Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-07-03
DEATH OF G.. E. PARKS.
He Expires Monday Morning-A Promi-
nent Citizen.

|
! nent Citizen.
Charles E. Parks died at his resi-
dence, No. SOC Washington street,
Monday morning, July !, at l o'clock,
of Bright's disease.
The announcement of Mr.. Parks
death, while not unexpected, was
| nevertheless a sOrrOWful one to the
entire community, in which he had
been a leading spirit for over decade.
His passing away was but another
eXemplification Of the fatal work of an
insidiOus organic disease upon a man
of robust nature just in life's prime,
the dreaded malady in it's complica-
tions having baff1ed the best talent
of the medical world. It was about
year ago that Mr.. Parks began to
be seriously ailing, and he left for the
South last fall with his health consid
erably impaired, but in the hope that
a winter spent in that warmer cline
might be of some benefit 1t was not
to be so, however, and while there
the disease took a firmer hold and he
was finally helplessly stricken. With
difficulty he was removed here and he
passed his final days in what comfort
the best of all things could provide
for him. His sincere wish. and that
of his family and near relatives, was
that, although confined to the invalid
room, his life might be prolonged,
but the end came all too soon. In
their sore afflictlon the deepest SYM
pathy is felt for the bereaved family.
Charles E. Parks, son of Hiram
Parks and Laura Woodwork, was
born in the town of Morreau, Saratoga
county, n. Y, September II, 1916,
and received his education at the Glen
Falls academy and the Fort Edward
Collegiate institute. Commencing
life as civil engineer, he soon tired
of this and took to the school room,
teaching in his native state until his
removal to the West in 1872. He
first settled at Garnet, Kan, where
he was superintendent of schools for
two years. Then he located at Golden,
Colo, and later at Denver same state,
being superintendent of schools in
both places. After following the voca-
ton of teaching few years in that
Western country, he returned to the
East, but afterward again came West,
and at the time of his marriage in
1877 to Miss Lila Lewis, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. George B. Lewis, of this
city, he was engaged in the milling
business at WestpOrt, Mo. In June
of the following year Mr.. Parks with
his wife came to this city and he assO-
ciated himself with Mr.. Lewis in the
manufacture of sash, doors and blinds
under the firm name Of Lewis d Parks.
| In 1881 he went into the lumber bust
ness in the northern part of the state,
being engaged for several years at
Spencer, Thorp and Chippewa Falls
successfully, with George b. Burrows,
of Madison, speaker of the last Wis
cOnsin assembly, as a partner, they
together owning 20, 900, 900 feet of
standing pine. Mr. Parks returned
to this city in the fall Of 1884, and has
since resided here. The Lewis u
Parks partnership was resumed, this
time manufacturing bee-hives. sec
tions, boxes, etc. The concern was
incorporated in 1890, following the
| destruction by fire of the old factory,
and styled the G. B. Lewis company,
of which Mr.. Parks was made secre-
tary, treasurer and general manager,
owning half interest. This business
has grown to large proportions and
much Importance, and although Mr..
Parks has been in active management,
| it's affairs will be continued without
| interruption.
| Through his numerous patents on
| basket-box and barrel devices now
much in use for shipping, Mr.. Parks
had gained prominent position as an
inventor, and he was widely known in
the manufacturing circles Of the
Northwest. His genius had also led
him to the invention of a considerable
amount of machinery. Business and
pleasure had called him to nearly all
portions of this country and twice to
Europe, and In his travels he had seen
more than Details the ordinary lot of
man. Mr.. Parks was uniformly sue
cessful in all his business dealings.
The surviving members of Mr..
Parks family are his wife and the
following children: Lewis W., aged
IA; Olive, aged Is, and Clifton A.,
aged TO- Two sisters of Mr.. Parks
Mrs Ellen P. Nolan and Mrs. John
Shippy reside at Sandy Hill, n. 7.
This afternoon at 2 o'clock the
funeral of the deceased will occur at
his late home, the Rev G. G. Weiss, OF
the Congregational church, officiating.
Music will be rendered by a male
quartette The interment will be at
Oak Hill cemetery, where Waterfowl
lodge, No. 40, F. & A. NJ, of which
the deceased was a member, will have
charge, the Masonic ritual to be read
by n. G.. Daniels, Of Milwaukee.
Among those from abroad here for the
funeral is James Huston, Of Pontiac.
Mich. an intimate friend of Mr.. Parks
Semi-AnnuaI Report OF Merchants
Bank.