Francis M. Parker was born in Howard county, Indiana, May 23, 1852, and there received his early education. In the fall of 1866 he came with his parents to this State and county, and settled in Washington township. Here he completed his education, farming in summer and attending school in winter. On attaining his majority he began farming for a livelihood, and continued until the fall of 1873, when he went to Kansas. He made the trip to the “grasshopper kingdom,” overland, and was fifteen days on the road. Arriving at his destination, he again resumed farming, but only stood it one year, and returned to Missouri after being eaten out by the pest of the redlegs, the Kansas grasshoppers. Something possessed him to try Kansas again, so he returned to that State, after spending less than a year in Daviess county, making the second trip in 1875. His second return to Missouri is evidence of the fact that he thinks this is the best State in the Union. At this writing Mr. Parker is keeping a restaurant and boarding house at Jamesport, where the weary may rest, and the hungry satisfy the inner man.
Mr. Parker was married on the 10th of November, 1878, to Miss Martha Melton, the accomplished daughter of John A. Melton, formerly of Missouri. This lady was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, August 20, 1857.