SECOND GENERATION

4. Mary Jane Hamilton was born on 12 Jan 1837 in Gore Township, District 17, Quebec. She died on 21 Aug 1888 in Randborough Quebec. She was buried in Grove Hill Cemetry near Sawyerville. Notes from Grandma Carr and my mother show there were 3 boys and 6 girls in this family. Her birth date comes from the census of 1851.

She was married to Joseph Parker (son of Edward Parker and Jane Dawson) in 1863 in St. Andrews Methodist Church. notes from Garth Hamilton
census of 1851 for Deux Montagne county, township Gore of Chatham

Edward Parker farmer Ireland Episcopalian 46 March 15
Jane 42 Dec 17
Elizabeth 21 Nov 15
Henry Canada 19 Nov 30
Joseph 18 Mar 22
Mary Ann 17 Jun 10
Jane 15 Feb 3 school
Edward 13 Aug 1 "
Fanny 12 May 6 "
Richard 10 Sep 22 "
Margaret 8 May 6 "
John 7 Dec 14 "
Dawson 4 July 17
William 1 Dec 11 Mother died at birth

census of 1861 for Argentueil County Gore Township page 5/128

Edward Parker farmer Ireland C of England 59
Jane Ireland 50
Henry L C 26
Joseph 25
Richard 18
John 15

notes from Alan Ross Parker

PBB Edward Parker, born perhaps c. 1805 to 1810 in northern Ireland. In 1938 PBBFA wrote of him: "My grandfather (Edward) came from the north of Ireland to Quebec (Province). His father and mother went from Scotland to the north of Ireland where he (Edward) was born, so my father (Dawson, PBBF) said. My grandfather (Edward) was brought up by an uncle who gave him a good education for the times. I understand by what Dad (PBBF) said the uncle was well to do." This uncle could have been and may have been James Parker, PA, above. If, as some say, a sister of PA and PB married James McDonald, the uncle could have been James McDonald, who did take care of Daniel, PAA, son of James, PA.

A couple of stories told of him in Ireland are as follows. Once he was going home from a fair in Limerick (in southwestern Ireland, 75 miles west of Carlow), when he saw a man beating a woman. He interfered and both then turned on him. The woman, who turned out to be the beater's wife, pulled off her stocking and put a rock in the toe. She hit Edward over the head with it, cutting a big gash two inches long, the scar of which remained back of his ear the rest of his life. It was a time of much religious trouble in Ireland, especially in the south, where he apparently lived, at least for some time. Always at the local fairs and on Orangeman's Day, July 12th, there were quarrels between the Catholics and Protestants. Once Edward and a relative went at night to a Catholic's home and gave him a trouncing. Sometimes people were waylaid as they returned home after dark.

Edward was a great "collar and elbow wrestler" in Ireland and it is said that no one could beat him there. He was a short man, not heavy set. He was 46 inches around the chest and well built, according to PBBBB. Even in the new home in Canada his prowess remained unchallenged. When he was an old man he was still a great wrestler and it took a good man to throw him.

Edward was educated above the average and for a time in the Gore he was connected with the school in Lakefield, where his children attended. He had a good voice and often sang psalms in his old age. He was reared an Anglican and he in turn reared his children in that faith.

In 1818, or perhaps 1824, his cousin Daniel Parker had emigrated to Canada with the James McDonald family. They had been living in Carlow (city or county), Ireland, and some relatives think Edward also had been living there and that he emigrated from there. Other relatives emigrating probably induced Edward to do so. Some descendants have written that they thought he emigrated in 1826, but it is certain he did so by 1827. On November 26, 1827 he signed his name, and Edward Dawson made his mark, as witnesses at the marriage of William McDonald, bachelor, and Frances Robinson, spinster, both of Gore, by banns. The two Edwards the same day also witnessed the marriage of Charles Robinson, bachelor, and Margaret Armstrong, both of Gore. Other marriages he witnessed were those of his future brother-in-law, Edward Dawson, when he married Isabella Kenny, both of the Gore settlement, September 22, 1828. Neither of the party had been married before, and both made their marks. Edward also witnessed the marriage of his cousin Daniel Parker, when on January 12, 1829 he married Mary Ann Crozier. On April 27, 1829 he was a sponsor at the baptism of James, son of Henry and Esther McDonald of Gore. On January 10, 1836 he was a sponsor at the baptism of George, son of Patrick McDonald and Sarah Rathwell, his wife. These are the first entries in the Anglican parish register in St. Andrews, which reveal Edward's presence in the Gore.

