Ellis Parker

(1890 - 1950) Long Beach Island, NJ

Ellis Parker of Long Beach Island should not to be confused with Ellis Parker, the Sheriff of Burlington County who played a part in the Lindbergh kidnapping case. The former was the uncle of Rowley Horner and developed an appreciation for waterfowl hunting while he was still young. It is said that Parker never gunned, but carved a good decoy. Unlike most Jersey carvers, Parker secured an external ballast weight instead of inletting one. Parker formed part of the three-man team involving Chris Sprague and Rowley Horner and helped to create the rig of scaup.