Dunbarton New Hampshire’s Pioneer Educator in Ohio: Marianne (Parker) Dascomb ( 1810-1879)

Marianne Parker, daughter of Dea. William & Martha (Tenney) Parker was born 1 July 1810 in  Dunbarton NH.

She was seventh of eight children. Her father died when she was four years old, causing great difficulties for the family.  She attended the Ipswich Academy (Young Ladie’s Seminar at Ipswich MA) and graduated in 1833, followed by teaching in Boscawen NH.

She opened a school in Canajoharie, New York, but left it to marry Dr. James Dascomb, a medical graduate of Dartmouth College, in the spring of 1834. Immediately after their marriage, they removed to northern Ohio to teach at the newly opening Oberlin College. As part of their journey by boat on the Erie Canal and the last few miles through deep mud “in a springless lumber wagon.”

Oberlin College pioneered “the joint education of the sexes.” Women enrolled, right along with men, and enlistment was open to black students. In 1862 Mary Jane Patterson was the first African-American woman to earn a college degree.

Marianne Parker Dascomb was approved the principal of the ladies’ department [akin to the title of dean] at Oberlin and her husband James was appointed professor (teaching chemistry, botany and physiology for 46 years) and as colony physician. He was born 21 February 1808 in Wilton NH and d. in 1880.

In a letter written in May 1834, Mrs. Marianne Dascomb states, “I spend three or four hours daily in hearing classes recite. Mrs. Waldo also assists in school. The females are very interesting–most of them from other States and many from a distance. That department is not yet distinct from the other.” In 1835 the department announcement was : “Young ladies of good minds, unblemished morals, and respectable attainments are received into this department, and placed under the superintendence of a judicious lady, whose duty it is to correct their habits and mould the female character. They board at the public table and perform the labor of the steward’s department, together with the washing, ironing, and much of the sewing for the students. They attend recitations with young gentlemen in all the departments. Their rooms are entirely separate from those of the other sex, and no calls or visits in their respective apartments are at all permitted.  [Oberlin: The Colony And The College]

Mrs. Marianne Porter Dascomb was considered an eminent woman of her time, and once source states she was connected with the Underground Railroad [Granite State Monthly, Vol. 32, pub. 1902]. She died April 1879 and is buried in Ohio.

Janice

The likeness of Marianne Parker Dascomb used here is from “The Continent: An Illustrated Weekly Magazine,” conducted by Albion W. Tourgee, Volume II, July to December 1882; Philadelphia: Our Continent Publishing Company.

–Wikipedia: Oberlin College–

-Photographs from Oberlin College Digital Collections: Marianne Parker Dascomb–

–Likeness of Dr. james Dascomb and Marianne P. Dascomb on page 738–

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**FAMILY TREE OF MARIANNE PARKER**
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James Parker (1591-1612) and Joane Drake (1590-1624)
Abraham Parker (1612-1685) and Rose Whitlock (1623-1691)
Abraham Parker (1652-1732) and Martha Livermore (c1651-1740)
Abraham Parker (1685-1762) and Elizabeth Bradstreet (1689-1753)
Abraham Parker Jr. (1719-1795) and Hannah (Chase) (1720/21-1744)

William Parker, son of Abraham & Hannah (Chase) Parker, b. 10 June 1748 in Bradford, Essex Co MA and d. 26 November 1842 possibly at Newburyport MA; m. 25 Nov 1771 in Bradford MA to Hannah Hardy, dau of Eliphalet and Hannah Hardy. She b. 2 Aug 1750 in Bradford MA and d. 11 May 1830 in Bradford MA.
Children of William & Hannah (Hardy) Parker (all dates from Bradford MA vital recs]:
1. +William Parker, b. 9 Jan 1773 Bradford MA
2. Anna Parker, b. 11 May 1775 Bradford MA
3. Hannah Parker, b. 24 June 1778 Bradford MA
4. John Parker, b. 29 Aug 1781 Bradford MA
5. Phineas Parker, b. 3 Dec 1783 Bradford MA
6. Susanna(h) Parker, b. 6 Sep 1788 Bradford MA; m. John Pemberton
7. Judith Parker, b. 6 June 1791 Bradford MA
8. Leonard Stickney Parker, b. 8 Dec 179- Bradford MA
9. Eliphalet Parker [mentioned in Groveland Congregational Church records]

