Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-04-22

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Those who remember the Judges
father say that he was a man Of
studious habits, In spite Of his
bitter struggle for life on the farm
he read widely and deeply, He
|, was especially fond Of committing
rare passages to memory. and every
spare moment found him porlug
over a good book.
on has mothers side Judge Park.
err derives good New England
blood. His white haired mother, who
lives at Derby, Conn,i a woman Of
refinement, education and strong
character. In the summer time she
spends the judges vacation with
him at Esopus. She is member of
the Woman S Christian Temperance
! Union. The giant sits before his
mother while she solemnly lectures
him on temperance, and, being an
abstemious man, he smiles and
/ promises to be good Her constant
aim is to warn him against ambi-
ton. When the newspapers grow
loud in his praise he is sure to get
letter from his mother exhorting
him to be humble.
Farmer Boy and Schoolteacher
The Judge was born on the farm
near Cortland almost 6fty-two
years ago. He attended the village
schools and worked about the farm.
When sixteen years old he taught
school in a country schoolhouse
and established his authority by
thrashing the school bully. Then
he taught school at Binghamton.
Presently he was a teacher at Ac-
cord, in Ulster county, at 50 a day.
He intended to 60 to Cornell univer-
sity and was saving money for
that purpose, but his fathers ne
cessiti drew from his slender in
come. and his hopes of university |
course failed He moved to King
sion and entered the Jaw office of /
shoemaker & Hardenbergh as a
clerk. Then he entered the Albany /
-aw school, and upon graduating .
he returned to Shoemaker & /
Hardenbergh. Within few
months he took a partner named |
Kenyon and opened law Office at
Kingston.
For twelve years the young law
yer practiced his profession in
Kingston. He had a good income
and won several important cases.
During that time be was quite free
from the control or influence of
large corporations.
In 1877 he was elected surrogate
Of Ulster county and was atterWard |
elected for a second term. That
was his first experience of pablo
office.
HIS entrance into politics was
due simply TO his love for his old
employer, Judge Shoemaker, who
had been driven out of politics. He
believed that the judge had been
Wronged aud set out 10 restore him
To popular favor. So earnest was
his campaign that he soon became
recognized political factor in Ulster
county, being a lavorite of Mr., Til
den and Mr.. Manning. who trusted
and consulted him. 10 1885 be was
Induced 10 become chairman o. the
/ Democratic state executive com
InIttce, and ID the campaign which
be managed David b. Hill was
elected governor. Mr.. Hill appoint
ed him 10 a seat on the supreme
court bench when Justice West
brook died.
When Judge Parker was thirty
three years old he was unanimous
ly nominated for the supreme court
bench by the Democrats. The he
! publIcans woald not nominate an
opponent. Not a vote was cast
against him. He served on the su
as chief Judge OF the court OF APP
/ peals in 1897 by plurality of about
/ 90, 900 votes.
During his nineteen years on the
bench he has ignored politics. In
1896 and 1900 he voted for Mr..
Bryan, but it was we'll understood
that he was a sound money man
and merely accepted the will OF the