Josiah Parker (1751 - 1810)

Born 11 May 1751 in Isle of Wight, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Pierce) Parker — married 6 May 1773 in Isle of Wight, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died 18 Mar 1810 at age 58 in Isle of Wight, Colony of Virginia, United States

Biography

Colonel Josiah Parker served with 5th Virginia Regiment (1776), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Josiah Parker is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A087687.

Josiah Parker was born on 11 May 1751 in Isle of Wight, Virginia, to Nicholas Parker and Ann Copeland. His accomplishments include:

* 1755 - Member of the Court Committee of Safety.

* June and December of 1775 - Member of the Virginia Conventions.

* Feb 13, 1776 - Commissioned Major of the 5th Virginia Regiment.

* Picture at Yale art gallery.

* Member of the VA Society of the Cincinnati.

* Member of the Vestry of the Old Brick Church.

* 1786 - Naval officer at Portsmouth.

* 1789 - 1801 Member of the state conventions and a member of Congress.

Colonel Josiah Parker died March 18, 1810 leaving an only child, Ann Pierce Parker who married in 1802 Captain William Cowper U.S.N. Ann Pierce Parker died March 21, 1849.

[Page 2 - Smlthfield Times - Wed., May 22, 1968 OLDE SMITH FIELD by: Segar Cofer Dashiell]

Lot No. 58, on the north side of Church Street, is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Simpson, Jr. This lot was first sold by Capt. Arthur Smith on October 5, 1752, to George Wilson, and was inherited by his daughter Mary, who was the wife of Jesse Atkinson. In 1772 Jesse and Mary Atkinson sold it to Charles Butler for the small sum of twenty pounds, but when Butler sold it to Josiah Parker in 1778 the price had jumped to one hundred and twenty pounds, indicating that a house had been erected thereon. This original house was of frame construction with a basement and second story, and it or some part of it, was retained for many years as a wing on the east end of the present brick house which was built in the eighteen twenties. It remained in use until Mrs. Richmond Maury (nee Mary Wilson) had it removed when she remodelled the house in the eighteen nineties. Colonel Josiah Parker, one of Isle of Wight County's outstanding citizens, made this original frame house his home from 1778 until 1784, when he sold it to Mills Wills for three hundred pounds, and probably moved at that time to his farm "Macclesfield" on the James River near the present village of Rescue, where he died on March 18, 1810. He had married on May 6, 1773, Mary Peirce Bridger, who was the widor of Col. Joseph Bridger and the daughter of Col. Thomas Pierce. Much has been written about Col. Josiah Parker by local historians ? Mr. James F. Crocker, Mr. R. S. Thomas, Col. E. M. Morrison and others, and from them and from other sources we learn that he was a member of the Virginia Conventions of 1775 and 1776, and a member of the Committee of Safety for Isle of Wight County in 1775. When Virginia turned over the Continental service the six battalions of infantry raised especially for that purpose, Josiah Parker was designated as major and was, on February 3, 1776, commissioned major in the 5th Virginia Regiment. Col. Parker greatly distinguished himself at the battle of Trenton, and had the honor on this occasion to receive the sword of the wounded Col. Ralle, commander of the Hessians. In the noted picture of the capture of the Hessians. Trumbull, Col. Parker is placed on the left side and painted from life. He was complimented by General Washington for his conduct at the Battle of the Brandywine. Early in 1780 a considerable body of militia and other troops were assembled in Smithfield and were commanded by Gen. Muhlengurg, Gen. Robert Lawson and Col. Parker. He served under Gen. Charles Lee in Virginia until the fall of 1776, when he was transferred to Washington's army. He was, unfortunately, of irascible temper, and applying to Washington for a furlough and being denied, in irritation he resigned his commission -- an impulsive action which he ever afterwards regretted. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1780 and 1781, a naval officer in Portsmouth in 1786 when he was elected to Congress upon the death of Samuel Hardy, and served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for six terms. He was a member of the vestry of the Old Brick Church, an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati. He is listed in 1 799 among the Virginians whose portraits were made by St. Memin. In an election of delegates from this county to the Virginia Convention of 1788 he and Gen. John Scarsbrook Wills were defeated by Thomas Pierce and Capt James Johnson. Wills and Parker were devoted adherents of Patrick Henry, and with him opposed to the ratification of the Constitution, while Pierce and Johnson favored ratification. He was subsequently a judge of the General Court of Virginia, and had voted as a member of Congress for locating the seat of government on the Potomac. When Col. Tarleton, at the head of a considerable body of British Cavalry passed through this county they visited "Macclesfield" in the hope of capturing Col. Parker, but failed in this "purpose. However, they destroyed many valuable papers found there. He was a son of Nicholas Parker (17221789) and Ann Copeland (1723-1776) his wife, and was born May 11, 1751. He is known to have been buried at "Macclesfield", but the marker, if any, has long since disappeared. He had only one child, a daughter, Anne Pierce Parker whom he had educated as if she had been a son, in the languages and arts. She was a very gifted and accomplished woman and was married on January 4, 1802, to Capt. William Cowper, USN. Referring to this marriage her uncle, Copeland Parker, wrote in his diary that it was "not with her father's approbation, but I hope it will turn out well". She died at "Macclesfield" March 21, 1849, survived by four children: Josiah Cowper, who under the will of his grandfather took the name Josiah Cowper; William Cowper; Thomas Frederick Pierce

