Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Parks, Hon G D A ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 7, 2008, 1:54 am Author: Past and Present Will County IL; 1907 Hon. G. D. A. Parks, deceased, who was one of the most distinguished lawyers practicing at the bar of northern Illinois, also wielding a wide influence in public affairs, came to Will county in pioneer times. He lived in Illinois through the formative period in its history and left the impress of his individuality upon public thought and action which shaped the policy of the county and of this portion of the state. Born in Bristol, Ontario county, New York, his natal day was September 17, 1817, and his parents were Joel M. and Bathsheba (Walker) Parks, the latter the youngest daughter of William Gooding, of Ontario county, New York. The father, Joel M. Parks, was born October 18, 1790, in West Stockbridge, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, while his wife was born March 25, 1799, in Bristol, Ontario county, New York, and died at Lockport, April 25, 1850. Juliet Louisa Parks, a sister of Joel M. Parks, was born at Bristol, September 16, 1819, and departed this life May 6, 1900. She was the mother of Captain James G. Elwood, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Another sister, Clarinda Parks, was born at Lockport, Niagara county, New York, March 22, 1823, became the wife of Captain N. L. Hawley, of Lockport, Illinois, and died at Chicago, March 27, 1890. A brother, William G. Parks, was born at Lockport, New York, April 9, 1825. He was a member of Company B, One Hundredth Illinois Infantry, commanded by Captain Elwood. He was killed at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 23, 1864, thus laying down his life on the altar of the Union. Another sister, Maria Josephine Parks, was born at Lockport, New York, October 7, 1831, became the wife of George E. MacGregor and died at Joliet, February 1, 1904. Spending his boyhood days in his parents' home, G. D. A. Parks acquired his early education under the instruction of private tutors. Subsequently he attended Lewiston Academy at New York, where he mastered the common and higher mathematical branches and also some of the classics. At the early age of fifteen years he entered upon the study of law at Lockport, New York, and in 1837, when twenty years of age, he went to New York city, where he continued preparation for the bar, being admitted to practice in the courts of New York in 1841, after successfully passing the required examination. He entered upon the active practice of his profession in New York city. Attracted by the growing opportunities of the middle west, Mr. Parks left his native state and made his way to Lockport, Illinois, establishing a law office and entering upon active practice in that place in 1843. For a time he was also editor of the Lockport Telegraph. Will county was still in the period of its pioneer development. It was natural that a man of his mental capacity and strength of character should become a leader in public life and as early as 1844 he was appointed master in chancery for Will county, filling the position, however, for only a few months. In 1845, there being a great depression in the law, as in all other business, and his health demanding a more active, out-of-door life. Mr. Parks accepted a position with the engineering corps of the Illinois and Michigan canal and continued until the completion of the enterprise in the spring of 1848. The following year he was again called to public office, being elected county judge of Will county, which caused his removal to Joliet, where in partnership with his brother-in-law, Hon. N. D. Elwood, he resumed the practice of his profession, soon securing an extensive and growing clientage. Mr. Elwood was an experienced business man of very extensive acquaintance and to his untiring energy the firm owe a large share of its success and reputation. After his death, which occurred in 1861. Mr. Parks acted for several years as attorney for the Chicago & Rock Island, the Chicago & Mississippi and the Joliet & Northern Indiana Railroad Companies. Devotedly attached to his profession, systematic and methodical in habit, sober and discreet in judgment, calm in temper, diligent in research, conscientious in the discharge of even-duty, courteous and kind in demeanor and inflexibly just on all occasions, he became recognized as one of the most able members of the bar and these qualities also enabled him to take first rank among those who have sat upon the bench in Will county, and made him the conservator of that justice which is the safeguard of individual liberty and happiness and the defense of our national institutions. His reported opinions show a thorough mastery of the questions involved, a rare simplicity of style and an admirable terseness and clearness in the statement of the principles upon which the opinions rest. His course during the momentous epoch in the country's history preceding the Civil war, also