History of Ellsworth, (Litchfield County) Connecticut United States of America

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Amasa Junius Parker, jurist, was born in Ellsworth, Conn., June 2, 1807; son of the Rev. Daniel and Anna (Fenn) Parker; grandson of Amasa Parker, of Wallingford, Conn., and a descendant of William Parker, of Hartford, Conn. His parents removed to Hudson, N.Y., in 1816, and he received a good education under the tutelage of his father. He was principal of the Hudson academy, 1823-27; was graduated from Union college, Schenectady, N.Y., on examination, in 1825; was admitted to the bar in October, 1828, and became a partner of his uncle, Amasa Parker, at Delhi, N.Y. He was married Aug. 27, 1834, to Harriet Langdon, daughter of Edmund and Catharine Whipple (Langdon) Roberts, of Portsmouth. N.H. He was a member of the state assembly, 1833-34; was district attorney of Delaware county, N.Y., 1834-37; was a Democratic representative in the 25th congress, 1837-39, and was vice-chancellor and circuit judge of the third circuit, 1844-47. He presided at the anti-rent trials of 1845, and disposed of 240 cases in three weeks. He was judge of the supreme court, 1847-55, during one year of which he was on the bench of the court of appeals. In 1856 he was the Democratic nominee for governor of New York, John A. King, Republican, being elected. Erastus Brooks, Native American, was also his opponent. In 1858 he was again defeated for governor, Edward D. Morgan, Republican, being elected. He was appointed U.S. district attorney for the southern district of New York, by President Buchanan, in 1854, but declined the position and also that of U.S. minister to Russia. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1867 and 1868. He was a member of the board of regents of the University of the State of New York, 1835-44, the youngest regent ever elected in the state; was president of the board of trustees of Albany Female college for many years; trustee of Cornell university, 1871-90, and a trustee of the Albany Medical college, and president of the board of trustees, 1875-90. In 1851, in conjunction with Amos Dean and Ira Harris, he founded the Albany Law school in which he filled an important professorship. He was a corresponding member of the Buffalo Historical society for twenty-one years. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by (Geneva) Hobart college, in 1846. He edited: Reports of Criminal Cases (6 vols., 1855-69), and assisted in editing the Revised Statutes of 1859 (3 vols.), and was a commissioner of revision of the New York statutes. He died in Albany, N.Y., May 13, 1890.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Ellsworth, (Litchfield County) Connecticut

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