My Genealogy Hound

William B. Parker, merchant at Spurgeon, Mo., was born in Northumberland County, Penn., February 6, 1853, and is a son of Nathan O., who was born in Pennsylvania, was a farmer by occupation, a soldier during the late war, in the One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service of his country in 1865. Our subject’s mother, whose maiden name was Sarah W. Marshall, was born in the same State as her husband. Three sons and one daughter were born to their union. The parents moved to La Porte County, Ind., in 1857, and after the father’s death lived there until 1866, when the mother moved to White Pigeon, Mich., and there died in January, 1868. William B., the eldest of this family, worked on a farm until fifteen and a half years of age, and then went to school one year and seven months. In the spring of 1870 he moved to Montgomery County, Kas., took charge of cattle for three years, and traded with the Indians until 1878, when he began traveling in the marble business for Dawson & Son, which he continued for four years. In 1882 he settled in Carterville, Jasper Co., Mo., and engaged in furnishing water for the town, in which he continued for two years. He then embarked in mercantile pursuits, and eight months later, December 6, 1883, moved to Newton County. During this time he was also engaged in stock raising. Mr. Parker owns 100 acres in this county and forty in Jasper County. September 7, 1879, he married Miss Rowena Doolin, a native of Illinois, born March 23, 1853, and they had four children, Mary Edith, now living, and three deceased. Previous to this marriage Mr. Parker had married, January 1, 1873, Miss Caroline M. Miller, a native of Delaware County, Ind., and who died August 6, 1878, without issue. Mr. Parker was appointed postmaster at Spurgeon January 29, 1887, and is a man universally respected.