Some descendants have stated Edward was married to Jane Dawson in Ireland, but it is quite evident that they were married in Canada. The register states:
"Married by banns this Twenty fourth day of February Eighteen hundred and Thirty-one, Edward Parker of the Gore Settlement Bachelor, and Jane Dawson of the same place Spinster.
William Smith Edward Parker
Jane Esther Smith Jane Dawson x her mark."

Edward may have emigrated with his cousin John Parker who came about the same time. It is believed both came from Carlow. It was natural that both should go at once to the newly-opened Gore settlement where Daniel Parker and the James McDonald, and perhaps other relatives, had already settled. They secured 100-acre government farms close together near where Lakefield, QC, later grew up. A relative once wrote that the three Parkers did not want to farm but wanted to burn trees for potash, which had a good market. They therefore were content to settle in the Gore which was heavily wooded. The Parkers all became good axemen as a consequence. Edward had been a yeoman farmer in Ireland and it was natural to follow the same livelihood in the backwoods of Canada. Since a yeoman owned his land, Edward doubtless sold his small holding in Ireland, perhaps in Carlow County, and therefore had enough to pay his passage to Canada and perhaps have some left over to get started there.

Edward and Jane had a large family of 12 all born and reared under the pioneer conditions which then prevailed in the Gore. They were born from 1831 to c. 1853, supposedly in the following order: Elizabeth, Henry, Joseph, Jane, Edward, Dawson, John, Mary Ann, Richard, Fanny, and William. Eight of these 12 bore the same baptismal names as 8 of his cousin Daniel's 18 children; and 4 were the same as 4 of his cousin John's 8 children. It is possible that Edward's father's name was Henry or Joseph, since Edward gave his older sons these names. The life of Edward's family may be imagined from a reading of the article regarding Daniel Parker, about whom much more is known.

Jane probably had a brother, Edward Dawson, mentioned earlier, and a sister, Fanny, a spinster, who married Henry Hammond, bachelor, both of Gore, April 18, 1831. Jane's 11 children probably had cousins and second cousins on both sides of the family. Other Dawson's are mentioned in the Lakefield Cemetery Inscriptions and on EP-__.

Jane died at an unknown date near Lakefield, where it is said she was buried, though she is not mentioned in the Lakefield Cemetery Inscriptions. She probably died 1860-1875.

Early in the 1860's about half of Edward and Jane's 12 children began moving from the Gore into the Eastern Townships which then offered better farming and living conditions than the then overcrowded Gore offered. Joseph, PBBC, may have been the first to go, for he was living near Sawyerville, QC, in Compton County, the southeastern-most in the province, adjoining Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. It was a momentous move of about 150 miles east from the Gore. Henceforth the towns in this county and the two to the west were to be the homes of many descendants of Edward Parker: Sawyerville, East Angus, Island Brook, Eaton, Cookshire, Bulwer, Coaticook, Sherbrooke, Lennoxville, etc.. It was a pioneer community of English-speaking farmer settlers. However, in recent decades the French-speaking farmers have moved into the area in such large numbers that many of the earlier British stock has moved out.

Apparently by 1870 Henry, PBBB; Joseph, PBBC; Edward, PBBE; Dawson, PBBF; John, PBBG; Mary Ann, PBBH; Richard, PBBI; Fanny, PBBJ; and perhaps William, PBBK, had moved to the Sawyerville area. Elizabeth, PBBA, and Jane, PBBD had married two Morrison brothers in the Gore and remained in that general region. Some of the Parkers after moving to Sawyerville remained there a short time before moving elsewhere. Edward joined his children and indeed most of the family may have gone there as a unit following Jane's death.

When Edward and his children arrived in the Sawyerville area they started to make potash there, just as Edward had earlier done in Gore. The Parkers once owned 900 acres, representing nine farms of 100 acres each, adjoining one another and causing the area to be called Parker Hill. There the author visited many of the descendants of Edward and Jane early in July 1938, experiencing a genuine hospitality.

