Francis Leon (or Leon Francis) Parker, first child of the legendary alto saxophonist Charlie "Yardbird" Parker.

On January 10th 1938, Rebecca gave birth to his (Charlie's) first son, Francis Leon Parker. He is named after the musicians Leon Chu Berry, a renowned alto sax player and Francis Scott Key, author of The Star Spangled Banner. This was the first song he ever played to Rebecca. In an interview with Anita J. Dixon, Rebecca remembers “He wasn’t there when Leon was born and for the first four months, our child was called ‘Baby’ Parker. On his next visit home he named him. He wanted to name him so I waited.”

Comment by Eric Scott Reed

Here is Leon's obituary:

Leon F. Parker, Aurora. Husband of Wanda E. Parker, Aurora; father of Bryan C., California, Kristal L., Korey L. Parker, both Denver; brother of Debra Thornton, Theodore King, Morris Davis, all Altadena, CA; 3 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild; a host of other relatives and many friends. Visitation, Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. with service to follow, both Pipkin Chapel of Peace, to conclude. Interment, Monday, Ft. Logan National Cemetery.

Published in the June 11, 2004 editions of the Denver (CO) Post and the Rocky Mountain (CO) News

Click here to see a transcript of the birth certificate for Charlie's older half-brother, born in Chicago in 1914.


"Charles first son, John A. Parker was born 13th June 1914 in Chicago, Illinois. Charles would have been 28 years old at his birth and perhaps named his new son after his brother. It was previously believed that when Parker Senior left Addie, he took John with him. However, this is contradicted by the census forms for both 1920 and 1930. Both records show John remained in Kansas with his grandmother, Ella Parker at 844 Washington Boulevard. This suggests that, contrary to Addie’s statements about treating the boys equally so John did not know he was Charlie’s half-brother, John had been removed from the family unit before Charlie was born. The fact that Addie made this statement suggests she may have influenced John’s circumstances. However, in an interview with Kamua Agyei in 1985, John indicates that the relationship with his half-brother was strong. "I would come to Missouri and visit Bird every weekend. We would go around to clubs like Lucille's Paradise, Mohawk, etc. Bird's favourite meal when he was growing up was beans, cornbread and lemonade.” As an adult, John worked for the Kansas City Post Office."

The 2-year-old Leon on his very first census, taken in Kansas City, Missouri on April 2, 1940. He was living with his mother's family, the Ruffins, at 3600 Bellaire Ave. in Kansas City. They are at the very top of the sheet. Rebecca's occupation is shown as "housework" for a "private family". On the previous sheet, the "head of household" is shown as Rebecca Ruffin Parker's mother, Fannie E. Ruffin, age 48, widowed, a native of Tennessee, mother of seven and married for the first time at age 18.

Rebecca Ruffin's parents were Marcus Ruffin and Fannie Ruffin.

The certificate of Leon's marriage to Marlous A. Adams on October 28, 1960 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.

Leon was living at 1535 Olive St. in Kansas City while Marlous was living at 643 Oakland St. in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas.

His birthdate was shown as Jan. 10, 1938 and hers as Jul. 27, 1937. He was shown as "single" and she as "divorced". (Her previous marriage was to one "Charles Delano Scott" (b. Jun. 30, 1936) on July 25, 1959.)

When he died in 2004, Leon left a widow, Wanda E. Parker, b. May 21, 1947.

The application for a marriage license filed by Leon's parents, Charles Parker Jr. and Rebecca Ruffin, on July 25, 1936 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. They were married that same day by the Rev. John T. Webb. (According to his death certificate, Rev. Webb was also a probation officer for the county and probably just happened to be "on hand" at the courthouse to officiate at this wedding.)

Charlie and his mother Addie (who had to give her consent for her underaged son to marry) were living at 1516 Olive St. in Kansas City while Rebecca was living with her family at 2521 Vine St. just 10 blocks away.

Had the minister known that Charlie was only 15 years old at the time, he probably would not have married this couple. (Charlie had "fibbed" and said he was 20 - which was still "underage" when grooms had to be 21 to be married without parental consent; brides had to be 18; with consent, the ages were, respectively, 18 and 16.)