Gilman Parker (1844-1929) was born in Plymouth, Indiana, and died in Puyallup, Washington. He was a Civil War veteran, first enlisting in Company B, 27th Missouri infantry as a scout. He married Lydia Ann Frey in 1869 and Sophonia M. Caley in 1919 after Lydia's passing in 1914. Parker first preached at the Baptist church in Moline, Illinois, and later served as a missionary evangelist in Iowa for six years. He was the pastor of Emerson Baptist Church in Emerson, Iowa, beginning in 1884. In 1890 he moved to Oregon and took charge of the First Baptist Church of Oregon City, followed by the First Baptist Church of Bellingham, Washington, the First Baptist Church of Seattle, Washington, the First Baptist Church of Alameda, California, in 1904, and the Grace Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon. Following these pastorates, he was elected state superintendent of Home Missions in Oregon and later served as executive secretary for the Baptist convention in Oregon.

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