Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana. Historical and Biographical.
Charles Blanchard, Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers, 1884. 

MORGAN COUNTY
ADAMS TOWNSHIP
PAGE 310

MARTIN PARKER, merchant, was born in Adams Township, Morgan
County, Ind., October 3, 1834;  is the eldest of ten children born to William
H. and Barthenia P. (Dobbs) Parker, the former a native of East Tennessee,
and the latter of Kentucky.  They were of English and Scotch-Irish descent 
respectively.  William H. Parker emigrated with his parents from Tennessee
to Putnam County, Ind., when only fourteen years old, in 1827.  From thence
they came, after about one year, to what is now Adams Township, Morgan
County, Ind.  Here the father of William H. entered eighty acres of wild land,
and with the help of his son and only heir improved a farm.  This place William
H. inherited at his father's death, and to it he added until he was the owner of
a well-improved farm of some 400 acres.  In this county he was also married.  
In 1846 or 1847, he engaged in the general mercantile trade, in connection
with farming, and continued the same at Mount Washington and Eminence
for some twenty-five or twenty-six years.  He was one of the Township
Turstees, under the old constitution, for several terms, and was also Post-
master.  He was one of the men who helped to grub the right of way of the
old National Plank Road, through the present village of Stilesville.  Himself
and wife were members of the Baptist Church.  His death occurred in Sept-
ember, 1875, and that of Mrs. Parker in September of the previous year.
Martin Parker, the subject, received an education in the subscription schools
of the Indiana frontier.  He remained on the farm until he was twenty years
old.  He then took a lease of twenty acres, which he cleared and upon which
he remained one year.  After this he moved onto a partially improved farm of
forty acres belonging to his wife, where he remained another year.  He then
farmed the home place on shares for one year.  After this he farmed on shares
in Putnam County for four years.  In the spring of 1861, he moved onto 113 
acres of wild land in Adams Township, Morgan County, Ind.  Here he im-
proved a farm, which he still owns, and here he resided until the fall of 1878,
when he rented the farm and came to Eminence, where he owns valuable
residence property, and also owns the best two-story brick business building
in the place, in which he intends opening a general store in the spring of 1884.
Mr. Parker was married, May 21, 1854, to Margaret E. Meek, a native of
Morgan County, Ind.  Ten children blessed their union, of whom only two
sons are now living.  Mr. Parker is a member of Eminence Lodge, No. 440,
A., F. & A. M.  In politics, he is a member of the Greenback or National
party, and is one of the earliest pioneers of the township and county.

Data Entry Volunteer:  Diana Flynn 

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