The Parkinson Ancestors

The surname Parkinson means 'son of Perkin', Perkin meaning 'little Peter' (from Per (Peter) and -kin. My four times great grandmother came from Northborough, Northamptonshire but I do not currently know where they came from before her birth.

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Elizabeth was born in Northborough, Northamptonshire in 1807 to parents William and Elizabeth Parkinson. She lived in Northborough at the family home with younger brothers William and Thomas during her early years. In 1832 she met the recently widowed John Vine Chapman, a farmer at Helpston, and on 15th January 1833 they were married at St Botolph's Church, Helpston. In September 1833 Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, William, but sadly he died just 9 days later. In 1835 their son, Parkinson was born, followed by Ashwell (1836), Thomas (1838), Lizzy (1839), James (1841), Sarah Ann (1843), Eliza (1845), Molsbrow Vine (1846), Josiah (1849), Ann (1850). On 17th September 1844, John and Elizabeth suffered the loss of their daughter, Sarah Ann, aged just 15 months, who died of Scarlet Fever. Later that month Molsbrow also died, aged just 16 years. In August 1846 their son James died of Hooping Cough, aged 4 years. In 1849 Elizabeth, John and the family moved to Newborough, Northamptonshire. Here he continued to work as a Farmer, owning 136 acres, the third largest farm in Newborough at the time, and employing six labourers. By 1851 a girl by the name of Sarah Crowson lived and worked at the family home as a general house servant. Ten years later John was still living in Newborough working as a Farmer, although the size his farm had increased to 182 acres and 8 men were then employed to work on the farm. Three servants were also living and working at the family house, Eliza Bloodworth was a general house servant, Joseph Sanders a carter and Charles Whitehead a milk boy. Elizabeth continued to live in Newborough after John's death in 1866, until she died on 2nd December 1869, of liver disease. She was aged 62 years. She was buried at Helpston (next to John) on 7th December 1869.

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