Omar Bigelow "O.B." Parker was born June 6, 1881 in Howell, Michigan; his parents were James and Jeanette Bigelow Parker. O.B. Married Lorena Ann McClure on January 1, 1907. Lorena was born on April 15, 1887; her parents were Joseph [b. Ireland] and Arilla Ann Ride [b. Canada] McClure. O.B. Parker owned and operated O.B. Parker General Store in Lakefield Center which was located on the corner of Merrill and Lakefield Roads. In 1916, they owned and operated 40 acres in Section 16 on the SE corner of Lakefield and Fenmore Roads. The property was owned by O.B.'s parents, James  and Jeanette Bigelow, in the                                                                                                    1890's.  

O.B. And Lorena's children were:

1.  Elmer J. (nickname Hoot) Parker born November 1, 1907 in Lakefield Township. He married Helen M. Dubay.

2.  Omar Bigelow (O.B.) born April 23, 1909 in Lakefield Township. He married Ione Trombley.

3.  May Evelyn Parker born March 28, 1912 in Lakefield Township and died July 4, 1912 of the whooping cough.

4.  Leona Mildred Parker was born in April 1915 in Lakefield Township. She married Harold Travis.

5.  Arthur James Parker was born March 30, 1917 in Lakefield Township. He married Ruth Hood.

6.  Thelma Doris Parker was born December 25, 1918 in Lakefield Township. She married Keith Dwight Mayer.

7.  William Kingsley Parker was born July 20, 1920 and died as an infant; he was named after O.B.'s Uncle.

According to the Saginaw News – the City Chat Section: states the following: “The Farmers' Treshing Company is about to start operations at Merrill under the ownership of Nick House, Omer B. Parker, George Wenzel, Edward W. Miller, Paul Skela (Sklba), Will House, George Wenzel Sr., and Richard Welke, all of Merrill, according to papers filed by them at the county clerk's office.”

Lorena passed away on July 27, 1920 of scarlet fever; seven days after giving birth to their youngest son, William Kingsley. O.B. Passed away three years later on May 6, 1923 from valvular disease of the heart. O.B. And Lorena's two children Arthur and Thelma were raised by Lorena's sister and brother-in-law, Simon and May Murphy. Their oldest son, Elmer Parker invented a washing machine, patented his product and became a millionaire.

O.B. And Lorena are both buried in the Lakefield Township Cemetery.

SOURCES: Roger and Millie Parker, Lakefield Twp. Records; 1916 Lakefield Twp. Plat Map; Omar, Omar, Arthur and Elmer obituaries; 1900, 1910 & 1920 Lakefield Census; and the Saginaw News.