EDWIN S. PARKER

The following bio was taken from page 334 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Celia Ann Parker, daughter of Jasper F. Parker and Sarah Ann Wallace, was born on October 24, 1874 and Sarah Ann Wallace was born September 23, 1850 in Green County Georgia.  Jasper died on July 4, 1883 when Celia Ann was not yet nine years of age.  Sarah Ann died September 20, 1923 in Rusk County.

Celia Ann had three brothers: Cuthbert (called Bert), born December 3, 1870; Marion Woodward (called Jack), who was born December 10, 1872 and died May 24, 1909; Jasper Edward (called Boy) born November 25, 1882, who died January 16, 1946.  Celia Ann also had two sisters: Melissa Vernon, who was born October 27, 1876 and died June 10, 1959; and Nancy Elizabeth (called Little Nannie), October 27, 1879 and died August 11, 1889.

Uncle Bert’s death and marriage dates are not known to this writer.

Jack married Della Anderson of Mt. Enterprise, Texas.  They were parents of four children: Bernice (February 26, 1903-July 11, 1905); Rade, (December 4, 1904-April 14, 1960); Minnie Belle, who married Thad Lee Hall, is now a widow living in Omaha, Texas.  Minnie Belle and her husband were the parents of three children.  Alyene, Mrs. Frank L. Obethier, also a widow, is living in Henderson.

Celia Ann married Allen Lester Swinney on September 24, 1893, on Allen’s twenty-first birthday.  Melissa Vernon married Thomas William Swinney, brother to Allen Lester.  Boy married Archie Morris on November 26, 1902.

During the forty years of their married life, Celia and Allen became the parents of ten children, seven of whom are still living.  Their first child, Alonzo Dawson (Lonnie) was born on December 10, 1894.  He died on December 7, 1979 and was buried on the tenth in Shiloh Cemetery near Minden, Texas.  Effie Florine, their first daughter, was born January 4, 1896; and in September, 1897, another girl, Lela Melissa, was born.  Cassie Deratha, the third daughter, arrived on August 5, 1899.  On August 28, 1901, another son, Abe was born and on November 3, 1903 daughter Mary Ann was born.  Jewel Liona, the fifth daughter, was born February 15, 1906.  Tobie, as she was known to most who knew her best, died April 14, 1971 in Raton New Mexico, where she and her husband owned and operated the Grandview Motel.  Morgan the youngest boy living, was born March 7, 1908.  Celia and Allen’s last boy, who was born on November 4, 1910, lived only a few days.  He was buried in the Gage Cemetery.  Family members, unable to locate his grave to place a marker, later had an epitaph for him carved on his parents’ grave stone in Shiloh.  The last child born to Allen and Celia was Myrtle B.  She arrived on July 14, 1912.  All except two of these children were born in Rusk County. Morgan was born in Parker County in the Adell Community.  Myrtle B. (now called Manoa) was born in Cherokee County, near Jacksonville, Texas. 

Celia’s ancestors are natives of the State of Georgia.  Her grandfather, Edwin S. Parker, was born May 5, 1825 in Talliaferro County, Georgia.  He was married to Rebecca Astin in 1846 and immediately moved to to Green County, Georgia.  They came to Texas in the year 1853 and lived in San Augustine County.  On January 9, 1855, and they moved to Rusk County and settled four miles east of Minden and lived there until Edwin’s death on October 13, 1904.

Edwin S. Parker served in the Confederate Army from 1862-1865, being detailed at Taylor, Smith County, Texas.

Great-grandpa Parker is buried in Shiloh Cemetery near Celia Ann and a host of other loved ones.

This story is submitted by one of Celia Ann Parker Swinney’s daughters and one of the thirty great-grandchildren of Edwin S. Parker.

“My dear Granny Parker – “Sarah Ann”.”  Her voice was ever gentle, soft and low.  She always seemed sad – I loved her so.”

Mary Ann Swinney Sires