"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chapman 
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 742.
 
MOSES PARKER

     No pioneer resident of Linn county has more substantially aided in the
development of its agricultural and other resources than Moses Parker, who has
been a resident of this portion of Oregon ever since 1852, and who, in 1855,
bought the second threshing machine in the county, and has ever since operated
some one of these necessary machines. True, the old time lumbering, wheezing,
and unreliable thresher has been many times supplanted by more modern
innovations, steam has taken the place of horse power, and expediency in the
disposal of the grain has left far in arrears the slow and laborious pioneer
methods. While his fellow-agriculturists were struggling with the old-time
cradle, gathering the golden grain into small bundles, and depositing it at
intervals in rows in the field, this energetic and progressive tiller of the
soil brought a reaper into the county, the first to arouse the curiosity of
field laborers here, and a subject of endless investigation and discussion.
Criticism soon gave way to praise, and others followed the example of progress
set by their honored compatriot. To equal extent but in different directions Mr.
Parker has fostered advancement in other fields, supporting with his influence
and practical assistance schools, road building, good government, and
humanitarian projects for the uplifting of the people.
     The earliest years of Mr. Parker were spent on a farm in Ross county, Ohio,
where he was born November 4, 1830, remaining there until the family removal to
Burlington, Iowa, in 1845. The ambitious lad saw beyond the borders of the
paternal farm, with its ceaseless drudgery and small remuneration, and at the
age of seventeen, in 1847, he went to Burlington and learned the carpenter's
trade. Becoming a journeyman carpenter, he worked faithfully and lived
economically, hoping all the time for better things, and finally coming to
believe that he would find them in the west of which he had heard so much. In
1852 the opportunity came to him, and with his brother Allen he outfitted with a
wagon and four yoke of oxen, crossing the plains without any extraordinary
happening.
     In the fall of 1852 Mr. Parker took up a donation claim of one hundred and
sixty acres on the Santiam river, in Linn county, Ore., three miles north of
Lebanon, and while his summers were devoted to his trade, for which he found
great demand, his winters were spent on the farm. After living alone until 1856,
he married Mary C. Humphreys, and thereafter continued on the farm until selling
out in 1858. Mr. Parker then bought his present farm of three hundred and twenty
acres, and with the exception of three years in Sweet Home valley, he has since
made this his home, and not only farmed and raised stock, but has assisted
neighboring farmers with his threshing machine with the coming of every harvest.
He has added to his land and now owns four hundred and eighty acres, all in the
valley, wheat and stock comprising his principal source of revenue. In the early
days he met many obstructions to his progress, the Indians proving at times very
troublesome. During the war of 1856 he enlisted in the Second Oregon Mounted
Cavalry, and saw service in the Walla Walla country, taking part in many of the
principal battles and skirmishes in that memorable contest.
     In political affiliation Mr. Parker is a Democrat, but he has never desired
office. He is sociable in the extreme, a very pleasant and genial man to meet,
and one who is inclined to look on the bright side of life. He is connected with
the Grange, and has greatly advanced the best interests of that helpful
institution, and is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Eight
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Parker, of whom the oldest son, Perry
P., lives near his father;  Lewis T. is a resident of Portland; Hiram is a
farmer in this vicinity; William E. lives in the vicinity of the home place and
is operating a threshing machine; while Annie, Mary A., John and Allen are
deceased.
     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in March 2007 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.