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Richard Parker (abt. 1670 - aft. 1726)

Richard Parker
Born about in Virginiamap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married [date unknown] in Henrico, Virginiamap
Husband of — married about 1721 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died after after about age 56 in Henrico County, Virginiamap
Profile last modified | Created 23 Jan 2011
This page has been accessed 7,875 times.
The Birth and Marriage Dates are a rough estimate. See the text for details.

Contents

Biography

DO NOT MERGE THIS PROFILE WITH OTHER RICHARD PARKER'S

Note: There are multiple Richard Parker's in Virginia around the same time and care should be taken not to confuse the records. This Richard did not immigrate, he was born in Virginia. This Richard was not from Nansemond and was not the son of a Doctor. (The son of the doctor became a lawyer and this Richard was not a lawyer, he was a farmer.)

Richard Parker was born about 1670, assuming he was 21 when he married about 1691.

In about1691, he married Elizabeth Ballard. They had the following children:

  1. Richard Parker
  2. Ann (Parker) Daniel
  3. Elizabeth (Parker) Atkinson
  4. Mary (Parker) Jenkins

About 1721, Richard married Michall Harris as his second wife. They had no children.

Land Deeds

  • p. 143 Richard Parker of County & Parish of Henrico, for love & affection to my daughter Elizabeth wife of William Atkinson, a tract of land next to Daniel Patrick's land bought of John Woodson, the land I gave my daughter Mary, wife of Lewis Jenkins, and John Woodson, 150 acres. Dated 7 Jan. 1716, Wit: John Woodson, Thomas (I) Owen, Signed: Richard (RP) Parker, Recorded 7 Jan 1716, Elizabeth, wife of Parker, relinquished her dower rights.[1][2]
  • p. 144 Richard Parker of County & Parish of Henrico, for love & affection to my daughter Anne, wife of James Daniel, land called Beachen Run, bounded by Lewises branch, 100 acres. 7 Jan 1716. Wit: John Woodson, Thomas (I) Owen, Signed: Richard (RP) Parker, Recorded 7 Jan 1716, Elizabeth, wife of Parker, relinquished her dower rights.[1][3]
  • p. 145 Richard Parker of Henrico Co., for love & affection, to my daughter Mary wife of Lewis Jenkins, part of a tract I bought of John Woodson, in Lewises branch, 100 acres. Dated 7 Jan 1716, Wit: John Woodson, Thomas (I) Owen, Signed: Richard (RP) Parker, Recorded 7 Jan 1716, Elizabeth, wife of Parker, relinquished her dower rights.[1][4]

Death and Legacy

Richard's will was dated 17 Feb 1726 so he would have died after this date. While his transcribed will appears below, a source for this full version is lacking. Part of this will is recorded in Ronnie Adkins book, "The Adkins Family of Wayne County, West Virginia, Also Cabell, Lincoln and Boone" [5]

Will

The Last Will and Testament of Richard Parker In the name of God, Amen, I Richard Parker of ye County of Henrico, being sick of body, but of sound and perfect memory I do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following, Viz: I give my Soul to Almighty God he gave it to me and my body to the earth to be decently buried according to the discretion of my executors and as to my worldly goods and properties, I give and dispose of as followeth: Viz:

Item: I give and bequeath to my wife Micha Parker three cows, calves, four sowes, fifteen shoats, the bed and furniture I had with her, five pewter dishes, six plates, one iron pot, one frying pan, one riding beast and ye saddle she is now possessed with to her my said wife and her heirs forever.

Item: I give to my daughter Ann, now wife of James Daniel, one shilling sterling to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give to my daughter Elizabeth, now wife of William Atkinson, one shilling sterling to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give to my daughter Mary, now ye wife of Lewis Jenkins, one shilling sterling to her and her heirs, forever.

Item: I give to my son, Richard Parker and moreover devise all the rest of my estate both real and personal, moveable, and immoveable to him and his heirs forever. Thereby constituting and appointing him, my said son, executor to this my last will and testament as witnesseth by my hand and seal this 27th day of Feb 1726. Witness Thomas Owen

Signed Richard Parker, Robert Woodson, Jr.

Research Notes

Elizabeth/Mitha Dilemma

There appears to be significant disagreement regarding the identity of Elizabeth Parker’s (1695-1754) mother. This is in large part due to the multitude of Richard Parkers contemporaneously flitting about Virginia in the late 1600s and in almost-as-large part due to confusion over the name(s) of his wife. Researcher Waunita Powell has, after ten years of scouring primary sources, sorted out the Virginia Richards enough to identify my ancestor with near certainty. The three contenders are as follows:

(1) Richard Parker (1650) from Virginia who married “Miss Pender,” (2) Richard Parker who married Judith Huntt in Virginia, and (3) Richard Parker (1650) from Virginia, married to “Mitha.”

From Powell’s cross-referencing land deeds, court records, etc., it seems Richard Parker number three is our man. But there are still complications. First, primary sources list two names for Richard’s wife: (1) Elizabeth, and (2) Mitha, Mirha, or a handful of permutations therein. Some suggest these two names refer to the same person (i.e., that Elizabeth may have also been called Mitha). Others suggest Mitha is a second wife.

Elizabeth is listed as Richard’s wife in the indentured servant contract from February 1696—one year after Elizabeth Parker (1695-1754) was born. So if Mitha is indeed a second wife, then she is genealogically insignificant to the birth of Elizabeth Parker.