show forth the strength of the man and his fidelity to any cause which he believed to be right. He was ever fearless in defense of his honest convictions and in 1848 he joined the freesoil movement and made a canvass of his district. In 1850, after the consummation of the memorable compromises of that year and the dissolution of this party into its original elements, he resumed his relations with the democracy, with which he remained identified until the repeal of the Missouri compromise in 1854. He then again withdrew, making a strong anti-Nebraska speech at Lockport within a week after the introduction of that measure by Judge Douglas. He was nominated for representative from the forty-fifth district, comprising Dupage, Will, Kankakee and Iroquois counties, and was elected. In February, 1855, the general assembly took up the task of electing a United States senator and Mr. Parks gave his support to Abraham Lincoln until it became certain that the Springfield lawyer could not command the requisite number of votes for election, after which Mr. Parks steadily supported Lyman Trumbull, who was elected on the tenth ballot. In 1853 he received appointment from Governor Matteson as one of the directors of the institution for the deaf and dumb and continued in that position for several years. In 1856 senatorial honors were conferred upon him by the sixth district, comprising Will, Kendall, Kankakee and Iroquois counties. In 1864 he was made a member of the board of visitors of the naval academy, then at Newport, Rhode Island, and in the same year he received appointment from Governor Yates as one of the commissioners of the penitentiary at Joliet, in which capacity he served for a year. Throughout the period of the war Mr. Parks was a stalwart champion of the Union cause. He delivered many addresses and patriotic speeches and did everything in his power to uphold the administration at Washington. A merited honor and one in which he took just pride was his selection for three succeeding years, 1863, 1864 and 1865, to deliver the address to the citizens of Wilmington upon the celebration of the birth of the nation. He was ever an earnest and eloquent speaker, presenting his ideas with clearness, logic and force, and while he knew well how to employ the art of rhetoric it never enshrouded the great truths which he presented. His earnest belief in the doctrines which he promulgated none doubted. He never measured his speeches by the rule of public policy if clear statement and truth had to be sacrified by so doing. In 1872, having identified himself with the political movement originated at Cincinnati, he was nominated on the liberal republican ticket for congress from his district; but sharing the by no means uncommon fate of his liberal confreres, was defeated by the regular republican candidate, Mr. Corwin. He remained to the last an advocate of republican principles, although of a somewhat conservative type. He did not consider himself bound by party ties but supported unfalteringly those measures and movements which he deemed would work for the good of county, state or nation. In 1848 Mr. Parks was married to Miss Lucretia S. Story, a daughter of Samuel and Catherine Story, of Moscow, New York. She was born in 1824 and died in Joliet, in 1893, while her mother passed away October 24, 1881, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Parks were born a son and daughter, but the latter, Kate W., born in Joliet, November 29, 1853, died in infancy. The son, Samuel S. Parks, now a wealthy resident of Joliet, was born at Lockport, Illinois, November 14, 1848. He was reared in this county, attended the public schools and afterward became a student in the naval school at Annapolis, Maryland. Returning to Joliet he entered his father's law office, giving attention to the real-estate department of the business. Since his father's death he has lived practically retired at his home on Scott street, supervising, however, his various real- estate interests. The death of Mr. Parks occurred at Joliet, December 28, 1895, at the age of seventy-eight years. His religious faith was bound by no creeds or dogmas and yet there are few men who maintain a higher standard of human conduct. The literary taste which he developed in his youth remained with him throughout life and was heightened by his broad reading of ancient and contemporaneous literature. He was also a fluent writer, frequently contributing to papers and magazines, and upon the speaker's platform displayed superior oratorical power. His mind was enriched with the thoughts of master minds of all ages and he had the ability to assimilate that which he read. Few lawyers have made a more lasting impression upon the bar of northern Illinois, both for legal ability of a high order and for the individuality of a personal character which impresses itself upon a community. Additional Comments: PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/parks2610nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 10.6 Kb