Crittenden Parks

                                                  Crittenden Parks

           I found a wonderful article about Crittenden “Crit” Parks, a young slave freed by Daniel F. Parks of Ohio County.  The article was written by Roger Hardesty and was posted on his blog October 3, 2020.  Roger is from Portland, Oregon and is seriously interested in history and how history influences our world.  I have never met Roger but he is certainly impressive and we were lucky that he stumbled upon my blog and contacted me.  It appears that Roger has an interest in Madison County, KY, so we can assume his roots are found in Kentucky.  Madison County is located just south of Lexington and the county seat is Richmond.

          First I encourage you to read Roger’s excellent post about Crit Parks, which can be found here:

https://rdhardesty.blogspot.com/2020/09/crit.html

          Second, I encourage you to look through the Archives shown on Rogers’s blog site as you may find another article or two that you will enjoy – particularly if you are a student of history.

          There is not much to add to Roger’s well researched article about Crit Parks.  I enjoyed it so much I have read it multiple times.  As to Crit’s owner, Daniel F. Parks, the 1850 census says Daniel F. Parks lived in Hartford and was born about 1804 in South Carolina.  There is no wife or family shown in the 1850 or 1860 census listing for Daniel Parks.  The 1860 Slave Schedule says he owned 15 slaves. I think Daniel’s father was Peter Parks*, who was born about 1765, and enlisted in the Revolutionary War in North Carolina; Peter had two sons, Daniel and Quinton Parks. The 1870 census shows Daniel living in the Oakford Precinct of Daviess County and he apparently died in Daviess County in 1874.  Here is an 1876 map showing the Oakford Precinct where Daniel lived at the time of his death:

          Daniel’s brother, Quinton, married Margaret Shown on 10 Aug 1826 in Ohio County; the 1850 census shows Quinton and Margaret living in Daviess County with nine children. Quinton died in Daviess County in 1876.

Footnote:

         * "Parks, Peter   Private N.C. line; from North Carolina: 

The above named soldier was living in the county of Ohio, state of Kentucky, when he applied for pension of the date of October 16, 1824, at the age of 60 years. He enlisted in the county of Northhampton, state of North Carolina, the date not remembered. His children’s names were Quinton Parks and Daniel Parks, the birth dates not given."'

Source: Kentucky Society, Sons of the American Revolution, 1896, at page 208 

From “Ohio County in the Olden Days” - Peter Parks is shown in Ohio County in the 1840 census; Peter Parks is listed as receiving a pension for services in the Revolutionary War.