This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Parke, Park, Parks, Cobb, Durham Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/XAB.2ACE/1136 Message Board Post: William D. Park 104 Rodeo Dr. Hurricane, WV 25526 (304) 562-4412 E-mail: ParkeFamilyHeritage@charter.net SUBJECT: Request for Assistance - Search for Final Resting Place of 4th Great Grandparents, John Park (1773-1828) & Polly Peeler (1774-1856) of Station Camp Creek, Estill Co., KY - Widow, Polly, Lived with Wm. J. Clark Family of Lexington, KY Dear Clark Family Member, My name is Doug Park and I currently live in Hurricane, WV (Putnam County) with my wife, Pamela and our 4 children, ranging in age from 17 to 3. I am the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, managing the AFJROTC program at Charleston's George Washington High School. Although, I live in West Virginia, 7 generations of my Park Family have lived primarily in the Richmond, Irvine, and Wagersville areas of Kentucky, beginning in 1796 when my 5th Great Grandparents, Ebenezer Park, Sr. (1747-1839) and Tabitha Mills (1752-1826), came to Madison County on horseback with their 10 children from Salisbury, North Carolina (Rowan Co.), including their oldest son and my 4th Great Grandfather, John Park (1773-1828), traveling to Kentucky by way of the Wilderness Trail, on the heels of another Pioneer, the infamous Daniel Boone. The reason for this letter is to request assistance in finding any information on my 4th Great Grandparents, John Park, born in Rowan Co., NC on Nov 19, 1773, and wife, Mary "Polly" Peeler, formerly of Cheraw, SC; including their final resting place (burial location). Widow Polly, lived with William J. Clark Family in Estill Co., KY in 1850 (Later of Lexington, KY), including her daughter and William's wife, Matilda Park. John and Polly were married on June 6, 1793 in Salisbury of Rowan County, NC. Polly, was born in Rowan County on Christmas Day 1774, the daughter of Anthony Peeler. The Peelers were one of the chief families of the Shiloh, German Reformation Church. Nell Park Gum in her 1929 book, "Park of Kentucky", writes that John Park was a most highly esteemed citizen and a man of consideration as one of the leading farmers in Estill County, KY. He also served as Sheriff (1825-1826), County Magistrate, Justice of the Peace and in other official capacities as well. Of P! olly Park, author Nell Park Gum, twice descended from my 5th Great Grandfather, Eb Park, Sr., wrote that she was "noted for her beauty" and "many of her descendants have inherited this quality from her." In later years though, she was blind and had to be led about by a small Negro girl. Nell describes the apportionment of the 400 acres of land given to John and his brothers, Asa, Eb Park, Jr., and Jonathan by their father, Eb Park, Sr., as follows: "Ebenezer bought 400 acres of land on Station Camp Creek, Kentucky, practically at the mouth of Middle Fork. To his four oldest sons, he deeded one hundred acres each. He made a most remarkable division of this land. To Asa, he gave the lower tract; to Ebenezer, Jr., the upper tract, and to Jonathan the next lower tract. These three tracts were all located on the east side of Station Camp Creek. To John, he gave the land on the "West" side of the creek. The four hundred acres were so divided that each son received the same number of acres of low land and each son received the same number of acres of hill land and each had Station Camp Creek watercourse." I am also in possession of a court indenture certifying a deed, dated May 2, 1814 (pg. 251) for land sold by John White and his wife, Hannah of Madison County, to John Park, my 4th Great Grandfather of Estill County, for 150 pounds. This land was originally part of a 2,000-acre land grant to John Woods. Deed processed and certified on 1 June 1814 by Robert S. Clark, Clerk. This land is described as "lying and being on South Fork of Station Camp Creek". Survey description is as follows: "Beginning at the white oak tree on the side of a mountain, hence 85 degrees, east 26 poles to an elm on the