Parker Cowper; and Leopold Cope land Parker Cowper, who was at one time Lt. Governor of Virginia. Col. Josiah Parker's will, dated at "Macclesfield" March 21, 1810, was recorded April 2 1810 (Will Book 13, p. 89), and he left to his daughter, Anne Pierce Parker Cowper "6 negroes, an elegant set of cut glass imported from London with the initials of her name on them, all the french plates and all the pictures and frames except the military ones and all the old plate (silver) sould or unsound that belonged to her mother at the time I married her, the best mahogany bedstead and the black walnut bedstead which I generally sleep on myself, a small platter of pompadore colored save (Servres) china and a broken set of pencil 'd china, my harp, pianoforte and all the musick". In 1784 Josiah Parker and Mary, his wife, sold lot No. 58 to Mills Wills, who in 1786 sold it to Capt. John Pasteur, who probably made his home there until his death in 1794. He was a son of Charles Pasteur of Elizabeth City County. He is listed among the heads of families in Isle of Wight in the first Virginia census of 1782. He married Honor Wilson, daughter of George and Judith Wilson, and their children were: Charles Pasteur, Solomon Wilson Pasteur, Polly Pasteur who married Joseph Hodsden, and Elizabeth Pasteur (died 1848) who married David Boykin (1785-1830). David and Elizabeth Boykin were the grandparents of Vincent W. Joyner Sr., and have descendents still living in Smithfield. Capt. John Pasteur served in the Virginia State Navy during the Revolutionary War and worked closely with Capt. John Sinclair, his near neighbor and brother in law. They had each married a daughter of George and Judith Wilson. Both Sinclair and Pasteur sailed regularly between the West Indies and the Virginia coast, and both carried cargo for Van Bibber and Harrison of the Island of St. Eustatia. Their vessel, the Little Molly, captained by Pasteur, is described by Van Bibber and Harrison as a ' very fine boat", and the invoice of her shipment lists 7,500 lbs. of gun powder and 90 stand of arms put on board by Van Bibber and Harrison, on July 25, 1776. As the. war of independence had just been declared in the colonies, the risk of carrying arms was considered great and the shipment was carried by Capt. Pastuer at the "risque of the colony of Virginia". Capt. Pasteur died in 1794 and on March 29, 1834, the state of Virginia rewarded his heirs with a land bounty of 523 1/3 acres for three years of his service. After the death of his widow, Honeur Pasteur, the house and lot was bought by Benj. Drew in 1807, and was sold under a deed of trust in 1822 to Watson P. Jordan. Benj. Drew did not live at No. 58 during his ownership. Shortly after buying the lot Jordan erected thereon the large brick residence that now occupies the site, retaining the original frame building as a wing on the east end and made his home there until 1837 when he sold it to John Day. In 1838 he bought Windsor Castle" from Arthur Smith the last male member of the Smith family, and made his home there for the rest of his life. This large brick dwelling erected in the eighteen twenties, consists of four floors-a basement, main floor, second floor and dormer windowed attic. On the main floor is a very wide entrance and stair hall the full depth of the house, and to the lcfi of the hall two large rooms. Originally the dining room was, no doubt, in the basement, with the kitchen either in the basement or in the yard. The wide yard is terraced down to the river.

Children

1. Ann Pierce Parker b: Abt 1775 in Isle Of Wight, Colony of Virginia.

Acknowledgements

This person was created by Katherine (Alvis) Patterson through the import of Parker 9.ged on 23 January 2011.