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A JUcimlon and oitbraUon of Hli. Firtv-Klnlta WMdlng Su.- .. Lost evening the modest bos' elegant bome of Mr, Wilbur Parker, • 4036 Peck «tresS, was (So scene of genuine happi turn and merriment, it being this occasion for celebrating tbs fifty-ninthan-nivereary of tbs waddingrif hia parents, Capt Hatbaniel W. Park*® and wife, Elizabeth. aged 80 and 77 years, respectively. Then were present six children, three sons and three daughters, all married, sad twenty-three grati • chiidfan and fit- grasi'Brandchildren completed the represent on of fsss, gsnepstiona. It was a pleasing sight, this assembly composed e? person- «f s-tlS aizas .and ages, from the gray-haired «id conpie, hslo and hearty, d;;wa to the two.scare grandchildren, game besatifclBUIe.-bdys and giria, blondes and brunettes, with bright shining countenances, and lastly, the great-grandchildren, who are the »e9 little babias in thia line of linealCapt. Jfrttaniel-.Wesley Parker was bsminlSCSin Fraisfelart, Ky. Io 182: to married Miss Bluabsth Beard at Hew Albany, Ind., sand , in 1833 they took rip their .rssidence in St. Ionia, then a thriving river -town of a few Sb.os«nd inb-ibissnta At that time the wholesale honsea 'were situated along the levee, tha- retail gtoros'on'Main street, tie fine residences along-Second street, while from Fourth street toNintb wss a public commons, and west of that section was dense woods- The house in which Mr, Parkas located fc affii standing. It is the second houea on the west side of Eighth street, Bonth of Franklin avenue. Capt. Parker is a tail, slim gentleman, hstr and beard white as snow, a complexion with the florid color of tale old eg.- end eyeis that yet sparkle with intelligence. The only s-rloua trouble that Father Time has. caused him is a nnn deafness, which causes Mm to 058 a speaking tabs. Otherwise be enjoys good bea'lsa, Mia; Parker is a hale old. lady, with snow-white. hair, bat is the very pictnre of health. Capt Parker ia without doubt the oldest steamboat mas now living. v , Cincinnati and LouisviHe have each laid claim to thia honor, but it .remains for at. Lonia to have the citizen whoea record reaches the farthest back into she century. He began ea a pilot in 1832 on tfca “Java” with Cap'.. Ran nek, and ran on- the upper Mississippi its far .as Galena, then the head of navigation.-At this i-ima the Black Hawk war was taging, and the Indian chiefs Keokuk and Black Hawk wets (foment passengers on the boat, . Oapt. Parker remembers Gen. Taylor,who had charge of a company of soldiers at Fort Crawford, the spot where Prairie da. Chieu now stands. He was then a fiery and o issionate y ung soldier, and Jefferson Davis was s lieutenant under him. Capt, Parker was an eye-witness to the fight batween the Mormons and dtizeris of Naovoo, Ili In which Joseph Smith,the prophet, waa captured. He... and some . - i on the boat had goim op into the Sowar of the Mormon temple wben the citizens attacked the Mormon stronghold. He remembers Smith as being a‘mas of very ordinary intelligence, .but: had a certain eo-thasiam that attracted • hie. followers. The'wife of Smith was a small,-little woman, a fortune-teller, sad whan the crowd m paasengersfrom the: boat, through curiosity, visited the temple, abe had an eye single to bosineBs and scooped !n theahekelsby foretelling the future, The home of Smith waa barricaded and always enrrouuded It? armed rharda and sentinels.. In 1840 Capt. Parker bought the - “Pavilion,'.' sad also bailt tbs - Osprey,’f and: rua them for several years. At the beginning at the late war he was captain of tbe “Iatan,” which lie owned.: He fun her as s transport during ths war, and wm In thebat-oa .of Fort Donelaou and Pittsburg Landing. He took “ the first load of hay, corn and oais to the union army at Memphis after that city waft captured. Hi.' son Jamea was pilot on the Man during this period, This boat wna tbs first one. to laud at tkt iharf st Vicksba; - after It fmd been captured by Grant. During' bia' time Oapt, Parker learned Capts. Dick Stevens, John King, Thomas Amos, Scott Mason,' John Arnold,' and other., noted . ateamboat-men of the liver. Capt. David Aebury,. the present United - States Inspector of boats for tbis district, vahn learned the river from Capt. Parker. At the close- of'the. war Cspb-Parker sold tie bests and .engaged in raercban-dialog at Southport, Mo. In 1870 be issoght the Jefferson Hotel, in Jefferson City, but in 1875 retired from-active busineaa, and is at present living with b;# son, Wilbnr, on'Feck (street, in this city. The occasion last night, was made quite enjoyable with piano music and aong, Bud hearty congratulations for the worthy old couple.—Qlobc-Dcmocrat.fitxv men Quitting,The St. Joe Ocutlle aiya tbal there is no use of denying or trying to hide the fact that many of th -sen hired to take Urn places of the striking. engine men. ate leaving the road; Within the past week four of the new men have quit at St. Joe,' and reports from division prints aa the sj a em show that men are d eserting daily. . That such ia the'case need occasion no surprise... These new men are mostly rovers, end have . riot the faculty of .remaining for may iesgth of time in one place, hence a pay day sooner or later, will find the m, ready.-to qnit.; Tbo following letter from .Brookfield to the' chief of the brotherhood at St. Joe explains the aituatioa on .this matter thsre: ....“Brookfield, March 10,1888.•‘Lota Of good news since yon left. Today twelve or fifteen scabs (new men) asked for their time and colt, saying they had enough of the road and tb.v a. • jomeat. Three wrecks last night on the west end. Men all solid* etc.,Thus it goes all over tho line.suit at Work.Wm, Brown, clerk st the Union depot hotel this morning received r. postal card from hia brother, who is with the new Chicago, Hannihal'A BpnzigSeM railway surveying .corps. They are riowsnr veying in the vicinity of Prairie Home, Mo. -All samara to tha effect that the H. £ S. surveyors _fmd, been dth drssnaie, by this intelligence, proven tlt; be without fonndation. —Bamubal Journal. _ __
Newspaper Details
Quincy Daily Journal
Quincy, Illinois, US
Fri, Apr 13, 1888
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Andrea S.
USA 23 Mar 2025
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