Mary (Parker) Paca (abt. 1632 - 1699)

Born about 1632 in England

Descendants

Died 4 Dec 1699 at about age 67 in St George's Parish, Baltimore County, Province of Maryland

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Biography

1632 Birth and Parents

Mary Parker was born in 1632, having died in her 67th year. She was the daugher of William Parker, "late of Calvert County, merchant, which was was one of the Hanbary Company and died in London." ^[1]

Mary's father, William Parker, married first the widow Elizabeth Woodcocke and secondly the widow Grace Mauldin. Because the dates of these marriages have not been ascertained, it is not possible to know which of these wives was Mary's mother. ^[2]

Edward Papenfuse concurs that Mary was a daughter of William Parker. ^[3]

1657 First Marriage to John Hall

Mary Parker married firstly John Hall who died by 1660. ^[4]

John Hall immigrated in 1640. ^[3]

Cavanagh estimates that their son John was born about 1658 ^[5] which would indicate that their marriage was no later than 1657. Mary being born about 1632, would have been aged 25 at their marriage, which could have occurred earlier than 1657. If John Hall owed 7 years of service in 1640, he could have married as early as 1647.

1661 Second Marriage to Robert Paca

Mary Parker married secondly Robert Paca by 1661. ^[3]

Robert Paca was in Anne Arundel County, by 1663, when he patented 'Dann, 490 acres. In 1679 he patented Paca-His Chance, 45 acres. He died in 1681 in Baltimore County, Maryland. ^[4]

1699 Mary's Death

Mary Parker Hall Paca's own death is recorded in the St. George's Parish Register of Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1681-1799: "Mary Paca .......Departed this life in the sixty seventh year of her age, the twenty fourth day of December in the year of our Lord, 1699. ^[1]

Children

The St. George's Parish Records refer to Mary Paca as the "mother of John Hall and Aquila Paca. ^[1] Cavanagh agrees with these two sons of Mary, one by each of her husbands. ^[5]

1. John Hall, born about 1658, died 1737 ^[5], son of Mary Parker and John Hall. Named as son in St. George's Parish Records. ^[1]
2. Aquila Paca, son of Mary Parker and Robert Paca; born about 1676 in Anne Arundel County; living in Balt Co. by 1694; married 11 Sept 1699 Martha (died 1746) daughter of James Phillips (died 1689) and his wife Susannah (died 1708). He was an Anglican until 1708/1709 but became a Quaker as were his wife and children; served in the Lower House (`1708-1711); sheriff, Balt Co (1703-1708); justice (1707-1714). Total estate value at death 2539 pounds sterling (42 slaves, 31 pounds sterling silver plate, books, and 5400 acres of land. ^[5] Named as son in St. George's Parish Records. ^[1]

Research Notes

Was Mary Parker born 20 June 1631?

This date was once shown as Mary Parker's birth date -- in Barnby in The Willows, Nottinghamshire -- but no source has been found for it, so it has been removed. The date currently shown in the data field, 1632, is calculated from the record of her death in the St. George's Parish Register.

Was Mary Parker the daughter of William Parker?

There has been some dispute as to whether Mary Parker, Robert Paca's second wife, who is traditionally given as William Parker's daughter, was actually so. Vicki White reports that she has seen two different abstracts of William Parker's will.

• His will transcript in American Wills Proved in London, pp. 25-26 doesn't include a daughter Mary.
• The transcript in English Origins of New England Families, Vol. II, p. 833 does include her, but the author of the article used an abstract by Horatio Gates Somerby, the notorious genealogy fraud. Somerby was actually a competent researcher when the mood struck him and when he wasn't fabricating documents for wealthy clients, and lots of his work was spot-on. But, because of his reputation, all his work must be checked and re-checked. So, in this case, was he correct or not?^[6]

Cavanagh, who has conducted extensive research on the Parker family, names Mary as a daughter of William Parker ^[2] as does the Saint George's Parish Register ^[1]

Did Mary Parker Hall Paca have a daughter Martha Paca?

Property transfer evidence suggests that Martha (Paca) Beaven was treated by Robert Paca as one would treat a daughter. (See Martha Paca's profile for more detail.) Martha is born at a time and place where she could have been a daughter of Mary Parker and either her first husband John Hall or her second husband Robert Paca.

However, Martha does not appear in any of the accounts of Robert Paca's children. Therefore she has been disconnected as a child; if evidence of the relationship is found, the connection can easily be restored.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} St. George's Parish Register, image 1033, page 191. St. George's Parish was in the portion of Baltimore County which later became Harford County, Maryland. Entry for death of Mary Paca See attached image. Accessed 14 May 2022
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Harrison Dwight Cavanagh. The Parkers of Calvert and Anne Arundel Counties, Pages 144-155 in Colonial Chesapeake Families: British Origins and Descendants. Xlibris, 2014. Vol 2. Page 147 Accessed November 8, 2015
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Edward C. Papenfuse, et al. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 Volume 426, Page 385. Archives of Maryland. Entry for John Hall, son of John Hall and Mary Accessed 14 May 2022
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Cavanagh, page 152
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Cavanagh, 153
6. ↑ Vickie White, Re: Katherine Brent?, wife of RIchard Marsham, Calvert Co.,Md. January 27, 2008.

See also:

• Edward C. Papenfuse, et al. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 Volume 426, Page 635. Archives of Maryland Entry for William Parker