Stephen L. Parker

Source: https://archive.org/details/commemorativebio12inbeer
Scan label: 471
OCR: uncorrected; verify against page image.

COMMEMORATIVE  BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD. 575 loci  and  Isabella.  The  second  marriage  resulted "in  four  children:  John,  Betsey,  Charles  and  Ed- mund, all  of  whom  are  now  deceased,  except  the Mucrable  Charles  Parker,  one  of  Meriden's  oldest ;i:id  most  respected  citizens,  a  full  sketch  of  whom, toL^ethcr  with  the  Parker  family,  will  be  found  else- where in  this  volume. Zeri  Parker  was  born  on  the  family  homestead ill  Cheshire,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  and  here  he ])assed  the  greater  part  of  his  life  engaged  in  farm- ing. His  latter  days  were  spent  with  his  sons, Julius  and  Stephen.  Liberal  in  his  views,  he  found good  in  all,  and  lived  an  honest,  upright life,  and  held  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all who  knew  him.  He  was  married  in  Ches- hire to  Tryphena  }kIunson,  who  was  born  in that  town  and  who  was  a  daughter  of  Peter !Munson,  and  two  children  came  of  this  union :  Jul- ius, who  married  Alary  Richmond,  is  now  deceased, having  had  two  sons,  George  Wallace,  who  died  in 1895,  and  Charles  I.,  of  2\Ieriden ;  and  Stephen  L. Stephen  L.  Parker  was  born  in  Cheshire  Oct. 12,  1824,  and  during  his  life  was  a  well  known  and highly  respected  citizen.  He  passed  his  early  days after  the  manner  of  young  men  of  the  time,  attend- ing the  district  school  and  working  on  the  home farm  with  his  father.  Until  attaining  manhood  he continued  at  home,  going  then  to  Meriden,  where he  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  joiner.  This he  followed  for  a  number  of  years,  when  he  became foreman  in  the  Charles  Parker  shop,  where  he  spenr a  short  time.  His  next  venture  was  as  a  lock  manu- facturer, in  which  he  was  successfully  engaged  tor about  five  years,  after  which  he  accepted  a  contract of  making  cotTee  mill  boxes  for  the  Charles  Parker Co.,  with  which  he  continued  up  to  the  time  of  his death,  which  took  place  in  ]\Ieriden,  Jan.  7.  1870. His  remains  rest  in  the  West  Cemetery.  In  poli- tics he  was  a  stanch  Republican,  but  never  had  any desire  to  hold  public  office ;  in  religious  belief  a devoted  Methodist,  giving  liberallv  to  the  cause  he loved,  and  at  the  date  of  his  death,  held  the  office  of trustee.  Sociallv  he  was  identified  with  the  I.  O. O.  F. On  Nov.  23,  1S45,  in  ]Meriden,  Stephen  L. Parker  wedded  Martha  ]\I.  Andrews,  who  was  born in  Cheshire,  Conn.,  a  daughter  of  Hiram  and  ]\[artha M.  (Hotchkiss)  Andrews.  ]\Irs.  Parker  was  edu- cated in  the  district  schools  of  Cheshire,  and  taught one  term  in  Aleriden.  She  is  a  noble,  Christian woman,  dearly  beloved  for  her  many  good  deeds and  kindly  disposition.  To  ]Mr.  and  ]vlrs.  Parker were  born  five  children:  Stephen  Olin,  of  Meriden, born  April  22,  1847;  Imogene,  born  April  6,  1S50, died  in  July  the  same  >ear;  Alartha  Ella,  born  Aug. ^4.  1853,  rnarried  (first)  George  Ashdown,  and  (sec- ond) Henry  Booth,  and  resides  in  Grand  Rapids, Mich,  (she  had  two  children  by  her  first  marriage, Edmunrl  Parker,  born  April  4,  1874;  and  Edna  Ella, born  Feb.  i,  1878)  ;  Jennie,  born  Oct.  13,  1856,  died in  1861  ;  Annette  May,  born  March  24,  1859,  resides at  home. Stephen  Olin  Parker  obtained  his  education  in the  district  schools  of  Mcridcn,  also  in  the  Meriden academy.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  he  began to  assist  his  father  in  the  making  of  coffee  mill boxes,  continuing  until  his  father's  death,  when  he took  charge  of  the  business  and  successfully  con- ducted it  for  one  year.  In  1871  he  learned  the  trade of  pattern  maker,  and  for  the  past  thirty  years  has been  in  the  employ  of  the  Charles  Parker  Co.,  filling the  position  of  foreman  of  the  pattern  department with  great  ability. On  Aug.  8,   1871,  Mr.  Parker  was  married  in Coventry,  N.  Y.,  to  Algierose  Wylie,  who  was  born in  Coventry,  Chenango  Co.,  N.  Y.,  a  daughter  of Erastus  and  Mary  Wylie,  of  Coventry,  of  Scotch descent,  a  full  sketch  of  the  family  being  found  in the  sketch  of  Luman  F.  Parker,  elsewhere  in  this volume.    Mrs.  Parker  is  a  lady  of  culture  and  refine- ment and  received  a  liberal  education  in  her  native State,  where  for  one  year  she  was  a  very  acceptable teacher.     Socially  she  is  prominent  in  Meriden  and is  a  member  of  the  organization  of  tht    Daughters of  the  American  Revolution,  and  has  served  on  the official  board  of  Ruth  Hart  Chapter.     To  Mr.  and Mrs.  Parker  has  been    born    one    daughter,  Mabel Claire,  who  has  been  educated  very  thoroughly,  first in   iSIeriden  and  then  in   Wilbraham,   Mass.     Mr. Parker  is  a  member  of  the  Home  Club,  the  Royal Arcanum  and  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  of  Meriden.    As  a Republican  he  has  long  been  prominent,  and  has represented  the  third  ward  in  the  city  council,  served two  years  as  alderman,  being  on  the  committees  on License  and  Claims,  of  which  latter  he  served  as chairman,  and  for  two  years  was  clerk  of  the  Police committee.        The     family    attend     the    Methodist ;  Church.  By  his  pleasant,  genial  manner,  good  judg- i  ment  and  wise  discrimination,  ^Ir.  Parker  has  won '  his  way  to  the  front  in  his  business  and  enjoys  not only  the  high  esteem  of  his  employers,  but  also  the respect  and    affection  of    those  over    whom  he  is '  placed. I •  GEORGE  C.  PETTIS,  treasurer  of  the  Hogg- son  &  Pettis  Mfg.  Co.,  manufacturers  of  "chucks" and  a  large  variety  of  small  machinery  in  New  Ha- ven, and  also  interested  in  several  other  manufac- turing concerns  and  enterprises,  was  born  in Plymouth,  ]March  8,  1833. '  George  Pettis,  his  father,  was  born  in  Westville, Conn.,  where  he  spent  his  life  engaged  in  farming, dvinc:  at  Terrvville  at  the  age  of  fiftv-two.  He  mar- ried  Sally  Ford,  a  native  of  Thomaston,  Conn., where  her  father  lived  before  the  founding  of  that city.  Seth  Thomas,  of  the  famous  clock  company, bought  the  ground  from  him  on  which  to  build  the clock  factory.  Of  the  three  children  born  to  George and  Sally  Pettis,  two  are  now  living:  George  C, whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  sketch ;  and