Thomas PARKE, Sr. b. 13 Feb 1616 Hitcham, Suffolk, England d. 30 Jul 1709 Preston, New London County, CT: Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families

1616 - 1709 (93 years)

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Name	Thomas PARKE
Suffix	Sr.
Birth	13 Feb 1616	Hitcham, Suffolk, England
Gender	Male
AFN	8LMM-QV
Will	5 Sep 1707	Preston, New London County, CT
Death	30 Jul 1709	Preston, New London County, CT
Probate	9 Aug 1709	New London County, CT
Burial	Avery Cemetery, Preston, New London County, CT
Notes	(1) Parks, Frank Sylvester, Genealogy of the Parke Families of Connecticut, Washington, DC: 1906, pp. 30-32: THOMAS PARKE, . . . was born in Preston [?], England; came to America with his father in 1630, and removed with him to Wethersfield in 1639. There he married Dorothy Thompson and there at least two of his children were born. About 1650 he removed to the Pequot Plantation, (New London,) Conn., where he became a Deacon in the Church of which the Rev. Richard Blinman, (his brother-in-law, they having married sisters,) was pastor. He resided in Pequot for about six years and then moved to Southertown, (or Stonington,) where he became a Selectman. While residing in Southertown he sent the following letter to his brother William, in Roxbury, Mass. What is now Stonington, was at that time a part of Massachusetts. "To my louing and mvche Respactad brother mr williame Parke at his hovs in Roxberey this presant I Pray. "Louing Brother "after due respects presented vnto youre selfe and yours, this are to intreat you to doe me the faviour as to procure for mew as spiedylye as you can a letter of administratian from the Courte according vnto law, wherby I may be Impoured to dispose of the estate of Thomas Griffin (who is deseased ) for the satisfying of his Creaditors so Farr as the Estate will goe, thar being severall that Challang debts, and none that will administer, nether can his creditors com at the Estate for thar owne satisfacktion, whearfor I am willing for his sake who is dead, who was sumtime a retainer vnto my house, I say I am willing to take the Paines as to improue the Estate (which is but small) so farr as it will goe for the satisfacktion of his creaditors provided care may be taken; that I may not suffer tharby in my owne estate and the truth is such, was the Clamers of one of his creditors that to prevent further truble, I haue payd vpon that acoumbt betwene eleuen and twellue pounds. Confideing in your Ioue and Care, and the Courts readines to answer my request in a Case so Honest: I haue sent in Closed an inventory of all the Estate that we can finde, and the state of it, as for his Clothes, he dyeing in another Jurisdicktion we cannot reach them, supposeing also that the Charge of his sicknes may amount neare vnto a ballance, thus haue I aquainted you with my desires intreateing you to ackt for me with the Courte who by reason of my remoatnes cannot ackt for my self, and tharby you shall further ingadge him who allreadye ownes himselfe "your oblidged brother "THOMAS PARKE "southertowne "July the 6th 1661" (The above was copied from the "New England Historical and Genealogical Register," Vol. XXXI, p. 176-7, 1877.) After residing in Mystic, within the bounds of Stonington for a number of years, he removed with his son Thomas Jr., to lands belonging to them in the northern part of New London, where in 1680 they were reckoned as inhabitants. In 1681 he was Collector of Taxes for New London. In October, 1686, he was one of the petitioners to the Legislature for the incorporation of the town of Preston. This petition was also signed by three of his sons, Thomas Jr., Nathaniel and John. In 1698, he, together with his sons Robert and John and nine others, organized the First Church of Christ, of Preston, and he became its first Deacon. He married Dorothy Thompson, daughter of John and Alice Thompson, of Preston, England. He died July 30, 1709, after a long and well spent life. He must have been over ninety years of age, although the exact date of his birth has not been discovered. His will, dated Sept. 5, 1707, and recorded in New London, provided for his wife, Dorothy; for children John, Nathaniel, William, Martha, Dorothy and Alice; for grandson Samuel, son of Thomas; and grandson James, son of Robert. In New London about 1680. " One hundred acres of land in one entire piece," were voted to "Mr. Thomas Parkes, Senior," to remunerate him for furnishing cedar clapboards, nails and work for the parsonage house. The second entry in the Town Meeting Book of Preston is as follows: "1689, Mar. 30. At a town meeting granted to Thomas Parke Senr. one hundred acres of land which was formerly granted by New London lying on ye east side of gt. to sd. Parke his land," etc. Children. . . . [i] Martha, b. Oct. 27, 1646. . . . [ii] Thomas, b. April 18, 1648. . . . [iii] Robert. [iv] Nathaniel. [v] Dorothy, b. March 6, 1652. [vi] William, bapt. 1654. [vii] John. [viii] Alice. (2) The information which appears below relates to Preston, England, which, according to Frank Sylvester Parks, was the birthplace of Thomas PARKE, Sr. Wilson, John Marius, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72): PRESTON, a village, a parish, and a hundred, in Sussex. The village stands adjacent to the London and Brighton railway, in a fine valley, 1?? mile N N W of Brighton r. station; and has a post-office under Brighton. The parish comprises 1, 286 acres; contains the Brighton cavalry barracks and the Brighton waterworks; and is in Steyning district. Real property, ??4, 198. Pop. in 1851, 906; in 1861, 