Charles Parker born 16 August 1836. Gotenburg

[Emilyada]

I know I am asking alot here but any ideas or suggestions would be welcome.

I am searching for the family of great great grandfather known as Charles Parker. Born 16th August 1836 (one document says 1838) in Sweden.

We know about him since his arrival in New Zealand in 1856 and his marriage to Harriet Ellen Philps on the 9th April 1860 in Wellington New Zealand. They had 12 children.

His life before arriving in NZ is a mystery. The family stories are that his father was an English seaman and his mother from Sweden. He was born around Gotenburg and had a brother.

Their mother died when they were young and the boys didn't get on with their step mother and ran away to sea at a young age.

Some of the family think he changed his name after jumping ship in NZ but no one really knows. These are all family stories.

The only information I think is reliable is his date of birth 16th August though year could be 1836 or 1838.

I wonder if there is any search possible using birthdate in Gotenburg area?

Grateful for any replies.
Emilyada

[tommypeters]

Maybe someone could find something in emigration papers.

I thought that if his brother stayed in Sweden, he and children of him might be find-able in 1880 and 1890 "Census". No Parker in (the very incomplete) 1880 census, three in 1890. On born in 1876 in Great Britain, one born in India in 1840. Left is one Johan Alfred Parker Johansson, born 1848 in Ytterby, Göteborgs och Bohus län. There's two Johan Alfred/Alfrid with father Johan/Johannes born in Ytterby in 1848, but both seem to have "plain" Swedish parents, so it doesn't seem to exist any brother to Charles/Carl in the late 19th Century Census records.

Maybe Charles took the name Parker upon immigration, maybe he "jumped ship" and didn't want to be found, making up most of the story...?

[Emilyada]

Tommy
Thankyou for this prompt reply. We think the brother left Sweden permanently too. I always imagined he stayed in the US but I have no proof. Another anecdote in the family is that Charles and his brother were on board a ship in New York when Jenny Lind visited and he commented how busy the harbour was.
Another relation has also been searching. Some of this i got from her.

Sten Aminoff made a thorough investigation of the NZ Swedes in his book "Svenskarna i Nya Zeeland" (The Swedes in New Zealand). Charles Parker is there with the following information:

Parker, Charles Francis
Born 1834 in Sweden (note date, correction of my first post Charles born 1834 or 1836 and his brother .born ?1838)
Arrived in NZ in 1856
Naturalized Wellington 3 July 1863
Died Wellington 15 Dec 1917
Farmer
Married Wellington 9 April 1860 to Harriet Ellen Philips, 17, spinster

Apparently There is another book that has almost all Swedes who emigrated to the US 1820-1850: "Swedish Passenger Arrivals in the US 1820-1850" by Nils William Olson and Erik Wikén. There is no Parker in that book.

There is also a Charles Parker, with home parish listed as England, who mustered out of the Gamla Karleby sjömanshus on 5 August 1841, i found on Arkivdigital when i had a Short term subscription. Could it be the father of ggfather Charles - but there isnt much information there.

Thankyou again very much for your interest and your time spent looking for information. I'm still hopeful something will one day turn up.

[PatrickJohnson]

Perhaps it may be that Charles Francis Parker was American or Englishman and came to Sweden as a seaman. His wife, Harriet Ellen Philips, was perhaps Swedish. Charles Frances is incredibly unusual names in Sweden at the time, however, Harriet and Ellen are not entirely uncommon name in Sweden, just an idea.

[tommypeters]

Charles Frances could easily have been "Swedified" to Carl Frank in the Swedish birth records, later anglified to Charles Frances when he emigrated to NZ...

[Emilyada]

Perhaps it may be that Charles Francis Parker was American or Englishman and came to Sweden as a seaman. His wife, Harriet Ellen Philips, was perhaps Swedish. Charles Frances is incredibly unusual names in Sweden at the time, however, Harriet and Ellen are not entirely uncommon name in Sweden, just an idea.

Hi Patrick
Thankyou for your reply.

I think my explanations can be confusing so I will try and simplify. This is actually my husbands family I am following so starting from him:

John Parker (living) son of
Walter GG Parker 1908 - 2003 born NZ son of
Alfred Parker 1868 - 1954 born NZ son of
CHARLES (FRANCIS) PARKER circa 1834 - 1917 born Sweden, died New Zealand (married Harriet E Philps 1843 - 1893 born in NZ) son of

unknown, but could it be Charles Parker English seaman found in Gamla Karleby sjömanshus

I am trying to find who is Charles (Francis) Parker (1834-1917) :confused: I put the Francis in brackets as that middle name is used only on one document. We believe he was born in Sweden to an English father and Swedish mother, his father was a seaman his mother died when he was young. He had one younger brother.

Thankyou very much for your interest.

[Emilyada]

Charles Frances could easily have been "Swedified" to Carl Frank in the Swedish birth records, later anglified to Charles Frances when he emigrated to NZ...

Thanks Tommy, that's a helpful hint.

[Phryxe]

I would rather "translate" Charles Frances to Carl Frans, but Carl Frank is also possible.

[Torgny Larsson]

I have an information that Harriet Ellen Philips was born 11 jun 1853 in Wainuiomata, Wellington, duaghter of John Philips (1803-8 Jan 1867) and Catherine Turner (29 May 1803-21 Feb 1867), both born in England.
I dont know if that is correkt, but it's worth checking.

[Emilyada]

I would rather "translate" Charles Frances to Carl Frans, but Carl Frank is also possible.

Thanks Phyrxe, i will remeber that too.

[Emilyada]

I have an information that Harriet Ellen Philips was born 11 jun 1853 in Wainuiomata, Wellington, duaghter of John Philips (1803-8 Jan 1867) and Catherine Turner (29 May 1803-21 Feb 1867), both born in England.
I dont know if that is correkt, but it's worth checking.

Torgny this is correct. This is his wife and he married after he settled in NZ. The problem I have is where was he and who was he before he arrived in NZ.

I think the birthdate may be the key but we are not sure exactly where he was born. Thankyou for your interest.