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Richard E. Parker

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Richard Elliott Parker
Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court
In office
February 9, 1837 – September 10, 1840
United States Senator
from Virginia
In office
December 12, 1836 – March 13, 1837
Preceded byBenjamin W. Leigh
Succeeded byWilliam H. Roane
Personal details
Born(1783-12-27)December 27, 1783
Westmoreland County, Virginia
DiedSeptember 10, 1840(1840-09-10) (aged 56)
Bluemont, Virginia
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseElizabeth Foushee Parker
Military service
AllegianceUnited States of America
RankLieutenant colonel
Unit35th Virginia Regiment]]
Battles/warsWar of 1812

Richard Elliott Parker (December 27, 1783 – September 10, 1840) was a lawyer, soldier, judge and political figure from Virginia. Parker served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the United States Senate, before later serving on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

Biography

Parker was born at ‘Rock Spring,’ Westmoreland County, Virginia, son of Captain William Harwar Parker and Mary (Sturman) Parker, and grandson of Judge Richard Parker and Elizabeth (Beale) Parker. He studied law under his grandfather Parker at ‘Lawfield,’ his grandfather's residence in Westmoreland County. After being admitted to the bar, he practiced in Westmoreland, his native county, which he represented in the Virginia House of Delegates.[1]

During the War of 1812, Parker served as Lieutenant colonel in the Thirty-fifth Virginia Regiment Militia. As such, he was in charge of the defense of the Northern Neck of Virginia from British incursions. On September 16, 1814, Parker was wounded during the British attack that resulted in the burning of Washington.[2]

After the war, Parker returned to private practice and was elected to the general court on July 26, 1817. On December 12, 1836, Judge Parker was elected United States Senator from Virginia as a Jacksonian to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Benjamin W. Leigh. Parker resigned from the Senate on March 4, 1837, to accept a seat on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. He refused the cabinet office of United States Attorney General offered him by President Van Buren.[2]

Parker died on his estate, ‘Soldier’s Retreat,’ near Snickersville (now Bluemont, Clarke County), Virginia, September 10, 1840. He was buried alongside his wife, Elizabeth Foushee Parker at Grace Episcopal Church in Berryville, Va. in the county of Clarke.

References

  1. ^ "PARKER, Richard Elliott, (1783 - 1840)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography; Volume 2 (Lyon Gardiner Tyler ed.). Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 1915. p. 65. ISBN 9781154336733. Retrieved 21 June 2014. 
*Clarke County Historical Association, Berryville, Va. 
*Grace Episcopal Church Burial Records
*Find a Grave for Judge Richard E. Parker, Grace Episcopal Church, Berryville, Va.
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 2) from Virginia
December 15, 1836 – February 13, 1837
Served alongside: William C. Rives 		Succeeded by
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