History from: Together Again, An Autobiographical History by Sophia Parker Stapley
Page 63 plus additions
THE THIRTEENTH GENERATION: MY GRANDPARENTS
1. John Davis Parker and Almeda Sophia RoundyJohn Davis PARKER, son of Able PARKER (1780-1842) and Mary DAVIS (1777-1842)
Born: 22 Nov 1799
Place: Saratoga, New York
Baptized: 1 May 1832
Endowed: 16 Dec 1845 NAUVO - Nauvoo (original)
1. Married: Harriet SHERWOOD (Abt 1818-Abt 1856), before 1834 In Nauvoo, Hancock, IL (divorced) 2-5 children-all died in childhood.
Sealed: 6 Jul 1874 EHOUS - Endowment House
2. Married: Almeda Sophia ROUNDY (1829-1912), 3 Feb 1846 Nauvoo, Hancock, IL
daughter of Shadrach ROUNDY (1789-1872) and Bestey QUIMBY (1795-1880)
10 children - (3 born in Iowa, 7 born in Utah)
Sealed: 3 Feb 1846 NAUVO - Nauvoo (original)
3. Married: Samantha ROUNDY (1824-1906), 3 Feb 1846 Nauvoo, Hancock, IL
daughter of Shadrach ROUNDY (1789-1872) and Bestey QUIMBY (1795-1880)
No children
Sealed: 3 Feb 1846 NAUVO - Nauvoo (original)
Sealed: to Lucy Sherwood 6 Jul 1874 EHOUS - Endowment House (not married in life)
John Died: 27 Feb 1891
Place: Kanarraville, Iron, Utah
Buried: Kanarraville, Iron, Utah
Life Events:
Oldest of 15 children
Raised by German Aunt
Learned 7 languages, mastered 4
Served in War of 1812 at age 13
Baptized by Shadrach Roundy and Steven Burnett 1832
Member of Zions Camp in 1834
Named member of Original First Quorum of Seventy 1835
Ordained a Member the First Quorum of Seventy by Joseph Smith Jr. March 1936
Received Patriarchal Blessing from Joseph Smith Sr. 1836
Made an Elder
High Priest ordained 3 Jan 1841
Filled a Mission 1841 New Orleans, Louisiana
Elected Nauvoo Constable 1843
Body guard for Prophet Joseph Smith
Captain, Illinois State Militia, Nauvoo Legion 1841
Sheriff, Pottowomi County, Iowa, 2 years
Wheelwright / Wagonwright - builder of 13 wagons to cross the Plains
Utah Pioneer 1852
Sheriff, Salt Lake County, Utah, 8 years
Two terms, State Legislature, Utah
Two terms, Assessor and Collector, Utah
Owned a sword used in the Revolutionary War
Fought in the Civil War 1861-1865
Farmer - 1880 Census
Places Lived:
New York
near Montreal - worked in Lumber business
Kirtland, Ohio
Nauvoo, Illinios - Property Owned - (Tenant) BLK 120 Lot 1, E/2 between Munson and Kimball streets and Partridge and Durphy Streets, BLK 106 Lot 4, E/2, corner of Munson and Durphy Streets, and BLK134 Lot 1 near Mississippi River on Parley Street
Kanesville, Pottawattamie, Iowa
Centerville, Davis, UT
Weber Valley, Morgan, UT
Chicken Creek, Juab, UT
Kanab, Kane, UT
Kanarraville, Iron, UT
[ Winter Quarters Fifth Ward.
Bishop: Shardrach Roundy, Assistant: John d. Parker, Assistant: Elisas Gardner, Clerk: James Sloan]
[Link to narrative history by Sophia Parker Stapley]
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History found on Internet. Some corrections have been added here.
John Davis Parker
1799 - 1846
* Born 1799 Saratoga, New York
* Baptized in or before 1834
* Zions Camp 1834
* Named to First Quorum of the Seventy 1835
* Married [2.] Almed Sophia Roundy 1846; ten children [also married 1. Harriet SHERWOOD and 3. Samantha ROUNDY]
* Trekked west with Saints as Captain of the eleventh company
* Died 1891 Kanara, Utah
John D. Parker was born November 22, 1799 at Saratoga, New York to Abe L. Parker (AFN: 4QJP-WT) and Mary Davis (AFN: 4QJP-X1)
Although we find no record of his baptism [1832], Parker must have been an early convert to the Church for by 1834 he was a member of the Zion's Camp mission to relieve the suffering saints in Missouri. The History of the Church records: "Among the most active of those who were engaged in taking care of the sick at the [Zion's] Camp, burying the dead, etc., were John D. Parker, John Tanner, Nathan Tanner, Joseph B. Noble, Brigham Young, Joseph Young, Heber C. Kimball, Luke S. Johnson and Eleazar Miller."
