Albion K. Parris
Encyclopedia
Albion Keith Parris was an American politician
and jurist
of Maine
. Parris served in many elected and appointed positions throughout this life, including state legislator, U.S. Senator
, the fifth Governor of Maine
, state Supreme Court judge, and mayor
.
, Maine, then a part of Massachusetts
. His father, Samuel, was from Massachusetts and has been one of the first settlers of the town following the American Revolutionary War
. His cousin was Virgil Delphini Parris, also a politician. Parris entered Dartmouth College
in 1803, graduating in 1806. He later studied law and was admitted to the bar, beginning practice in 1809 in Paris
, Maine. In 1810, he married Sarah Whitman, the eldest daughter of the Reverend Levi Whitman of Wellfleet
. He had three daughters and two sons (including Albion Woodbury Small), all of who survived him.
In 1811, Parris became the Oxford County
prosecutor. From 1813 to 1814, Parris served in the State House
; from 1814 to 1816 he was a member of the State Senate
.
On March 4, 1815, Parris began his term as a U.S. Representative
from Massachusetts, elected as a Democratic-Republican. On January 27, 1818, Parris was nominated by President
James Monroe
to become a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maine
, the seat having been vacated by David Sewall
. The appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate
the next day, and Parris resigned from Congress on February 3, 1818, to assume his judgeship. In 1819, Parris was a delegate to the Maine constitutional convention. He served as a judge until January 1, 1822, when he resigned to become the Governor of Maine. Parris served as Governor until 1827.
That year, Parris was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving from March 4, 1827, to August 26, 1828, when he resigned to become a judge on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
. Parris served as a Supreme Judicial Court judge until 1836, when he became the Second Comptroller of the Treasury; Parris served in this position until 1850.
In 1852, Parris became the mayor of Portland
. He did not seek reelection and launched an unsuccessful bid in 1854 as a Democrat to become Governor; he was defeated by Anson P. Morrill. In his later years he was an active member of the High Street Church and a Sunday School
teacher. He died at age 69 in Portland and was interred at the Western Cemetery.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. Parris served in many elected and appointed positions throughout this life, including state legislator, U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, the fifth Governor of Maine
Governor of Maine
The governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
, state Supreme Court judge, and mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
.
Biography
Parris was born in HebronHebron, Maine
Hebron is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Hebron is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area. The town's history has always been interconnected with Hebron Academy, a co-ed college preparatory boarding school which is located in the town's...
, Maine, then a part of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. His father, Samuel, was from Massachusetts and has been one of the first settlers of the town following the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. His cousin was Virgil Delphini Parris, also a politician. Parris entered Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1803, graduating in 1806. He later studied law and was admitted to the bar, beginning practice in 1809 in Paris
Paris, Maine
Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entire town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly...
, Maine. In 1810, he married Sarah Whitman, the eldest daughter of the Reverend Levi Whitman of Wellfleet
Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Wellfleet is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the town had a population of 2,749 at the 2000 census, which swells nearly sixfold during the summer...
. He had three daughters and two sons (including Albion Woodbury Small), all of who survived him.
In 1811, Parris became the Oxford County
Oxford County, Maine
Oxford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine with a population of 57,833 as of the 2010 U.S. census. Its county seat is Paris.Part of Oxford County is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, metropolitan New England City and Town Area while a different part of Oxford County is...
prosecutor. From 1813 to 1814, Parris served in the State House
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
; from 1814 to 1816 he was a member of the State Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
.
On March 4, 1815, Parris began his term as a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Massachusetts, elected as a Democratic-Republican. On January 27, 1818, Parris was nominated by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
to become a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maine
United States District Court for the District of Maine
The U.S. District Court for the District of Maine is the U.S. district court for the state of Maine. The District of Maine was one of the original thirteen district courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, even though Maine was not a separate state from Massachusetts until 1820...
, the seat having been vacated by David Sewall
David Sewall
David Sewall was a Massachusetts attorney and judge.Born in York, Maine , son of Samuel Sewall and Sarah Batchelder, Sewall received an A.B. from Harvard University in 1755 and read law to enter the Bar in 1760...
. The appointment was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
the next day, and Parris resigned from Congress on February 3, 1818, to assume his judgeship. In 1819, Parris was a delegate to the Maine constitutional convention. He served as a judge until January 1, 1822, when he resigned to become the Governor of Maine. Parris served as Governor until 1827.
That year, Parris was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving from March 4, 1827, to August 26, 1828, when he resigned to become a judge on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Maine Supreme Judicial Court
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in Maine's judicial system. Known as the Law Court when sitting as an appellate court, it is composed of seven justices, who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate...
. Parris served as a Supreme Judicial Court judge until 1836, when he became the Second Comptroller of the Treasury; Parris served in this position until 1850.
In 1852, Parris became the mayor of Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. He did not seek reelection and launched an unsuccessful bid in 1854 as a Democrat to become Governor; he was defeated by Anson P. Morrill. In his later years he was an active member of the High Street Church and a Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
teacher. He died at age 69 in Portland and was interred at the Western Cemetery.