My Genealogy Hound

Daniel E. Parker, farmer and stock raiser, of the Seventh District, was born in Dyer County in 1881, and is one of two children—Mrs. Mary A. Harris and our subject. His father, Daniel E. Parker, was of English extraction, born in Halifax County, Va., in 1789. His grandfather was a native of the same county, and was in the war of Independence. Daniel E. Parker, Sr., received but a limited education, as his father died when he was young and he had to help support the family, but was a man of good judgment. He clerked in a store for a while, and for some time was deputy sheriff. In 1826 he moved to Dyer County and bought 1,050 acres of land in the Seventh District. He cut a road from a trail where the Trenton & Dyersburg road now is, to a suitable location on his land, and built a cabin as a temporary barracks and protection against the wild, beasts, and made himself famous for ridding the county of them. After two years he moved back to Virginia, and, August 4, 1828, he married Miss Martha Smith, of the same county, and moved again to Dyer County, where he was magistrate for many years and county trustee for four years, and at his death was the wealthiest man in Dyer County, owning about 6,000 acres. He died in December, 1856. Mrs. Parker was born in 1792, and died in 1856, a devout member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our subject, Daniel E. Parker, Jr., received his education at Bethel College. November 12, 1858, he married Miss Rebecca T., daughter of Gilbert and Nancy Hart, of Carroll County. They had six children: Daniel G. and John N.; both graduated in the literary course in 1881, and the law course in 1882 at the Cumberland University at Lebanon. Daniel is now practicing law at San Bernardino, Cal., and John at Dyersburg. The other children are Mattie R., wife of James E. Carthal, of Trenton; Hattie C., Ada M. and Nannie G., all of whom were educated at Ward’s seminary, at Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Parker is one of the largest land owners and most extensive farmers in Dyer County. The home place consists of 2,700 acres, and is beautifully improved. In 1855-56 he was surveyor of Dyer County. In 1863 he entered the Confederate Army as captain of Company G, Twentieth Tennessee Cavalry. September 24, 1864, he was wounded at Athens, Ala., and returned home. In 1874 and 1875 he represented Dyer County in the State Legislature. He is a Mason, and a Democrat, and himself and family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.