Individual Details

Death

Son of Dr. Richard Parker and Elizabeth Bailey

In Virginia and what became Carolina, the headright system was set up for providing 100 acres of land per person, or 'head' for anyone paying for transport into the colony, or for transporting themselves and families. During the first one hundred years of the system, there was no verification of transport, and no desire to check accuracy either. Names of people were passed around like currency, and those names then used at various counties to obtain headright land. This is why it is very common to see people transported numerous times into the colony. This is all very well documented. Everyone was in on it, and the land was free for the taking.

A man named Thomas Parker Esq., grandson of Sir James Parker of Browsholme, was awarded 1100 acres at the head of Fishing Creek where it meets the Tar River in Chowan Parish, North Carolina for paying transport of himself and family plus nine other people into North Carolina August 13, 1707 to a man named John West who had been a transporter since 1668. Thomas developed this property acquiring 3500 acres and it was later known as the Thomas Parker Plantation on the Fishing Creek, Edgecombe County North Carolina. In 1717 near his death Thomas divided the Plantation into 7 equal parts for his Wife and 6 Children as Jane is listed in the 1717 Tax Digest of Chowan Precinct paying tax on 500 acres of land however, keeping the Plantation in tact for many years. Where the Fishing Creek meets the Tar River about 100' from the bank at Lat 35.944279 Lon -77.517888 was the Plantation House and home place of Thomas and Jane Parker. Across the river in the "Ring of Tar" described by Parker tradition, is the final resting place of many descendants and family.

North Carolina Will Abstracts, 1660-1790
Probate Record Name: Thomas Parker; Location: Chowan County; Will Date: 23 Jan 1717; Probate Date: Oct 1717; Will: Sons: Thomas, Joseph, John and William; Daughters: Sarah and Frances; Wife and Executrix: Jeane; Witnesses: John Parker, Henry Lam, Benjamin Evans; Clerk of the Court: R. Hicks; Source Information; Grimes, John Bryan; Abstracts of North Carolina Wills. Raleigh, NC, USA: North Caroline Department of State, 1910.

The "twenty third day of January in the year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred and seventeen". "Thomas Parker of ye precinct of Chowan in the County of Albermarl in ye province of north Carolina". To son Thomas Parker one cow and calf. To son Joseph Parker one cow and calf. All moveable estate goods and chatel "to be equally divided amongst my Children Thomas Parker an Joseph Parker Sarah Parker John Parker William Parker and Frances Parker". Wife Jeane Parker sole executrix, and to have use of "my moveable estate tell my Children shall be of age or so long as she remains a widow". Declares sons shall be of age when they reach eighteen, and daughter at age of sixteen [apparently only one daughter, so "Frances" would be a son]. Signed Thomas (his mark) Parker and sealed in the presence of subscribers: John Parker _____, brGemy? (his mark) Larre?, Benjamin E____.

Thomas Parker I
Born: 1658 Henrico Co., Virginia
Died: 1717 Chowan Co., North Carolina
Father: Dr. Richard Parker I
Mother: Mrs. Mary Perkins
Wed 1: 1680 Henrico Co., Virginia
Wife 1: Mrs. Mary Unknown Wells Widow of Thomas Wells
Born: 1663
Died: Bet. April 01 - December 31, 1697 Henrico Co., Virginia
Father:
Mother:
Daughter: Frances Parker b. 1681 Henrico Co., Virginia
Son: William Parker b. 1683 Henrico Co., Virginia
Daughter: Sarah Parker b. 1685 Henrico Co., Virginia
Wed 2: 1697 Henrico Co., Virginia
Wife 2: Jean Jane Early
Born: 1665 Isle of Wright Co., Virginia
Died: June 28, 1735 Chowan Co., North Carolina
Father: William Early
Mother: Elizabeth Clark
Son: John Parker I b. 1697 Henrico Co., Virginia
Son: Thomas Parker II b. 1698 Henrico Co., Virginia
Son: Joseph Parker b. 1699 Henrico Co., Virginia