History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Jonathan W. Parker
JONATHAN W. PARKER was one of the pioneer lawmakers of Iowa Territory. He was born in Clarendon, Vermont, on the 10th of August, 1810. After acquiring the usual education he began the study of law in Pennsylvania and came with his father's family to Davenport in 1836. He was admitted to the bar at the first term of court held in Scott County and immediately began practice. In 1838, upon the organization of the Territory of Iowa, he was elected to represent Scott and Clinton counties in the Council of the First Legislative Assembly and was reëlected, serving in the Second, Third and Fourth Territorial Legislatures. He attained high rank as a legislator and was President of the Council during the session of 1841-2. In 1841 he was mayor of Davenport. In 1852, while on a visit to Cincinnati, he died of cholera at the early age of forty-one.