152 HEREDITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL OFFICERS. 



To the latter branch belongs Thomas Parker, a captain of infantry at German- 

 town (1777) ; he was captured by the British and, as the British commander rode 

 along and asked each of the Americans what his occupation was, Parker stood 



erect and said: "I am, as my father before me was, a gentleman, and be d d 



to you!" His brother George was a judge. A sister, Anne Parker (born 1763), 

 married Littleton Upshur and had a large family. One of her sons, George Parker 

 Upshur (1799-1852), rose in the United States navy to the rank of commander. 

 Another, Abel Parker (1790-1844), went with his brother Arthur to Yale, but left 

 and entered Princeton in 1806. Abel was suspended, along with ten others, as a 

 leader of resistance to the authority of the college. He studied law under William 

 Wirt and was admitted to the bar in 1810. Abel had a sister who married a Mr. 

 Nottingham and had a son, John Henry, who changed his surname to Upshur at 

 the time he was appointed midshipman, November 1841. He participated in the 

 Mexican war under Commodore Perry and, as lieutenant on the frigate Cumber- 

 land, helped to suppress the African slave-trade in 1858-1859. During the Civil 

 War he was on the blockading squadron, helped to reduce the forts at Hatteras 

 Inlet, North Carolina, and Port Royal, led successful expeditions up the rivers of 

 South Carolina, and participated in the capture of Fort Fisher in 1865. He was 

 created rear admiral in 1884, was commander in chief of the Pacific squadron in 

 1884 and 1885, retired at his own request June 1885 (N. C. A. B., iv, 316), and 

 died May 1917. It is noteworthy that John Henry's fighting qualities came 

 through the maternal side. 



FAMILY HISTOKY OF WILLIAM H. PARKER. 



Common ancestor, Captain George Parker, high sheriff of Accomac county, Virginia. 



II (F F F F), Dr. Alexander Parker. 12 (F F F M), Susanna. 



III (FFF), Judge Richard Parker (died 1815). 113 (F M F), Sturman. 114 



(FMM), Foxhall. 



if 



Fraternity of F F: III 1, Richard Parker (born about 1752), entered the army in 1776 

 and became a colonel of the First Virginia regiment. He was killed at Charleston, South Caro- 

 lina. Ill 2, Alexander Parker, was a colonel of the Fifth Infantry, United States army; resigned 

 1809. Ill 3, John Parker, was drowned while attempting to board his ship. Ill 4, Thomas 

 Parker, commanded the forces at Norfolk, Virginia, in 1813 or 1814. Ill 6, William Harwar 

 Parker (1752 (?)-1840), was an officer in the Virginia navy during the Revolution, commanding 



