Richard Parker (Representative)
Encyclopedia
Richard Parker was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and judge from Virginia
.
Born in Richmond, Virginia
, Parker completed preparatory studies, studied law and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice in Berryville, Virginia
. He held several local offices before being elected a Democrat
to the United States House of Representatives
in 1848, serving from 1849 to 1851. He was elected judge of the thirteenth judicial circuit
of Virginia
on January 15, 1851, serving until 1869. During his capacity of this seat, Parker pronounced the death sentence for abolitionist
John Brown
who was captured at Harpers Ferry, Virginia
(now West Virginia
) after his unsuccessful attempt to raise an insurrection in 1859. After retiring from the court, Parker resumed practicing law in Winchester, Virginia
until his death there on November 10, 1893. He was interred in Mount Hebron Cemetery in Winchester.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Born in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Parker completed preparatory studies, studied law and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice in Berryville, Virginia
Berryville, Virginia
Berryville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Clarke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,963 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. He held several local offices before being elected a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the United States House of Representatives
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...
in 1848, serving from 1849 to 1851. He was elected judge of the thirteenth judicial circuit
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on January 15, 1851, serving until 1869. During his capacity of this seat, Parker pronounced the death sentence for abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
who was captured at Harpers Ferry, Virginia
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
(now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) after his unsuccessful attempt to raise an insurrection in 1859. After retiring from the court, Parker resumed practicing law in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
until his death there on November 10, 1893. He was interred in Mount Hebron Cemetery in Winchester.
External links
- Richard Parker at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...