Hiram J Parker

PARKER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/11/2009 at 15:14:27

Hiram J Parker who is filling the office of justice of the peace, was born in Woodford county, Illinois, Mary 5, 1838, his parents being Ellis and Sarah (George) Parker. The father was born in New Jersey and when eight years of age removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his boyhood days were passed. His birth occurred in 1805 and when twenty-four years of age he was united in marriage in Urbana, Champaign county, Ohio, to Sarah George, a native of Kentucky. The paternal grandfather was Jacob Parker, at one time an employee of Stephen Girard, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In his family were six children, Ellis being the fifth in order of birth. The maternal grandfather was Richard B George, a prominent minister of the Methodist church. It is supposed that he came from Kentucky, with his daughter Sarah, the mother of our subject and other children.
Ellis Parker was a blacksmith by trade. He followed that occupation through much of his life. In the year 1834 he removed westward to Illinois, and twenty years later went to Hardin county, Iowa. His political support was given the Whig party until after its dissolution. When he joined the ranks of the new Republican party. When our subject was only eight years of age the wife and mother died. Ellis Parker never married again, ever remaining true tot eh memory of his wife In their family were four children: Francis, who is now living in the state of Washington, Martha, the wife of Christopher Tucker of Shenandoah, Iowa, Hiram J, and Mary, the wife of Benjamin Robb of Eldora, Hardin county, Iowa. The father of this family long survived his wife, passing away January 14, 1893, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. He was intimately acquainted with Abraham Lincoln while living in Illinois and strongly endorsed the party of which that great statesman was one of the early leaders.
H J Parker whose name introduces this record, accompanied his father on his removal from Illinois to Iowa and remained in Hardin county until 1867 when he came to Boone county and took up his abode in Boonesboro. He engaged in business there as a brick layer and aided in the construction of many of the leading brick blocks of the city, as an employee of William Palmer, a well known contractor. In 1892 Mr Parker was elected justice of the peace on the Republican ticket and was re-elected at the succeeding election. In fact he has been the peoples choice continuously to the present time, covering a period of ten years.
In 1860 was celebrated the marriage of Mr Parker and Miss Amanda Richards, the daughter of Edward Richards. Their children are: Lois who is a teacher in the primary schools of Boone, and Edna, the wife of G M Rosenthal, of San Francisco, California. Mr Parker is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and is connected with the Degree of Honor. In politics he has always been a stanch Republican since casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. In public office his “Even handed justice: has “won golden opinions from all sorts of people”, and over his public career as well as his private life there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil.

1902 Boone County History Book