USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Boston of to-day; a glance at its history and characteristics: with biographical sketches and portraits of many of its professional and business men, 1892 > Part 52
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PARKER, BOWDOIN STRONG, son of Alonzo and Caroline (Gunn) Parker, was born in Conway, Mass., Aug. 10, 1841. Ten years later the family moved to Greenfield, and here he was educated in the public schools and by private tutors. Later he entered the Boston University and graduated from the law department with the degree of L.L.D. He also studied law with Wendell Thornton Davis, of Greenfield, and with Col. Thomas William Clarke, of Boston, and was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 1875. Subsequently he was admitted to the bar of the United States Circuit Court and the United States Court of Appeals. Prior to 1880 he was largely engaged in manufacturing on his own account, and also as treasurer and general mana- ger of manufacturing corporations ; but since that date he has devoted himself entirely to his pro- fession, meeting with marked success, especially
many important cases in the United States courts in this and other States. He has also had an ex- tended and important military career. He joined the army in 1862, as a private in the Fifty-second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and served his full term of enlistment, taking part in the several battles in which his regiment was engaged, including the' assault, siege, and capture of Port Hudson under General Banks, in the Department of the Gulf. After the war he entered the Massachusetts Vol- unteer Militia as a member of Company A, Second Regiment of Infantry, and was captain of that com- pany in 1870 and 1871. Upon the reorganization of the regiment, in 1879, he was commissioned ad- jutant, and served in that position until 1884, when he was promoted to captain and judge-advocate of the First Brigade upon the staff of Gen. Nat Wales. This position he held until 1889, when, on January 23, he was promoted to assistant adjutant-general and chief of staff of the brigade, with rank of lieu- tenant-colonel, - a position he still holds. Colonel Parker served in the common council from Ward 10 three years, 1889, 1890, 1891 ; and in 1892 he was a member of the lower house of the Legislature from the Tenth Suffolk District. In civic societies he has held many important offices, and in the Masonic order he is a past master, past high priest, past commander of Knights Templar, and past district deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge. In Greenfield, at the time of his removal to Boston, he was chairman of the board of assessors. He is also past senior vice- commander of Edward W. Kinsley Post 113, G.A.R .; treasurer of Beacon Lodge, Knights of Honor, and other societies in Boston. He is an en- thusiastic yachtsman, making annual cruises along the eastern coast. On June 25, 1867, Colonel Parker was married, at the Church of the Holy Trinity, New York, to Katherine Helen Eagan, of that city ; they have one child, Helen Caroline Parker.
PARKER, CHARLES WALLINGFORD, son of Charles and Mary Hildreth (Wallingford) Parker, was born in Framingham, Mass., June 27, 1831. His pater- nal ancestors came to this country from England in 1628, and the farm on which he was born had been in the possession of the family for more than one hundred and fifty years. He was ed- ucated in the district school and Framingham Academy. At the age of sixteen he was employed in a small retail clothing-store in Worcester, in which Addison Macullar and George B. Williams were salesmen. Two years after, on March 1, 1849,
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Addison Macullar opened a similar store on his own account, and young Parker went with him as store boy, salesman, and book-keeper, the only em- ployee. Then in February, 1852, George B. Will- iams having become associated with Mr. Macullar under the firm name of Macullar & Williams, they established a house in Boston, at Nos. 35 and 37 North street, for the manufacture of clothing for wholesale, retaining their Worcester retail store, and Mr. Parker came to Boston as book-keeper for the firm. In 1854 they removed from North street to No. 47 Milk street. Three years later they established a retail store in the old Washington coffee-house on Washington street, about where the "Transcript " office now stands, -one of the first retail stores of any consequence in that location. Subsequently they occupied the whole estate from Washington to Hawley streets. In 1860 another removal was made to George W. Warren's store, at No. 192 Washington street, and at this time Mr. Parker was admitted to the firm, the name being made Macullar, Williams, & Parker. In 1864 they removed to the present site, into a new store built for them by the trustees of the Joshua Sears estate. This was destroyed in the great fire of 1872, and the present larger and finer structure was completed in 1874. In 1880 their quarters were enlarged by the addition of the adjoining store, formerly occupied by Palmer & Bachelder. Mr. Williams retired from the house in 1879, and the firm name became Macullar, Parker, & Co.
