Comments:
      "Thomas Parker, the immigrant ancestor was born in England in 1609. He came to America in the ship Susan and Ellen, sailing from London March 11, 1635, in charge of Sir Richard Saltonstall, with whose family tradition connect that of Parker. He settled at Lynn, Massachusetts, and was admitted a freeman May 17, 1637. He was one of the first settlers in Lynn Village or Reading, and on his homestead in the eastern part of that town he and his descendants lived until 1822, when Deacon Parker, the last of the family to occupy it, died. He was a very active and prominent citizen, a man of ability and substance. He was appointed a commissioner to try small causes in 1636; was selectman in 1661 and five other years, and often honored with positions of trust. The Parker Genealogy locates his house within thirty rods of the present town hall of Wakefield, formerly the south parish of Reading, and on the east side of the common, adjoining the estate of Rev. Samuel Haugh. Parker was deacon of the Reading church. He gave his age as thirty when he left England; was seventy-eight when he died in 1683." (from Wm. Cutter Geneological Memoirs 1908)
"In the Mass. Records we find the sumptuous prefix of Mr. to his name in the list of freemen; that was decidedly more carily pronounced in 1637 than to-day. On May 17 of that year, with scarce two years passed in America, he was made a freeman in Lynn (Colonial Records, Vol. I, p. 195). This was the lawful acceptance of his allegiance to the colony, the grant of full suffrage and the right of holding public office. It was a very highly appreciated right and was very often withheld to the settler for four, five or six years. Following this in the first division of land made by the town in 1638, 40 acres, a high average for this division was allotted to him. But Lynn seems to have been only a recruiting-ground for our ancestor, as at this time he removed to an inland habitation, being the first or one of the very first settlers of what is now the town of Reading. It was first known as Lynn Village. This was the abode and hunting-grounds of the Indians, whose arrow-heads are still found along the Saugus. The land was purchased from the Indians as a very early date. Mr. Parker was soon active in the establishment of a church. It was built about 1644 and stood upon the Common. He was ever active in spiritual matters and taught his large family that fear of God which he himself possessed. He was made decon, and it seems was later honored as chief deacon, as certain documents bear the title 'Thomas Parker, Deacon of Redding.' He was selectman in 1661, and continued irregularly for five years more. He with Deacons Thomas Kendall and William Cowdrey was appointed commissioner for trying and defending 'small causes.' We find his signature in several places among the archives of the State attached to the petitions of the town to the General Court. In the four divisions of land made by the town, wherein all had a share, large tracts of land were added to his estate, by one of which he received over 200 acres on the north side of Ipswich river, which land he mentioned in his will. He was a gentleman of property, but had some difficulty in establishing the bounds of his large tractrs of land."