Evening star., 1925-07-27
F. H. PARSONS DIES;
!. WASH. S. EMPLOyE.
Former Assistant Head of
Smithsonian Division of
Library Expires.

Francis Henry Parsons, formerly
assistant in charge of the Smithso-
nian Division, Library of Congress
and an employe of the Government
for So years. died at the home of his
daughter, Mrs Alice James, in Pur-
cellville. Va, Saturday.
Funeral services will be conducted
Lutheran. tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock Interment will be in Rock
Creek Cemetery.
MIR. Parsons retired from his po-
sition at the Library of Congress the
22d of last January.
Born in January, 1855, in Cleveland,
Ohio, Mr.. Parsons was the son OF
Charles Henry and Sarah Rice Par
sons, both of New England ancestry.
In September, 1862, he went with his
family to Washington, where he made
his home. He went to school in this
city, attending the Rittenhouse Acad-
emy. Due to delicate health he was
unable to finish his schooling and made
up for this by reading.
Appointed Clerk.
In January. 1872, he was appointed
by Comdr. James II. Gillis, u. S. N,
as his clerk. and sailed with him on
the storeship Supply from New York
TO Rio de Janerio, Brazil. He was
mustered out of the Navy August 8,
1872. From 1873 to 1894 he served
with the United States Coast and
Geodetic Survey; from 1894 to 1900
he was computer at the United
States Naval Observatory. While in
the Coast and Geodetic Survey, MIR.
Parsons was selected to assume the
duties of chief of library and archives.
This involved the consolidation into
one collection of the various books
owned by the survey and scattered
among 40 or so field parties, on YES
sails, eto- New books also were added
Until, In 1894, there was a valuable
library of 10000 or $4,000 volumes.
with a fine collection of aliases and
plates.
The experience gained in these po-
sitions and the consequent contacts
with the foremost scientists of the
country prepared the way for the work
which was to follow In April, 1900
Nr. Parsons was appointed as assis-
t2nt in charge of the Smithsonian di-
vision of the Library of Congress.
which position he held until his re.
tirement. In the % years of his in
eumbency he saw the collection of the
until it had reached $50, 900 volumes
a collection second to none in the
ccuntry for purposes of scientific re
search.
Prominent i'm Societies.
Mr. Parsons married Miss Sophia
Fisher. He was a member of several
societies, patriotic. professional and
scientific, among them the District of
Columbia Society, Sons of the Ameri-
can Revolution; the Society of Co
lonial Wars, the American Library
Association, the District of Columbia
Library Association, the National
Geographic Society, American Geo
graphical Society of New York, Amer
lean Association for the Advancement
OF Science, Cosmos Club and Colum-
bian Historical Society. He was also
a member of st. Johns Lodge, No. II.
z. a. A. NJ, of Washington and was
Scottish Rite Mason.
For many years Mr.. Parsons was a
member of the Church of the Ref
ormation, Lutheran, where he had
served as elder, trustee and financial
secretary. He was also for four years
lay director of the Theological Sem
mary of the College of Pennsylvania.
at Gettysburg. He is survived by his
daughter, Mrs. James.