FAMILY HISTORY AND STORIES
George Edwin Parker (1834-1924)
Excerpts from letters sent by JTP to LMZ regarding the difficult task to find George's (our great Grandfather) death certificate.
Letter and picture: JTP-LMZ June 9, 1995
I checked again in Plympton and in Carver for any death record of George Edwin Parker. In Plympton found an entry for George "A" Parker dated January 13, 1922, who was a non-resident, but buried in Plympton. George Edwin lived in Carver, and his wife was already buried in Plympton (1915), and as George died in 1922, (of pneumonia) , this is probably our great grandfather. There was no entry for the death in the Carver records - unfortunately, because Carver gave the information of place of birth and PARENTS of the deceased. I may never forgive our family for that omission. However, early next week I must go into Boston and will go to the City Hall and try for a record of death.
Letter from: JTP to LMZ June 14, 1995
Digging out a copy of George Edwin's death certificate is proving to be more difficult than exhuming old George himself - and shaking him for information. I went to Boston yesterday and included this little errand. First went to the City Hall Vital Stats, but they re-referred me to the Mass. Vital Stats. address 470 Atlantic Ave, and "yes, it will be easier to walk as the "T" would require 3 changes and very short rides." Of course it was raining.
I put in my very concise order with the "new" information I had unearthed: "George E. Parker died Jan. 13, 1922, buried in Plympton, resident of Carver, husband of Eliza Morrison, died of lobar pneumonia." In about 10 minutes the young clerk came back smiling with an official looking document all filled out and sealed. This was the certificate for one George Parker, son of Oliver Parker and Mary Standish. He died on Jan. 13, 1922 at Bridgewater (my first clue as to the misidentification) He was single and only 25, but he did succumb to lobar pneumonia, and he was buried in Plympton (as a non-resident) but in the Church Cemetery. Needless to say I didn't "buy" that document, but decided to wait until 2 PM when the research room was activated (at $3.00 per hour). I had almost two hours to wait so went for lunch in all the construction and rain. Didn't want to go far as I had such a time locating the building in the first place.
The clerk had checked all the Parker deaths for the year 1922 so I figured to check on 1921-1925 in case the year is in error. He couldn't have lasted much longer as sick as he was and 88 years old in 1922. Anyway, the only one who could even have been feasible was one George C. Parker who died Feb. 24, 1923 in the Boston City Hospital, age 80, birth place, Boston, informant A. C. Parker. End of info!
This morning I called Rene (Irene Parker) to see if she knew anything else about George Edwin's death. She told me he died at Bridgewater State Farm Hospital. (I never heard of it (hospital), only the prison - do you suppose????) My whole reaction to this affair is not a very nice thing to say even boiled down to one word. Who ever expected GEORGE to be a problem??? I am going to ... ask George himself. George didn't die until the records said he died.
Document from files: JTP June 23, 1995
"State Farm" obviously was (or had) a hospital where George was taken on Nov. 17, 1924, and where he died, Dec. 11, 1924. His age is given as 94. We place his birth date as 1834 from other records, mostly census. He was widowed. His wife, Eliza Ann Morrison preceded him in death by 9½ years. His occupation is still listed as "Fisherman". Perhaps he did continue to fish locally (or out of Plymouth). George's labor for the Town of Carver appeared only twice, but there was reference in Braddock's book to George stacking lumber at Cole's Lumber mill. "George Parker carted the boards out with the horse and wagon and his father (George) did the sticking, which means the boards were stacked to allow good air circulation between them which was necessary for proper drying." (Wages were 50 cents a day for 10 hours work.)
Unfortunately, George's parents are not listed. This would be the BIG FIND. No one knew anything? Wish they had asked him (for the records) . He might have known.
George died of carcinoma of the lower lip. No doubt from the habit of clutching a dirty old pipe in his mouth, one which many of the Parker men of that era indulged. He undoubtedly starved to death. Chronic myocarditis indicates a history of heart problems. No telling how long he would have lived had he not smoked. We might have a chance at information without rattling his bones.
The date of burial was December 13, 1924. The certificate is in error as to the place of burial. He is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery, not the Church Cemetery.
There is no record of George Parker's death in the Carver Town Records. He lived in Carver. Nor is there any record of his death in the Bridgewater records, although it was usual to record those who died at State Farm, which deaths more than doubled the regular deaths recorded for Bridgewater. In the Plympton Town Records for 1924, appearing to be copied from his death certificate, under the heading "Non-residents buried in Plympton - December, 11, 1924 George Parker age 94, carcinoma of lip. Died in Bridgewater."
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