Monday, October 6, 2008

John Davis PARKER and Almeda Sophia ROUNDY

(Little) Samantha and (Big) "Sophia" ROUNDY PARKER

More history of Almeda Sophia ROUNDY PARKER found in daughter Sophia's childhood history.

This page from the history of Almeda "Sophia's" daughter gives more insight to Almeda Sophia ROUNDY PARKER and her sister Samantha ROUNDY PARKER. Also insight about John Davis PARKER their husband.

LIFE HISTORY OF ALMEDA SOPHIA PARKER TAYLOR
[daughter of Almeda Sophia ROUNDY and John Davis PARKER]
COMPILED BY THELMA TAYLOR KNIGHT AND IVIE OTTLEY
MAY 1979

Almeda Sophia Parker Taylor was born 5 March 1868 at Kannarah, Iron County, Utah. Her father was John Davis Parker, her mother was Almeda Sophia Roundy.

Her father was about 47 years old [correction- 46 years 2 month and 12 days] when he married her mother, who was 19 years of age [correction - 16 years 10 month and 27 days]. So it could be called a May and December wedding.

Sophia often said that she had the sweetest mother [Almeda Sophia ROUNDY PARKER] on earth, but she remembered her father only as a cranky old man. He was set against dancing, and the waltz was evil. Everyone danced, mostly the quadrille and the Virginia reel. (They had children's dances at that time.) The other girls all wore their dresses shorter, but she and her sisters had to wear theirs longer.

However, one thing was in their favor. Her Dad was so old that he didn't go to anything but Church; so when they went to dances and parties they could wear their shorter dresses. He went to bed early, so they would get dressed up and their mother would usher them out the back door, and let them in, sometimes through the window. She was always so thoughtful and good to them.

Sophia often said that she thought no better man ever lived than her father [John D. PARKER] , but he couldn't tolerate his children's social life. Ivie Ottley, his granddaghter, thought if he could see the mini-skirts when they were in vogue, he would "turn overin his grave".

When John Davis Parker asked great grandfather Shadrack Roundy for his daughter's hand in Marriage, he said, " Yes, but you also have to marry Samantha her younger [correction - older] sister too."

Samantha had been dwarfed in sized by an accident when she was 8 [9] years old, and never grew in size anymore in height. However, just a little more pudgy and mature looking.

So grandfather married them both, the same day in the Nauvoo Temple. They lived together in the same house all of their lives. They were called "Big" and "Little" gramdam "Little" grandma had no children. Little grandma was so cute in her black plush cape, and black velvet bonnet with purple flowers across the front, and black satin bows on each side and tied under her chin. (This has been told as a little bacground on Sophia Taylor's life as a child, in her parent's home.)...

[more of this history may be added as it purtains to Big and Little grandma.]

1 comment:

cskelton said...

Wow! That answers the questions I had about why she looked so small in the pictures, and why they married the same man, although I realize it did happen during those years more than one time.