My Genealogy Hound

Joshua W. Parker is a farmer and mechanic, and like all his countrymen is intelligent and enterprising. He was born in Lincolnshire, England, on January 28, 1820, and is a son of Will and Ann (Smith) Parker, who were also born in that country. Joshua W. was reared in his native land, and received good advantages, his education being acquired in the schools of England. When twenty-one years of age he began working for himself as a blacksmith and machinist, continuing at this work until 1852, at which time he emigrated to America, landing in New York City in the month of April, 1852. The first year of his stay here was spent in traveling over the country looking for a suitable location in which to settle, and after having spent two years in Kentucky engaged in railroad contracting, he went to Memphis, Tenn., and did the first blacksmithing in the Benjamin Phelon Foundary on Poplar Street, remaining there three years. Since that time he has resided in Desha County, Ark., but was first a resident of Laconia, where he opened a planing factory in January, 1856, continuing this business until the breaking out of the war. He was doing a thriving business, but was completely ruined during that time, all his hard earned property being destroyed. He was taken prisoner at one time by the Federal soldiers, but after being retained for a few days was released, but found himself without a dollar in the world, a few short hours having sufficed to blight his prospects and destroy the accumulations of years. After the close of the war he began to farm on rented land, and continued steadily to “pursue the even tenor of his way” until he has retrieved his fallen fortunes and accumulated a handsome competency. In 1870 he purchased his present splendid farm, which comprises 860 acres of fine farming land, and has 460 acres cleared and under cultivation, raising thereon about 400 bales of cotton annually, his land being also well adapted to raising the cereals. He also owns a one-half interest in the fine cotton-gin at Laconia, his partner being Charles Warfield, which mill has a capacity of 4,000 bales each year. Mr. Parker is deeply interested in the welfare of his adopted county, and is one of her most useful citizens, as he is honest and upright in all his dealings, enterprising, and a supporter of worthy enterprises. Miss Martha A., the daughter of Tecumseh and Jane (Smith) Bell, natives, respectively, of Kentucky and Mississippi, became his wife in 1867. Mr. Parker has always been a member of the Episcopal Church. He is a grandson of Admiral Peter Parker, who was defeated at Sullivan’s Island in 1776; also a nephew of Sir Sidney Smith Bath, a British admiral.