Dr. Anna B. (Dimick) Parker of Gilmanton NH: Physician, Minister, Suffragist, Civic Leader, Club Woman (1868-1931)

She was born Anna “Annie” Mae Dimick, on 27 Feb 1868 in Gilmanton NH, the daughter of William D. & Anna M. (Folsom) Dimick. By the time of her death at age 63 in 1931, this remarkable New Hampshire woman was known in medical, religious, organizational, and political arenas. She had attended local public schools in Gilmanton NH, along with the Gilmanton Academy. This was followed by graduation from the New England Conservatory of Music. In 1907 she completed her medical degree at the Boston Homeopathic Medical College. Not too long afterward she was ordained a minister of the Unitarian church.

She practiced medicine in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire, having worked in Boston, as well as maintaining an office in Manchester NH. She also had a license to practice medicine in the State of New York. At about this same time, she considered herself part of the “New Thought Movement” she was a founder of the Boston Metaphysical Society (c 1901-1938).

As if these were not already two full-time jobs, she also worked for the cause of suffrage in New Hampshire and was chairman of the women’s division of the New Hampshire Democratic State Committee. She attended the 1924 Democratic convention at Madison Square Garden as a delegate. She served as a president, vice-president and other positions in the New Hampshire League of Women Voters, NH. In 1928 she campaigned for the Smith cause.

While living in Boston she was a member of the Boston Daughters of New Hampshire. In the medical arena, she devoted her energy to child welfare and the prevention of tuberculosis–a deadly and too frequent disease of her day. She was a member of the New Hampshire Tuberculosis League and related societies. She is buried in Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain MA.  Additional details of her life and family can be found below in the genealogy section.

=====PARTIAL GENEALOGY of ANNA B. (DIMICK) PARKER=====

Thomas Dymoke (1604-1658) & Anne Hammond (1616-1685)
– Born in Lavenham, Suffolk England, he and his wife passengers on the Hopewell, settling in the American colonies at Dorchester in 1635.
Shubael Dimmick (1642-1732) & Joanna Bursley (1644-1727)
Shubael Dimmick (1673-1728) & Tabitha Lothrop (1671-1727)
Samuel Dimmick (1702-1775) & Hannah Davis (1705-1755)

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Shubael Dimick b 31 Jan 1731 in Barnstable MA, d. 8 Dec 1804 in Lyme NH. He m. 10 Nov 1751 in Tolland CT to Lydia Stearns, daughter of John & Elizabeth (Barron) Stearns. She b. 25 July 1732 in Tolland CT, d. 16 April 1779 in Tolland CT. (She bore him 11 children, 7 came to Lyme with their father). He settled in Lyme NH in 1783. A deed from Thomas Bissell to him dated January 9, 1781 mentions him as living in Tolland CT. He m2d) Lydia Polk. She was b 1742 and d. 1829. He and his 2nd wife Lydia were among the five persons admitted to the Congregational Church of Lyme in 1783. He was elected deacon in 1784. All buried Old Lyme Cemetery, Lyme, Grafton Co. NH.
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SEE History of Lyme NH
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Children of Shubael & Lydia (Stearns) Dimick:
1. + Dea. Adolphus Dimick, b 1775 in Tolland CT
2. Sarah Dimick, married Maj. Thomas L. Gilbert. Had 3 sons and 3 daughters, lived Lyme NH.
3. Shubael Dimick Jr., b. CT, emigrated to Canada.
4. John Dimick, m. Abigail Gilbert, had a large family. His son Shubael Dimick carried on the grave-stone business many years near Post Pond and at the Plain in Lyme NH (Worked in the manufacture of monumental stone.). He m. a daughter of William Gardner. His son Daniel carried on blacksmithing on the Plain. A daughter became Mrs. L.H. Horton of Lyme NH. His son James P. Dmick was born 20 Nov 1804 in Lyme.
5. Capt. David Dimick, married twice, to Sally Perkins and Rachel Allen respectively.
6. Samuel Dimick
7. daughter

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Dea. Adolphus Dimick, b 1775 in Tolland CT, d. 26 Dec 1846 in Lyme, Grafton Co. NH. He married 1800 in Lyme NH to Betsey Gilbert, daughter of Thomas & Lydia (Lathrop) Gilbert. She was b. 1782 and d. 23 June 1850. They are buried in Old Lyme Cemetery, Lyme NH. {see additional biographical details on Find-A-Grave). He built the homestead where William D. Dimick would later live. Dea. Adolphus Dimick joined the Congregational church in 1821, was chosen deacon in 1822. He had 12 children, nine grew up and six lived to maturity. He was educated well enough to teach common school and served the town in various offices.
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Children of Adolphus & Betsey (Gilbert) Dimick:
1. Sophronia Dimick, b 1801, d. 1871
2. Aurelia Dimick, b 1803, d. 1805
3. Elizabeth A. Dimick, b 1805, d. 1881
4. +Adolphus Dimick b abt 1808 NH
5. Alfred Bixby Dimick, b 1810, d. 1811
6. Betsey Dimick, b 1814, d. 1887
7. Thomas Lathrop Dimick, b 1815, d. 1895
8. Mary Dimick b 1817, d. 1842
9. Alfred Bixby Dimick (2d) b –, d. 1897. He was Capt of the militia in his early life. He m. Lydia H. Davison and had 3 children–William Harris, Lucinda D., and Maria E.

