
Henry Lyman Parker
Julia "Juliett" Huntley
Nelson Huntley Parker, Sr.
Not everything found online is accurate. There are websites with errors that have not yet been corrected, so inaccurate lineages can be found online. These sites are not primary sources, and are often incomplete or inaccurate. Please research using records. Also, in earlier books published about family lineages, an author might create a history for an ancestor of unknown origin or parentage. Conversely, the era from 1800 to today is another point where problems often appear. With a family record provided by reliable sources, the Parker line is correct on Find A Grave. On one or more websites, a "Henry Lyman Parker" in the same state with nearly the same birth and death dates was assigned as father to Nelson (screenshots saved), and the wrong man is still on at least one other high-traffic website. Official birth, marriage, death, and burial records are typically the best sources for accurate information. Unfortunately, George Sr.'s surviving daughters do not communicate with all of their Parker cousins, or even with each other, making this Find A Grave project a difficult and uncomfortable struggle for correct information. Much can be gained from reading historical publications and records. Nothing is gained by guessing parents or by copying unsourced family trees found online. Professional research is the best source aside from family records and official primary sources.
Nelson Huntley Parker Sr. (1868 - 1944)
Born 15 Jan 1868 in Ivoryton, Essex, Middlesex, Connecticut, United States
Son of Henry Lyman Parker
Brother of Willis Nathaniel Parker
Husband of Lula May (Benson) Paker — married 24 Nov 1896 in Macon, Bibb, Georgia, United States
Recently, information found online said a different Henry Lyman Parker was Nelson's father and obviously different grandparents were shown. Documentation beginning with Nelson Sr.'s birth certificate should be located. Documentation such as any birth, marriage, and death records are basic requirements in genealogy.
Brewer - wife's family
There are two Brewer lines to Lula, both by way of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer. Lula directly descends from TWO sons of Nathaniel III and Elizabeth (Mayo) Brewer — Joseph and Stephen.
The children of Lula May Benson Parker are the only descendants of Thomas Brewer Benson and Hattie Eliza Freeman Benson. Tom and Hattie had two daughters, Mamie Shepherd Benson and Lula May Benson. Only Lula had children. Mamie had step-children, but no children of her own. All are deceased.
William Parker, early settler - Wikipedia
William Parker (1618–1686) was an early Puritan settler in the Connecticut Colony and one of the founders of Hartford. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the summer of 1635 after sailing from London on May 21, 1635 aboard the ship Mathew. He settled in Newtowne, the community that is now Cambridge, and became one of the members of Thomas Hooker's congregation. He was one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut.
Life
William was an original proprietor and land owner in Hartford, Connecticut in 1636, where his name is on the west face of the Founders Monument. Here his home–lot in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill," now Trumbull St. He too part in the Pequot War (an armed conflict in 1637-1638 between an alliance of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies, with Native American allies - the Narragansett, and Mohegan tribe), against the Pequot tribe.) in 1637 and moved to Saybrook about 1643. He was a pillar in the church in 1646 and a Deputy of Connecticut General Court during the sessions in September 1652, May 1672, May and October 1673, October 1680, May and October 1681, May and October 1682, and May 1683. William was a Sergeant in the Saybrook Train Band, owned land in Saybrook, and he was one of the three appraisers of the estate of George Fenwick in 1660. He was also involved in the inventory of the estate of William Carmackle in 1666.
The History of the Parker Pen Company says: "In the autumn of 1633 William Parker left Dover, England with his wife Margery, aged 17, and eventually set sail from London on the ship "Matthew" departing May 21, 1635. Their ambitious journey no doubt may have been inspired by tales of the great migration in the prior few years by the Wellington Fleet, and several other convoys of ships carrying over thousands of settlers to the New World and The Massachusetts Bay Colony.
His home lot in Hartford in 1639 was on the west side of the "road from Seth Grant's to Centinel Hill" which is now Trumbull Street.
The location of his lot is evidence that he was with Thomas Hooker's party in 1636. He is also listed as an inhabitant who had a right to undivided lands. He was one of the Hartford settlers who served in the Pequot War and attained the rank of sergeant.
He received 36 acres of land in the division of upland in East Hartford in 1666 that he sold to William Pitkin and William Goodwin. He sold his share of land received in 1674 on the west side of Hartford to Thomas and Samuel Olcott. William Parker's six acres were sold in 1684 to Joseph Collier.
William Parker fathered ten children by his first wife. Prior to 1682 he married a second wife, Elizabeth Pratt, the widow of Lieutenant William Pratt. His daughter, Margaret, born about 1650, married Joseph Pratt in 1671, who was the son of Lieutenant William Pratt and Elizabeth (Clark) Pratt.
William Parker moved from Hartford to Saybrook in 1649. He was a large landholder and also had land in Hebron that he had acquired from Joshua, the third son of Uncas.
Edward Johnson in his work published in 1654 wrote of him: "Mr. William Parker, a man of pregnant understanding, and very useful in his place."
William Parker was Deputy to the General Court at the special session of 1652, at the May sessions in 1679 and 1681, and at the October sessions of 1678, 1679, 1680, and 1681.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Parker_(early_settler)
Parker Ancestor
William Parker, Hartford Founder
https://www.foundersofhartford.org/the-founders/william-parker/
Inscription
FATHER
NELSON HUNTLEY PARKER
IVORYTON, CONN.
JAN. 15, 1868
ATLANTA, GA.
JUNE 2, 1944
Family Members
Siblings
