Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/219

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PARKER


PARKER


conducted it, 1847-50. During the winter of 1857, while on a lecturing tour in central New York, he contracted a severe cold which settled on his lungs, and in January, 1859, he made a voyage to Santa Cruz for the benefit of his liealth. In May, 1859, he went to Southamjiton and thence to Switzerland and Rome, where he suffered a relapse during the wet season, and was taken to Florence, where lie died and was buried in the cemetery outside the walls, the Rev. Mr. Cunningham, an old friend, conducting the funeral service. Busts were made by William W, Story and Robert Hart, and in January, 1903, a bronze statue by Robert Kraus was erected on the lawn of the First Parish (Unitarian) church at West Rox- bury by the society. He is the author of : A Discourse of Matters Pertaining to Religion (1849); Occasional Sermons and Speeches (2 vols., 1852); Ten Sermons on Religion (1853); Sermons on Theism, Atheism and the Pojmlar Theology (1853) ; Additional Speeches and Addresses{2 vols. , 1855); Trial of Theodore Parker for the "■Misde- meanor of a Speech in Faneuil Hall against Kidnapping" (1855); Two Christmas Celebrations and Experience as a Minister (1859) ; a volume of Praters (1862), and Historic Americans (1870). His complete works were edited by Frances P. Cobbe (14 vols., 1863-71), and also Lessons from the World of Matter and the World of Man, selec- tions from his unpublished sermons by Rufus Leighton (1865). His biography was written by John Weiss (1864), and O. B. Frothingham (1874). In October, 1900, his name received twenty-one votes for a place in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, New York university, being fifth in " Class G, Preachers and Theologians," number- ing twenty-six names, of which but three, Beecher, Channing and Edwards, received a place. He died in Florence, Italy, May 10, 1860.

PARKER, Willard, surgeon, was born at Hills- borough, N.H.. Sept. 2, 1800; son of Jonathan and Hannah (Clark) Parker ; grandson of Capt. Peter Clark, and a descendant of Abraham Parker, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts Bay colony in 1640, and settled first in Woburn and afterward in Chelmsford, Mass. His parents, who were farmers, removed to Chelmsford in 1805, and he worked on the farm and attended the public school winters until 1829. He taught in the district schools, 1819-22, and was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1826, A.M., 1829. He taught school in Charlestown, Mass.; attended the lec- tures of Dr. John C. Warren, 1826-27 ; was assistant in the U.S. Marine hospital at Chelsea, Mass, 1827-29 ; studied surgery under Dr. Warren during the winter of 1828-29, and was graduated at Harvard, M.D., in 1830, and at Berkshire Medical college (Mass.) M.D., 1831. He delivered a course of lectures on anatomy in the Vermont


Medical school at Woodstock, 1829-30 ; was pro- fessor of anatomy and surgery, Colby university, 1830-33, and in the Berkshire Medical college, 1830-33 ; of anatomy and physiology in Geneva college, 1834-36 ; professor of surgery in the Cincinnati university, 1836-37 ; visited Europe in 1837 ; settled in New York city in 1839, where he was connected with the College of Physicians and Surgeons as professor of surgery, 1839-69, professor of clinical surgery, 1870-80, and profes- sor emeritus, 1880-84. He was twice married ; first, in 1839, to Caroline Allen of Massachusetts, and secondly, to Henriette Bissell. He instituted college clinics in 1840, became a visiting surgeon to Bellevue hospital in 1847, and to the New York hospital in 1856, in the meantime establishing a large practice. He became president of the New York state inebriate asylum in 1865, suc- ceeding Dr. Valentine Mott, and was a consulting surgeon to the Roosevelt, St. Luke's and Mt. Sinai hospitals. He was active in the organization of the New York Pathological society in 1843 ; of the hospital for the relief of widows and orphans of medical men in 1846, and of the New York Academy of Medicine in 1847, becoming its pres- ident in 1856. He was also influential in estab- lishing the New York city board of health, 1864- 66, and served as a member of the board. He was a member of several scientific societies of the United States and Europe. He received the degree LL.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1870. The Willard Parker hospital for contagious diseases was erected and named in his honor. His discoveries in practical surgery include the operation of cystotomy, for the relief of chronic cystitis, an operation for the cure of abscess of the appendix vermiformis and one for the la- ceration of the perineum during parturition. He was also the first in the country to call atten- tion to the phenomena of the concussion of the nerves, as distinguished from that of the nerve- centres, and to report cases of malignant pustule. His monographs include : Cystotomy (1850) ; Spontaneous Fractures (1852); Concussion of Nerves (1856); On the High Operation for Stone in the Female (1855) ; Ligature of the Subclavian Artery (1864), and a lecture on Cancer (1873). He died in New York city, April 25, 1884.

PARKER, William Harwar, naval officer, was born in New York city, Oct. 8. 1826 ; son of Fox- hall Alexander and Sara (Bogardus) Parker. He was graduated at the U.S. Naval academy in 1748, and was promoted lieutenant in 1855. His brother, Foxhall Alexander Parker (q.v.), was a cpmmander in the U.S. navy during the civil war. William Harwar Parker was dismissed from the U.S. naval service, April 20, 1861, having joined the secession movement in Virginia and accepted a commission as lieutenant commander