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Adolphus Dimick b abt 1808 NH; d 23 March 1887; m. Cynthia Davison. She b 1812 and d 12 Aug 1862. He m2d) Sarah Romaine. She was b 1835 in Ohio and d. 20 May 1910. They are buried in Old Lyme Cemetery, Lyme NH.
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1850 US Census > NH > Grafton > Lyme
Adolphus Dumick 42
Cyntha Dimick 36
Eliza Dimick 17
Wm. D. Dimick 10
Harriet L. Dimick 7
Peter Lormseway 38
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1860 US census > NH > Grafton > Lyme
Adolphus Dimick 51
Cynthia D Dimick 47
William D. Dimick 28
Harriet L. Dimick 17
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1875 US Census > Nevada, Nye County
W.D. Dimick, aged 34, M, White,
Born New Hampshire; Occupation Clerk
Head of Household, J.D. Page
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Children of Adolphus & Cynthia (Davison) Dimick:
1. Eliza Dimick/Diummick b. 1831 Lyme NH; d. 3 Apr 1873; m. 5 Nov 1853 in Lebanon NH to Benjamin Newell. Buried Old Lyme Cemetery Lyme NH
2. +William D. Dimick, b abt 1840 Lyme NH
3. Harriet L. Dimick, b 1842 Lyme NH; d. 1863. Buried Old Lyme Cemetery, Lyme NH.

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William Davison Dimick/Dimmick, son of Adolphus & Cynthia (Davison) Dimick, b abt 1840 Lyme, Grafton Co. NH [or Lynn MA], d 13 Dec 1891. He m. 27 Nov 1862 to Anna “Annie” Maria Folsom, daughter of Orrin-7 & Lydia Ann (Nelson). She was b. 19 Feb 1843 /or/ 9 Feb 1842 in Campton NH [Thornton NH], and died 14 Nov 1918 in New Hampton NH. She is buried in Smith Meeting House Cemetery, Gilmanton NH. Interred 17 Nov 1918. [The Folsom line is Orrin-7, Peter-6, Peter-5, Peter-4, Peter-3, Peter-2, John-1). By 1870 She is living with her parents in Gilmanton NH. His son Orrin’s marriage record in 1891 lists his father as living in Nevada, occupation, mining.
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1880 US Census > NH > Belknap > Gilmanton
Orrin Folsom 62
Lydia A. Folsom 59
Ann M. Dimick 37 F White granddaughter
Orrin A. Dimick 14
Annie B. Dimick 12**
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The Weekly Sentinel, Eureka Nevada, 19 Dec 1891, page [Saturday] Death of W.D. Dimick. W.D. Dimick, the owner of the Dimick mine at Tybo, died at the German Hospital, San Francisco on Sunday evening Last [Dec 13, 1891]. His ailment was valvular affection of the heart. He had been suffering for some months and went below hoping that a change of altitude and climate would result in benefit to him. The change produced no favorable effect and he continued to grow weaker and weaker until death ended his suffering. His death was peculiarly a sad one. He had been a typical miner and prospector in Nevada for more than twenty years. He was an energetic man of broad ideas, and a wellspring of hope, and believed in the attainment of big results. He was as honest and as generous as he was comprehensive and hopeful. His death came just at a time when he had reason to believe that he could soon retire from the hardships and trials of a life of toil and spend his remaining days in comfort and luxury. He often said that the mine which had head found and developed at Tybo, after years of unremitting toil, would, if he could realize a tenth of what it was worth, place him in ample funds for all of his future uses. Poor Dimick! His dream was never realized. He had many friends all over Eastern Nevada who will sincerely mourn his loss. He also leaves a son and a daughter in the East. The writer of this article had many business transactions with him and knew him thoroughly. We can say of him that he was an honorable man of the noblest impulses. May his sleep be peaceful.
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Children of William D. & Anna M. (Folsom) Dimick:
1. Orrin Adolphus Dimick, b April 1866 in Lyme NH; He d. 9 Oct 1921 in St. Johnsbury, Caledonia Co. VT. He m. 1 January 1891 to Amelia Idella Thompson of Lebanon NH. She d. 28 Dec 1920. 2 sons, William A Dimick, and Leon R. Dimick.
2. +Anna “Annie” Belle “Anabell” Dimick, b 27 Feb 1868 Gilmanton NH; She died 10 February 1931 in Worcester, MA, aged 67. She married 21 Oct 1891 in Gilmanton NH to Frank A. Davis, son of Albert W. & Sarah S. (Randall) Davis. He was b in Lee NH. She m2d) 27 March 1910 in Cambridge MA to William Henry Parker, son of James & Hanora (Granger) Parker. She was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston MA, Cremated. Interred 13 Feb 1931. This story is about her, see above for more biographical details.

Sources:
1. FamilySearch, birth, marriage and death records
2. Find-A-Grave, burial locations
3. History of Gilmanton, New Hampshire
4. History of Lyme, New Hampshire
5. Various newspapers from 1880-1938