History of Freehold, (Monmouth County) New Jersey United States of America

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Joel Parker, governor of New Jersey, was born near Freehold, N.J., Nov. 24, 1816; son of Charles and Sarah (Coward) Parker; grandson of Thomas and Sarah (Stout) Parker, and of Capt. Joseph Coward of the Continental army, and a descendant of Joseph Parker, who was settled in Monmouth, N.J., about 1668. Charles Parker was sheriff of Monmouth county; a member of the New Jersey assembly; state treasurer for thirteen years, and also state librarian. His parents removed to Trenton in 1821. Joel Parker was prepared for college at Trenton academy and the Lawrenceville high school. and was graduated at the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1839, A.M., 1842. He studied law under Henry W. Green at Trenton, was admitted to the bar in 1842, and practised in Freehold, N.J., 1842-80. He was married in 1843 to Maria M., daughter of Samuel R. Gummere of Trenton, N.J. He canvassed the state for Van Buren and Johnson in 1840 and for Polk and Dallas in 1844; was a Democratic member of the state assembly in 1847; prosecuting attorney of Monmouth county, 1852-57; a presidential elector on the Douglas and Johnson ticket in 1860, and was commissioned brigadier-general of the state militia in 1857 and major-general in 1861. He supported the war measures of the administration of President Lincoln on constitutional grounds; was Democratic governor of New Jersey, 1863-66, and was active in the organization of volunteers. On the invasion of Pennsylvania by Lee's army in 1863 Governor Parker supplied Governor Curtin with several organized regiments of New Jersey volunteers. He kept the quota of New Jersey for the army up to its full number, and so successfully managed the finances of the state during the civil war that not a bond of New Jersey was sold below par, and in 1865 there was a surplus of $200,000 in the treasury. At the Democratic national conventions of 1868, 1876 and 1884 he received the unanimous vote of the New Jersey delegation for President. He was the candidate of the National Labor Reform convention of 1872 for Vice-President on the ticket with David Davis for President, but he declined to accept. He was again governor of New Jersey, 1872-74; was attorney-general of the state January to April, 1875; a presidential elector on the Tilden and Hendricks ticket in 1876; a justice of the supreme court for the second district of the state, 1880-88, and declined a fourth nomination for governor in 1883. He was influential in the erection of the monument commemorating the battle of Monmouth, which was unveiled Nov. 13, 1884. He received the degree LL.D. from Rutgers college in 1872, and was an honorary member of the New Jersey state branch, Society of the Cincinnati. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 2, 1888.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Freehold, (Monmouth County) New Jersey

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