Thursday, August 23, 2012

More Information on Jerry Parker

Janet Hawkins hawkinsjk1@gmail.com has provided additional information on Jerry Parker from the Civil War pension application of Jerry and Harriet Parker.

Jerry and Harriett Parker (Company B, U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery)
Invalid claim filed 7 Jun 1889; application #408238; certificate #1002061; filed in KY
Widow claim filed 20 Jun 1924; application #1175751; certificate #919049; filed in KY

Jerry Parker claimed he was first married to Hellen Salyer during slavery days. The wedding took place “at the house of her master … on a Saturday night [by] Jerry Early, a colored minister.” Jerry and Hellen’s union produced three sons, one of whom, Miles Parker, was a private in the 25th U.S. Infantry. In a pension letter, Jerry claims he suspected Hellen of committing adultery, and the two separated amicably. Hellen died of pneumonia in 1879.

Parker was enslaved by Robert P. Parker, Lamasco, Lyon Co., KY, who claimed in a pension affadavit that he bought Jerry in 1847 from his grandmother’s estate when Jerry was about 10 years old. Robert Parker’s letter described Jerry Parker as “an upright honorable colored man—one whom he could always trust in positions requiring care and fidelity.”

Harriett Fowler’s first marriage was to Lewis Bellamy, who died in 1878.


Copyright on text and photographs
by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog

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