John Edward Parsons
Encyclopedia
John Edward Parsons was a prominent lawyer
in New York City
and a president of the New York City Bar Association. Parsons was born in New York City in 1829 to Edward Lamb and Matilda Parsons. His father was English
and his mother was descended from a prominent Wallingford, Connecticut
family. He was educated at New York University
and Yale Law School
and was admitted to the bar in 1852.
Parsons began his legal career as the New York County Assistant District Attorney
, where he managed many of the city’s prosecutions. He was a founding member, and later president, of the New York City Bar Association and played an important role in the Bar’s prosecution of corrupt judges Albert Cardozo
, John McCunn
, D.P. Ingraham, and George Barnard. Later in his career, he started several practices, ultimately founding the firm Parsons, Closson & McIlvaine in 1902. His largest client was the American Sugar Refining Company
, the precursor to the Domino Sugar company. In the much-cited case United States v. E.C. Knight Company, Parsons successfully defended American Sugar Refining from an anti-trust suit by the United States government, preserving its over $90 million in assets. He was a member of a number of New York Institutions, including the American Museum of Natural History
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
. He served as president of the New York University Alumni Association and as a member of the university’s counsel. He was president of the New York City Bar Association from 1900 to 1901.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and a president of the New York City Bar Association. Parsons was born in New York City in 1829 to Edward Lamb and Matilda Parsons. His father was English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and his mother was descended from a prominent Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
family. He was educated at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
and was admitted to the bar in 1852.
Parsons began his legal career as the New York County Assistant District Attorney
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
, where he managed many of the city’s prosecutions. He was a founding member, and later president, of the New York City Bar Association and played an important role in the Bar’s prosecution of corrupt judges Albert Cardozo
Albert Cardozo
Albert Jacob Cardozo was an American jurist.Albert began practicing law in 1849, and became a justice of the Supreme Court of New York, that state's trial court...
, John McCunn
John McCunn
John McCunn belonged to a poor Irish immigrant family who arrived in New York in the 19th century. He worked as a dockhand before training as a lawyer, and eventually becoming a judge. He was a member of the infamous Tweed Ring, which he aided by naturalising new citizens to boost his election...
, D.P. Ingraham, and George Barnard. Later in his career, he started several practices, ultimately founding the firm Parsons, Closson & McIlvaine in 1902. His largest client was the American Sugar Refining Company
American Sugar Refining Company
The American Sugar Refining Company was the largest American business unit in the sugar refining industry in the early 1900s.-Establishment:...
, the precursor to the Domino Sugar company. In the much-cited case United States v. E.C. Knight Company, Parsons successfully defended American Sugar Refining from an anti-trust suit by the United States government, preserving its over $90 million in assets. He was a member of a number of New York Institutions, including the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
. He served as president of the New York University Alumni Association and as a member of the university’s counsel. He was president of the New York City Bar Association from 1900 to 1901.
Sources
- Dumas Malone (ed.) “John Edward Parsons.” Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. XIV. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1934.
- The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. XLVII, 1916.