There are two separate Parker lines in my maternal heritage - one that straddles the 18th-20th centuries and another straddling the 16th and 17th centuries. What if these two lines were intertwined, interconnected, one eventually leading into the other? This is a game I play with myself. I almost wish it were true, that I could find evidence that it were true. I can play this game because I have a brick wall in my Parker research that has stymied genealogists for generations.
The latter day Parkers moved about quite a bit, moving from Pennsylvania to Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa and, eventually, Wisconsin, where they settled. My direct Parker ancestor is Mary Ann Belle Parker (1824-1907), who married William C.D. Harrington (1814-1890) at the age of 15, with full permission from her father, Wilson Parker Sr. I know she had full permission from her father, because I have a photocopy of the original document, written in Wilson Parker's own penmanship, giving her over to W.C.D. Harrington as a bride. Mary Ann Belle Parker and William C.D. Harrington settled in Dunn County, Wisconsin sometime between 1858 and 1860 and spent much of the remainder of their lives in Menomonie and Tainter Townships.
In 1849 they can be found in Marine Mills, Washington County, Minnesota, living next door to Wilson Parker Sr. By 1852, they are in Lyon's Township, Clinton, Iowa, according to the Iowa Census. Then, in 1860, they are in Dunn, Wisconsin. We know they had moved to Tainter, Dunn, Wisconsin by 1858 because their son, James, was born in Tainter in 1858. Another of their sons, Andrew, was born in Iowa in 1852. In between James and Andrew, another son was born - Alva. Many researchers list Alva's birthplace as Minnesota. Then again, many researchers also list Andrew's birthplace as Minnesota, whereas multiple census records indicate he was born in Iowa. I have yet to find a state census showing where this family was living in 1856. I am fairly certain they were in one of three places: Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin. I strongly suspect they were not in Minnesota, but until I have facts, I cannot rule Minnesota out.
We find this family in the 1850 federal census as well, still living in Marine Mills, Washington, Minnesota. Wilson Parker Sr. is no longer a head of household at that location. He disappears and I have been unable to locate him in the 1850 census. A Wilson Parker appears in the 1854 Iowa state census for Jackson in Lee County living next door to John Terrell, brother of Rebecca Terrell, the latter of whom married Wilson Parker Jr. However, this is more likely to be Wilson Parker Jr. than his father, Wilson Parker Sr.
Basically, we do not know what happened to Wilson Parker Sr. or where he wound up. It is possible he was missed by the 1850 census if he was in the process of moving across country again. However, it is also possible that he died in 1849 in Minnesota. Wilson Parker Sr.'s death is a mystery. We do not know when or where he died.
Similarly, Wilson Parker Sr.'s birth is an enigma. We know he was born in 1792, but we have not found any records indicating his birth. In the 1880 census, we find that Mary Ann Belle (Parker) Harrington's father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother in Kentucky. But how reliable is this information? Considering William C.D.'s parents are both listed as having been born in England, I would take this information with a grain of salt. William C.D. Harrington's parents were born in New York (mother, Thankful Dean) and Massachusetts (father, Amasa Harrington). It is possible that W.C.D. replied "New England" when asked by the enumerator where his parents were born, thinking the enumerator had asked him where his father was born. The enumerator may then have written down that W.C.D.'s parents were born in England, not having heard correctly. Then again, one of his children or one of the neighbors could have given the information about this family, in which case, the information it contains is inaccurate. In any case, the birth information for Mary Ann Belle's parents may still be correct. Perhaps the enumerator merely got the states mixed up. In other words, how do we know that Wilson Parker Sr. wasn't born in Kentucky and his wife, Patience Watson, in Pennsylvania?
In general, we are casting bricks at a brick wall. This may not help in the short run (and looks a little foolish), but if we cast enough bricks at this brick wall, either the bricks will eventually come tumbling down or the wall will rise larger in height.
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