Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/705

Rh treatise on " Maritime Law," including the law of shipping, the law of marine insurance, and the law and practice of admiralty (2 vols., 1859) ; " Notes and Bills of Exchange " (2 vols., 1862) ; '• Shipping and Admiralty "(2 vols., 1869); and "The Politi- cal, Personal, and Property Rights of a Citizen of the United States " (1875).

PARSONS, Thomas William, author, b. in Boston, Mass., 18 Aug., 1819; d. in Scituate, Mass., 3 Sept., 1892. He was educated in Boston, and in 1836 went to Italy, where he studied Italian litera- ture, and translated the first ten cantos of Dante's "Inferno" (Boston, 1843). He then returned to his native city, studied and practised dentistry, and subsequently resided for several years in Eng- land. After 1872 he engaged in literary pursuits in Boston. Harvard gave him the honorary de- gree of M. A. in 1853. He issued a volume of poems entitled " Ghetto di Roma " (Boston, 1854) ; his completed translation of the " Inferno," which appeared with illustrations (1867); "The Mag- nolia," a poem (printed privatelv, 1867) ; " The Old House at Sudburv " (1870) : and " The Shadow of the Obelisk " (London, 1872).

PARSONS, Usher, surgeon, b. in Alfred, Me., 8 Aug., 1788 ; d. in Providence, R. I., 19 Dec, 1868. After receiving an academic education, he studied medicine under Dr. John Warren in Boston, entered the U. S. navy in 1812 as surgeon's mate on the frigate " John Adams," and with the other officers and the crew of that vessel volunteered for service on the lakes in June, 1813. He was acting surgeon on the flag-ship " Lawrence " at the battle of Lake Erie, and, in consequence of the illness of both of the other surgeons, was in sole charge of the wound- ed of the squadron. For his conduct on this occa- sion he was honorably mentioned in the report of Com. Oliver H. Perry, and promoted full surgeon. He served the next year on the upper lakes, was at the attack on Mackinaw, and two years on the frigate " Java," under Perry. After ten years' duty in the navy he resigned and settled in the practice of his profession in Providence, R. I. He was professor of anatomy in Dartmouth in 1820-'2, and of anatomy and surgery in Brown in 1823-'8, president of the Rhode Island medical society in 1837-'9, and the first vice-president of the Ameri- can medical association in 1853. He received honorary medical degrees from Harvard, Dart- mouth, and Brown. His publications include " The Art of making Anatomic Preparations " (Philadelphia, 1831) ; " Prize Dissertations " (Provi- dence, R. I., 1843) ; " Sailor's Physician " (1851) ; " History of the Battle of Lake Erie " (1852) ; and " Life of Sir William Pepperell " (Cambridge, Mass., 1855). — His son, Charles William, physician, b. in Providence, R. I., 6 Sept., 1823, was graduated at Harvard in 1840, and at the medical depart- ment there in 1845. He then settled in practice in Providence, was professor of physiology in Brown in 1874-'82, and is the author of two Piske fund prize dissertations (Providence, 1848-'54), and many medical and historical papers.

PARSONS, William, surveyor, b. in England ; d. in Easton, Pa., in Decetnber, 1757. Prior to 1722 he was residing in Philadelphia, a shoemaker by trade and a member of Franklin's junta club, in which he passed for " a man having a profound knowledge of mathematics." In 1743 he was ap- pointed surveyor-general of Pennsylvania, resign- ing in June, 1748. On the erection of Northamp- ton county he was appointed to an office there.

PARTON, Arthur, artist, b. in Hudson, N. Y., 26 March, 1842. He studied under William T. Richards in 1859-'61, and also at the Pennsylvania academy of fine arts in Philadelphia. His first pictures were shown in Philadelphia in 1862, and he came to New York three years later, and since that time has exhibited regularly at the Academy of design, of which he was elected an associate in 1871, and academician in 1884. During 1870-'71 he visited Europe, studying in Paris for some time. He is a member of the American water-color so- ciety, and the Artists' fund society. In 1886 he re- ceived a gold medal at the prize exhibition at the American art association for his " Evening after the Rain." His pictures include " November " (1867) ; " On the Road to Mt. Marcy " (1873) ; " A Mountain Brook " (1874) ; " Sycamores of Old Shokam," in the Amherst college collection (1876); " Delaware River, near Milford" (1879); "Night- fall " (1880) ; " The Morning Ride " (1884) ; " Win- ter on the Hudson " (1885) ; and " Evening, Har- lem River" (1887. — His brother, Ernest, b. in Hudson, N. Y., 17 March, 1845, showed a love for art at an early age, but never studied under any master. When he was twenty years old he began to devote himself entirely to painting, taking a studio in New York, where he remained until 1873. In that year he went abroad, and, after visiting Scotland and Wales, opened a studio in London, where his success decided him to remain. In 1876 he made sketching tours in Switzerland and Italy, and he visited New York in 1884-'6. He has exhibited at the Royal academy, the Gros- venor gallery, the Academy of design. New York, and the Boston art institute, where he received a medal in 1883, and he is a member of the Royal institute of painters, London, and the Artists' fund society, New York. Among his paintings are " Morning Mist " (1873) ; " Papa's Luncheon " (1875) ; " Placid Stream " (1876); " Sunny Septem- ber" and "High Hall Garden " (1877) ;"" The Si- lent Pool," " Reflections," and " Au Bord de I'Eau " (1878) ; " Waning of the Year," in South Kensing- ton museum, and "Mid-Day" (1879) ; " Silver and Gold" (1882); "Old River-Side Tree," "Falling Leaves and Fading Trees," and " Banks of the Slugwy " (1883) ; " Where Memory Dwells " and "Vale of Light" (1884); " Streatley-on-Thames " (1885) ; and " Last of October " (1886). — Another brother, Henry Woodbridge, b. in Hudson. N. Y., 28 Nov.. 1858, has also devoted himself to painting. Like his brother, Ernest, he has had no regular art-instruction, but began to exhibit in the Acade- my of design in 1878. He went to Europe in 1883, and again in 1886, studying in Paris during the winter of 1886-'7. He exhibited in the Royal academy, London, in the spring of 1884.

PARTON, James, author, b. in Canterbury, England. 9 Feb.. 1822; d. in Newburyport, Mass., 17 Oct., 1891. He was brought to this country and educated in the schools of New York city and at White Plains, N. Y. After teaching in Philadelphia and New York city, he became a contributor to the " Home Journal," with which he was connected for three years. He spent his life after that time in literary labors, contributing many articles to periodicals, and publishing books on biographical subjects. While he was employed on the " Home Journal " he remarked one day to a New York publisher that an interesting story could be made out of the life of Horace Greeley. When asked wJiy he did not do it, he said that it would require an expensive journey and a year of labor. The publisher offered to advance the means, and he collected materials from the lips of Greeley's former neighbors in Vermont and New Hampshire, and produced " The Life of Horace Greeley " (New York, 1855 ; new and completed ed., Boston, 1885),