Individual Details

Death

Son of Major Gabriel Parker I and Famoriah "Fanny" Odom

(Not to be confused with Gabriel Parker Sr. b. 1746 and Faithy Wilkinson, son of Aaron Parker I 233705675 and Mary Dew 233705712)

Gabriel Parker married October 19, 1758, Miss Mary Faith "Faithey" Wilkerson daughter of General William and Sarah Wilkerson, hero of the French and Indian War 1744-1748. He earned a law degree from the College of William and Mary in 1765 and opened his Law Firm in Tarboro, North Carolina near his home in Fishing Creek. At the outbreak of the of the Revolution, Gabriel Parker was commissioned an Ensign in the 1st North Carolina Light Dragoons Regiment 1st Company on 20 April 1775. He was promoted to Lieutenant 3 December 1776 after the Battle of Brandywine and was transferred to the 1st North Carolina Regiment Continental Army Calvary as a Recon Scout 2 October 1777 under General George Washington. He contracted dysentery "Bloody Flux" in March 1777 at Valley Forge but recovered. After the battle of Monmouth Court House in New Jersey June 28, 1778, he rose to the rank of Captain. The regiment was sent to Charles Town in early March 1780, and engaged the British Army on March 29, 1780. The unit was captured by the British Army at the Fall of Charles Town May 12, 1780, but the unit was reformed a year later in the Summer of 1781, and he was promoted to Colonel and ordered to Yorktown early September and fought during the Siege of Yorktown. Cornwallis surrendered 18 October 1781 and the unit was sent back to Charles Town. On 14 December 1782 the British evacuated Charles Town and the War was over for him at James Island, South Carolina so he returned home to gather his family and moved back to James Island, South Carolina in the Spring of 1782 where he had spent so much time during the South Carolina General Assembly 1789-1795. State Senator 1794-1795. It is known that 3 of his sons followed in his footsteps as Attorneys being accepted to the South Carolina Bar in 1784 and marrying into the prominent families. In 1785 he was offered land in Abbyville at its formation to move his Law Firm there. He was a founding trustee of the University of South Carolina 1801-1805. His wife Faithey passed away in 1805 so when his son Matthew got an appointment as head attorney at the University of Georgia, he moved with him to Athens and reopened his Law Firm there. He was a trustee of the University of Georgia 1810-1830. Gabriel Parker died of "pleurisy of the brain" at his home in Athens in 1834 and is buried on the historic hill at Oconee Hill Cemetery. Gabriel was beloved by all who knew him.

Colonel Gabriel Parker II
Born: 1740 Fishing Creek, Bertie Co., North Carolina
Died: May 05, 1834, Clarke Co., Georgia
Father: Major Gabriel Parker I
Mother: Famoriah "Fanny" Odom
Wed: October 19, 1756 Fishing Creek, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina
Wife: Mary Faith "Faithey" Wilkerson
Born: 1740 Edgecombe Co., North Carolina
Died: 1805 Abbeville Co., South Carolina
Father: General William Wilkerson
Mother: Sarah Heffernon
Daughter: Mary Parker b. 1757 Fishing Creek, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina
Son: John Parker b. 24 Jun 1759 Fishing Creek, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina
Son: Thomas Parker b. 8 Nov 1760 Fishing Creek, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina