The Washington herald., 1917-12-09

above, lived in Gilley Park. York
shire, where hts SOP Thomas was
born. Thomas married against the
wishes of his father and was disin-
herited- His son Francis. who was
born in Pickering, Yorkshire. came
to Clinton in 1890. His descendants
are still settled in that section and
elsewhere in New York State.
~wiIl you please give me some
account OF the Bird family?" asks
o. B.
The family, which IL not large
either IN England or this country,
was founded in the Middle States Of
the South by, John Bird. who came
from England with his brother
Thomas in 1900. He seems to have
been a man OF some fortune and
bought a large plantation in
Brandywine Hundred and another
in vertrede Hook. near Wilmington,
Del. His wife's name was Margaret
Descendants Of this family are found
| in Delaware and States in the South
today.
In New England the family was
founded by Thomas Bird, who was
born in New England in 16l3- He join
ed the church of Dorchester. Mass, in
1912. He was a tanner by trade and
his wife's name was Ann. his children
were Thomas. John. Samuel. James,
Sarah and Joseph and through them
the name became. established in New
England.
'T am a member Of a very small
family bearing an unusual name.
writes S. p. G. "Have you any rec
ord of the Gholsons?'
have not been able to ascertain
the origin Of the name, but ! have
found that the family was estab-
lished in Virginia almost fifty years
before the Revolution. anthony Ghol-
SON was apparently the founder Of
the family ,and-he had three sons
and two daughters. William. An
thony, Elizabeth, Lucy and John, who
married Esther Cooke.
"win you please tell me something
Of the family of Parker to which
Joel Parker, one-tme governor of
New Jersey, belonged" writes X. i.
P. "Also will you give me the mean
ing of the, name?''
The New Jersey family Of Parkers
| to which you, refer came originally
from Massachusetts. where IL was es-
tablished by Elisha, Parker. who set
tied in. Barnstable. Mass. Elisha
Parke married. In 1851. Elizabeth
Hinckeley, sister Of Governor Thomas
Hinckeley, of Massachusetts Colony.
and later moved to New Jersey and
settled at Woodbridge. ~
\ EIisha's son, Elisha Rolfes Parker,
Il Sc 1u.z d.
| III, lived in Woodbridge and be-
came sheriff of -Middlesex County, N.
!. Ills son. John johnson Parker.
born in 1888. removed to Pennsyl-
vania and established his branch Of
the family there. His son, James
Skinner Parker, born in 1755, was a
prominent citizen Of Pennsylvania and
James SINNERS sen. James Butler
Parker, born in, 1776 was member
[ Of Congress for Pennsylvania.
Joel Parker, governor of New Jer-
sey, a member Of this family. was
born near. Freehold. N. J. He was
elected governor in 1862 by an un-
precedented majority and expended
his energies raising troops for the
North.
A parker was an officer who looked
after the park of a royal or noble
family. and when last names came in.
to style John. the parker for that
family, naturally became respectively
HJohn Parker. As surname Parker
has been traced back to the time Of
Edward Ill, who reigned in England
i in the middle of the fourteenth cen.
tury. where there is record Of one
Thomas Parker.
As there was a parker for every
great kings or nobleman's park, sc
there were many families who tool
the name for their own. 1t is the
family name Of the earls of Maccles
field. ~
'T am thinking of having my coal
of arms reproduced In a brooch anc
twas wondering II the colors used II
coats of arms are ever represented
by precious stones. What do yor
think Of my ideaE"s ~ ...
cannot say that have ever hearc
of that use Of coat Of arms befor'
but II the design is not too complicat'
led 1 think. It might be done. The re
suit wopld surely be very individual
The precious stones have for man,