Edward spent his last years with his son Joseph, dying at a good old age about 1883 near Sawyerville, QC, where he was buried. It is said that the Sawyerville Methodist Church records would give his date of death. There may have been no Anglican Church or minister present at the time. Most of his descendants in the region today are Anglicans. At the time of his death he had all his 11 children living except Mary Ann and John. Edward once had his picture taken, a copy of which is owned by PBBFA. For statistics of Edward's many descendants, see page EP-__.

Additional Notes

PBB Edward Parker's wife, Jane Dawson, was probably related to the several Dawson's who lived in the Gore area in the 1820's and 1830's. There were then Edward, Ellen, Jane, Fanny, Joseph, and Isabella Dawson, all adults, living in Gore. An Edward Dawson was buried at Lachute in 1824, aged 34½, with Robert Armstrong as witness. But in 1826 an Edward Dawson was sponsor at the baptism of William Henderson's son; and in 1827 a witness at the marriage of William McDonald; and also in 1827, at the marriage of Charles Robinson and Margaret Armstrong. On September 22, 1828 Edward Dawson married Isabella Kenny. They had a son Robert, born December 18, 1829, and a son Thomas, born March 30, 1832. Yet an other Edward Dawson and Isabella Henry of Gore had a son Joseph, born June 17, 1829. Another Edward Dawson married Fanny Parker, PBBJ.

An Ellen Dawson was sponsor in 1826 at the baptism of A. Johnstone's daughter of Gore. A Fanny Dawson was sponsor at the baptism of Samuel Smith's son in 1830. A Joseph Dawson was sponsor at the baptism of Eliza Parker, PBBA.

Jane Dawson, who could have been PBB's wife before their marriage, February 24 1831, was sponsor at the baptism of Richard Evans' daughter in 1826; sponsor at the baptism of William Henderson's daughter of Gore in 1828; and was witness at the marriage of Margaret McDonald and Samuel Smith in 1828. A Dawson of Gore was buried at Lachute in 1827. Fanny Dawson married Henry Hammond in 1831.

The Lakefield cemetery has stones reading: "In loving memory of Edward Dawson son, died December 4, 1899, aged 80 years & 5 mos. His wife, Elizabeth Dixon died November 6, 1907, aged 85 years & 5 mos. Also their daughter, Mary Ella, wife of Wm. Bradbury, died March 9, 1897, aged 29 years" - and - "Jane Dawson, beloved wife of John Armstrong, died January 29, 1904, aged 56 years."
Joseph Parker was born on 22 Mar 1834. He died on 17 Sep 1910 in Randborough Quebec. He was buried in Grovehill Sawyerville QC. Notes from Alan Ross Parker

PBBC Joseph Parker, born March 20, 1834 near Lakefield, QC. He married Mary Jane Hamilton born February 22, 1837. Their 11 children were born, c. 1863-1881, near Sawyerville, QC, their home. Mary died August 21, 1888 and Joseph, September 12, 1910. He was a farmer. Mary and Joseph are buried at the Grovehill Cemetery, Sawyerville, QC. Mary Jane Hamilton and Joseph Parker had the following children:

+42 i. Edward James Parker.
+43 ii. Elizabeth Jane Parker.
+44 iii. Mary Helena Parker.
+45 iv. Joeseph William Parker.
46 v. Thomas Alfred Parker was born on 2 Feb 1872. He died on 25 Jul 1877. He was buried in Grove Hill Cemetry near Sawyerville. died as a child

notes from Alan Ross Parker

PBBCE Thomas Alfred Parker, born on February 21, 1872 at Parker Hill, QC. He died on July 25, 1877 and is buried at Grovehill Cemetery, Sawyerville, QC.
+47 vi. Emma Parker.
+48 vii. Lilla Sarah Ann Parker.
+49 viii. Lothar Margaret Parker.
+50 ix. Lydia Maria Parker.
+51 x. Ernest Walter Parker.
52 xi. Fanny May Parker was born on 4 Aug 1884. She died on 14 Jan 1886. She was buried in Grove Hill Cemetry near Sawyerville. notes from Alan Ross Parker

PBBCJ Fanny May Parker, born August 4, 1884 and died on January 14, 1886 at Randboro, QC. Fannie is buried at the Grovehill Cemetery, Sawyerville, QC.