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.

Fullerton

William Fullerton [1802-1875]

Through my Parks genealogy research, I have e-met a sixth cousin (once removed) from New Hampshire. Phelps and I have been trying to find the ancestors of Ann Clark who married Humphrey Fullerton about 1755 most likely in Pennsylvania. Ann was the sister of Rebecca Clark who married Joseph Parks, who is believed to be the grandfather of my great great grandfather, James Parks. Cousin Carol in Lancaster, Pennsylvania has also been working with me on this research. In some places on Ancestry Ann’s middle name is seen as “Dawson.” Possibly Dawson was her mother’s maiden name. We believe her parents to be Thomas Clark and Ann [Unknown, possibly Dawson?]. There is also a possibility of a surname of Davidson.

Phelps’ line was so very interesting. Many of the Fullerton line were leaders in their communities, judges, merchants, railroad men, bankers, etc. and branches off his line run into the Pierponts and Morgans, several settling in Ohio and becoming captains of industry and banking in that area. One branch started the Carnation Company. We have yet to definitely determine Ann and Rebecca’s heritage, but Carol will be visiting various counties in Pennsylvania in an effort to locate more records.

Breckenridge

We are back from our week in Breckenridge and glad of it! We actually left early, disappointment in the entire experience. Actually we enjoyed the Georgetown Loop tour, but at nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, we battled altitude sickness - headaches, lack of sleep, shortness of breath - until we finally packed up and left two days early - on our anniversary day. We were extremely disappointed in the Marriott Mountain Valley Resort - a very old building, nicely decorated but extremely small, cramped and unclean. The underground parking was a constant challenge, too. On our way home, we stopped in Moab - the beautiful room at the Moab Best Western was a breath of fresh air - and the next morning toured Arches National Park. What a beautiful place that is with its incredible arches and unbelievable stone structures. Moab was still at 4000+ feet above sea level, so we were not totally comfortable until we got home to good old St. George, 2500+ feet.