Deacon Thomas Parker - A Few Notes from a Family Narrative

I'm sure most of this data can be verified from public records.

Deacon Thomas Parker BORN 1609 in England, possibly Little Norton, DIED1683 Reading, Mass
Alternative Date of Birth: 3/11/1609
Alternative Birth Location: Browsholme, Wiltshire, England
Son of Unknown
Sailed from London on March 11, 1635, for Massachusetts on the ship “Susan and Ellen”.
He settled first in Lynn, but in 1638 became either the first, or one of the first, settlers of what became the town of Reading. It was first known as Lynn Village, but was incorporated in 1644 as Reading, with a total of seven families living in seven houses. There is evidence that Parker was "conspicuous in naming the town" and that he was related to the Parker family of Little Norton, England, who owned land by the name of Ryddinge
One of the founders of the 12th Congregational Church in Massachusetts (now the First Parish Congregational Church
Parker was a selectman of Reading and was appointed a judicial commissioner.
He owned 200 acres of land on the north side of the Ipswich River, but his homestead bordered the east side of the Wakefield (then part of Reading) Common, just northeast of today's Wakefield Town Hall. Reading split into three towns in the late 18th century, Wakefield (First Parish), North Reading (Second Parish) and Reading (Third Parish).
Parker's tombstone is in the cemetery just west of the First Parish Congregational Church in Wakefield, MA. His actual grave is on the east side of the Common (which was larger at that time) on the east side of the church. By 1834, the old burial ground had gone uncared for, and virtually disappeared. In building a town house there in that year, some of the graves were broken into accidentally. The tombstones that were recoverable were relocated to their present positions west of the church, but the graves themselves were not.
Became a freeman of the colony in 1637
Deacon of the Reading church from 1635 to 1681
Was a selectman in 1661, 1665-1667, 1669
Children of Thomas and Amy (Saltonstall) (one source calls her Amy Aylesworth) Parker:
Thomas BORN 1636 Lynn, Mass DIED July 17 1699
Married Deborah
Had fourteen children

Hananiah BORN 1638
Married September 30 1663 to Elizabeth Browne of Reading.
Appointed ensign in 1680 and Lt in 1684.and had full command of the Reading company.
He was a town clerk, selectman, and representative to the General Court at various timeson

Sgt John Parker BORN 1640 in Reading, Mass, DIED Unknown in a fall from a horse
Son of Deacon Thomas Parker
Father of John
Reading (Mass) selectman in 1682 and 1690
Married November 13, 1667 to Hannah Kendall
Had thirteen children
Appointed a sergeant

Joseph BORN 1642, DIED1644

Joseph BORN 1645, DIED1646

Mary BORN December 12 1647, DIED1705
Married Samuel Dodge of Beverly son of Richard Dodge
Had eleven children

Martha BORN March 14, 1648/49 DIED??

Nathaniel BORN May 16, 1651 in Reading, DIED Aug 23, 1748
He married September 1677 Bethia Polly daughter of John of Roxbury whose wife was Bethia of Deacon William Cowdrey. She was in born 1659 and died August 23 1748 at age of ninety years.

Sarah BORN September 30 1653, DIED October 26 1656

Jonathan BORN May 18 1656, DIED June 10 1680
Served in the wars

Sarah BORN May 23, 1658
Three other children died early life. Pope's Pioneers of gives names of several other children given in the Parker genealogy.