Mr. Parker's business connection with Mr. Macul- , engage in journalism as a profession, having for lar has continued for over forty-four years, and their house has long occupied a foremost position in its special line in New England. Mr. Parker is much interested in letters and art, and has travelled extensively abroad. He was married in Chelsea, on Nov. 30, 1854, to Miss Mary J., daughter of Charles E. and Ann (Huse) Schoff; they have had five children : Mary, Charles S., Herman, Allston (deceased), and Ross Parker.
PARKER, EDMUND M., son of Joel and Mary M. Parker, was born in Cambridge, Mass., August 15, 1856. He was educated in private schools, the Reading and Cambridge High Schools, Har- vard College (graduating in 1877), and the Har- vard Law School (graduating in 1882). Admitted to the bar, he began practice in Boston, and is now of the law-firm of Parker & Thorp, with offices at No. 89 State street. He was a commissioner on the revision of the Cambridge city charter in 1890. Mr. Parker was married April 8, 1891, to Miss Alice Gray.
PARKER, HENRY G., son of Ebenezer Grosvenor and Rebecca Morton (Davis) Parker, was born in Plymouth, Mass., March 19, 1836 ; died in Boston May 13, 1892. His father was a native of Fal- mouth, born in 1796, and his grandfather, also born in Falmouth, was a surgeon in the United States navy ; and his mother was a daughter of William Davis, of Plymouth. His education was begun in the Plymouth schools ; then for a while he attended a famous private school in Brookfield, where he had as schoolmates William Bliss, who afterwards became the president of the Boston & Albany Railroad, Charles P. Clark, now president of the New York & New Haven, and the brothers Stanton, Arthur, and George Baty Blake. Subsequently, when his mother removed to Boston after the death of his father, he entered the old Adams School here, and then was a pupil in Chauncy Hall, where he was prepared for college. Preferring, however, to begin at once a business career, he turned aside from col- lege, and took a place as boy in the store of Blan- chard, Converse, & Co. After a year spent there he became assistant book-keeper in the counting-room of Callender, Rogers, & Co., hardware dealers. Here he remained three years, and then was engaged as book-keeper for Blodgett, Clark, & Co. Three years were also spent in this service, and his next move was to the wholesale department of Jordan, Marsh, & Co., where he held the position of confidential clerk in the private office for a period of nearly seven years. Then he left this employment to
many years contributed more or less to the press, writing dramatic criticisms for the old "Boston Mail," and later contributing to the " Bee," the "Daily Courier," and the " Post," and acting as Boston correspondent of the New York "Mirror." In 1870 he purchased the " Saturday Evening Gazette," the oldest newspaper in Boston (dating from 1813), and from that time to his death was its editor and principal proprietor. He con- ducted the paper with marked success, and de- veloped it into a handsome piece of property. He was among the earliest journalists in the country to adopt the personal society news, and this department, under the caption of "Out and About," early proved to be a most popular feature of his paper. In June, 1891, the "Ga- zette " passed into the hands of a stock company, incorporated as "The Saturday Evening Gazette Company," Colonel Parker retaining the controlling interest. Colonel Parker was the general secretary of the executive committee of the memorable Peace Jubilee of 1869, Hon. Alexander H. Rice holding
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the position of chairman. While serving in that thorough knowledge of the details of the business, capacity an acquaintance previously existing with Mr. Rice was cemented into a warm friendship, and seven years later, when the latter was installed as governor of Massachusetts, he selected Colonel Parker as a member of his staff. This position Col- onel Parker held through the three years of Governor Rice's administration, and also through that of Governor Talbot, by whom he was reappointed. He was a member of the Algonquin and Suffolk Clubs. His winter residence was on Commonwealth avenue, and of late years his summer place was at Swamp- scott, where he purchased an estate in 1882. He was married June 7, 1865, to Miss Lucy Josephine, daughter of the late William Brown, the well-known Washington-street druggist. Their only child, a daughter, died in 1878.
