Hi to all Parkin family and other vistors

This site is dedicated to those wanting to know more about the Parkin family in South Africa and also provide a forum for all descendants of John Parkin to share information about the family.


John Parkin, an 1820 settlers, was the first Parkin to set foot in South Africa, in Algoa Bay on 20th May 1820. He was accompanied by his wife Elizabeth Abraham (nee Howard) and his first four children, William, John, Jane and Robert. Initially settling on the farm designated by the British Government to the Parkin party, some 14km south west of Bathurst in the Eastern Cape, he moved into Port Elizabeth soon after and during the early years of the cities existence, quickly acquired a large portfolio of the Port Elizabeth real estate.


Today, not much (if any) of his original land remains in the Parkin name, with only a few items in the city remaining as an acknowledgement of his input into the beginnings of Port Elizabeth, namely Parkin Street in North End and a memorial plaque in a park in Stella ave Fernglen, close to where his original homestead was.


Marrying a second time, John Parkin's offspring could have made up a rugby team, all of 15 kids. Upon his death in 1856, his estate was never settled as a number of his children had moved on from Port Elizabeth and some thought to be dead. In the years that followed, some of his property was purchased from the estate by the government of the day for in order to build the Port Elizabeth Railway Station, where it still stands today. In the 1960's, a descendant of John Parkin, (N.P. Sellick) interested in determining who still had a claim to the estate, researched the Parkin genealogy in conjunction with the HSRC and wrote a book "John Parkin of Baakens River farm and his family, 1820 to 1970", which gave the basis for the family tree that can be found on another site.


The editor of this blog also manages this comprehensive Parkin family tree starting with John Parkin's parents in Exeter, Devon England which links to some of John's sibling's descendants still living in Exeter. It contains the names of over 3700 of William's descendants and their spouses. If you are a descendant of William Parkin born 1745 in Exeter, Devon England and would like to see how you fit into the tree and/or willing to share some details about your close family to add to the tree, please make contact through the details on this blog page.

Monday, March 16, 2026

2025-07-16T07:40:19.000Z

Hi Parkin Family, 

Since the last posting about some history of the Parkin Family in Exeter, specifically about John's nephew, Francis who started the F Parkin and Sons foundry, there has been great progress in tracking living descendants of Francis Parkin, some of whom are still living in Exeter or born there and now living elsewhere in the world. I was able to make contact with some of the family, had lovely conversation with them and shared information about the different sides of the family and able to update the family tree with many new names. Without naming those that assisted, thank you for all the info. 

It is always rewarding in the research in genealogy to be able to expand the tree. In another recent discovery, information showed that one of John Parkin's great grandson, Anthony William Parkin b1881, had migrated to the USA, married Freda Crane in USA and settled in Springfield Ohio. With some digging, living relatives were found to still be resident in Springfield and other Ohio cities and contact made and information shared regarding the extended family. 

Some of the family have been following this page for years and managed quietly to slip under the radar. In more recent years, I am certain that many more of John's descendants have left these shores for "greener" pastures. 

We know of some have settled in Uruguay and others in Australia etc. But those descendants of John Parkin will always have and indelible link to Southern Africa. 

Certainly there are other followers of this page with links to John Parkin who quietly go about their business. Would love to hear more about your close family and add you to the tree. DM this page if you would like to share or have access to a more recent family tree descendants of William Parkin (b1745) tree.
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