My Park/Parke/Parks Ancestry
New info - I have another Parke ancestor in my maternal line, Thomas of Massachsetts, born 1628 in England, husband of Abigail Dix. Working on it. Mom would be happy to know that.
Many people have Robert Parke as an ancestor, including the late Princess Diana of Wales. Robert was a friend of John Winthrop, who organized The Winthrop Fleet and became the first governor of the area that became Massachusetts. Both men's names are on genealogy societies, with the Winthrop Society being open to any descendent of a person who sailed to America in the fleet organized by Winthrop in 1630. Robert was nearly 50 years old then, having been born 3 June 1580. Robert's sons changed Parke to Parks. Succeeding generations changed the surname to Park & Parke. The name Robert was quite popular in succeeding generations.
Interesting discovery: 11th great grandfather John Johnson, a paternal line ancestor, was also a member of the Winthrop Fleet with maternal line immigrants Robert Parke & Martha Chaplin. I'm sure there's at least one more.
Here's a link to a website within Hartford, CT's Ancient Burying Ground, that details problems with England's monarchy and their persecution of Puritans and any other group that didn't toe the line. It's the reason that John Endicott, John Winthrop and others organized voyages to the new world where they could have freedom of religion. 9th great grandparents Robert Parke and Martha Chaplin were members of the Winthrop Fleet.
I'll list them in order, starting with my last Parke/Park/Parks-named descendent, Olive Parks, followed by the parents. Each family had many children, but I'll only list my direct line. These lines are well documented. The Parke Society is a great place to start your journey on that line!
- Olive Parks, b. 23 December 1813, d. 16 July 1870. Married 3 June 1832, Nelson Madden, b. 30 October 1804, d. 8 May 1855. Related child: Mary Madden
- Robert Parks, b. 12 February 1776, d. 29 June 1863. Married (date unknown) Mary Polly Smith, b. about 29 June 1781, d. 30 June 1844. 14 children. This Robert was a War of 1812 veteran.
- Robert Parks, b. 4 December 1737, d. 1810. Spouse: Elizabeth Hall (dates unknown). 8 children. This Robert was a Revolutuionary War veteran.
- Joseph Parks, b. 11 June 1708, d. 1786. Spouse: Sarah Jamison, b. 1710, d. 1786. 8 children.
- Robert Parks, b. 6 May 1676, d. 12 May 1752. Spouse: Tamsen Packer Brumley (or Bromley), (dates unknown). 8 children.
- Samuel Parks, b.20 January 1620/21, d. 22 March 1709 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut. Spouse: Hannah (maiden name unknown). 7 children.
- Robert Parke, Wintrop Fleet immigrant, b. 3 June 1580, d. 14 March 1664. Married 9 February 1601/02, Martha Chaplin, b. 4 February 1583/84, d. 1643. Married second wife Alice Freeman Thompson on 30 May 1644.
Notes
Robert Parke, wife Martha Chaplin and some of their sons and daughters came to the new world on the ship Arbella, part of John Winthrop's fleet. The Massachusetts Historical Society has the original letter from Robert to John Winthrop, dated 28 February 1629, asking to join the fleet. Historians think that the year was actually 1630. The Winthrop fleet set sail from Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, on 29 March 1630. The fleet arrived in Boston Harbor 17 June, a passage of 78 days. Upon his death in 1664, he was buried in Whitehall Cemetery, Mystic, Ct. A memorial tablet attached to a boulder was set at his grave by his decendents in 1930.
Samuel Parks had remained in England after his father sailed to the colonies. He came to America after his father's death to collect his inheritance as stipulated in his father's will . Samuel was sixth and likely last child of Robert and Martha.
Robert Parks (1776 - 1863) served in the War of 1812. He enlisted in the New York State Militia and became a member of the 158th Regiment of the New York Infantry. He was made a Captain, and served as such until the end of the war. He and his family moved to Oakland County, Michigan, in May of 1823. Source: American Biographical History - 1878: Representative Men of Michigan, District V.
Robert Parks (1737 - 1810) served in the Revolutionary War.
Related page
Sources
- The Parke Society and The Winthrop Society.
- Genealogy of the Parke families of Connecticut: including Robert Parke, of New London, Edward Parks, of Guilford, and others. Also a list of Parke, Park, Parks, etc., who fought in the Revolutionary War," by Frank Sylvester Parks.
- American Ancestors and Cousins of the Princess of Wales, by Gary Boyd Roberts and William Addams Reitwiesner. Published by the Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md.
- The Massachusetts Historical Society
- The Oakland County (MI) Pioneer and Historical Society
Genealogy articles about Princess Diana:
- Princess Diana's Hidden Ancestral Secret Revealed
- And perhaps the most interesting site, The Spencers Royal Stuart Ancestors I do have an English ancestor named Mary Stuart.