Parker Ancestry

Parker Ancestry

A small collection of photographs and family history from the Parker tree.

Ancestry List

James Parker Jr. at Edgar Building

My name is Scot Buchanan Parker. This website has been carefully assembled to preserve and share the history, stories, and photographs that trace the roots of the Parker family tree.

The records and materials I have gathered are available through the Ancestry List page. It is my hope that by making this history accessible, others connected to the Parker lineage will find both meaning and enjoyment in these shared origins, and perhaps be inspired to contribute their own pieces to the story.

I am especially grateful to my uncle, Dr. James Donaldson Parker Jr., whose dedication to research and careful preservation of family records made this work possible. His efforts have ensured that much of our family’s history has not been lost to time.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of visiting Fayette, Iowa—a place closely tied to our family’s past. There is something deeply rewarding in standing where earlier generations once stood, comparing what remains with what once was. Sites such as Charles Coleman Parker’s doctor’s office and William Henry Klemme’s lumberyard serve as enduring links between past and present, offering a tangible connection to the lives and labors of those who came before us.

Klemme descendents at Ridgeway’s Sesquicentennial – June 2017

Office of Dr. Charles Coleman Parker

The former medical office of Charles Coleman Parker, located at 225 South Main Street in Fayette, was constructed between 1898 and 1900 and stands as a noteworthy example of the town’s turn-of-the-century professional buildings. In 2010, the structure underwent extensive renovations, carefully restoring its historic character while adapting it for modern use. Photographs taken in 2010 document the building’s restored appearance, reflecting the quality and care invested in preserving Dr. Parker’s former office.

CC Parker's Office – Before Renovation
CC Parker's Office – After Renovation (2010)

William Henry Klemme’s Lumberyard

William Henry Klemme’s lumberyard, located at 1310 Main Street in Ridgeway, Iowa, stands as a lasting fixture in the town’s landscape and a reminder of its commercial past. A photograph taken circa 1880 captures the yard in its early years, while a second image from 2013 illustrates its continued presence more than a century later. Today, the site carries on its legacy under the name Ridgeway Feed & Lumber.

William Henry Klemme’s Lumberyard – Past
William Henry Klemme’s Lumberyard – 2013

A.J. Fox Furniture Building

The A.J. Fox Furniture Building, located at the corner of Water Street and Main Street in Fayette, Iowa, was owned by Austen Fox, the father of Robert Fox Remarkably, the building still stands today as a lasting piece of the town’s history.

Fox Furniture Building – Past
Fox Furniture Building – Present