[A59] was first patented to a William Johnson, but nothing further is known about him.  In 1660 John Parker patented 600 acres here, it being on the north of Broadway Road and extending from the Bay to a little east of Cashville Road.  Located where Parker's Creek opens into Onancock Creek and the Chesapeake Bay, John patented this land across Onancock Creek from the land patented by his older brother George.  See the photographs of Parkers Creek and the section on Broadway Neck.  John Parker was the youngest son of George Parker and Abigail Barlowe, his wife of Southampton, England.  He, along with his brothers George and Robert and a sister Ann, arrived on the Eastern Shore in the mid 1600's (Genealogies).  See "Some Descendants of Robert Parker"  by Gail M. Walczyk

John wrote his will on 9 January 1692 and signed it John Parker Senior of Mattapony (Nottingham).  It was proved 19 September 1695.  An abstract of his will reads:

PARKER, JOHN, Sr., of Mattapany - 9 Jan. 1692 - 19 Sept. 1695 - To eldest son George Parker 20 s.  To each of his children (no names) sheep &c.  To second son John Parker plantation called Mattapany where I now live, containing 400 acres after the decease of my wife Amy.  To son John 1/2 of my great sloop to hold in partnership with my wife.  To son William Parker 300 acres in Pocomoke River in Somerset County, Md. called Winter Quarter, also my sloop called Arlington.  To son Edward Parker 200 acres, being part of 600 acres of Mattapany patent, as by deed of gift to him dated 21 Dec. 1692.  To son Matthew Parker my plantation called Little Gargaphia containing 400 acres, also 1/2 the hammocks & marshes at Marumscoe in Maryland to hold with his brother Thomas Parker.  To son Anderson Parker 385 acres near Bloxoms Bridge.  To son Thomas 200 acres at the head of Messongo Branch & plantation purchased of Maximilian Gore containing 295 acres & 1/2 the marshes at Marumscoe in Maryland.  To grandson John Ayres.  To William Williamson. Bal. of estate including the 1/2 of my great sloop to my wife Amy - Wife Exec.  Witt: Charles Scarburgh, Bennett Scarburgh, John Watts.  Codicil dated 12 Jan. 1692 - Whereas I have 200 acres of marsh, being the northermost of Pungoteague Island not expressed in the foregoing will, the said 200 acres to be appropriated to my 400 acres at Mattapany & I give the same to my son John Parker; likewise I have 200 acres of marsh by a later patent upon Pungoteague Island to the southward of the aforesaid 200 acres which is also omitted in the aforesaid will, but is given by deed of gift to my son Edward Parker, which said 200 acres I give and bequeath to the said Edward.  Witt: William Anderson, George Hope, George Parker, Sr.

In the will above John Parker left to his son John 400 acres "called Mattapany where I now live".  This John was the only one of John Parker's sons to remain in Accomack County.  The rest of John Parker's sons moved north into Somerset and what is now Sussex County, Delaware.  The second John Parker wrote his will on 26 January 1720/21 (Nottingham).  It was proved on 7 February 1720/21.  An abstract of his will reads:

PARKER, JOHN - 26 Jan. 1720/21 - 7 Feb. 1720/21 - To son John land where he lives on in my Neck & 100 acres of land & marsh on the Island near Pungoteague.  To two youngest daughters Bridget & Betty.  To son Sacker land adjcent that given John & also 100 acres on the said Islands.  To sons William & George all my lands at Indian River known as Piny or Ferry Neck; containing 500 acres by a Maryland Patent & 900 acres by a Pennsylvania Patent.  Daus. Abigail & Ann Parker.  To daughter Frances Wise & her children George & Tabitha Wise.  To daughter Amy Drummond & her children John, Drake & Patience.  To John, Frances, Robert & William Parker, children of my son John Parker.  To Susanna, daughter of my son Sacker.  Sons John & Sacker & my wife (no name) Exrs.  Witt: W. Bagge, Hillary Griffin, Thomas Leatherbury, John Stockley.

NOTE: The 500 acres by a Maryland Patent & 900 acres by a Pennsyvania Patent refer to the land today located in Worcester County, Maryland,  and Sussex County, Delaware.

John Parker, the third of this name, inherited the land "where he lives on in my Neck."  His son Sacker inherited the "land adjcent to that given to John. "  Although the acreage was not mentioned above, it was 200 acres (Whitelaw).  This was the piece mentioned in the article "The Chandler or Drummond Place".

The rest of the Parker land remained in the family.  In 1795 it was owned by John R. Parker (household 18).  In the 1800's the old home place of Mattponie became Parker Place (Mihalyka).  On this site was a family graveyard where the first John Parker and a young son were buried.  The old home place burned down about 1870 (Upshur).  What family graves remained were moved to Onancock Cemetery when it opened (Mihalyka).

Sources:

_____.  Cemetery Documentation Project.  http://easternshorestuff.com/cemeteryproject/cemintro.htm.

_____.  Genealogies of Virginia Families from the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography.  Baltimore MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.

Mihalyka, Jean and Faye Downing Wilson.  Graven Stones. Inscriptions from Lower Accomack County, Virginia, including Liberty and Parksley Cemeteries. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, Inc., 1966.

Nottingham, Stratton.  Wills and Administrations of Accomack County, Virginia 1663-1800.  Bowie MD: Heritage Books, Inc., 1990.

Upshur, Thomas Teackle.  Genealogical Research, Volume I, Manuscript, Microfilm  Swem Library, College of William and Mary, Willimsburg VA.

Whitelaw, Ralph T.  Virginia's Eastern Shore A History of Northampton and Accomack Counties. Volume Two.  Gloucester MA: Peter Smith.