Memorial Day

Today as we remember all of those that have sacrificed their lives for our freedom I think of one person in particular that I would like to share with you. His name was Captain John Parker and he was my great,great,great grandfather from my biological or "birth" family. His granddaughter was Sarah Parker who was my great grandmother!The pictures above were from a trip we took a year and a half ago (Chris, Matt and myself )to Massachusetts and went to the Lexington Green to see the history and famous "Minute Man statue" of Capt. John Parker. We also visited his grave site. I come from a long history of military families, most of which I have never met.

John Parker was born in Lexington, Massachusetts, on July 13, 1729. Parker played a prominent role in the first battle of the War for Independence, as leader of the volunteer American militia known as the Minutemen.

On the night of April 18, 1775, Parker received warning of the approach of the king's soldiers under Major John Pitcairn. Parker assembled about seventy volunteers to face the British. In the ensuing skirmish on Lexington Green on April 19, eight Americans were killed and ten were wounded.

The Minutemen followed the British forces to Concord, sniping at them as they retreated. According to legend, the colonists adopted "Yankee Doodle" as their theme song.

Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here~ Captain John Parker to the company assembled on Lexington Green.