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Allen Parker's Worcester
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ALLEN PARKER'S OBITUARY Widely Known Among School Children, Allen Parker Passes Away. Allen Parker, 17 Orchard street, known as "Pop" Parker, and one of the best known colored men in Massachusetts, died at his home yesterday morning. He was 66 years old. Bright's disease was the cause of his death, and he had been sick for nine weeks. Mr. Parker was well known to the boys and girls of Worcester, to whom he has sold popcorn at different schools. He was seldom seen on the street without a basket hanging on his arm, which contained popcorn and homemade candies. He not only sold his wares to schoolchildren but canvassed from house to house, and also had called at various places of business. He was always the same, whether business was good or bad, and made many friends by his winning ways. When he entered the school yard at noon or recess the girls and boys flocked about him and relieved him of a portion of his goodies. Occasionally they would cut up pranks, but no matter what happened "Pop" Parker was always good natured, and most always whistling southern melodies. Mr. Parker was a former slave, and was born March 23, 1840, on a plantation of 900 acres on Albemarle sound, North Carolina, near the town of Edenton. The property was owned by Peter Parker, from whom Allen Parker took his name. The former Parker died when Allen was but three months old. In his will he directed that none of the slaves should be sold from the estate. Peter Parker had a daughter, Annie, who was born a week after Allen. Peter Parker's widow married again and had other children, but Allen Parker became the property of the daughter Annie. Allen Parker scarcely knew who his father or mother were. His father was owned on another plantation and his mother went to work in the fields shortly after Allen was born. When Mr. Parker became a young man his mistress rented him out to people that had small places and did not keep slaves and needed work done. Mr. Parker often used to tell of how the white people tried to keep the slave in ignorance of the fact that there was going to be a war. He said that they used every possible measure before the outbreak of the war to keep the slaves from learning that trouble was brewing. Mr. Parker did not blame the younger generation of slave owners, for he said that they were taught from their birth that it was right to own slaves and the slaves, for the most part, were left to them by their relatives. Mr. Parker was fortunate enough to have a kind mistress, and she put confidence in him. When the war broke out many of the slaves were sent to Raleigh or Newbern to work on fortifications, for the southern soldiers did not do any of that kind of work. The neighbors of Parker's mistress often urged her to send him to the army, but she refused. Despite the comparatively good home he had, for a slave, Parker decided that liberty would be better, and planned to make his escape. In 1863 the federal forces sent gunboats up the James River on patrol duty, to prevent the planters from sending provisions to the confederate army. About once a week a gunboat would come up the river and pass within two miles of the Parker plantation. When a gunboat came up the river, the white men would take to the woods. This gave the colored people an opportunity to escape. I took Allen sometime to get up enough courage to make a break for liberty, for already a number of slaves in his vicinity had attempted to escape and were caught and shot. One night, about 6 o'clock, when he heard a gunboat coming up the river, throwing an occasional shell into the woods on each side, Allen and three others made up their minds to escape. About 9 o'clock that night they rolled up a little bundle of clothing apiece, and walked down the main road to the river. There was not much danger to be met on the road, as the white men kept pretty quiet and out of sight when the boat came up the river. When they reached the river, they found a dugout that belonged to a white family that lived in a house close by, locked to the bank. While Mr. Parker was at work breaking the boat from the fastenings, the other three members of the party patrolled up and down the bank with a stick over their shoulders, so if any whites saw them the would think that they were colored soldiers. The four were soon paddling for a gunboat, which was but a short distance away. When they reached the gunboat they were questioned as to who they were and where they came from and were then permitted to go aboard, which insured their safety. After Mr. Parker left the gunboat, he landed at Newbern, where he worked for Col. Hawkins of Hawkins souave fame. He also worked about a hospital there for a while, and later enlisted in the navy as a landsman, and was assigned for duty at a magazine near Newbern. He left the navy at the end of a year and went to Brooklyn. Since he had lived in many cities of the North, and came to Worcester during the administration of Gen. Grant. Mr. Parker was married in New Haven while he was living at Meriden, Ct. He and his wife lived at different times in Springfield, Westfield, Northampton, Chelsea and Lynn. They left Worcester and came back during the second administration of President Grover Cleveland. Two years ago Mr. Parker made a trip to London and back. Several years ago he published a small pamphlet, which told of his life as a slave. He disposed of a number of copies among his aquaintances. He was a member of the Pleasant-street Baptist church and a frequent attendant at the Belmont-street A.M.E. Zion church. He was also a member of the George H. Ward post, G.A.R. and was a charter member of the United order of Gallilean fishermen. The funeral will be from the house at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon. Rev. B.W. Swain, pastor of the A.M.E. Zion church, will officiate. Burial will be in Hope cemetery. He is survived by a widow, a son-in-law, Charles Coates, and a daughter-in-law, Lillian R. Wilkins.
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