My Genealogy Hound

John N. Parker, farmer, Camden, Ark. This worthy representative agriculturist of Ecore a Fabre Township owes his nativity to Tennessee, his birth occurring near Nashville in 1841, and is the elder of two children born to the union of H. S. and Eliza (Nunn) Parker. The other child was a daughter, and she is now the wife of J. A. Reaves. H. S. Parker came to this State about 1838 or 1839, followed the carpenter’s trade here until his death, which occurred in this county on the old Pierce place in 1843. The first gin-house ever in this county he erected on Red River above Shreveport, La., and was among the first contractors in Camden. Mrs. Parker was married again in 1845 to Portin Goodlett of this county, and by him became the mother of three children: Harvey S., Mary (widow of Thomas Lockett), and Albert. The mother died in November, 1884. J. N. Parker was educated in the common schools of this county, and at the age of twenty-one, he joined the Confederate forces, Company I, Eighteenth Arkansas Infantry, and served on the east side of the Mississippi River until the surrender of Port Hudson. He was engaged in the battles of Corinth and Iuka and at Port Hudson was captured. Later he was paroled and came home, where he remained for a short time, after which he again joined the army. He was captured in March, 1864, was sent to Little Rock, thence to Rock Island and remained in the latter place for some time. In March, 1865, he was exchanged at the mouth of Red River in this State, and was in the Confederate service until the close of the war. He surrendered at Camden though his command was at Marshall, Tex. Upon the termination of hostilities Mr. Parker found himself a financial wreck, and first engaged in farming on rented land in this county. In 1867 he moved on the farm owned by his mother, and which had been entered by his father, in 1840, and which consisted of 120 acres. This Mr. Parker has since purchased and has added to the same about 1,500, and has under cultivation 500 acres. He has good farm buildings, outhouses, etc., besides a fine new steam gin and grist-mill. He had the misfortune to lose his mill and gin in October, 1889, but he has since built the one mentioned, which turns out 275 bales annually, and he raises on his own farm from sixty-five to seventy-five bales every year. He also raises cattle, horses and corn enough for his own use and some to spare. He is the architect of his own fortune, never having received any aid, and is one of the wide-awake farmers of the county. He has been a member of the K. of P. for five or six years, Dougal Lodge No. 18, Camden. He is also a member of the R. A. and the K. of H. He was married in 1867 to Miss Ann Hawkins of this county, and to them have been born eleven children, ten of whom are still living: Henry, John, James, Mary, Frank, Delia, Thomas, William, Charley, Samuel and Eliza (deceased). Mrs. Parker and her two daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.