Author: George Abbott Lipphardt
Birth: 17 Aug. 1744 in Portsmouth, NH

Death: 06 Dec. 1804 in Boston, MA

Mr. Samuel Parker a Gentleman was educated at the University of Cambridge in New England.
In 1773, Mr. William Walter, looking for an assistant minister, turned to a young school teacher in Newburyport named Samuel Parker who had graduated from Harvard in 1764 and became master of “an ancient and respectable” school in Roxbury, before preparing for the church. Mr. Parker joined Mr. Walter at Trinity. Mr. Parker went to England in December of 1773, for ordination.
Obtained from a display in the Old Trinity Church in Boston:
“To The Right Reverend Father in God Richard Lord Bishop of London, May it Please your Lordship; The Bearer Mr. Samuel Parker a Gentlemen educated at the University of Cambridge in New England well known among us for his Sober Life amiable Disposition of Religious Character being unanimously chosen Assistant Minister to the Incumbent or Rector of Trinity Church in Boston New England aforesaid.
We the Said Rector the Wardens & Vestry of Said Church together with the Heirs of Thomas Green Esq. Deceasd to whom alone belongs the Right of Presentation of Said office Do hereby Present to your Lordship the Said Samuel Parker praying that your Lordship will be pleased to admit him to the Order of Preisthood.
And Wee do hereby Promise and Engage to pay him the Said Samuel Parker the Annual Sum of One hundred & ten pounds Sterling So Long as he Shall Continue in the Office of Assistant Minister in Said Church after he Shall have Receivd your Lordships Approbation aforesaid.
We are your Lordships most Obedient & most humble Servants;”; William Walter Minister; John Rowe & John Erving Jr., Church Wardens.
Bishop of Massachusetts in 1804, having been consecrated only a few months before his death. He came from New Hampshire having been born at Portsmouth; graduated at Harvard College in 1764. He married in 1776 Anne Cutler by whom he had 13 children:

He was a royalist at the time of the Revolution, but remained in Boston when the other royalists left it and was the only Church of England Minister left in Massachusetts. He offered to resign but was told to remain but that he must omit from the liturgy the prayer for the king. On Thursday, the 18th day of July, 1776, Dr. Parker called the Wardens and Vestry of the Church together, and told them that he could not with safety perform the service of the Church for the future, as the Continental Congress had declared the American Provinces free and independent States; had absolved them from all allegiance to the British crown, and had dissolved all political connection between them and the realm of England.
When Mr. William Walter, in 1776, left Boston with the British troops, as did the clergy of King’s Chapel and Christ Church, Mr. Samuel Parker remained in charge of Trinity. Mr. Parker, with the approval of wardens, vestry, and proprietors, omitted prayers for the King and kept Trinity Church open throughout the Revolution – when King’s Chapel was used by a Congregationalist society and Christ Church was closed.
Bishop Parker, second bishop of the diocese, and also rector of Trinity Church, died two months after his consecration having never performed an Episcopal act.
According to Stephen Pinkerton (Research Docent at the Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge); “Bishop Parker is not identified by name in Cemetery records as having been interred at Mount Auburn Cemetery. However, the interment register entries for December 23, 1872, include dozens of ‘Unknown Adult’ remains that were transferred to Mount Auburn on that date from the burned out Trinity Church tombs. The bronze marker (Cenotaph) at the Trinity Church Lot says “To the memory of Samuel Parker, D.D. and of others who were buried under the Old Church. . .” (my emphasis). I interpret that to mean that his remains are also now buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery, along with the other “Unknown Adults,” but we have no corroborating documentation to prove that."

The cenotaph (tombstone) to Bishop Samuel Parker is located in the Trinity Church Lot (Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge) at the intersection of Cactus and Dielytra Paths, just to the east of Alice Fountain. Compass coordinates: 42° 22.232' N & 071° 08.788' W.