Charles Parke, Sr.

The exact location and date for Charles' birth is not known. He was probably born 1740-1742. He married Catherine E. (Pew or Smith) ca 1766 Most likely in Hunterdon Co., New Jersey.

It is known that Charles was a married man with children when he was baptized on 9 Aug 1772. Two children, Ann and Samuel, were baptized afterward on the same day. (It was the custom of the time that children could not be baptized until their father was baptized first. There is some speculation that since Charles was not baptized as a child, he could not have been married in the Church of England. (The ceremony would likely have been performed by a justice of the peace, who unfortunately were not required to file records at that time.)

After this time, he moved his family to North Carolina. The next record found for Charles Parke was in Rowan Co., NC, on 6 May 1775. He was "Ordered by the Court that Charles Parks be Overseer of the Road lately laid out by Order of Court, from Flat-Swamp to Anson Line, where the road from Edward Moore's Ferry meets said Road....

Three years later, Charles Parke was appointed a Sessor in Capt. Cox's district. (Although spelling of the Park name varied, it is obvious that there was only one Charles and one Nathan in Rowan Co. records at that time.)

In 1784, Charles was on the list of "old Taxables" for Capt. Runion's district. He was taxed for 400 acres. Charles was number one on a Petit Jury 3 Aug 1789, and also in that year he proved the will of Richard Pearson. In 1790, Charles was listed on the 1790 Census for North Carolina, in the Salisbury District, Rowan Co.

Son of Nathan Parke and Mary Parke. Charles served in the American Revolution at Rowan, Co., NC on 6 May 1775 he was "Ordered by the court that Charles Parks (Parke) be Overseer of the Road lately laid out by Order of Court, from Flat-Swamp (Creek) to Anson (County) Line, where the road from Edward Moore's Ferry meets said Road …" Information from Park/e/s And Bunch on the Trail West by Alice Crandall Park, Page 8.

Wife: Catherine E. Pew/Smith (1749-1830)

1. Ann "Nancy" (1767-1862)
2. James (1771-1846)
3. Sgt. Samuel (1772-1848)
4. Martha (1773-1818)
5. Charles Jr. (1776-1842) (ARW- Overseer)
6. Pvt. Nathan (1778-1814)
7. Jonah (1780-1846)
8. Betsy (1783-1818)
9. Sarah (1785-1822)
10. Margaret "Peggy" (1785-1854)

Ref: "PARK/E/S AND BUNCH ON THE TRAIL WEST" by Allice Crandall Park 1971, Pages 8-12.
SAR P-265259
DAR A087039
Parke Society.org

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 6 2022, 0:12:06 UTC