Rev./Eld. Isaiah Parker

[Robert L. Vaughn]

Wayne mentioned this Isaiah Parker in his recent "Parker Family FG#7 in early GA". My brother and I have been doing some work on this person, who we believe is the son of Lewis Parker, Sr. and Sarah Hatley. Turns out there are quite a few Isaiah Parkers, and I believe there is a good bit of mix up in information that is in Family Tree information on Ancestry (including mine). (One seeming to be listing the wife of his son Isaiah as his wife and children.) I found the following obituary for him in The Primitive Baptist (Milburnie, N.C.), Vol. 25, No. 11, June 15, 1861, page 173 (it can be viewed online here: https://archive.org/details/primitivebaptist2511unse/page/172/mode/2up?q=%22isaiah+parker%22)

OBITUARIES.
For the Primitive Baptist.
Elder Isaiah Parker was born May 10th, 1774, and died May 1st, 1861. He joined the church, with his wife, in 1804; was licensed to preach in 1812, and was ordained March 12th, 1820.
Seliah Parker, the wife of Eld. Isaiah Parker, was born August 30th, 1795; married Elder Parker, her second husband, September 11th, 1855, and died May 4th, 1861.
A FRIEND.

Isaiah Parker married his first wife (apparently) around 1804. I have her listed as Laodicea "Dicy" Parker, with possible maiden name of Hudman. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46676550/laodicea-parker

I believe that Isaiah's second wife if Celia Parker, daughter of Richard Parker, Jr. () and Sally Relaford (). She married William Caldwell in 1840, is living in Gwinnett County in 1850 with what appears to be two of William's children (by his first wife). In September 1855. Celia Caldwell marries Isaiah Parker in Gwinnett County. Circumstantial, to be sure.

Atlanta and Environs: A Chronicle of Its People and Events, 1820s-1870s, (by Franklin M. Garrett, 1869) mentions Isaiah Parker's involvement in starting several Baptist churches in and near DeKalb County, Georgia, including Macedonia (1823), Hardeman (1825), and Fellowship (1829).

“During 1861 De Kalb County lost a number of its oldest pioneer citizens, including two venerable ministers of the gospel. Rev. Isaiah Parker, who died in May, was born in North Carolina in 1774, and had been a Primitive Baptist preacher in and about De Kalb County for nearly forty years. At the time of his death he lived in the Stone Mountain District, and is buried in an unmarked grave in Old Fellowship Cemetery near Tucker.”  (Atlanta and Environs: A Chronicle of Its People and Events, p. 516)

[Steven Charles Kratz]

FamilySearch.org has Lewis Berry Parker and wife Sarah Hatley with a son Isaiah Parker born 1793 married to Mahala Cummings. This Lewis Berry Parker also has other children listed in his probate record, 1824 written, probated December 1826. Book M, page 58, Hancock County, Georgia. So are they wrong on the Isaiah Parker, I do not know. He is also a Reverend. Happy New Year. Asa Hatley Parker is one of the sons. Also Richard Parker, Thomas Sherrod Parker, Lewis Parker, Stephen Parker, also mentioned is a married daughter.

[Steven Charles Kratz]

There is a Lewis Parker Senior age 45 and older in the Hancock County, 1820 Census. There is also a Lewis Parker Jr right next to him age 16-26.
There are 3 Lewis Parker in the Georgia 1850 Census all in the age range of 1795-1804. One born 1795, another born 1800, and another 1804.

[Robert L. Vaughn]

Thanks, Steven. I will take a look at that.

[Robert L. Vaughn]

Thanks for the information, Steven. The earliest I felt sure I had found Isaiah Parker was 1820 Gwinnett, since I know he was there at that time. I'll take a look at Union County, South Carolina. I also have not been able to find his marriage to Laodicea. The confusion with the name Isaiah seems to be coming down the line, with his son and grandson (and maybe one more in Harris County, Georgia) having that name. Thanks again.

[Steven Charles Kratz]

Have some more information. Beauchamp-DeKalb History Center on the internet. Martha Parker only child of Isaiah Parker and his wife, Dicy or another wife, I"m not sure. Martha Parker married William Beauchamp. They had 4 children, one died young, only 3 listed on Census.

[Steven Charles Kratz]

Union County, South Carolina 1800 Census has an Isaiah Parker. Isaiah Parker does not seem to me to be a popular name. There is also Jesse Parker in Union County, South Carolina. Isaac Parker also in Union County, South Carolina. Robert Parker Greenville County and I believe Jesse in Greenville County also. So if you come across any of these names please let us know. Also, from Familysearch.org with a marriage source, William Taylor Hudman married Elizabeth Smith I believe. There 2 children in the 1850 Census, William T and Elizabeth Hudman. They are in the same household as Isaiah and Dicy Parker. You may already know all of this information but wanted to share with you and others.