DAR #A087434

Ezra Parker was born 13 Dec 1745, in Wallingford, New Haven Co., CT. He was the son of Andrew Parker and Susanna Blakeslee. Along with his parents he moved from Wallingford, CT, to Adams Co., MA, abt 1770. Sarah Tuttle was Ezra’s first wife. She lived but a few months following the birth of a young daughter, but left young Sarah to live with Ezra. He married second, Elizabeth Perry of North Adams, MA, in abt 1772. Their children were Samuel, David, Ezra, William M, Joel, Cratus, Elizabeth, Ira, Abigail and one other son, name unknown due to early death. His place of residence during the Revolution was Adams, Berkshire Co., Mass.

Ezra registered for military service in 1775. After the battle of Lexington, in April of 1775, Ezra joined the Berkshire Co., regiment and was present at the battles of Bunker Hill in Boston and in Sept of that year was a sergeant among the picked 1,200, which constituted Arnold’s expedition through the wilds of Maine to Quebec and participated in the entire campaign, returning with the remnants of that expedition. His military services assisted in the establishment of American Independence during the War of the Revolution. Ezra Parker, Sergeant, served under Capt. Enos Parker's Co., and Col. Benjamin Symonds's Regt. He served from 3 Sept 1777, until his discharge 27 Sept 1777. His service totaled 27 days, including 3 days (60 miles travel home). His regiment detached from the Berkshire Co., militia and were present to reinforce the Continental Army first at Bennington, Bemis Heights, and later at Saratoga. During his service Ezra served as an orderly sergeant for Benedict Arnold, on their march to Quebec. Ezra declined a commission offered by the state of Massachusetts, retaining the rank of sergeant.

In 1793, Ezra Parker and family moved to Herkimer Co., NY, and then in 1795 to Bridgewater, Oneida Co., NY. He was the owner of extensive tracts of land at various places throughout New York, including St Lawrence Co., near Watertown, and he settled many of his children on these tracts. From about 1813 to 1835 Ezra and his wife made their home in Sangersfield Co., NY, with their son William M. In June of 1835 they moved with Williams to Royal Oak, Oakland Co., MI. He lived there until his death, passing on 7 Jul 1842, in Royal Oak, Oakland Co., MI, at the age of 96. He is buried in Royal Oak, Oakland Co., MI. An NSDAR Chapter, the Ezra Parker Chapter, on July 15, 1928, dedicated a bronze marker in his honor at his grave in the Royal Oak Cemetery in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Available resources:
-"United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-L6H6 : Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 7; FHL microfilm 1,319,387. -United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29K-2Q74 : 11 March 2016), Ezra Parker, 1812-1815; citing NARA microfilm publication M602 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); roll 159; FHL microfilm 882,677.
-"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYX-3Y8 : 24 August 2015), Ezra Parker, Royal Oak Township, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing p. 90, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 209; FHL microfilm 14,797.
-"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVD-R67N : 13 December 2015), Ezra Parker, 1842; Burial, Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan, United States of America, Royal Oak Cemetery; citing record ID 15167043, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com. -Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.