bank of Station Camp Creek, thence down the creek which meanders to a box elder in Ebenezer Park's (Sr. or Jr. not known) line, thence with his line thence north 35 degrees east and 120 poles to a maple, corner to said Parks, thence south 30 degrees east, 170 poles to the beginning." In the Office of the Clerk of Estill County in the first will book, page 332, is an inventory of John Park's property and appraisement of the slaves and other personal estates, bearing the date March 3, 1828. Unfortunately, John died "Intestate", that is to say, without a will. This entry mentions death by "accident", though the specific cause is NOT stated. Furthermore, an Estill County Vital Statistics Book notes the following about the court process to divide the property amongst his heirs, including surviving children and their spouses: 19 October 1830 - John Richardson vs. John Parks heirs--sale of land and slaves on 6 June 1829 for $2497. $900 to Henry Dillingham as guardian for Matilda and John Park, making advancement to each heir $450; whereas John Richardson and Barbara (Park) his wife, Jonah Parks, John Boyd and Betsy (Park) his wife vs. John Parks. John died intestate, leaving Barbara, Betsy, and orator Jonah together with Solomon Park, Charity Dillingham, wife of Henry Dillingham, Elihu Park, Matilda Park, Simpson Park, and John Park--his heirs and his widow, Polly. Slaves named Bob, Harvey, Milly, Hardin, Cinda, Randle, Rebecah, Mariah, Mary, Green, and a child named Boston. The above entry may have been a bit premature, as I possess an Estill County Circuit Court document, finalizing the sale of the property, including 100 acres to Polly Peeler-Park, dated July 17, 1832, in which Polly appeared in court with a deed for the land and subsequently received a certificate for it from Robert S. Clark, County Commissioner and co-executor, along with 2nd co-executor and John's brother, Eb Park, Jr. Most recently, in the 1850 Census, I discovered that Polly, now a widow, was living with the William J. Clark Family, which puzzled me at first, until I realized that William's wife was Matilda Park, daughter of John Park and Polly Peeler! I believe that the family may have moved in to Polly's house, where she chose to stay in familiar surroundings; the importance of this fact, reinforced by her blindness. Or it may be possible that William and Matilda either already possessed or subsequently built a house on Polly's 100 acres. Line House Name Age Birthplace Page 41 190 Clark William J. 37 Kentucky 59b 42 190 Clark Matilda 34 Kentucky 59b 1 190 Clark Joseph 13 Kentucky 60a 2 190 Clark John S. 9 Kentucky 60a 3 190 Clark Mary Jane 6 Kentucky 60a 4 190 Clark George H. 2 Kentucky 60a 5 190 Park Polly 75 N. Carolina 60a Lineage details of this family are as follows as provided by Joan Miller: Descendants of William Joseph Clark Generation No. 1 William Joseph1 Clark was born February 22, 1813 in Clark Co., Kentucky, and died December 14, 1868 in Lexington, Fayette Co., KY. He married Matilda Park September 15, 1836 in Estill Co., KY, recorded in Estill Co., KY, Marriage Records, Book A, page 95, daughter of John Park and Mary Peeler. She was born November 30, 1815 in Estill Co., Kentucky. William and Matilda are buried in Lexington Cemetery, Lexington KY in Section D, Lot 3. Notes for William Joseph Clark: William Joseph Clark, wife Matilda Park, and their children were living in household #190 in the 1850 Estill Co., KY, census. Also living with them was Matilda's widowed mother Polly (Peeler) Park, 75, b. NC. Children of William Clark and Matilda Park are: 1. Joseph Clark, born May 27, 1837 in Estill Co., Kentucky; died September 18, 1900 (Lexington Cemetery, Lexington KY, in Section 9, Lot 11). 2. John Simpson Clark, born March 22, 1841 in Estill Co., Kentucky; died January 06, 1900 (Lexington Cemetery in Section R, Lot 6). 3. Mary Jane Clark, born January 19, 1844 in Estill Co., Kentucky; died July 05, 1921 (No burial record at Lexington Cemetery). 4. George Henry Clark, born July 11, 1848 in Estill Co., Kentucky; died April 05, 1878 (Lexington Cemetery in Section D, Lot 3, with brother, Thomas below). 