Part 553p – Smith Robertson Genealogy – The Parker Project - 1787 Baptism – GGGG-Grandfather William Parker – Grassington, Yorkshire

Morning,

“To the victor belong the spoils”… sort of. I’m definitely sure that New York Senator William L. Marcy, in 1832, meant something more than genealogy, but I am certainly feeling that way today.

Back to my issue of my gggg-grandfather William Parker, see My Tangent “I Was Right That I Was Wrong” and Part 546p I have kept searching for a clue and a lead regarding gggg-grandfather William Parker. Well today is my lucky day.

The inserted image of the pages of the 1841 and the 1851 England Censuses for the Township of Downham of Borough of Clitheroe presents my Parker Family; my gggg-grandfather William Parker and his family.

It was when I checked the “Where Born” column that I noticed that I had been wrong big time and somehow had marked down that gggg-grandfather William Parker had been born in Downham. He wasn’t. He was born in Grassington in Yorkshire. And did that make one hell of a difference. I MUST remember to check and cross-reference all items and signs carefully. Grassington is approximately 24 miles, 39 kilometers, from Downham.

Following that lead, gggg-grandfather William Parker, per the 1851 England Census was born circa 1788. (Please note the calculation. 1788 is the same year that the two William Taskers were baptized at St. Leonard’s Church in Downham.) I then discovered The Publications of the Yorkshire Parish Register Society. Vol. XVIII, Issued to Subscribers for the Year 1903. This is a derivative source. On page 383 I discovered what could be the Baptism, Christening entry of gggg-grandfather William. And identified is his father ggggg-grandfather William Parker, his father. GGGG-Grandfather was born circa 1787. See the inserted image.

Transcribing the entry –

CHRISTNINGS 1787

Willm. son Willm. Parker Grassington Bapd. June 24th.

Grassington, Linton Parish, Yorkshire, Fantastic… This never stops. Those ancestors just keep on rolling in. One of these nights as I’m working away at my genealogy I sort of expect Marley to come clinking in through the door.

The following is my current worksheet, created in GenoPro.

Please feel to ask questions.

Enjoy,

Jim