The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-07-24
Judge Alton B. Parker


county. between the towns of Syracuse and Bingham
ton, in New York, of which state he has seldom
and OF which is the highest judicial Of
hcer. His first twelve years we're spent farm.
The last three of those years he attended district
school in winter and worked in the fields in
The next three years he student at the Cort-
land academy paying his tuition out of the proceeds
OF labor performed outside of school hours.
From that time on his career is thus summarized
-Four years teacher in the public schools Virgil
in Cortland county, and at BnghamtOn and Roches-
ter, excepting intervals study at the Cortland Nor
NAL school when his earnings as teacher justified
the expense. Two years student at the Albany law
school, from which he graduated in 1872 and in
which year he admitted TO the practice Of law.
Five years a clerk and associate of the law firm Of
Sehoonmaker & Hardenbergh at Kingston Eight
years surrogate Of Ulster county to which Office he
was elected twice the Democratic ticket although
the county is normally Republican Three years
justice Of the supreme court having been appointed
first by Governor David B. Hill 70 succeed Judge
Westbrook of the Third judicial district, and after
wards elected the district without opposition
Eight years justice OF the court of appeals, second
division, again by appointment Six and one-half
years chief justice of the appeals correspond
ing the supreme in other states, to which
Office he was elected in 1891
Judge Parker steadfastIy turned away from all
temptation to enter political life after his elevation
the bench. He declined the nomination for lieu
tenant governor rendered him behalf of the party
leaders by the late Daniel Manning in 1888 The nom
inatOn again offered him and again declined two
in whose behalf he had gone delegate to the con-
vention Of 1854 called him to Washington and offered
him the appointment of first assistant postmaster
general under Mr.. Villas This also was declined
Urged by all the powerful leaders of the party to be-
come the candidate for governor in 1891 he persisted
in his determination to devote himself to the Law, and
after Mr. Hill had been elected again. was proposed
as candidate for United States senate, but would
not enter the race and the governor was chosen for
that Office.
From the time that he accepted the appointment
q
participation in politics. This because he had
respect the tradition that foTbids the judiciary to
go and debate the questions Of the hour. His
sble contributions to the mass Of argument on the
tariff finance and territorial expansion have been lost
but time TO time since he began to be in
huenced by the craftsmanship OF Samuel J. 1lden
and the sagacty of such Daniel Manning, he
has talked from the public platform abstract poiit
zeal matters and the civic duties imposed upon
all citizens
At 81 years Of age the Democratic candidate is in
the pink of maturity In the fun bloom Of MS
mental powers he appears also to be in his physical
prime Tall only an inch under six Feet broad shoui
hered and deep chested, he weighs 1876 pounds. He
keeps his muscles hard by much outdoor exercise,
in the fields among his farm lsborers, and by horse
back riding. driving and walking. His cheeks
rudy and his gray eyes sparkle with health.
His forehead is expansive, his jaws large and
firmly set His hair which is thin at the top Of the
head and shows spT1ning or gray at the Sides is
of dark red color, and his mustache, usually
closely trimmed is a shade darker.
The physical vigor and stature of Judge Parker
were characteristic of his ancestors The first of these
of whom there is authentic record John Parker,
q stalwart soldier of the revolution, who born
in Worcester Mass. in 1751, and who wel-tO-
do farmer His John Parker, known as
highly educated and public spirited IL 1903 he
went 10 New York state and bought at CoTt-
land the farm which his distinguished great grand
son and cultivates today. His and his sons
son. John Brooks Parker. who the father of
Judge Parker, were farmers.
Those who remember the judges father say he
of studious habits and that in spite OF his
bitter struggle for life his farm he read widely and
deeply. He especially fond of committing
passages memory. He began early cultivate the
judgment of his by asking his opinion about the
crops and stimulating his interest in all the small
Invites of the farm The future judges ambition
become lawyer the result of lawsuit at Cort-
land in which his father juror The case was
much importance that outside counsel had been
engaged by one of the Iitigants Young Parker then
in his 10Th year went Immediately 10 the court
ar the close OF the academy each day, and was
charmed by the able arguments of a lawyer from
Syracuse
After he completed the academy course he taught
school at intervals of three months until ne had
worked his way through the Cortland Normal school
He but 20 years old when he took charge of the
public school at Rochester at salary OF 50 a day
At the end of year he accepted the place IN the
5 ONCE of Shoemaker & Hardenbergh that led him
directly into his judicial career and gave bm his first
taste of politics. He completed his preparation for
the bar in that Office with years in the
Albany Law school, taken in 1871 and 1872
Mr.. Schoonmaker was a Democrat of distinction in
Ulster county when Parker entered his ONCE He was
afterwards elected county Judge He de-
feated for reelection after hard campaign, and
so dsheartened that he withdrew from politics Park
CT thought his patron unduly discouraged and acting
upon his initiative. arranged for his nomination
for state senator in the following year He induced
him TO accept the nomination, managed the campaign
and had the pleasure of restoring SchOonmaker's
prestige in local politics. Shoemaker after
ward elected attorney general of the state and became
hs parys choice for associate judge OF the of
appeals in 1880, but defeated at the polls
These incidents brought Parker into prominence
as party and led in 1871 to his nomination for
surrogate of Ulster county When he in the
venton his opponent bOlted and supported the Repub
lean candidate After picturesque and hard fought
contest Parker elected being the only successful
man on the Democratic ticket When he came for
reelection 1855 the Republicans nominated to
against him Judge William LAYTON, who had defeated
SchOonmaker for county judge. Parker won by ma
iOrity Of I 400 out of a total vote Of $4,000.
When the Democratic state ticket with Hill az the
head, put in the field in 1885, under discoursgag
circumstances. Parker well known a cam
paigner and the party chiefs turned 10 him for help
He was summoned TO a conference and asked to
anna liz