Missing Link (LK=BP)

Missing Link (LK=BP)
Joseph Howard Park

PS Newsletter, Vol. 45, No. 2, page 26 (2009)

The Parke researcher began this fragment line with Joseph Howard Parke (1888 PA-1967 Pittsburgh, Alleheny Co., PA). She might have thought that his parents died before 1910 because on that census, at age 22, he is the household head of a boarding house on Marchand St., Pittsburgh with his brother, Ralph McCarrell Parke, and 21 non-relatives. Using census data, I was able to find his father, who was still living.

Joseph H. Parke was born February 1862 in Pennsylvania. He married (1) Anna Ella Crawford, daughter of James and Juliet (Forman) Crawford about 1885. In 1900, Joseph and his wife Ann were renting a house on Marchand Street with their two sons; Joseph H., b. Mar. 1888, and Ralph M. C., b. July 1890. By 1910, Anna had died and Joseph was married (2) to Fannie (unknown) Tucker. Fannie had two children by a previous marriage: David Tucker (age 6) and Elizabeth Tucker (age 4). They are living on DuBois Street, Pittsburgh.

In 1920, Joseph is again a widower and living in the household of Samuel and Margaret Commins (Cummins) along with their nieces, Jane Eaton, Lizzie Tucker, and Margaret Parks (age 9), and nephew Paul Parks (age 6). It appears that Margaret and Paul are Joseph’s children.

In 1930, Margaret Parks (age 19) is still living with Samuel and Margaret Commins but Joseph has again remarried. He and his wife Emma are still living in Pittsburgh with his son Paul (age 17) and a daughter Josephine (age 14) who is probably a stepdaughter of Joseph’s.

The internet researcher of this fragment lineage believes that this is part of the Roger Parke (LK=K) line through Zebulon Parke. She has Joseph Parke (b. 1862) as the son of Joseph Park (1818 PA-1892 PA) and Jane Thompson (1822 PA-1907). Joseph’s (b. 1818) parents are given as John Park and Mary Hagerman. This family lived in Ligonier, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1850 and 1860. In 1880 Joseph, his wife Jane, son Joseph H. Parke, and granddaughter Annie Hood are living in Cook, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It seems likely that this is the same family, but unfortunately I have been unable to locate them on the 1870 census. By 1880, all the older children have left the household. DNA testing would help to prove that this is part of the LK=K lineage. Known children of Joseph Parke (b.1862 PA, d. -?-):

  1. Joseph Howard Parke married (1) Emma Jane Williamson on August 1, 1912 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He married (2) Bernice Croft Walls, daughter of Oscar Craft and Lottie Kelly. Joseph and Emma had eleven children:
    1. Robert Howard Parke (1913 Pittsburgh, PA-1964 Johnstown, PA) m. Dorothy Mae Craft (five children)
    2. William Thomas Parke (1914 Pittsburgh, PA-1988 Marion, OH) m. Elizabeth Pack (two children)
    3. Jane Alberta Parke (1916 Pittsburgh, PA-1971 Cuyahoga Falls, OH) m. Mark Lee Ashbrook (two children)
    4. Donald Allen Parke (1918 PA-1983 Alliance, OH) m. (1) Genevieve Stover; m. (2) Alice Unknown (nine children)
    5. Warren Lewis Parke (1921 PA-1957) m. Catherine Horner (four children)
    6. Lois Grace Parke (1923 Johnstown, PA-1986 Centerville, PA) m. Gerald Wayne Thomas (two children)
    7. Carl Jordan Parke (1926 Johnstown, PA-1981) m. Unknown Kosnik (two children)
    8. Hazel M. Parke (living)
    9. Glenn Wesley Parke (1930 PA-2001 Fayetteville, NC) m. (1) Alice Unknown; m. (2) Sue Unknown (two children)
    10. Kenneth Roy Parke (1934-1976)
    11. Melvin Parke (1935-1935)
  2. Ralph McCarrell Parke (1890 PA-?) m. Lillian Wilson (1898 PA-1965 PA); no known children
  3. Margaret L. Parke (abt. 1911 PA - ?); no other information
  4. Paul Parke (May 1913 PA-Feb. 1983 Sheridan, Grant, AR) Paul served in the U.S. Army and is buried at Little Rock National Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas. No other information.

This research manuscript is available for loan. Please contact the Society’s DNA Administrator, Ken Parks, if you would like to borrow it. Please contact me with any additions or corrections.