Mary (Parker) Varnum (1757 - 1831)

Born 25 Jun 1757 in Dracut, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Wife of Jonas Varnum — married 21 Feb 1782 in Dracut, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA

Died 29 Nov 1831 at age 74 in Dracut, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Mary (Polly) Parker was born on 25 June 1757 in Dracut, Middlesex, Province of Massachusetts Bay, the daughter of William and Mehitable Parker, and the granddaughter of Rev. Thomas Parker who was the first minister of Dracut.^[1]

She married Jonas Varnum after intentions were publised in Dracut on 21 February 1782.^[2] He was the son of John and Phebe (Parker) Varnum.^[1]

Mary Varnum died in Dracut on 29 November 1831 at age 74 years and was buried in the Oakland cemetery.^[3][4]

Research Notes

According to the Varnum Genealogy cited herein, she is the daughter of William and Mehitable Parker. Her birth does not show up in Dracut or Chelmsford town records, nor does the marriage of her parents. There is a William Parker who married Mehitable Baldwin, who lived in Dracut. The source for them however is an "unsourced family tree". I find them also in my unsourced family tree with the same names and 4 children - including a Mary.

William and Mehitable have children in 1752^[5] and 1755^[6] in Litchfield NH, which is apparently where William died. The geography is right for that, at that time this Parker clan spanned from Chelmsford up through modern day Nashua, west to Harvard (and points further west) and east to Bradford.

Additional information from the Varnum Genealogy:^[1]

Varnums of Dractutt p. 83, Jonas farmed land bequeathed by father. One of the Minute-men - served 42 days as sergeant in Capt Joseph Bradley Varnum's Co 9/1777 march to reinforce northern army with brother Parker; part of movcement which led to surrender of Burgoyne 10/17/1777. Attended Comm of MA ceremony 6/17/1825 and dinner with brother James for laying of Bunker Hill monument cornerstone (VOD invitation signed by William Sullivan, Seth Knowles, Samuel D Harris, Theodore Lyman Jr, Executive Committee of BHMA - procession from State House 10am) From father John Varnum 's journal : 4/18/1781 assisted in Jonas house raising with Capt Wilson, Capt Peter coburn, Capt Russell, Capt Asa Richardson, Lt Ebenezer Varnum, Lts Michael and William Hildreth, Messrs Jonathan and Tom Varnum, Hezekiah Coburn, Dr Abbot, Ezra Coburn, Moses Richardson, Mathew Parker, Tim Williams, Jonah Perham. 2/21/1782 performed marriage of son Jonas to Polly at John's house 2pm with Messrs Samuel Coburn and sons Hezekiah and Samuel and their wives, Bradstreet and nathaniel Coburn, Mathew Parker and wife and sons thomas and Mathew, Capt Peter Coburn, Jabesh Coburn and wife, Abijah Hill, Jonas Shattuck and John's own family. Jonas and Polly went to own house after dinner. 1907 VOD says house still standing - 18th century mansion, occupied by descendant of Jonas - Mammoth Road, Dracutt, 3 miiles from Pawtuckett bridge. Jonas application for pension 9/12/1832; buried Woodbine cemetary, Pawtuckettville, MA

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Varnum, John Marshall, The Varnums of Dracutt (in Massachusetts) (Boston : D. Clapp & son, printers, 1907), pp. 82-3
2. ↑ NEHGS, Vital Records of Dracut, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston, Mass. : NEHGS, 1907), p. 248.

   "Varnum, Jonas and Mary Parker, int. Aug. 11, 1781."

3. ↑ VRs of Dracut, p. 299.

   "Varnum, Mary [dup. Polly], w. Jonas, Nov. 29, 1831. (Pawtucket Church Record). [Mary P., a. 74, Gravestone Record Oakland Cemetery.]"

4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 26 February 2021), memorial page for Mary Parker Varnum (1757–29 Nov 1831), Find A Grave: Memorial #151418740, citing Oakland Cemetery, Dracut, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Denise (contributor 46820671). (No gravestone photo, probably no longer extant.)
5. ↑ FamilySearch
6. ↑ FamilySearch