Charles Hanford Parker

Charles Hanford Parker was born in 1860 and died in 1936. He is buried in the Parker Plot on Yew Avenue at Harmony Grove Cemetery. His parents were George Augustus Parker and Sarah Hegeman (Parker).  He had two siblings, both brothers, Edward and George. He was married to Abigail Streeter.  

In the spring of 1888, Charles joined with his brother George to form Parker Brothers, a game manufacturing company. Charles was responsible for bookkeeping, account collecting, purchase of inventory and shipping. Their brother, Edward, joined ten years later. Charles was known for his attention to his employees. It is said he walked the floor of the factory every day.

Charles and his wife, Abigail, had three children. The first, Lois, born in 1891, lived for only a few months. Their second child was Mary, born in 1892, she was the only child who survived.  Her younger brother, Bradford, died just after birth in 1894.

In 1901, Charles became vice-president of Parker Brothers, when the company incorporated. His younger brother, George, was president and Edward was the treasurer.  

In about 1912, Charles and his family moved to London to oversee sales abroad. He split his time between London and Paris until World War 1 broke out and he was summoned home in 1914. In 1932, Charles was forced to retire because of ill health and, in 1936, he died.  

Sources:

• The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers from Tiddlywinks to Trivial Pursuit, Philip E. Orbanes, author Harvard Business School Press Boston, MA 2004