Santa
Clara County
Biographies
CHARLES PARKER
Unusual success has attended the
efforts of Mr. Parker since he arrived in California November 1, 1871, and he
now holds a position among the prosperous citizens of Santa Clara, where he
owns and occupies a comfortable home at No. 1217 Harrison street.
It was about 1888 that he inaugurated the enterprise with which his name is
most closely associated. During that year he began to grow garden seeds,
beginning with only ten acres, but adding to the acreage as the demand for
seeds increased, until at this writing eight hundred acres are utilized for the
purpose. The California seeds, as they are called, have gained a reputation
throughout America and are in constant demand by those to whom experience has
proved their great value. In 1900 a company was incorporated for the
prosecution of the business and Mr. Parker is its president and business
manager. In addition to other interests he owns a prune orchard of fifty-one
acres three miles from Santa Clara.
Near Kansas City, Mo., in Jackson
county, Mr. Parker was born March 20, 1845, being a son of William and Sarah
(Wilson) Parker. His father, who was born in Nicholas county, Ky., July 14,
1805, removed from that state to Missouri in 1838 and engaged in farming near
Independence until his death, but in his last years he was practically retired
from active business cares by reason of the infirmities incident to age. At the
time of his death, in 1892, he was eighty-seven years of age. His wife, who was
born in Maryland, accompanied her parents to Kentucky in childhood and grew to
womanhood in that state. Her death occurred in April, 1896, three months before
the eighty-fifth anniversary of her birth. Of her six sons and two daughters,
Charles was fifth in order of birth. He received a common school education in
Missouri and at eighteen years of age drove an ox team to Santa Fe, N. M.,
continuing as a teamster for four years and camping out all of that time. In
1867 he settled down in Missouri and four years later removed to California,
settling on a farm near Santa Clara. After having conducted general
agricultural pursuits for some years he turned his attention to the industry
that now engages his time and thought. In political belief he is a Democrat and
fraternally holds membership with the lodge and encampment of Odd Fellows.
The first wife of Mr. Parker was
Elsie T. Mason, who was born in Missouri and died there. The only child of that
union died at an early age. In Santa Clara, in 1876, Mr. Parker married Jemimah J. Hudson, who was born and reared in this county,
and by her he has a daughter, Ethel H., now the wife of F. W. Stewart. Mrs.
Parker is a daughter of William D. Hudson, who was born in Woodford county, Ky., August 11, 1822, being a son of Thomas Hudson,
a Virginian by birth and descent, but an early settler both of Woodford county,
Ky., an Boone county, Mo., dying in the latter county at the age of about
seventy years. He was a Whig in politics and a soldier in the war of 1812. For
his wife he chose Jemimah Cavender,
who was born in Virginia and died in Missouri, Five sons and two daughters were
born of their union, all of whom attained mature years, and two sons and one
daughter are now living, viz.: Joel Henry, in Missouri; Mrs. Mary Jane Watson,
also a resident of Missouri; and William D., of Santa Clara county, Cal. The
last named was educated in a subscription school held in a log cabin. In 1841
he engaged in ferrying across the Missouri river. In January of 1842 he settled
at Independence, Jackson county, Mo., and from there in 1846 removed to Clay
county, same state, but a few months later removed to Platte county. May 5,
1850, he started across the plains with ox teams, and October 5, same year, he
arrived in Santa Clara. His first work was the digging of a well for a hotel
where the Santa Clara Bank now stands. Going to the northern mines in 1851, he
tried his luck there, but returned in the fall of 1852. In 1853 he assisted in
building the grist mill at Saratoga, ten miles from Santa Clara, and the next
year assisted in operating the mill. The year 1857 found him cultivating land
at Mountainview (sic). In December of 1864 he rented
an orchard of twenty acres at Santa Clara, and in 1868 built the house in this
city which he still occupies. Included in his possessions are one hundred acres
near Warm Springs, where hay and grain are raised; and five hundred acres in
hay and grain near Hollister. By his marriage to Mary Ann Haun,
who was born in Warren county, Mo., and reared in Jackson county, same state,
he has a son and daughter, the latter being Mr. Parker’s wife, while the
former, James Henry, is a resident of Alameda county, this state. In politics
Mr. Hudson has been a lifelong Democrat. In 1854 he was elected constable of
Redwood township and served in the office for two
years, but the election was against his protest and without his consent, for he
has always declined official nominations, preferring to give his attention to
personal affairs.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 727-728. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Cecelia M. Setty.