MILES W. PARKER, Treasurer and Assessor of Alexander County, was born June 12, 1826, near the site of the village of Sandusky, in Alexander County, Ill. His father was born about 1772, in the State of Maryland, where he grew to manhood, and married Ellen Guerten, who was also a native of same State, and was born perhaps in 1782. After a brief residence, they moved to Virginia, thence to Kentucky, and in 1818 removed from Kentucky to Illinois and settled in the western part of Alexunder County. The father died in Pulaski County, Ill., in 1833, and the mother in Alexander County in 1837. They had a family of sixteen children; of these Miles W. is the fifteenth. Through force of circumstances, he received but a limited common school education, being reared under the influences incident to pioneer life. He possessed however a natural business ability, which he took opportunity to develop as soon as he became of age, coming to Cairo in 1847, to engage in the steamboat wood trade, continuing it until 1852, when he embarked in the grocery trade. He continued in the grocery business until 1863, and some time later invested his means in the liversbusiness. In 1875, he was reduced to "first principles" by the burning of his stable and contents, which, being uninsured, was a total loss in less time than is required to pen this sketch. His loss is better described in his own words: "I saved nothing but a set of broken buggy shafts, which I turned over as a part pay on a blacksmith's bill." He is now engaged in business on Washington avenue, near Tenth street. In 1879, he was elected to the office of County Treasurer and re-elected in 1882 and now fills that office. He cannot be termed in any sense a politician, but has acted with the Democratic party. He was married in 1852, to Mrs. Elizabeth Fisher, who was born in Pennsylvania on the 24th of September, 1826. She came to Illinois with her parents when a child. Their family consists of six children, of whom three are deceased — Mary, wife of W. F. Axley, of Cairo; Gilbert Parker, deceased; Emma, deceased wife of H. A. Harrell; Nellie, wife of William Winter, and Lizzie Parker. Mr. Parker is a member of the Knights of Honor.
Extracted 31 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V, pages 34-35.
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Pulaski | |
| Scott MO | Mississippi MO | Ballard KY |
