According to the book "Pioneers of Old Hopewell" published by Ralph Ege in 1908, Dr. Roger Parke was a Quaker, and came to America from Northhumberland County, England.  

In 1682, the year that William Penn arrived in Penna., there was filed at Trenton a deed from Edward Bylinge to Roger Parke for 200 acres of land in West Jersey, and in 1686 Roger Parke, of Hexhan, Northumberland County, England, now Crosswicks Creek, (a creek a few miles of Trenton), for said tract to John Watkins.  

There is also a deed recorded to Roger Parke dated May 13th, 1689 for a tract in Southern Hopewell (now Ewing Township) on the road to Stoney Brook, which is described as an Indian path to Wissemancy or Wissomenson.

 Adjoining his land was a village of Delaware Indians, the original people of this neighborhood.
 He had a number of other tracts of land.  
So far as known he was the first white settler in Hopewell Township.

 He was very friendly and helpful to the Indians.  The sad fact is too few attempts were made like those of Penn and Parke to civilize the red man.

During the time he was settled in West Jersey,'ROGER had close contact with the local Indians. He showed great interest in their study of herbs as a source of healing. Much of this he learned from the Indians and practiced the use of herbs among his neighbors.

He soon became known as Dr Parke and was highly revered by many who came for his cure.  

He became known as "Old Doctor Parke", and the writer says he studied the medicine practice of the Indians' old squaws and medicine men, and early settlers came to him from miles around.

 His recipes were used for many ills after his death.  He brought with him many medicinal herbs then unknown in America.  They were planted in his garden, and some of them remained on the old Hopewell Twp. farm when Ege's book was written 200 years later.

 Amongst other medications used by the Indians was the sweat bath.  Hot stones were laid in the Patients tent.  Cold water was poured over them till the greatest steam possible was produced inducing copious presperation, at which point the patient would be hurried to a nearby stream and plunged in.  The results were said to be remarkable.

For many years ROGER'S descendants were not aware of their immigrant ancestor. They believed him to be a "John Parke of Virginia". There they naturally found several Johns! ROGER was born in Cumberland Co about 1648 and that the family were Quakers.

ROGER married Anne Patison 10 April 1676 as recorded at the Holmes Monthly Meeting in Taylorburne, Allendaile.,- Northumberland near Hexham. Whether this was his first marriage is not known. The next confirmation was his "letter of removal" to the Chesterfield Meeting near Burlington NJ in June 1682. This corresponded with the date of ROGER'S- first deed, "late of Hexham, Northumber- land" with the purchase of 200 acres of land in May from Edward Bylinge, clearly identifying the immigrant' ROGER.

In 1702 we find that there bad been a break with the Quakers as ROGER. a neighbor Andrew Smith, and several others joined the Church of England in Burlington. This May have been the result of the arrival of the Rev George Keith, sent over by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

Through him grew what became known as the Keithian Movement in New Jersey. It should be noted that in New England there were Puritans and Separatists (from the Church of England) and Quakers in Philadelphia and west Jersey. While to the south, the Church of,England was THE church. Keith's break with the Quakers.

1. John I b. 1678 Northumberland Co England bpt. 1703 Burlington NJ d 1757 Hampshire Co VA (WV) m. 1700 Sarah Smith d/o Andrew Smith Sr.

  2. Ann b. 1680 Northumberland Co Eng. bpt. 1703 Burlington NJ  

3. Roger II . 1684 Burlington Co NJ bpt. 1704 Burlington NJ d. 1755 1703  

1. John II . 1703 NJ d. 1762 Hampshire Co. WV m. 1730 Mary Davis  

2. Andrew b. 1709 Hunterdon Co. NJ d. 1791 Hampshire Co. VA m. 1749 Rachel Mosley  

3. Roger b. 1710 NJ d. 1775 Hampshire Co WV m. Hannah  

4. George b. 1712 NJ d. 1757 Hampshire Co WV m. Elizabeth Arnold  

  1. Anne b. 1732 Hunterdon Co NJ d. 1754 m. 1750 James Smith  

2. John III b. 1735 Hunterdon Co NJ d. 1816 Hampshire Co VA m. 1759 Susannnah Elrod  

3. George b. 1736/7 Hunterdon Co. NJ d. 1782 Rowan Co NC m. 1762 Agnes Nichols  

4. **Moses b. 1738 Hunterdon Co NJ d. 1829 Mecklenburg Co NC m. 1770 Mary Hill  

5. Allen b. 1741 Hunterdon Co NJ d. 1805 Madison Co KY m. 1775 Elizabeth Giles  

6. Noah b. 1743 Hunterdon Co. NJ d. 1815 Rowan Co. NC m. 1767 Anna Reed  

7. Ebenezer b. 1747 Hunterdon Co NJ d. 1839 Estell Co. KY m. 1772 Tabitha Mills  

8. Rachel b. 1750 Hunterdon Co NJ . m. 1781 Daniel Huffman

Thomas, Rev. 1772-1823, m. 1798 Elizabeth Pelts  

Olivia, 1773-1857, m. John Moore  

**John, 1774-1862, 1m 1797 Jeanette Crocket, 2m Martha (Patty) Parham  

Moses, 1780-1864, m. 1802 Mary Weir  

George, 1783-1827, m. 1810 Elizabeth Sharp  

James, 1783-1866, m. Mary Yandell  

Nancy 1788-1808  

Mary, 1791-1875, m. James S. Miller