Biographical Sketch of Robert T. Parker, Phelps County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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Robert T. Parker, civil engineer and surveyor, Phelps county, Mo., was
born in New Castle, County Limerick, Ireland, in 1826, and is a son of
Robert and Elizabeth (O'Brien) Parker, who spent their entire lives in
their native land.  The father was a farmer and landlord, and a wealthy
citizen.  Robert T. is the tenth of their twelve children, and was
educated in a private school, receiving excellent mathematical and
classical training, and between the ages of twenty and twenty-two years
was engaged in studying civil engineering, and in 1848 came to the 
United States.  He spent some time in the South in the interests of the
Mobile & Ohio Railroad as civil engineer, and in 1851 came to Missouri,
and for nine consecutive years was connected with the Missouri Pacific
Railroad.  Since that time he has been in the employ of the St. Louis,
Iron Moutain & Southern Railroad; the St. Louis & San Francisco Rail-
road; the Missouri & Western Railroad; and the Louisiana & Missouri 
River Railroad, which has occupied the greater part of his time up to 
the present date.  He is one of the most thorough and practical civil
engineers in Missouri, and has also done considerable work in Kansas
and Arkansas for the 'Frisco Railway company.  In 1887 he was appointed
by Gov. Marmaduke surveyor of Phelps county, and in November, 1888, was
elected to the same office.  He has always been a Democrat in politics,
and an earnest worker for his party.  He owns a farm of 120 acres near
St. James, on which are 3,500 apple trees and 800 peach trees.  Besides
this property he has a residence in the town, all of which has been
earned by his energy and judicious management.  He is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, Lodge No. 230, and also belongs to the Royal Arch
Chapter of that order.  He was married in Franklin county, in 1858, to
Miss Sarah Smith, who was born in Missouri, and died in 1861, having
borne one child that died one year later.  In March, 1881, he was 
weded to Miss Emma Vining, who was born in Indiana, and came to Miss-
ouri with her parents soon after the war.  They have one child.  Mr.
Parker belongs to the Protestant Episcopal Church, and his wife belongs
to the Methodist.

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