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a.
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Note: by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916.
Joel Parker, a prominent farmer of Glencoe township, and Butler countypioneer, is a native of Illinois. He was born in 1840, and is a sonof George and Cynthia Ann (Rhoades) Parker. Joel Parker is one of thefollowing surviving children, born to George and Cynthia Ann (Rhoades)Parker: Mrs. Nancy Clark; Mrs. Mary Jane Morris; Mrs. Anna Davis, allof whom reside in Alton, Ill.; Jesse Parker, Wenachie, Wash., andJoel, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Parker came to Kansas in 1870,and located in Harvey county for four years and then located inGlencoe township, where he has since been successfully engaged infarming and stock raising. He now owns 480 acres of land which isconsidered one of the best farms in Butler county, for general farmpurposes. He has been quite an extensive stockman, and Mrs. Parker isa chicken fancier, making a specialty of Plymouth Rocks.
Mr. Parker was married in 1865, to Miss Martha Sinclair. Mrs. Parkeris a native of Illinois, and was born in 1843, a daughter of Abrahamand Nancy (Jones) Sinclair. Her father was a prosperous farmer inIllinois. Mrs. Parker was the youngest of a family of twelvechildren, and has one living borther, Alex Sinclair, who resides atAlton, Ill. To Mr. and Mrs. Parker have been born the followingchildren, who are now living: C. E., resides at Plains, Colo.; J. E.,Benson, Ariz.; Mrs. Emma Scott, Freeman, Mo., and Mrs. Cora Seward,Leon, Kans.
Mr. and Mrs. Parker located in Butler county at a time when its futurewas uncertain, but they always had faith in the future of this county,and they have lived to see this section of Kansas even excel theirexpectations. They passed through all the discouraging features andvarious vicissitudes incident to frontier life and, notwithstandingdrouths, crop failures, grasshoppers and cyclones, they have not onlysurvived, but have prospered, and today rank among the well-to-do andinfluential citizens of Butler county.
Mrs. Parker recalls the early days when they had very little farmproduce to sell, except butter, and when neighbors met on the streetsof El Dorado, the first question that one would ask another was, "Whatdid you get for your butter?" Usually it was not very much, for thiswas before the days of the high cost of living. Even though money wasscarce and luxuries almost unknown, the early pioneers enjoyedthemselves, and got much out of life, perhaps more than we do today.They lived closer to nature, and were less disturbed by the rivalry ofstyle and display. They had no ambition to have a bigger automobileor a better hat than their neighbor, and after all, the early pioneersare not deserving or asking as much sympathy as we might think, forthey were happy and lived the pure out-door life unaffected by much ofthe gorgeous artificial deception of a later day and age.
Mr. Parker is a republican, not of the hyphenated variety, and Mrs.Parker holds the same political views as her husband, thus insuringthe immunity of this family circle against any political rows. TheParkers are well known throughout eastern Butler county, and arehighly respected and have many friends."
On Joel's tombstone, there is a GAR star with the dates 1861-1865. Ifind it strange that the above article did not mention his service inthe Union Army. Need to check this.
Note: The following article is taken from the book, History of Butler County
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Note: December 1993 at Little Walnut Baptist Cemetery, east of Leon, KS. Itis located straight east of the house that Freeman and Cora Sewardlived in. Cora is the daughter of Joel and Martha Parker.
Source of birth date and place: Ancestral File, Family HistoryCenter. Submitted by Mae Mead, Rt 5, Box 105, Rye, CO 81069 andConstance E. Reece, 1653 Summerhill Dr., Lexington, KY 40515-5847.
Joel's obituary gives his birthdate as 2 Nov 1840 instead of 7 Nov1840.
Note: Source of birth and death years: Joel's tombstone. Picture taken 1
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Note: Center. Submitted by Mae Mead, Rt 5, Box 105, Rye, CO 81069
The following obituary was found on the first page of the newspaper"El Dorado Times," El Dorado, KS, dated Tuesday, February 26, 1929.
"Joel Parker, Aged Pioneer, is Dead
Joel Parker, aged pioneer, who for the past 52 years has been aresident of Butler County, died last night at his home near Leon. Hecame to Butler County at the age of 36 years. He was a member of theLittle Walnut Baptist Church and the G. A. R.
Mr. Parker was born on November 2, 1840, at Piasa, Ill., and livedthere until 1876. He was married on November 16, 1865, to Miss MarthaF. Sinclair, at Piasa, and moved to Glencoe Township in 1876. Mrs.Parker is still living.
Mr. Parker was a member of Co. G of the 66th Regiment of IllinoisSharpshooters during the Civil War. He was a member of GeneralSherman's Army and made the famous march to the sea.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, C. E. Parker, of ManhattanBeach, Calif.; and J. E. Parker, of Benson, Ariz.; and two daughters,Mrs. J. E. Scott of Freeman, Mo., and Mrs. F. W. Seward, of Leon. Oneson, J. W. Parker, died in 1904.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock atthe LIttle Walnut Baptist Church. Interment will be made in theLittle Walnut Baptist Cemetery.
Byrd Brothers Funeral Home is in charge."
Note: Source of death date and place: Ancestral File, Family History
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Note: 1992.
Note: Source: Cemeteries of Butler Co., Kansas Vol. 7, by Corrine Afton,
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Note: KS in 1900. They have been married 34 years and have 5 children, allof which are living. According to the census, Joel is 54, born Nov1845 in Illinois, and is a farmer who owns his farm free of mortgage.Martha is 56 and born Oct 1843 in Illinois. A son, James W. is alsoliving with them. James is 31, born September 1868 in Illinois,single, and a farm laborer. A granddaughter is also living with Joeland Martha. Flossey is 10, born October 1889 in Kansas, and is atschool. Her father's birthplace is listed as Illinois, but hermother's birthplace has an X in the column. Evidently, the familydidn't know where Flossey's mother was born. I'm not sure if Flosseyis James' daughter, because he lists his marital status as single, notdivorced or a widow. More research needs to be done on this. It alsoappears that Freeman and Cora Seward are living with them. Cora istheir daughter who just married Freeman in February of that year.
Note: Joel and his wife Martha are living in Glencoe Township, Butler Co.,
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Note: to their daughter Cora and her family. Joel and Martha have beenmarried 49 years and have 4 of their 5 children still living. Joel is69 and a farmer who owns his farm free of mortgage. Martha is 66 andhas no occupation. They have a granddaughter living with them. VelmaF. is 20 (the age is hard to read), born in Kansas, and is a teacherof public schools. I'm not certain at this date (23 Feb 1997) whosedaughter she is.
Note: Joel and Martha are still living in Glencoe Township and living next
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Note: their daughter, Cora Seward, in Glencoe Township in Butler County,Kansas. (Glencoe Township is east of Leon.) Joel is 79, born inIllinois,and a retired farmer who owns his farm free of mortgage. Hisfather was born in Virginia and his mother was born in Kentucky.Martha is 76 and born in Illinois. Her parents were born inTennessee.
Note: In the 1920 census, Joel and Martha F. Parker are living next door to
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Note: Submitted by Mae Mead, Rt. 5, Box 105, Rye, CO 81069
Joel's obituary gives his marriage date as 16 Nov 1865 instead of 16Oct 1865 and that they were married at Piasa, IL instead of Alton, IL.
Note: Marriage date and place source: Ancestral File, Family History Center
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