PARKER, JOSEPH W., was born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1847. His education began in the Cam- bridge public schools and was continued in the Boston Latin School ; he was prevented by ill-health from going through college. His tastes being for mercantile pursuits, he was soon established in a large woollen-importing house in New York. His advancement in this business was rapid, and he was quickly sent on the road, visiting all the large cities
JOSEPH W. PARKER.
of this country, as well as inspecting the principal woollen-mills of Europe. He thus obtained a most
and became noted as an expert buyer of this class of goods. After remaining many years with this house, he entered the firm of George A. Castor & Co., large custom-tailors of New York, some nine years ago, and was connected with this concern for four years, during which time branch houses were established in Boston and Philadelphia. Five years ago he bought out the Boston house, established then, as now, at Nos. 515 to 521 Washington street, and this place has since been under his sole man- agement. The concern is the largest of its kind in New England, and one of the most successful. Over three hundred hands are employed to fill the orders, and Mr. Parker is careful that all the work possible shall be given to residents of the city. The do- mestic and imported fabrics are selected by him personally, and are purchased direct from the manu- facturer. Mr. Parker has a wife and three chil- dren. His pleasant residence is in Newton Centre, Mass.
PARKMAN, HENRY, son of the late Dr. Samuel and Mary E. (Dwight) Parkman, was born in Boston May 23, 1850. He prepared. for college at Mr. Dixwell's and other private schools, and graduated from Harvard in the class of 1870. He studied in the Harvard Law School for three years, graduating in 1874. The same year he was admitted to the bar, and practised in the office of William G. Rus- sell for several years. He is now engaged in general practice, with offices at No. 53 State street. He is one of the public administrators of Suffolk county, and many large trusts are confided to his care. In politics he is a Republican. He represented Ward 9 in the common council for six years, was a mem- ber of the lower house of the Legislature in 1886, 1887, and 1888, serving as chairman of several im- portant committees, and was in 1891-2 a member of the State senate. He is president of the Boston Athletic Association, and a member of the Union and other leading clubs.
PARKS, JOHN WILSON, M.D., son of John and Mary (Conlay) Parks, was born in Mason Village, N.H., Sept. 14, 1857. He was educated in the schools of Lawrence, Mass., to which city his parents had - moved when he was three years old. He studied medicine with Drs. Magee and Sargent, in Law- rence, and afterwards attended the University of Vermont and the University of the City of New York. He began practice in Providence, R.I., and in 1883 established himself in East Boston, where he has since remained. He is a member of the
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Massachusetts Medical Society. He belongs to the Masonic order, and to numerous fraternal and beneficial orders. On Oct. 12, 1887, Dr. Parks was married to Miss Bertha M. Gabbott.
PARMENTER, WILLIAM ELLISON, chief justice of the Municipal Court, son of William Parmenter,
WILLIAM E. PARMENTER.
defined interpretation of the law, the fairness of his decisions, and the conscientious thought he devotes to every case before him. He has never held a public office save that of his seat on the bench and a position on the Arlington school board, which he filled for nearly a quarter of a century. He has resided in Arlington since 1853. Judge Parmenter was married to Miss Helen James, of South Scituate, Mass., and has had two sons : William E., jr., a graduate of Harvard in the class of 1877, who is now a farmer in Florida, and James P. Parmenter, a graduate of Harvard in the class of 1881, now a practising lawyer of this city.
PARSONS, FRANK SEARS, M.D., son of Enos and Harriet Eliza (Sears) Parsons, was born in North- ampton, Mass., Dec. 21, 1862. His father was widely known in Massachusetts and elsewhere as a lawyer of marked ability and business tact. The son was educated in the schools of Northampton, and graduating from the high school began the study of medicine. He spent two years in the Harvard Medical School (1882-4), and two in the medical department of the University of the City of New York, graduating from the latter in March, 1886. He established himself in the Dor- chester district, and in September began the prac- tice of his profession. He enjoyed a good and extended practice in Dorchester until the close of the spring of 1892, when he removed to Northampton, on account of the death of his father, which occurred in February. There he continues in practice. Dr. Parsons has, for several
