Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/206

 PARKE

PARKE

and after the assassination of Mr. King became attorney of the vigilance committee, which deliv- ered the city from the power of lawless ruffians. In 1857 he was defeated by D. C. Broderick for the U.S. senate. He was associated with John C. Fremont in the Mariposa estate and in gold mines. His wife having died, lie married, sec- ondly, Ella, daughter of O. C. Nichols of San Francisco. He returned to Bennington, Vt., in 1S63, established the First National bank, and was a representative in the state legislature. He assisted in the reorganization of the Ver- mont Central railroad; purchased the Western Vermont railroad, and began the construction of the Lebanon Springs railroad, hoping to make Bennington a great railroad centre, but receiv- ing no support, he abandoned the plan, after losing a large fortune in the venture. He was associated with General Baxter in Nevada in the ownership of the Emma mine in 1873, was a di- rector of the Pacific Mail Steamship company for several years, and owned a controlling interest in the Panama railroad, of which he was president, 1874-S2. He was a trustee of the University of Vermont, 1865-G7, to which he gave the Park Art Gallery; contributed liberally to the New York Tribune " Fresh Air Fund "; established the Bennington Free Library, and was a member of the committee on the design of the Bennington battle monument. He died at sea on his way to Panama. Central America, Dec. 13, 1882.

PARKE, Benjamin, jurist, was born in New Jersey, Sept. 2, 1777. He removed to Lexington, Ky., in 1797, studied law with James Brown, sec- retary to Governor Shelby, and was admitted to the bar. He married Eliza Barton of Lexington, and in 1801 removed to Vincennes, Ind. Ter. He was attorney-general of the territory, 1804- 08, succeeding John Rice Jones; a representative in the first territorial legislature in 1805; and on Nov. 9, 1806, with William Henry Harrison and others, he became a trustee of the proposed University of Vincennes within the borough of Vincennes. He was the first territorial delegate to the 9th and 10th congresses, 1805-08, resign- ing to accept the appointment as territorial judge of Indiana by President Jefferson, serving 1808-17. He was a member of the state constitu- tional convention at Corydon, June 10, 1816, and was a member of the committee appointed by that body July 19 to designate the township to be set apart by the President of the United States for the use of a seminary of learning; Perry, ^lonroe county, being selected and named for the President and Commodore Perry. He was judge of the U.S. di.strict court for Indiana, March 6, 1817-35. In 1811 he raised a company of dra- goons and went to the relief of the frontier set- tlers. He served on Governor Harrison's staff in

his treaty with Tecumseh and in the battle of Tippecanoe, was promoted major, and com- manded the cavalry after the death of Major Daviess. He lost his fortune in a bank venture at Vincennes, and subsequently removed to Sa- lem, Ind. He founded the law library of the supreme court of Indiana, was instrumental in establishing the public library at Vincennes, and was a promoter and trustee of Vincennes univer- sity, 1806-35. He also organized and was first president of the Indiana Historical society. He died in Salem, Ind., July 12, 1835.

PARKE, John Qrubb, soldier, was born in Chester county, Pa., Sept. 22, 1827; son of Francis and Sarah (Gardner) Parke, and a descendant of John Parke, one of the early settlers of Chester county. He entered at the University of Pennsyl- vania with the class of 1847, but left at the close of his sopho- more year and was graduated from the U.S. Military aca- demy second in the class of 1849, being assigned to the topo- graphical engineers. He engaged in various surveys, including that of the boundary line between Iowa and Minnesota, 1849- 50, and was secretary of the board for the improvement of lake harbors and western rivers, 1852-53. He was promoted 2d lieutenant April 18, 1854, engaging in the second survey of Southern California, 1854-56, and 1st lieutenant July 1, 1856, and was chief astronomer and sur- veyor in settling the northwest boundary, 1857- 61, under the treaty of 1846. He was commis- sioned captain of the 13th U.S. infantry in 1861, but declined to serve, was promoted captain of topographical engineers Sept. 9, 1861, and briga- dier-general of volunteers Nov. 23, 1861. He ac- companied General Burnside on the expedition to North Carolina, 1861-62, being a.ssigned to the command of the 3d brigade, with which he en- gaged in gaining possession of Roanoke Island, Sept. 7, 1862, Newbern, March 14, 1862, and Fort Macon, April 25, 1862. He was brevetted lieuten- ant-colonel, U.S.A., April 26, 1862, for .services in the capture of Fort Macon, and major-general, U.S. volunteers, July 18. 1862. He was engaged in the movement to Newport News, Fredericksburg and Washington, D.C., in 1862, and was chief of staff of the 9th army corps, Army of the Poto- mac, commanded by General Burnside. during the Maryland campaign, at South Mountain and