Philip (also spelled Phillip) was born on December 19, 1839 in Rhea Co., Tennessee. Some records show a birth date of December 19, 1837. He was the son of Hezekiah Vickers Parker and Mary Ann Smith. Both of his parents were from Tennessee and both were twenty-seven years old when Philip was born. By 1842, the year Philip’s brother Daniel was born, the family had moved to Benton Co., Missouri. Philip was the first son and the fifth oldest child with four older sisters, four younger brothers and one younger sister. On March 18, 1844 his brother William Fane was born. Another brother, Josiah Conn, was born on May 1, 1846 and his younger sister, Mary Ann, arrived on December 29, 1849.
By the 1850 Census two of the older sisters, Hanna A. and “Alleg”(Alley Ella), as well as the rest the family listed above all lived in Fristo Township in Benton Co. Missouri. Philip’s two oldest sisters had gone out on their own. Hezekiah was a Baptist Minister. Hanna, “Alleg”, Philip and Daniel all attended school. On May 21, 1852, Hezekiah Vickers Parker, Jr. was born and in August of that same year Philips father, Hezekiah, passed away. He was 42 years old. In August of 1855, his mother, Mary Ann, died. On December 4, 1859, Philip was united in marriage with Margery (sometimes seen as Marjorie) Jackman. She was born on September 11, 1840 in Missouri, was the daughter of Thomas Jackman and Dicy Bell Potter, and she was a second cousin of Sidney Drake Jackman (their grandfathers were brothers).
On the 1860 Census, Philip and Margery were living in Township 39 Range 22, Benton Co., Missouri, with the Post Office at Warsaw. Philip was listed as a farmer, had a Real Estate Value of $600 and a Personal Estate Value of $115. He could read and write, but Margery could not. On April 11, 1861 Philip’s oldest sister, Lucinda, died in St Clair Co., Missouri. On February13, 1862, their daughter, Mary Ann was born.
On February 20, 1862, Philip enlisted at Warsaw or Linn Creek in Capt. Melton’s Co., Mounted Mo. Militia. This organization subsequently became Company F, 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry. Philip was five feet eleven and one half inches tall, had blue eyes, brown hair, a light complexion and listed his occupation as school teacher. He told the mustering officer that he was 22 years old. On April 1, 1862, he was elected 1st Lieutenant and on August 16, he was with the company in the battle at Lone Jack. According to the Casualty Report, he was “wounded in the knee, slightly”. After that he was listed as “Present” on the September-October Muster Roll and was on duty until he resigned on January 1, 1863 for a disability, not related to his wounding. Interestingly, his father-in-law, Thomas Jackman, had enlisted on April 1, 1862 in Company H, 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry. He was discharged on May 27, 1862 because he had been appointed Judge of the Benton County Court by Governor Hamilton Gamble.
On October 9, 1863, their first son, Abraham Lincoln Parker was born. On May 26, 1865, Rosetta (Rosa) entered their world, followed shortly by Josephine on August 30, 1866. In 1868, Philip’s sister Hannah passed away. The next year, another daughter, Victoria arrived on November 25, 1869 and the next year, Margery died on November 18, 1870 at the age of 30.
On the last day of the year, December 31, 1871, James H. Vance, a Justice of the Peace, presided at the marriage of Philip and Martha J. Eaton. She had been born on September 19, 1843 in Platte County, Missouri, and was the daughter of Alexander Eaton and Elizabeth Donaghy. Both of them were born in Tennessee. On February 9, 1873, their first child, Harriet Elizabeth was born, and on June 5, 1874 twins, Sarah Eletish and Phillip Albert, came into their lives. Laura Elizabeth arrived on May 28, 1878, and on July 18, 1879, Philip filed for a Veteran’s Pension and was issued certificate no. 246900. Finally, their last child, Narra Mattie, was born on January 26, 1880.
According to the 1880 Census, Philip, Martha and eleven children, ranging in age from eighteen to 4 months, all lived on a farm in Fristoe Township, Benton County. The family was two farms over from Philip’s brother, Josiah and his family. On the other side of them, four farms away was Martha’s brother, John and his family. Just beyond them was James Jackman and family, the brother of Philip’s first wife.
On February 17, 1885, Philip published his last will and testament setting out in six steps how he wanted his property handled. Four days later, on February 21, 1885, Philip died and was buried in the McIntire Chapel Cemetery, Windsor Junction, Missouri. This is the same cemetery where his first wife, Margery, was buried. On April 23, 1885 Martha filed for a Widow’s Pension and lived until October 22, 1897. She too is buried in the McIntire Chapel Cemetery.