who was member of Congress four terms from the Middlesex District, was born in Boston March 12, years, made a specialty of diseases of children in 1816. His parents removed to East Cambridge connection with his general practice. He has been a lecturer on diseases of children in the College of Physicians and Surgeons since 1889, and he has written much for medical journals upon this sub- ject. He is the author of " Rheumatism in Chil- dren," published in 1890, and "Infant Dress," published in 1891. He was a member of and visiting physician to the Suffolk Dispensary from its organization to the time of his removal to Northampton. He is a member of the Massachu- setts Medical Society, the American Medical Asso- ciation, and the Boston Therapeutic Society. Dr. Parsons was married Sept. 8, 1891, to Miss Bertha, daughter of M. Saxman, jr., of Latrobe, Pa., an extensive coal and coke dealer there. when he was still very young, and resided in different sections of Cambridge until 1853. He received his early education in the Cambridge public schools, but prepared for college at the Framingham Academy and Angier's Academy in Medford. In 1832 he entered Harvard, and passed through that institution with honors, graduating in the class of 1836, after which he took a course at the Harvard Law School. He also read law in the office of John Mills, then United States district attorney. In 1842 he was admitted to the Suffolk bar, and continued in active practice in this city for over thirty years. In 1872 he was appointed by Governor Claflin special justice of the Munici- pal Court of Boston. In December of the same year he was made associate justice of the same court ; and in January, 1883, he was promoted by Governor Butler to the position of chief justice. Judge Parmenter is noted for his clear and well-
PARTRIDGE, HORACE, son of Hervey and Rachel (Paine) Partridge, was born in Walpole, Mass., May 27, 1822, the same year that Boston became a city. He is a cousin of Henry W. Paine, of
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Cambridge. When he was a child his parents moved to Dedham, and there he lived until he was twelve years of age. Then he lived two years in Newton Upper Falls, two in Mill Village, and then in South Royalston, working with his father at blacksmithing and farming. At twenty he was selling goods for an elder brother, and at twenty- one he was on the road selling for himself. His education was attained in the district schools which he was able to attend during the winter months only, and from observation and experience in his subsequent business travels through the country. He carried the chain more or less for the survey of the route of the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad, and when the road was building he supplied the · families of those at work upon it with groceries, dry goods, shoes, and other merchandise, his busi- ness route being from Gardner to Greenfield, with headquarters at Athol. Prospering in this under- taking, in 1848 he sought a wider field. Then he came to Boston, and after a year spent with his brother at No. 78 Federal street, he established himself in the auction business at No. 49 Hanover street. Shortly after he engaged in the wholesale and retail fancy goods and Yankee notions trade. From No. 49, when that building was to be razed, he moved to Diamond Block, No. 125; a few
turn had to go, and he took No. 27. Here he was established for twelve years, when that building was wanted to widen the street, and he was obliged again to move. This time he took No. 51, soon after adding Nos. 53 and 55; and here he has remained for more than twenty years. In course of time, his son-in-law, Benjamin F. Hunt, and subsequently his son, Frank P. Partridge, were ad- mitted to partnership, and the firm name became Horace Partridge & Co. Mr. Partridge was a pioneer in the Christmas-toy and the Christmas- presents trade, and early began the importation of immense quantities of dolls and European toys and fancy goods. Mr. Hunt goes annually to Europe, remaining there about a third of a year, and steam- ships not infrequently arrive at this port with cargo exclusively for this house. In 1885 Mr. Partridge was occupying the whole of the block Nos. 51 to 55 Hanover street, but his business had become so large and bulky that a quarter of the street was used, for loading, and more room was absolutely necessary. Accordingly a contract was made with Fred L. Ames, and the great building Nos. 63 to 97 Lincoln street was built largely for his use. The building covers two hundred and ten feet on Lincoln street, one hundred and fifty feet on Essex, two hundred and thirty on Essex place, and one hundred on Tufts street, and the firm occupy the five lofts, twenty-seven thousand feet on each floor, on a twenty years' lease. Mr. Hunt, with Fred R. Smith, besides doing the foreign purchasing, now manages the Lincoln-street store. Frank P. Par- tridge manages the great Washington-street and Temple-place retail store, which is also a head- quarters for gymnasium and lawn-tennis outfits ; and Mr. Partridge remains at the old stand on Hanover street, the good-will of which he does not intend to lose. Here, while attending closely to his main business, he transacts much of his real- estate business, or " knitting work," as he expresses it, " for mornings and odd moments." Since he established himself in Boston he has built and owned more than a hundred dwelling-houses. He has a village in Somerville of fifty houses which he sells or rents. His own estate is on North avenue, Cambridge, on a lot of land just the size of the Lincoln-street store. Here he has built a house . for his son, one for himself, and two to let, and Mr. Hunt has built one on the lot adjoining. Mr. Partridge is devoted to fruit and flower culture, and HORACE PARTRIDGE. spends three hours every morning in his garden or working on the grounds about the houses. He is years after that building was doomed, and he a life member of the Massachusetts Horticultural moved to No. 105 ; after a while that building in Society, and shows more than a hundred prize
