JAMES EDWARD PARKER

Sacramento County

Biographies

JAMES EDWARD PARKER

JAMES EDWARD PARKER. A retired saddle and harness-maker of Sacramento, James Edward Parker is now located at No. 3741 Magnolia avenue, Oak Park, retired from the cares and activities which have so long engrossed his attention. He is a native of Warren county, Ky., born December 13, 1830, a son of Robert and Martha (Johnson) Parker, both natives of England, who immigrated to America in 1829 and settled in Macoupin county, Ill. Of there four children, James Edward received his education in the common schools, which he attended during the winters, while in the summers he gave his attention to farming under his father’s instruction. In young manhood he learned the saddle and harness-making trade, serving an apprenticeship of four years and completing it with George W. Metz, with whom he remained for thirteen years afterward. He then worked as a journeyman throughout Illinois and also worked in St. Louis, Mo., for a time. In 1850 he became one of a company of about one hundred men and crossed the plains with ox-teams. After reaching the state he worked in the mines at Placerville and other points, and at Clarksville, Eldorado county, he took up a claim which proved a profitable venture. Selling out his mining interests he located in Sacramento and once more engaged as a journeyman harness-maker. In November, 1850, he rented the Schuyler house, and after running it for one year again resumed work at his trade, entering the employ of Kingsley & Singleton, manufacturers of harness in Sacramento. Four months later, with the means which he had accumulated, he engaged in the harness business for himself, on the corner of K and Seventh streets, remaining there for a number of years. By 1858 he had built up an extensive and profitable trade, which he disposed of that year and opened a new shop on K street which he conducted until 1864. In that year he bought the building at No. 518 K street, which he now owns, and in which he carried on business until retiring in 1889. Now in his seventy-fifth year, he is still well preserved, hale and hearty, and is enjoying the evening of his days.

October 5, 1850 Mr. Parker was united in marriage with Lucy Taylor, who was born in New York state in 1824, a sister of E. C. Taylor, a prominent citizen of Sacramento. Mrs. Parker died in 1902, leaving two children, Anna, the wife of Henry Purinton, of Plainfield, Yolo county; and Ida, the wife of George L. Schaffer, residing at No. 1821 G street, Sacramento. One daughter, Clara E., died in her twenty-eighth year. Mr. Parker is a Democrat in his political affiliations and for a number of years has served as a member of the election board. His first vote was cast in 1844 for John Tyler, while in 1860 he voted for Abraham Lincoln, who, as a native of Kentucky, he believed to be a good man and one who could safely bring the crisis which it was then laboring under.

Louise E. Shoemaker Transcriber, November 06^th, 2007.

Source: “History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley, California” by J. M. Guinn. Pages 1224-1227. Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1906.