The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-10
ALTON BROOKS PARKER.
Architect of His Own Career, Always Measuring Up
to His Responsibilities, FOrceful
Personality.
Personality.
(From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.)

Alton Brooks Parker was born in
Cortland, Cortland county, State of
New York, on May Ia, 1852, conSe-
quentIy is in the very prime of man
hood, being in his 53rd year, and in
his case it is the prime of a vigorous
and healthy manhood. The stock
from which he sprung, on both sides,
is all English. His great-gradfather
John Parker, was born at Worcester
Mass, in 1851. He was a farmer, and
left his plow in 1776 to serve in the
Patriot army under Washington as a
private, and so continued until the
American Republic was established,
when he returned to his farm. where
he lived out his life, respected by his
neighbors as a man of independence,
intelligence and industry. He reared
a family, of which. however, little is
known except of one son. also named
John, who. in 1903. came into this
State and bought a farm at Cortland
the same farm which at this day is
in the possession of Alton Brooks. This
John was recognized by his neighbors
as highly educated man of great in
telligence and public spirit. He was
: heavily handicapped in the struggle
of life by a farm on which rested the
burden of debt. a large family and i'll
health. Himself man of education,
duly appreciating the advantages of
culture and truly measuring the lack
of it, until the day of his death it
was a source of bitterness with him
that he had not been able to give to
his sons and daughters the advantages
he himself had enjoyed. Early the
burden of the conduct of this Cortland
county farm fell upon the shoulders of
his son John, the third in direct line.
His life was a struggle. and he carried
the burden of it with him to the grave.
OF little scholastic training, this John
3rd was q Studious man, who read
widely and deeply and who preached
in his family the truths of the value
of an education until he bred in his
son Alton, at least burning desire
for learning.
The Birthplace.
On this farm, lying midway be-
tween Binghamton and Syracuse, AL
ton Brooks was born. and on it he Ia
bored as soon as his young limbs
We're fit, until he was II years old,
during the last three of which, in
the winters. he attended the district
school of the vicinage. In his 18th
year he entered the Cortland Acade-
my, the same one in which another
distinguished son of Cortland, Daniel
Scott Lamont, acquired the rudiments
of his education. And it is fact,
which should be noted as having its
y
character and as making for that self
reliance which is a distinguishing
characteristic that the tuition fees re-
quired at this academy were earned
by him by work wherever he could
obtain it, without recourse to his faith
er for aid. There is an anecdote, duly
authenticated, relating to or as being
the incentive of attendance on this
Cortland Academy which is also in
forming as illustrative of the tenacity
of purpose which is one of the quail
ties OF the man. 1t SO runs that when
he was in his 18th year he accompa-
MED his father to the county seat and
to the court room. whittier his father
had been summoned as a juror. In
this court room, while his father sat
i'm the Jury box, his big, haZel-eyed
son found a corner where, mutely he
watched and listened to the proceed
ings so strange to him. 1t so hap
pened that the case tried was one of
importance, and a lawyer from Syra-
cuse of high repute as a pleader was
engaged on one side. The imagination
of the wondering rad was captured.
His career was marked out for him
when his emulation was stirred by this
man of golden words. AS he drove
back to his home with his father he
announced most seriously that he in
tended to be a lawyer. 1t would seem
that the father fully appreciated the
character of the boy sitting beside
him. talking so earnestly and seriously
as to his determination. Evidently,
as young as the boy was, that father
regarded it as a decision which was
not likely to be changed And plans
were at once laid to that end. Wh1le
the father could not contribute to the
expense that would be incurred. ne
could and did encourage the lad in
,ot nOuId
did relieve him from the necessity
or obligation of laboring on the farm
in those months devoted to school ses-
sionS.
His Education.
Revond the academy, was the nor
NAL school with its higher branches
of study and the Albany Law School,
goals to be reached in that struggle
to enter the ranks of lawyers OF the
State. When academy days were done
there was money to be earned to meet
the expenses of attendance upon them.
So for four years he is found teacn-
ing school, beginning at Virgil, Corl-
1ard county, at the aoa Of 10 Fh"re
is another story that is characteristic.
AT virgin there was Il scholar so mucn
older than the new teacher that ne
declined to submit to rule and author
ity, and when force was attempted
rebelled and struck out at 'the new
teacher" who promptly knocked the
recalcitrant down and collaring him,
took him home to tell his parents
what he had done. The episode estab-
lshed his undisputed authority there
after. From Virgil he went to Bing-
hamton in Broome county, where he
taught in the public school and be-
tween the two places earned money
sufficient to carry him through the
desired term at the Normal school,
Then he migrated to Ulster county
and taught school in Rochester of
that county where he earned the
money at SO per day to give him the
desired two years course at the Albany
Law School. Here at Rochester. too.
he won bride in the person of Mary
Lee. Schoonmaker. With the compile
tiCn of his term at Albany and his
graduation in 1872. he was admitted
to practice at the bar. His DAYS of
teaching were over. Settling in King