Santa Clara County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



LEWIS F. PARKER, 
 
the proprietor of the "Spring Ranch," and one of the early settlers of Union 
District, located there August 26, 1856. The eastern line of his ranch, one mile 
in length, faces the Mt. Diablo and Meridian line, while the Los Gatos and 
Almaden road passes half a mile north of the north boundary of the property. Mr. 
Parker owns 320 acres, to one-half of which he bought a "squatter's claim" in 
1856, and which he afterward pre-empted and bought of the United States 
Government.
The subject of our sketch was born in Highland County, Ohio, March 20, 1824. 
When a babe, his parents removed to Illinois, where his father, Wm. Parker, 
died, in Fulton County. Later his mother, Elizabeth (Davis) Parker, made her 
home in La Porte County, Indiana. The boyhood of our subject was spent 
principally at Danville, Hendricks County, of the same State, and there he 
received his education. In La Porte County, Indiana, on the twenty-third of 
December, 1847, Mr. Parker married Miss Julia A. Keith, daughter of Lewis and 
Nancy (O'Hara) Keith, and a native of Morgan County, Ohio, where she was born 
March 27, 1830. Leaving his wife in La Porte County, Mr. Parker, in company with 
his brother-in-law, Mr. P. G. Keith (whose history appears in this volume), 
crossed the plains in 1850. They left Indiana on the eleventh of March, and 
their long, wearisome journey was not ended by their reaching Georgetown, El 
Dorado County, of this State, until August. During the following two years Mr. 
Parker worked on Horseshoe Bar, on American River. His wife joining him in 
November, 1852, they settled at Spanish Flat, and engaged in hotel and 
mercantile business. The hotel, the "Parker House," is yet running under the 
same name. Mr. and Mrs. Parker successfully conducted the business until they 
removed to Santa Clara County. Their large ranch, excepting a portion which is 
reserved for a family orchard, is devoted to general farming and stock-raising. 
The grounds occupied by the residence and surrounding buildings was the site of 
an old Spanish town called "Capitancillos." A portion of the walls of the old 
adobe buildings was to be seen when Mr. and Mrs. Parker came to the place. 
Tradition says that the ground where the home now is was the scene of a fierce 
battle fought in prehistoric times between two tribes of Indians.
Although not in the field in the war for the Union, the unsettled condition of 
the State at one time made it necessary for loyal men to organize, that they 
might be prepared to meet possible emergencies, and Mr. Parker was made captain 
of a company of home guards, which was called the " New Almaden Cavalry," and 
which belonged to the First Regiment of "Home Guards," State Militia.
Mr. Parker is a member of the Republican party, active and ardent in the support 
of its principles. He has held offices of local trusts, having been Deputy 
Assessor for a term of eight years.
Mrs. Parker is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have one 
daughter, Elizabeth N., who makes her home with her parents.
 
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, 
Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 
1888.
Pg. 416-417