If Elizabeth and Mitha are the same people, it seems unusual for her to go on the record as “Elizabeth Parker” her whole life and then suddenly—in a legal will, no less—be mentioned as “Mitha.” Of course, it’s possible but unlikely.

It seems much more likely that Richard was first married to an Elizabeth who died between 1695 and 1726, when “Mitha” is mentioned in his will. Powell notes that Richard is listed as the sole executor of a John Ballard’s estate, and concludes that Elizabeth is probably John Ballard’s daughter… “She must have been an only child, which would account for Richard receiving all the Estate and being the Executor.) (Richard and Elizabeth were then married before Feb. 1691/2).”

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Weisiger, Benjamin B. III, complier, "Henrico County Virginia Colonial Deeds 1706-1737," Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, GA: 1995. Pages 60-1.
  2. 1716 Deed from Richard Parker to Elizabeth Atkinson: "Henrico County Records 1714-1737, pages 143-144."
    Catalog: County Court records, deeds, wills, settlements of estates, etc., (Henrico County, Virginia), 1677-1787
    Film number: 007645095 > image 97 of 548
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89P6-SLTN
  3. 1716 Deed from Richard Parker to Anne Daniel: "Henrico County Records 1714-1737, pages 144-145"
    Catalog: County Court records, deeds, wills, settlements of estates, etc., (Henrico County, Virginia), 1677-1787 1714-1737.
    Film number: 007645095 > image 98 of 548
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89P6-SLT8 (accessed 14 August 2023)
  4. 1716 Deed from Richard Parker to Mary Jenkins: "Henrico County Records 1714-1737, page 145"
    Catalog: County Court records, deeds, wills, settlements of estates, etc., (Henrico County, Virginia), 1677-1787 1714-1737.
    Film number: 007645095 > image 98 of 548
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89P6-SLT8 (accessed 14 August 2023)
  5. Adkins, Ronnie, "The Adkins Family of Wayne County, West Virginia, Also Cabell, Lincoln and Boone," Bookcrafters, Virginia: 1990. Page 4.

See Also:

  • Ancestry.com. North Carolina Will Abstracts, 1660-1790 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Grimes, John Bryan. Abstracts of North Carolina Wills. Raleigh, NC, USA: North Caroline Department of State, 1910. EXTRACT: Sons: Richard, Daniel, Francis, Stephen (about 2,000 acres of land to be divided between the foregoing sons), Jonathan, Jonas, Jacob, Peter. Daughters: Elizabeth Hunter, Ann Spray, Alice Daughtry, Patience Parker. Grandsons: Richard and William Parker. Wife and Executrix: not named. Witnesses: John Williamson, William Doughtie, John Moore. Clerk of the Court: Jas. Craven. Note: the will of 1752 is NOT for this Richard as it names his daughter as Elizabeth Hunter. The wife of William Atkinson (Adkins) was never married to anyone else. In the correct Richard Parker's will she is mentioned as "Elizabeth, wife of William Atkinson"
Name: Richard Parker
Location: Chowan County
Will Date: 22 Sep 1749
Probate Date: Apr 1752
  • This source shows a different Richard from Nansemond-
Ancestry.com. Virginia, Biographical Encyclopedia [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2000. Original data: Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Richmond, VA, USA: n.p., 1915.
Name: Richard Parker
Residence Place: Virginia, USA
Comments: son of James Parker, of Trangoe, Cornwall, England, emigrated to Nansemond county, Virginia, about 1654. He had three sons, Thomas, Richard and Francis Parker, who were living in 1681. From Richard was descended Dr. Richard Henry Parker, who died at Portsmouth in 1855.; ; IV--Burgesses and Other Prominent Persons
  • Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 13 September 2020), memorial page for Richard Parker Jr. (1669–1750), Find a Grave Memorial no. 68774397, ; Maintained by BeNotForgot (contributor 46974545) Body lost or destroyed, who reports a Lost in time. Note: no sources or photographs of tombstone provided. Mentions parents, wife and children not associated with this Richard.




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Richard by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Richard:

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Comments: 20

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I have just discovered that Richard "James" Parker was a Revolutionary War soldier that was given a pension in 1819. His record is on Fold3 here- https://www.fold3.com/image/25952869

Have not figured out the connection to this Richard but could be a descendant? At any rate, the naming of that Richard is not a source for this one to have a middle name.

His parents are likely Richard Parker and Mary Unknown. Merge with [[Parker-34154|]].
posted by Traci Thiessen
This profile definitely needs work with sources and validation of all the wives.
posted by Robin Lee
Parker-32565 and Parker-1543 appear to represent the same person because: duplicated family, same spouse and dates
Parker-21807 and Parker-2775 appear to represent the same person because: Same name, similar daughter
posted by Bob Tonsmeire
Parker-10675 and Parker-1543 appear to represent the same person because: Same spouse, birth location, death date .
Parker-16963 and Parker-2775 are not ready to be merged because: Mothers are different. need to be cleared up before merging.
posted by Herbert Wolfe Jr.
Parker-17237 and Parker-16963 appear to represent the same person because: same name, same birth date, same location, I have no confidence in my death date,
Curious - why is wife Mitha's current name "Pender" and not "Parker"?
posted by Cynthia (Billups) B
It appears Bailey-1611 was married to Parker-15214, making this profile's father incorrect. I am confirming that and will update as appropriate. If anyone has information in the meantime, please let me know! Thanks
posted by PM Eyestone
Parker-13732 and Parker-13729 appear to represent the same person because: Should these folks be merged?
posted by F (Harrell) H

P  >  Parker  >  Richard Parker

Categories: Estimated Birth and Marriage Date