William Parker (abt. 1614 - bef. 1684)

Born about 1614 in England

Husband of Mary (Rawlins) Parker — married Apr 1639 (to Aug 1651) in Scituate, MA

Husband of Mary (Turner) Parker — married 13 Nov 1651 (to 3 Oct 1684) in Scituate, Plymouth Colony

Descendants

Died before 30 Oct 1684 before about age 70 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony

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William Parker migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 254) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disputed Parents

It has been claimed, without documentation, that William Parker was the son of James Parker of Marlborough, Wiltshire and his wife Joane Drake. Please do not add parents for William Parker unless you also add primary source documentation to support the parents.

Biography

William Parker of Scituate is not well documented in the records. The first known record of him was when he took the Oath of Allegiance on 1 February 1638.^[1] He was admitted as a freeman of the Plymouth Colony on 2 March 1640/1.^[2] In 1674 he had a grant of land in Scituate as one of the old settlers of the town.

He should not be confused with William Parker of Hartford and Saybrook, Connecticut who is often given the same birth date as this William Parker.

His exact origins and birth are unknown. He is sometimes said to be the son of James Parker of Marlborough, Wiltshire and his wife Joane Drake, and to have been born on 21 April 1604 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. There is no evidence to support this assertion, and the date would seem much too early for someone who was first married in 1639 and was having children as late as 1675.

Many of the records of his children are missing from the Vital Records of Scituate, but his family can be pieced together from his will, and from the will of his brother-in-law, Thomas Rawlins of Boston, who named many of his nephews and nieces. In his will, William Parker mentioned his son Joseph; his daughter Patience Randall; his grandchild Stephen Totman; his wife Mary; six of his children: Miles, Nathaniel, Lydia, Mary and Judith. Thomas Rawlins mentioned the wife of John Randall (Patience Parker), and Stephen Totman who were the only two surviving heirs of his sister Mary (Rawlins) Parker. It should be noted that William Parker had two daughters named Mary and two sons named William.

Birth

Born: About 1614 in England. His exact origins, parentage, and birth are unknown.

Marriage and Children

Married: 1st - Mary Rawlins in April 1639 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts. ^[3] She died Aug 1651.^[3]

Married: 2nd - Mary Turner on 13 Nov 1651, in Scituate.^[3]

Children of William Parker and Mary Rawlins:^[1]

All born at Scituate.

1. Mary Parker. b. 1 Jan 1639. She m. Thomas Totman about 7 Mar 1664/5. Mary Totman died before 10 April 1666, having eaten a poisonous root.
2. William Parker. b. Dec 1643 died before 12 Dec 1681, prob. between 1662 and 1675
3. Martha Parker. bp 13 June 1647; prob. died young.
4. Patience Parker. b. Feb 1648; m. John Randall

Children of William Parker and Mary Turner: ^[1]

5. Lydia Parker. b. 9 May 1653; m. Theophilus Wetherell

6. Miles Parker. b. 25 june 1655; still living 6 Oct 1608

7. Joseph Parker. b. 4 Oct 1658

8. Nathaniel Parker. b. 8 Mar 1661/2

9. Judith Parker. b. c 1664. Mentioned in a deed with other family members, but deceased by 19 June 1705

10.Mary Parker. b. c. 1666/7 She is named in her father's will, the previous Mary died in 1665.

11. William Parker. b. 15 May 1675

Death

Died: William wrote his Will the 1st of July, 1684. It was proved 30th of October, 1684, at Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Legatees were son Joseph; daughter Patience Randall; grandchild Stephen Totman; loving wife Mary; six of my children, Miles, Nathaniel, William, Lidia, Mary and Judith.^[4][1]

Research Notes

Suggested sources from Anderson Great Migration Directory: NEHGR 5:335, 10:43; PCR 1:110, 143, 3:3; MD 1:236; TAG 41:102-8; Scott Gen 263 KEY to Sources

Sources

Footnotes and citations:

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Barclay, Mrs. John E. "William Parker of Scituate, Mass." in The American Genealogist, vol. 41 (1964): pages 102-108. AmericanAncestors.org ($) Link.
2. ↑ Shurtleff, Nathaniel B., ed. Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England. Court Orders: Vol. II. 1641-1651. 1855. p. 8 Link to page at hathitrust.org.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Scituate (Mass.). Vital records of Scituate, Massachusetts, to the year 1850. Boston: New England historic genealogical Society, 1909. marriages p. 229
4. ↑ Plymouth Colony Records, Wills, 1633-1686, Vol. 4, pt. 2, pgs. 76-77, William Parker Will & Inventory.

See also:

• Manuscript, [ Hugh D. Miller, comp. ], Genealogy: Ethel P. Miller/Hugh D. Miller, 1985, copy in possession of Barbara M