John Avery Parker (1769-1853)
Merchant, Banker, Whaler & Shipbuilder, of New Bedford, Massachusetts
He was born in Plympton, Massachusetts, and in 1795 partnered with Lemuel Milke to build ships at the head of the East Branch of the Westport (then Noquochoke) River in Westport, Massachusetts. They parted ways in 1803 and although Parker continued to build his ships at Westport he moved to New Bedford where he went into business as a wholesale grocer and built ships for the merchant service and whaling voyages, establishing his counting house in the Parker Block that he built in 1833. He extended his business interests to become the owner of a cotton mill in Plympton and the owner (and president) of the Lionet Iron Mills in Wareham. In 1825, he founded and served as the first President of the Merchants Bank of New Bedford and he acted as an agent for several whaling vessels. In 1832, he employed Russell Warren to build his impressive mansion (see images) at 53 Willis Street, New Bedford, which was completed after two years in 1834 and was sold out the family after his death in 1853. In 1788, he married Averick, daughter of Shadrach Standish, of Plympton, and they were the parents of eleven children (listed) who survived infancy. He died worth $1.3-million.