Deacon William Parker, son of William and Hannah (Hardy) Parker, b. 9 Jan 1773, and d. 24 Aug 1815; he m2nd) 4 April 1798 to Martha Tenney, dau of Shubael and Martha (Noyes) Tenney. She was b. 11 June 1771 in Bradford MA, and died 29 Dec 1842 in Dunbarton NH. He resided in Bradford MA until 1805 when he removed to Dunbarton NH. He was a “leading man in the federal party.”
Children of Dea. William & Martha (Tenney) Parker:
1. Ann/Anne Parker, b. 7 Jan 1799 in Bradford MA; m. 1828 Rev. Isaac Bird; accompanied him to Turkey as missionary. He was b in Salisbury CT. Had 3 children, William Parker, Emily Anne and James Kimball
2. Emily Parker, b. 4 Sep 1800 Bradford MA; m. 19 Jan 1825 to Rev. James Kimball of Oakham MA. He was b. 3 Oct 1797 in Bradford MA. They had 6 children, Martha Ann, James Parker, Maria Louise, William Bird, Daniel Tenney and Lenonard D.
3. William Parker, b. 8 Sep 1802 Bradford MA; m. 1834 Dolly Blake. He died Winchester IL; had 6 children: William, Dolly Blake, Annie, William, John and Alice.
4. Martha Parker, b. 28 Jan 1804;  m. Rev. Thomas Tenney, who had charge of Hampton Academy
5. Dea. Daniel Hardy Parker, b. 9 Jan 1807; m1) Louisa Mills; m2) Nancy Bassett; had four children, Sarah Marshall, Mary Anne, Louise and Abbie Jane.
6. Hannah Parker, b. 2 Aug 1808, m. 1842 Dea. James Allen. Had 3 children: Louise Parker, Hannah Marriam, and Jessie
7. +Marianne Parker, b. 1 July 1810, and died April 1879. 14 April 1834 she married Dr. James Dascomb and removed to Ohio with him.  He was born 21 February 1808 in Wilton NH and d. April 1880, age 72. Buried Oberlin, Lorain Co. OH.
8. Leonard Stickney Parker, b. 6 Dec 1812; m1) Caroline Augusta Goodale; m2) Mrs. Abigail (Blake) French. Head 3 children: Leonard Goodale, Caroline Augusta and Mary Cornelia.

Marianne Parker, dau of Dea. William & Martha (Tenney) Parker was b. 1 July 1810, and died April 1879. 14 April 1834 she married Dr. James Dascomb and removed to Ohio with him.  He was the son of James & Mary (Lovejoy) Dascomb, Jr. and grandson of James Dascomb who settled in Wilton NH in 1767. Dr. Dascomb was born 21 February 1808 in Wilton NH and d. April 1880, age 72. Buried Oberlin, Lorain Co. OH. After his graduation from Dartmouth College in 1832 he began his practice in Boscawen NH.
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Census > U.S. Census > 1850 United States Federal Census > Ohio > Lorain > Russia
James Dascomb 42 M Professor 1800 NY [should be NH]
Maryann Dascomb 40 F NY [should be NH]
Mary Dascomb 8 F NY
Anna Dascomb 11/12 F Ohio
Sarah Ingersol 22 F NY
Sarah Pease 22 F Vermont
Harriet Brock 18 F Ohio
Harriet Marcy 23 F Mass
Charles Marcy 25 M Student Mass
Eyran Terry 32 F Penn
Damma Scott 21 F Ohio
William Clark 9 M Georgia
Ella Clark 5 F Georgia
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Census > U.S. Census > 1860 United States Federal Census > Ohio > Lorain > Oberlin
James Dascomb 52 M Prof. Chemistry 4500/700 NH
Marianne P. Dascomb 49 F NH
Helen E. Martin 24 F student Vermont
Mary P. Dascomb 17 F Student Rhode Island
Bettie Grison 15 F Wales
Anni E. Dascomb W F Ohio
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Census > U.S. Census > 1870 United States Federal Census > Ohio > Lorain > Oberlin
Dascomb, James 62 M W Prof in College 10,000/2500 NH
Dascomb, Mary 59 F W Princ in Ladies Dept NH
Dascomb, Ann 20 F W Student Ohio
Maleline, Kittie 16 F W NY
Allen, Louisa 23 F W student Mass
Johnson, Joseph 21 M Black, Maryland
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Children of Prof. James and Marianne (Parker) Dascomb:
1. Mary Parker Dascomb, b. 30 June 1842 in Rhode Island. Niece and adopted daughter of Prof. James & Mrs. M.P. Dascomb. At the age of 12 she entered the prepratory dept in Oberlin College]
2. Ann “Annie” E. Dascomb, b. abt 1850 in Ohio