San
Joaquin County
Biographies
THOMAS B. PARKER
Well known throughout San Joaquin
County, Thomas B. Parker is a representative of best ideals of citizenship and
progressive enterprise, and is one of the extensive farmers of the county, having
a fine estate of 150 acres, one and a half miles east of Lockeford, a portion
of the ranch settled by his father in the early ‘50s. A native Californian, he was born on his
father’s ranch in San Joaquin County, October 22, 1862, a son of Thomas B. and
Margaret (Givens) Parker, both native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and in early
days moved to Missouri and located in Henry County. The father first came to California in 1850
and engaged in the stock business, but two years later returned to Missouri, where
he remained for a time. Then he brought
his family across the plains in 1854, driving the cattle, while his family came
behind as a part of a large emigrant train.
Settling in the northwestern part of San Joaquin County, Mr. Parker
bought a squatter’s right to 320 acres, but afterward had to pay the railroad
for it. On a portion of this ranch our
subject is living today. The father
passed away when Thomas B. was about a year old and his mother afterwards
married M. E. Bryant.
Thomas B. Parker had very little
opportunity for schooling, but the education he received was while attending
the Athearn school, then
located on the Mokelumne River bottom, and the Mackville
and Elliott schools. When he was
nineteen years old he left home and went to Mason Valley, Nevada, where he
worked for Mason, of Miller & Lux, Mason being
the head of the Nevada ranch. He then
returned to Lockeford and worked on various ranches for three or four years.
Here the first marriage of Mr.
Parker occurred at Lockeford at the old Parker home on May 8, 1884, and united
him with Miss Margaret Atwood, a native of Logansport, Indiana, who had come to
California on a visit and met and married Mr. Parker. They were the parents of two children: Roy met death by accident at the age of
fourteen, and Edith died when twenty-two years old. Mrs. Parker passed away in January, 1920,
from influenza. His second marriage
occurred on August 7, 1920, and united him with Mrs. Ossie
(Wade) Holmes, a native of Morton, Mississippi, a daughter of Lafayette and
Susan (Lingle) Wade, who were plantation owners in
the rich delta land of the Mississippi River.
Her parents are of Scotch-Irish descent and Mrs. Parker is one of the
younger children. A brother, John W.
Wade, is judge of the Circuit Court, first division, at Little Rock, Arkansas,
and takes an active part in politics.
After his first marriage, Mr. Parker continued to live on the old home
place of 320 acres which his father had acquired so many years ago; of the
original tract, he now owns 150 acres.
While the old home buildings are still standing, Mr. Parker has built a
fine, modern residence, where he and his wife reside. About twenty years ago Mr. Park and W. R. McGary purchased the Buck Springs Ranch of 440 acres in San
Joaquin County. Later Mr. McGary sold out to Ed Harris of Stockton. Politically Mr. Parker is Democrat and
fraternally is affiliated with Stockton Lodge No. 218, B. P. O. E. Mr. Parker’s farming and stock-raising
operations are conducted upon a large scale and he has been identified with
this line of enterprise ever since launching into his active career.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
463-464. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County Genealogy
Databases