I have been researching the early Parkers of Pittsylvania County, Virginia for years and have had no dramatic breakthroughs in all that time. But I recently purchased the 1782-1812 personal tax lists from Binn’s and the information was enlightening so I will share it here. The tax list information is combined with deed information, and some other sources that will be cited.
It is evident to me that there were three heads of household Parker families in Pittsylvania starting in 1770’s-1780’s.
They were:
William. Parker of the Pigg River (PG) area (Cherrystone, Harping Creek), married to Henrietta. (They were my ancestors)
William Parker of Old Woman’s Creek (OWC) married to Keziah.
John Parker of the Staunton River.
William Parker of Old Woman’s Creek and John Parker of the Staunton River have some evident relationship. They lived fairly close together and deeds demonstrate a relationship.
I offer the following family reconstructions:
John Parker, b. as early as 1741 based on birthdate of eldest presumed son minus 20 years. He was on 1782 Pittsyl. Tax list and his first land record in Pittsylvania was 1783 land grant. Per the Shelton Journal, a John Parker d. 23 March, 1811 – the tax list information supports the fact that he died in 1811.
Children with birthdates per their first appearance on the tax lists (tax list appearance minus 21 years – they had to be 21 to be accounted for on list; I calculated this by the pattern of the number of tithables attached to John and then their appearance as a separate tithables by name):
Joseph 1761
Benjamin 1763
David 1770
George 1769 (he did not appear until the 1812 tax list but subsequent censuses established his birthdate as 1769)
Notes: Except for George, the parentage of Joseph Benjamin and David is evident in the tax lists. David is even specified as the son of John. This contradicts information by researchers that Benjamin, David and George were sons of a William Alexander Parker who I believe needs to be treated as fictitious at this time. Quoting others, The Rainey collection in Oklahoma has John Parker as the father of Mary, Benjamin, George, David, Sarah and Elizabeth. This matches. I have not read the Rainey information but would like to hear from anyone who has.
William Parker (OWC), b. about 1765 based on his earliest tax record in Pittsylvania minus 21 years. He was first on Pittsyl. tax list in 1786 and in a Pittsylvania deed in 1794. He was married to Keziah based on deeds.
Children:
John, 1788
?????, 1790 (possibly Wyett or Pleasant who were mentioned in the Dalton Journal)
Notes: It is evident to me that this William Parker (OWC) is likely a son of the above John Parker of Staunton River, based on his reconstructed age. Previous researchers have assumed that John Parker of the Staunton River and this William were brothers, coming from Bedford County but there is a large age discrepancy. My conclusion is that John was the father of William.
Per other researchers, in 1788 William Parker (OWC) made a Bedford land purchase and sold this same land in 1797 while a resident of Pittsylvania Co.
Keeping in mind that 1) John Parker and 2) William Parker (OWC) both lived just across from the Bedford County line, the theory that they were from Bedford seems compelling.
Looking at the Bedford County personal tax lists 1782 to 1794, I found the following tithables:
1782 to 1786 and 1792-1794, Thomas Parker
1782-1784 and 1787 to 1793, John Parker
1783 (two James in 1783)-1785 and 1790-1792, James Parker
1785-1787, Benjamin Parker
1785- 1789, William Parker
In the several tax years subsequent to 1793, the only Parker left in Bedford was Thomas Parker. This seems to bolster the theory that John, James, Benjamin and William, all names found in the families of John Parker of Staunton and William Parker (OWC) of Pittsylvania were the same. The following is an analysis of the Bedford tax lists:
Benjamin Parker: The 1785-1787 period in Bedford roughly fits his disappearance in Pittsyl tax lists from 1785-1790. He was apparently in Bedford at this time.
William Parker: He appears first in Bedford tax lists in 1785 and first in Pittsylvania tax lists in 1786 (he is on both tax lists for a few years). This Bedford first appearance bolsters his reaching the age of 21 on or about 1764-1765.
John Parker shows in both counties at the same times suggesting that John owned lands in both counties. Apparently it would have to the elder John of Staunton since his son John, Jr was not old enough.
I’m not sure why there are two James. But I believe one of these James is a brother of the John Parker of the Staunton River, more about this below.
Thomas Parker does not appear in Pittsylvania at all, only in Bedford but I believe he was a brother of the John Parker of the Staunton River, more about this below.