1,044. Houses, 111. The property is divided among a few. There are several neat villas. A new village, suburban to Brighton, and to be called Prestonville, was in course of erection in 1868. The living is a vicarage, united with the vicarage of Hove, in the diocese of Chichester. Value, ??306. Patron, the Bishop of Chichester. The church is early English, and stands on the hill-side. There are an Independent chapel and a national school. The hundredcontains also Hove parish, comprises 2, 158 acres, and is in the rape of Lewes. Pop., 10,668. Houses, 1,367. (3) New London (Conn.) Probate Records, Files Before 1710, abstracted by Donald Lines Jacobus, M.A., The American Genealogist, Vol. 14, No. 1 (July 1937), p. 16: PARKE, THOMAS, SENR, of Preston. File No. 3967. Will 5 Sept. 1707, proved 9 Aug. 1709; to Dorothy my be Loued wife my housings and Land with all my moueable estate . . . for her comfortable maintananc deuring her Natterall Life; realty already given to son John Parke (sole Exec'r) by deed dated 24 Aug. 1693, and at my wife's death to return to John; moueables to grandsone Samuell Parke, son to my son Thomas dacaced (10 shillings cash), grandsone James park, son to my son Robert park dacaced (10 shillings), son Noathaniell Parke (??8), and son William Parke (??8); wife Dorithy to have tenn Sheep; remainder equally between three daus. Martha Dorothy & allis; son William Parke and Ebenezer Witter, overseers. Witnesses: Jonathan Tracy, Daniel Leffingwell, Ebenezer Witter. Inventory of estate of Mr Thomas Parke senr of Preston Decesed july 30th 1709 taken 8 Aug. 1709 by Jonathan Tracy and Ebenezer Witter. Not totaled. Sworn by Mrs. Dorothy Parke, Widow of Deacon Thomas Parke late of Preston, 9 Aug. 1709. (4) Wheeler, Richard Anson, History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, New London, Ct: Day Publishing Company, 1900, p. 528: Thomas Park . . . owned lands in Stonington (which he purchased of his brother-in-law, Rev. Richard Blinman), situated on the east bank of Mystic river, between the old Post road on the north, the White Hall land on the south and the stone house farm on the east. He disposed of his land and removed to Preston, Conn., in 1680; was the first deacon of Rev. Mr. Treat's church, organized in that town in 1698; m. Dorothy Thompson . . . . He served in the early Colonial wars, and d. July 30, 1709. CHILDREN: . . . [i] MARTHA, b. in 1646, m. Isaac Wheeler. . . . [ii] THOMAS, b. in 1648. m. Mary, daughter of Robert Allyn, Jan. 4, 1672. . . . [iii] ROBERT, b. in 1651, m. Rachael, daughter of Thomas Leffingwell, Nov. 24, 1681. . . . [iv] NATHANIEL, b. _____, m. Sarah Geer. . . . [v] WILLIAM, b._____, m. Hannah Frink Dec. 3, 1684. . . . [v] JOHN, b. _____, m. Mary _____. He d. in 1716; she m. 2d, Rev. Salman Treat Nov. 6, 1716. . . . [Note by compiler: The maiden name of John's wife was WITTER.] [vi] DOROTHY, b. March 6,1653, m. April, 1670, Lieut. Joseph Morgan. . . . [vii] ALICE, b._____, m. Greenfield Larabee March 16, 1673. (5) www.findagrave.com: Thomas Parke, Sr Birth: Feb. 13, 1616, Hitcham, Suffolk, England Death: Jul. 30, 1709, Preston, New London County, Connecticut, USA He was the son of Robert Parke . . . and Martha Chaplin . . . , both of Suffolk, England. He married his step-sister, Dorothy Thompson, . . . daughter of his father's second wife on 20 Oct 1644 in Wethersfield, CT. Family links: Parents: Robert Parke (1580 - 1664), Martha Chaplin Parke (1583 - 1640); Children: Martha Park Wheeler (1646 - 1717); Spouse: Dorothy Thompson Parke (1624 - 1709) Burial: Avery Cemetery, Preston, New London County, Connecticut, USA Created by: Relative Record added: May 22, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 52710240 (6) The information which appears below relates to Hitcham, England, which, according to the information at www.findagrave.com, was the birthplace of Thomas PARKE, Sr. Wilson, John Marius, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72): HITCHAM, a parish in Cosford district, Suffolk; near the river Bret, 1?? mile NNW of Bildeston, and 6?? NW by N of Hadleigh r. station. Post town, Bildeston, under Ipswich. Acres, 4,117. Real property, ??6,879. Pop., 991. Houses, 231. The property is subdivided. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ely. Value, ??1,000. Patron, the Crown. The church is later English, and has a carved roof and a tower. There are a Baptist chapel, a national school, and charities about ??110. Burkitt, the commentator, was a native.
Person ID	I23001	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

Father	Robert PARKE, b. Bef 3 Jun 1580, Poslingford, Suffolk, England d. 4 Feb 1665, Mystic, New London County, CT (Age > 84 years)
Mother	Martha CHAPLIN, b. Bef 4 Feb 1584, Semer, Suffolk, England d. Bef 1643 (Age < 58 years)
Marriage	9 Feb 1602	Semer, Suffolk, England [1]
Family ID	F10127	Group Sheet \| Family Chart

Family Dorothy THOMPSON, b. 5 Jul 1624, Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, England d. 30 Jul 1709, Preston, New London County, CT (Age 85 years)

Marriage 20 Oct 1544 Wethersfield, Hartford County, CT

Children

	1. Thomas PARKE, Jr., b. 18 Apr 1648, Wethersfield, Hartford County, CT d. Bef 14 Dec 1732 (Age < 84 years)
	2. John PARKE, b. Abt 1660, Stonington, New London County, CT d. 1716 (Age ~ 56 years)

Family ID F10126 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 17 Apr 2024

Sources

Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Citation Text: (1) Roberts, Gary Boyd, "TheNew England Ancestry of H.R.H. the Princess of Wales," Vol. 136, No. 2 (April 1982), pp. 85, 102.