Line of Descent from Colonist Robert Park
Immigrant Came from England Aboard Ship Arabella in 1630
Sep 25, 2009
Robert Park(e) was born about 1580 at Preston in Lancashire, England. A copy of his letter to John Winthrop announcing his plans to go to New England and inquiring about trip arrangements has been preserved in the Massachusetts Historical Society’s Collections (Series 5, Vol. 1, p. 194). During their Atlantic crossing, Park served as private secretary to Governor Winthrop. Their association continued for several years.
The Park Family
Robert Park(e),the immigrant, married in 1601 Martha Chapen/Chaplin at Bury St. Edmunds in England’s county Cambridge. Martha was the daughter of Capt. Robert Chapen/Chaplin and the former Elizabeth Anstey, daughter of Francis Anstey of Bury St. Edmunds. She died in 1643 and Robert married, second, Alice (Freeman) Thompson. Robert and Alice both died in February of 1664/65 at Mystic, Connecticut.
Robert and son Thomas went to Wethersfield, Connecticut in 1639, where Robert was made a freeman in 1640 and named deputy to the General Court in 1641-1642, a Selectman in 1651 and Representative to the State Assembly in 1652. Thomas later was a founder of Preston, Connecticut, which was named for his birthplace in England.
Park(e) family researchers have an active Park Family Society which encourages genealogists; it collects and publishes genealogical data.
Triple Line of Descent
This lineage gives three lines of descent from immigrant Robert Park. Two are through son Thomas Park (d. 1709), by each of his wives, and the third is through son William Park (1606-1685). The three lines unite with descendants Benajah/Benaiah Williams (b. 1703) and his wife, the former Deborah Park.
Deborah Park (b. 1696) was a daughter of William Park and Hannah Frink of Mystic Bridge, CT, who were wed in 1684, and a granddaughter of Thomas Park (d. 1709) and his second wife, Katharine Treat. Deborah married 1) a Mr. Fanning and 2) Benajah/Benaiah Williams in 1722. They lived in Stonington, CT.
Although Deborah bore the Park surname, it is her husband who descends twice from immigrant Robert Park. His mother, Martha Wheeler (1669-1745), was a daughter of Alice Park (1646-1717) and Isaac Wheeler of Stonington, C T, and granddaughter of Thomas Park (d. 1709) by his first wife, Dorothy Thompson. In other words, both had Thomas Park as a grandfather, but by different grandmothers.
The second line of Benajah/Benaiah Williams is via his father, John Williams (1667-1702), who was a son of Capt. Isaac Williams of Roxbury and Boston, MA, and Martha Park (1639-1675), who were wed in 1660. Martha was the daughter of Robert Park’s son, William Park (1606-1685), and his wife, Martha Holgrave; they lived in Boston and Roxbury, MA. (An accompanying chart shows all three lines.)
Consolidated Lineage
Following is the descent from Benajah/Bernaiah Williams and his wife, the former Deborah Park.
- Joseph Williams (1725-1808) married ca. 1748, Hannah Fuller. They lived at Stonington and Salisbury, CT, at Pownal, VT, and at Cazenovia, NY.
- Israel Williams, born 1757, married Hannah Parker in 1775. They lived at Salisbury, CT, and Pownal, VT.
- Amos C . Williams (1777-1853) and his wife Sarah were wed ca. 1807-1808 and lived at Pownal, VT, Savannah, NY, and Bronson, MI.
- Amos C. Williams Jr. (1818-1882) married Mary Kelsey in 1841. They lived at Savannah, NY, Bronson and Mattison, MI, and Howe, IN.
- Pheba Ann Williams (1842-1928) married Onias Hopkins Jr. in 1859. They lived in Howe, IN, Bronson, MI, and Pleasantvale, Griggsville, Peoria and Pekin, IL.
- Sarah Lucina Hopkins (1873-1916) married Grant Sidell ca. 1890; lived at Griggsville and Pekin, IL.
- Jessie Marie Sidell (1901-1978) married Harry Godby in 1919 at Pekin, IL; they lived at Peoria, Pekin and Delavan, IL.
- Joyce Ilene Godby (b. 1933) married Richard L. Kinder in 1959.
This lineage was submitted to Rosemary Bachelor by Joyce (Godby) Kinder in 1993. Mrs. Kinder was then living in Springfield, IL. It should be used by family researchers only for clues that help them document their own lineage.
Additional Source: Publications of the Parke Family Society
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