The possible ancestry of the Parkers of Pittsylvania:
The following is from other’s research:
Will of Thomas Parker
Essex County, Virginia WB 11:301 Made 1-4-1761, Ret'd 5-18-1761
In the Name of God amen the fourth Day day (sic) of January in the year of our Lord God One thousand & seven hundred Sixty and one I Thomas Parker of Essex County being Sick and weak in body but of Sound Sense & Memory thanks be to Almighty God for the same do make and ordain this my Last Will & Testament as Followeth First I recommend my Soul to Almighty God that gave it and my Body to be Decently buried at the Discretion of my Executrix hereafter mentioned and as for what worldly Estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bess me with I Dispose of in manner and form as followeth that is to say Imprimis I lend to my beloved Wife Mildred all my Lands in Essex County to bring up my Six Children (Viz.1) Chloe, Thomas, Clara, William, James & John Item my will is that the said Land Continue in my Wife's hand till they come to the Years of Eighteen. Then my Will is that the said Land Should be Sold to the
Highest Bidder for Ready money and further my Will is that my Negroes and other Estate whatever be sold at the same time as the Land at the Discretion of my Executrix hereafter named and the said Negros I do lend my Wife with the other Estate to bring up and Maintain the said Children then my Will is that the money Rising on the said Sail °of the Land and Negros aforesaid be Equally Divided Between my Wife and all my Children then living to them and their heirs forever (Viz.) Robert, Mary, Martha, Ann, Sarah, Chloe, Thomas, Clara, William, James & John and my Wife Mildred whom I appoint my whole and Sole Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament I (sic) witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this fourth day of January one thousand Seven hundred Sixty & one Signed Seald Published and Declared as my Last Will In Witness I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal /s/ Thomas Parker /vt/ John Gray, Simon Gouldin, Francis Ramsey. Returned at Tapp.a the 18th Day of May 1761 by the Executrix named.
Children, #1-5 by Sarah, #6-11 by Mildred
1 Robert Jr. b. before 1742 John Goode division (WB 6:438) d. 1792 Essex will (WB 15:1) m. Sarah
2 Mary b. ca 1749 d. Aug 1826 Franklin Co. VA m. ca 1764, Alexander Farguson (1740 Essex-1817 Franklin Co. VA),
3 Martha
4 Ann
5 Sarah
6 Chloe
7 Clara/Chary b. before 1754
8 Thomas b. after 1754 d. after 1796 m. Rhoda ; Constable of Bedford 1784; moved to Franklin Co. VA by 1791
9 William b. after 1754 d. after 1802 m. Keziah ; 1788 Bedford land purchase, sold 1797 while a resident of Pittsylvania Co. VA; bought land on Old Woman's Creek in Pittsylvania Co. VA 1789
10 James b. 5-21-1757 d. Nov 1833 Bedford m. Rhoda
11 John b. before 1761 d. after 1802 deed; in Bedford by 1789 when bought land in Pittsylvania Co. with bro. Wm. & sold his interest to Wm. 1802
The above from other’s research, if correct, certainly fits well with the John Parker of the Staunton River and the William Parker (OWC) of Pittsylvania. In fact they are specifically mentioned. However the researchers assumed John (Staunton) and William (OWC) were brothers whereas I think they were father and son, based on their reconstructed ages and their children’s ages.
But, and this is where I get to my own line, the other, older William Parker of the Pigg River; he fits better the William Parker shown above in the chart listing the children of Thomas Parker and Mildred Donaho, both in his assumed birthdate and in the names of his children: Here is his reconstructed family,
William Parker of the Pigg River, b. about 1752 based on the assumed age of his eldest son minus 20 years. He was married to Henrietta based on deeds and a family bible.
Children (per will and tax lists, Abraham and William died before will):
John Parker, 1772 per tax lists, 1777 per his descendants
William Parker, 1776 per tax lists,
James Parker, 1777 per tax lists
Abraham Parker, 1788 per tax lists
Elijah Parker, 1792 per later censuses
Mildred Parker, 1782 (marriage minus 20 years)
Sarah Parker
Nancy Parker
The male children’s names of John, William and James match the presumed Bedford family of Parkers. The daughter Mildred matches the name of William’s presumed mother Mildred Donaho Parker of Essex/Bedford.
So there, you have it, all the questions are answered for all of the Parkers of Pittsylvania County, VA, They were descendants of Thomas Parker of Essex County and possibly two wives, the second, his widow, Mildred Donoho Parker, who moved to Bedford County with her Donaho relatives.
Well, not quite. The problem here is my presumed birthdate of John Parker of the Staunton River. I am using a birthdate of 1741 and don’t see how it could be much later than that. The problem is that the presumed mother Mildred Donaho did not marry Thomas Parker until 1748 at the earliest, her first husband Alexander Ferguson dying in that year. Now, Thomas Parker did have children from his first wife, Sarah (?) but the above indicates they did not include John and that he was a child from the second wife, Mildred.
There were several John and William Parkers at that time from Halifax and Brunswick/Lunenburg counties, so there are other potential lines to explore but the Bedford Parkers are still the likeliest candidates for the ancestors of the Pittsylvania Parkers. The logic almost fits but not quite perfectly.
Any comments are welcome.
Comments
Additionally the John Parker 1759-1825 (m Rhoda Renfro) who died in Sumner Co., TN lived in close proximity to his brother Thomas Parker bef. 1760-1810 (m. Judith Renfro) who also died in Sumner Co., TN. Thomas Donoho & Coleman Donoho witnessed Thomas Parker bef. 1760-1810’s Sumner Co., TN will. And that Thomas Donoho lived adjacent to John Parker 1759-1810 in Sumner Co. TN.