5. Thomas Barnes Clark, born April 24, 1851 in Estill Co., Kentucky; died March 08, 1872. 6. Martha Belle Clark, born October 20, 1856 in Estill Co., Kentucky (No burial record at Lexington Cemetery). According to Debbie Gurtis, 1860 Estill County Census is as follows with Polly no longer shown. I now suspect that she died of "Flux" in the Summer of 1856 at age 81 or as part of a "drowning", related to the incident surrounding the death of an 8-year old female slave Elizabeth, who may have been Polly's seeing guide. I also believe that Polly was laid to rest next to her husband, John Park, in close proximity to the house where she lived along South Fork in Estill County, KY, before William Clark and Matilda Park moved to Lexington in Fayette Co., sometime after 1860. House Name Age Birthplace 944 Clark, W.J. 47 Kentucky 944 Matilda 45 Kentucky 944 John S. 18 Kentucky 944 Mary J. 16 Kentucky 944 George W. 12 Kentucky 944 Thomas D. 9 Kentucky 944 Martha 3 Kentucky (Polly Peeler-Park DECEASED, Age 81, circa. 1856) Based on the information above, I would like to contact any descendants of John Park and Mary Peeler, including those related to their daughter, Matilda Park, who apparently moved to Lexington, KY with her husband, William J. Clark, after her mother's death (Polly Peeler-Park) in 1855/6. William Clark died in Lexington on Dec 14, 1868 (8 years after the 1860 Census showed them residing in Estill Co., KY without Polly). It appears that William and Matilda's daughter (Polly's Granddaughter), Mary Jane Clark, born January 19, 1844 in Estill Co., Kentucky; died July 05, 1921, was one of the last surviving member of this family, though Martha Belle Clark was their youngest child. If you, or anyone you know, is related to this line or has any information, including documents, stories, family pictures, bibles, and clues as to where John Park and Polly Peeler are buried, please contact me using the above address information. PLEASE HELP, IF YOU CAN! YOU MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON ABLE TO DO SO. For those interested, I would also like to note that my father, William Henry Park II of Bowie, MD, an Honorary Kentucky Colonel and a past President of the Kentucky Society of Washington, DC, was born in Richmond, KY in 1930. His sister, Martha Lamb, has lived most of her life in Danville, KY. Together, Dad and I have had the opportunity to perform some field research in Estill, Madison, Boyle, Lincoln and Clark Counties during 3 summers, traveling over 7,000 miles total in our research. During this time, we located and explored ancient cemeteries, where we found the graves of many of our Park and Cobb ancestors; historical landmarks; conducted interviews; and viewed land tracts and homesteads owned by the Park and Cobb families. We also visited numerous courthouses and archives, including the Special collections archive at EKU. The results of this work has been compiled into a nearly 300-page family historical book, entitled "Park and Cobb Family Summer Field Research and ! Expeditionary Projects I, II, & III: 1999-2001, Estill, Madison, Boyle, Lincoln and Clark Counties". My Direct Line: Dr. Roger Parke, Sr. (1654-1731) m. Anne Pattison (8th Great Grandparents) - NJ John Parke I. (1674-1757) m. Sarah Smith (1675-1759) (7th Great Grandparents) - NJ/VA John Park II. (1707-1758) m. Mary Davis (1710-1771) (6th Great Grandparents)- VA Ebenezer Park (1747-1839) m. Tabitha Mills (1752-1826) (5th Great Grandparents)- VA/NC/KY John Park (1772-1828) m. Mary (Polly) Peeler (1774-1856)(4th Great Grandfather)- NC/KY Jonah Park (1806-1884) m. Malinda McMonegal (1810-1862) (3rdGreat Grandparents)- KY John McMonegal Park (1827-1901) m. Martha Cobb (1835-1911)(2nd Great grandparents) - KY William Henry Park I. (1860-1932) m. Eleanor Simpson (1865-1944) (Great Grandparents)- KY William Holton Park (1900-1980) m. Elveree Collins Durham (1911-1989) (Dolly) (Grandparents)-KY Sincerely in the Spirit of Our Park Family, William D. Park "The Mystical Gravehunter"