Possibly because of the faithfulness demonstrated by Elder Parker during Zion's Camp he was named a year later in 1835 as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy placing him among the ranks of the General Authorities.
In 1841, he was named in a special conference as a missionary to serve in New Orleans, Louisiana.
By 1842 he was back in Nauvoo, Illinois where the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote: These are not the only ones who have administered to my necessity and whom the Lord will bless. There is Brother John D. Parker ... My heart feels to reciprocate the unwearied kindnesses that have been bestowed upon me by these men. They are men of noble stature, of noble hands, and of noble deeds; possessing noble, and daring, and giant hearts and souls.
Elder Parker seems to have been close to the prophet. He served as one of the Prophet's bodyguards and often accompanied him on trips seeking refuge. He was also a lawman, serving as a Deputy Sheriff in Hancock County, Illinois during the Nauvoo era and as Sheriff in Pottawattamie County, Iowa during the exodus west. In September 1842, the Prophet wrote: " I accompanied the brethren and Emma to my house, remaining there a few minutes to offer a blessing upon the heads of my sleeping children; then called a few minutes at the house of my cousin George A. Smith, on my way to my retreat at Edward Hunter's. John D. Parker accompanied me as guard.
He also served as an officer in the Nauvoo Legion, at the time the largest single military unit in the United Stated and at its peak numbering a force almost half as large as the entire regular United States Army. He was, in fact, one of the organizers. From the History of the Church Vol.4, Ch.15, page 295: "Minutes of the Meeting which Organized the Nauvoo Legion. "Pursuant to an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, entitled, "An ordinance organizing the Nauvoo Legion," passed February 3, 1841, a court-martial, composed of the commissioned officers of the militia of the state of Illinois, within the city of Nauvoo, assembled at the office of Joseph Smith, on Thursday at 10 o'clock a.m., the 4th day of February, 1841: present--John C. Bennett, quarter-master general of the state of Illinois; Lieutenant-Colonel Don Carlos Smith; Captains Charles C. Rich, Wilson Law, Albert P. Rockwood, William Law, Titus Billings, Stephen Markham; first lieutenants, Francis M. Higbee, John T. Barnett, John D. Parker." Also read the following: "Saturday, 24.SEP 1842--The legion was called out for general parade, and reviewed by General Law. In the evening, Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Markham was elected Colonel of the 1st Regiment, 1st Cohort, to fill the place of Colonel George Miller, promoted; and Captain John D. Parker elected to fill his place; and Captain Thomas Rich to fill the place of Major Wightman, deceased.
In researching Elder Parker...The International Genealogical Index (IGI) states that he was married on February 3, 1846 to Almeda Sophia Roundy, by whom he fathered ten children, yet the Prophet recorded on January 8, 1844, "At eleven went to my office to investigate a difficulty between John D. Parker and his wife. After laboring with them about two hours, brought about a reconciliation." ...Parker [did] remarried after death or divorce [from first wife Harriet Sherwood]...
As a lawman, Elder Parker on at least one occasion had to arrest the Prophet himself. Whether this was a ploy to keep mobocrat lawmen from arresting the Prophet or merely enforcing a legally issued but ultimately bogus writ of arrest is not certain. The verbiage makes the second seem more likely. On. Monday, May 6, 1844, the Prophet wrote: "I had a warrant served on me by John D. Parker, issued by the clerk of the circuit court of Carthage, on the complaint of Francis M. Higbee, who had laid his damages at $5,000. but for what the writ does not state. I petitioned the municipal court for a writ of habeas corpus which I obtained."
After the prophet's martyrdom, Elder Parker was on October 11, 1845 appointed captain of the eleventh company for the trek west.
Elder Parker maintained a closeness with the presiding brethren of the Church after the saints west west. As the saints faced increasing difficulties over the practice of plural marriage. Brigham Young determined to meet the legal challenges. He started a winter trip to face a Federal Magistrate. It is recorded: "December 1872, The second day's journey brought them to Kanarra, in Iron county. Here they met the veteran life guard of the Prophet Joseph Smith, John D. Parker, "who wept like a child because President Young was going back to face his enemies in the court room, which he considered an act of madness."
A final record of Elder Parker occurs in the year 1891: John D. Parker, another member of Zion's Camp, died at Kanarra, Iron Co.
1 comment:
I’m a Parker in Hawaii. Ty
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