Sep 24, 2011

The James Parks Mystery

I am still on the hunt for James Parks, my maternal great great grandfather. We’ve found just about everyone surrounding his immediate family, but we can’t pin down his mother, where his father died and is buried, and why he was born in Virginia (info he or someone close to him gave for the 1850 and 1860 Indiana censuses) but is found in Indiana after 1850 with my great great grandmother, my great grandfather and Lydia, my great grand aunt. He had a first wife and children. Can’t find them, either.

What I do have are the two Indiana censuses, land records indicating the land the family lived on belonged to great great grandmother from her first marriage and went to her children of that first marriage, and DNA results that indicate he was the very close relative, almost certainly son of, James Parks born 18 Jul 1761 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The unknown mother of my James apparently died soon after his birth and his father remarried to Barbara Steer about 1803 producing seven children. Through Carol, who lives in Pennsylvania and is a descendant of the Barbara Steer marriage, we may be able to find records in the counties where the Parks family lived. She is methodically visiting courthouses and historical societies in an attempt to solve this mystery, partially unfolded by DNA results.

1 comment:

  1. Hi, I'm a direct descendant to a William Parks born 1785 in Hardy/Bedford VA. I'm at a stand still with this and have been for many years. A relative of mine, who was trying to do go back further on the Parks line passed away a few years back. So I have been deteremined to find more on William Parks 1785 who married a Louisa Watson. I was wondering if you have any info on William and Louisa and was wondering if maybe James b 1761 could be a relative to my William, maybe father? William and Louisa are suppose to be buried in Grant Co. WV. Please email me at tammymarkwood@gmail.com if you have any info for me.

    Thanks,
    Tammy Parks Markwood

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