Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-07-04
Death of Colonel Parker.

Colonel William ii. Parker died at ;
o'clock on the 26th of June, at st. Jos
eph's hospital, after an illness of severa
months. For some months before leav
ing the National capitol he was sicl
man, but with indomitable courage rha
has always characterized him he stucl
to his duties until congress adjourned
On his arrival in Deadwood he gave uI
and has been confined to his bed for the
past four weeks. He was removed to
the hospital where he had every care
that medical skill and loving care could
devise. For several days before the end
came he has been in semi-conscious
condition from which he would rally
from time to time and talk with those
at his bedside. He. has felt, for some
days that he would not recover and
made several requests concerning his
funeral. He desired that the old sold
iers have charge of the funeral rites and
that he be buried at the National ceme-
terry at Arlington, Virginia.
William II. Parker was born at Keane,
N. H., May 4, lS47. He served in the
Union Army from the oath day of June,
1861 until the 26th day of October, 1865.
He entered the service as a drummer
boy at IA years ofage and came out from
Fort Kearney, Nebraska, as a Colonel
OF the United States army. After re-
signing from the army he entered the
law department of Columbian College
at Washington where he was graduated
in 1868. Shortly after his graduation
he began the practice of law in Wash
ington. Before the war broke out, he
lived AS boy with his parents in Vir-
ginia. After his graduation he was
united in marriage to Miss Thomas who
still survives him. To them eleven
children were born, eight sons and
three daughters, three of the children
died in infancy and eight are living,
the most of whom were with him when
he died.
After spending few years in Wash
ington, Colonel Parker and his family
moved to Colorado, where he was ap-
pointed collector of internal revenue by
President Grant. He resigned this pos
ition to accept the position of assistant
United States Attorney in Colorado
which position he filed most acceptably.
He came to Dakota Territory, July l,
1877, locating at Deadwood, where he
has lived ever since. On the 28th of
July of the same year that he came to
the Hills, a militia company was FORM
ed for the purpose of protection from
the Indians and of this company Col.
Parker was chosen Captain and during
the maintenance of the company several
skirmishes were had with the redskins
in which they we're routed.
Colonel Parker was a member of the
constitutional convention that framed
the constitution for South Dakota and
later served in the first state legislature.
He held the position of states attorney
most acceptably for four years. III the
republican convention held at Sioux
Falls, June, 1906, Col. Parker was NOM
mated for congress and that fall was
elected. He had been in attendance at
only one session at the time ofhis d cath,
80 that he had but partly completed his
work.
Colonel Parker was kind and indul-
gent father and husband and was ever
ready to help anyone in trouble. He
possessed kind and generous disposi-
tion that made him friends wherever he
went. He was talented man and was
recognized as one of the ablest of Grim
inal lawyers, and his death will be keen
ly felt by not only his friends in the
Black Hills, but all over the state as we'll
as at the National Capitol, where in the
few months he has been there he has
become so we'll known.
The funeral services were held in the
city hall in Deadwood on the 2Sth at
o'clock p. m, Rev. M. F. Montgomery of
the Episcopal church officiating. At the
conclusion of the ceremony the remains
were taken to the station of the North
western railroad and shipped to Wash
ington, D. c., accompanied by Mr.. and
Mrs. ID. L. Herman, son.in-law and
daughter of the deceased The pail
bearers were Thomas E. Harvey, Judge
A. J. Powman, Col. W. j. Thornby,
John Hunter, r. P. Stewart and N. E.
Franklin.