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tickets received for his exhibits of fruits and on the subject of the eye and ear. He is a skilled flowers. He has been a member of the Ancient and successful operator. He has visited Europe and Honorable Artillery Company for more than thirty years, and he never misses an artillery elec- tion parade and dinner. His attention to business has been unremitting. He has never had a vaca- tion of a week at one time, and he has not been kept from his store by illness for forty years. He locks his store every night himself, and has done so for many years. He does not belong to any organization for shortening the hours of labor. For forty years he has averaged eighteen hours of work a day. He has employed more than four thousand hands. One clerk has been in his employ for forty years, and half a dozen for twenty-five years each. Besides the houses and tenements in which he has tenants, he has more than a dozen halls for rent, and he himself keeps the books of this business and makes out all the bills. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, but he aspires to no political office and steers shy of caucuses. Mr. Partridge was married June 17, 1847, when he was selling goods on the road. His wife was Miss Martha Ann Stratton, daughter of Samuel and Livia (Raw- son) Stratton, of Gill, Mass. They have had five children : Jenny Lind (now Mrs. Benjamin F. Hunt, jr.), Frank Pierce (now in partnership with FREDERICK W. PAYNE. his father), Nellie Rosalie (now Mrs. William E. many times, and in his travels has circumnavigated the globe. Nickerson), Lizzie Lucille and Horace Partridge, jr., both of whom died in infancy.
PAYNE, FREDERICK WILLIAM, M.D., son of the late Dr. William E. Payne, of Bath, Me., was born in that city Jan. 1, 1845. He was educated first in private and public schools of his native city ; afterwards at boarding-school in Newton Centre, Mass. ; then in the Harvard Medical School, from which he graduated in 1866, and at the Homco- pathic Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1867. In 1868 he went abroad, where he studied his pro- fession for two years in Vienna, Berlin, and Paris. Returning to Bath, he associated himself with his father in the general practice of medicine, that of eye and ear surgery in particular. In 1872 he moved to Boston, where he is now in the enjoy- ment of a large ophthalmological and otological practice. He was lecturer for seven years on the" He belongs to several medical societies, and has eye and ear in the homeopathic department of the written a number of articles on medical topics, notably one on the Asiatic cholera, with which dis- case he had an extended practical experience in 1849-50, in Bangor, where it prevailed at that time to a great extent, there being from three to sixteen deaths daily for several weeks in a population of fourteen thousand. Very many cases, after they had Boston University. He is a member of the Inter- national Homeopathic Medical Association, of the American Institute of Homeopathy, the Massa- chusetts Homoeopathic Medical Society, and the Hahnemann Medical Society. He has written largely for homeopathic publications, especially
PAYNE, JAMES HENRY, M.D., was born in Albany, N.Y., June 4, 1825, of English parentage. After acquiring a good preparatory education he entered the University of the City of New York, from which he graduated in the class of 1849, and re- ceived his degree of M.D. His medical education was further pursued under the guidance of Dr. R. A. Snow, prominent among the physicians of New York city. He began practice early in the spring of 1849, in Bangor, Me., where he remained ac- tively engaged until November, 1860. Then, his practice in Maine having become arduous, he re- moved to Boston, and here he has since been established, occupying a leading position in his profession. He has had a large and successful practice during the whole of his professional life.
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reached the collapsed stage, were cured by his prac- in the chambers of a leading barrister of Lincoln's tice. In 1867 Dr. Payne made an extended tour in Inn, London, he was admitted to the bar of the Middle Temple, London, in 1877. Subsequently returning to America, he entered the office of Morse, Stone, & Greenough as a student, where he remained one year. After a year and a half at the Harvard Law School he was admitted to the Suffolk bar, in December, 1879. The next year he formed a partnership with Charles A. Prince, which continued for five years. Since then he has prac- tised alone. In politics Mr. Peabody is a Demo- crat, but with strong Independent proclivities. He is an aide-de-camp on the staff of Governor Russell, a member of the Somerset, Algonquin, Country, Eastern Yacht, Myopia Hunt, Papyrus, and several other clubs, in all of which he takes an active inter- est. Outside of his professional interests he is financially interested in, and is a director of, several
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