Parker Brothers

[JLWM8609]

I was trying to find info about this Houston based company. The owner of Parker Brothers owned a house in Riverside Terrace that has been owned by members of my extended family since the late 60s. For years, I noticed that one of the bathrooms had a tug boat outline designed into the floor pattern, but never knew why. I was told that Parker Brothers owned a concrete company, and I've found a photo of a Parker Brothers Sand and Gravel Building on Navigation, but I've also found results for Parker Brothers Shipyard. That would explain the tug boat outline in the bathroom floor. Were the two companies owned by the same person?

[plumber2]

I'm not familiar with Parker Brothers being part of a shipping business. However, I did have an uncle who drove for Parker Brothers back in the 60's and 70's. He had stories about things being very territorial back then. He told me a story where Parker Brothers was dispatched to a project in Galveston, and the workers on site refused to unload the concrete unless it was delivered by W.A. Kelso. The drivers apparently had to come back to Houston and chip out the undelivered contrete that had set up inside of their trucks.

[FilioScotia]

Parker Brothers were in the shipping business, and selling sand and gravel. They ran a string of tugboats up and down the ship channel. A Google Search has revealed:  

 

The Parker family were early settlers who owned significant farmland in southeast Houston before it became industrialized.  They gradually developed the land along Industrial Road and one activity was the Parker Bros. shipyard on Greens Bayou.  The yard was located next to the Platzer yard, which used Parker's slips after it closed in 1980 and later bought most of the yard.  

 

Here's a link to where I found that information:

 

http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/5small/inactive/parker.htm

 

 

 

[FilioScotia]

deleted by poster

 

Edited December 24, 2014 by FilioScotia

[George Weisinger]

If anyone is still actively interested, I can shed a lot of real light on this and improve upon some shortfalls of what has already been posted.

 

[J34305]

I am a descendent of the Parkers that founded Parker brothers. And would like to hear more about what you all are talking about. 

[J34305]

On 6/1/2017 at 4:46 AM, George Weisinger said:

If anyone is still actively interested, I can shed a lot of real light on this and improve upon some shortfalls of what has already been posted.

 

Please do. 

[marmer]

They also had a company offshore fishing boat -- I've seen pictures of it.

[tetherman]

Does anyone remember when the Parker Brothers rented Playland Park (out on South Main) for a company party; they hired a Cajun Band for entertainment? BTW, this could well have been in the 50's or thereabouts!

 

Dave Lang

[Jimmy Rosen]

I went school and was best friends with George Parker, Jr. and friends with his sister Sissy back in 1965. Can anyone shed light on their where snouts??

 

Thank you,

Jimmy Rosen

[MartiMoser]

My dad came to Houston in 1935 when he was 10 yrs old. One of his first jobs after WWII in 1946 was for Mr George. He also worked for Horton & Horton. In 53 or 54 he opened his wholesale building material business on Holmes Rd. Both jobs he was a concrete salesman. He aggravated the whole bunch because he could figure a job in his head before they could get their paper and pencils ready. 

[bobby681]

On 12/24/2014 at 1:17 PM, FilioScotia said:

deleted by poster

 

id like to know more about the parker brothers i think they were disposing waste from the plants of ship channel and also champion paper

[bobby681]

id like to know about all the waste from the paper mill and the other plants on ship channel.

 

[John A. Nicholosi]

On 6/1/2017 at 4:46 AM, George Weisinger said:

If anyone is still actively interested, I can shed a lot of real light on this and improve upon some shortfalls of what has already been posted.

 

yes I am interested, My Dad worked for then once , I recognize your name I think His name was Joe Nicholosi he died at 52 of colon cnacer>

[WestEndAngler]

Both companies were owned by same group, family ran business. I’m the great grandson of the founding family/ brothers.

[windeewon]

On 8/2/2022 at 7:22 PM, WestEndAngler said:

Both companies were owned by same group, family ran business. I’m the great grandson of the founding family/ brothers.

Which Parker are you related to? My Papa, Lee Falk, worked for Parker Brothers for 50 years. I was too young to remember the Tugboat Captains, but I did know WR and my husband drove a mixer from about ‘70 to ‘79 and then was a diesel mechanic until about mid ‘80’s. He worked with Tim for awhile. I remember the news of the Captains being killed in the plane crash,  but wasn’t aware of much more than that.

Papa was hired in about 1935, I think. My Uncle Ben worked there too, but he passed in ‘60. My Papa ran dragline all over the channel, I remember him saying he did most of the dredging of Brady Island. He ended up helping Parkers build the asphalt plant on Navigation. Before that he was all over this end of Texas, from Eagle Lake to Orange and Port Arthur. He was actually on a barge working when my brother was born. I think I may have pictures of the monster machine my Papa went to FL to load on flat cars to ship to Eagle Lake. They shipped it in pieces and reassembled it here in Texas. My Papa and Uncle Ben bought two draglines and leased them to Parker Brothers, so I got to learn more than a gal usually gets to. I remember helping Papa rebuild pistons for one of the two draglines, pulling rings off and putting new ones on. 

There were several employees that were friends with Papa that I met and knew because we had backyard BBQs.

[John F Paker]

I am third generation of Parker brothers family. My grandfather was a briscoe Parker Senior. My dad is a briscoe Parker Junior I worked for Houston barge, line and HBL industries, and then Parker brothers. I miss the business it was great.

[hindesky]

I know a young man named Jack Parker who lived in Kerrville who went to Texas A & M and graduated a couple years ago, he is dating my niece who was also from Kerrville. His parents still live in the Kerrville area. He is probably a grandson or great grandson of someone in the Parker family because has mentioned he is related to the founders of the Parker Bros. companies.

[Mickey Decker]

My father, Robert (Bobby) Clinton Freeman worked for Parker Brothers. He was the youngest man to make Captain at age 17. in the Country. He worked there for years, then went to Kelso in Galveston. The Port of Galveston called upon him numerous times to steer ships around other ships blocking the Port. I member as a child, he worked 36/hrs straight moving one ship in getting on another to move it out. I believe he was one of the first to use radar. Sadly, he passed at age 48 from Cancer. He loved his job.

 

[Jbroom]

@Mickey Decker are you the sister or Michael and Matt Freeman? This is my grandpa your talking about I believe. My father was from Houston and raised me in Buna Tx at his grandma’s home. :)