328 Kansas Academy of Science. 



Here he passed his boyhood days and obtained a common-school 

 education. He prepared for college at Jonesville, Mich., and at 

 nineteen years of age entered the State University at Ann Arbor^ 

 where he completed a classical course. After his graduation he 

 served one year as principal of a private academy in Indiana, and 

 then taught for four years in the graded schools of Illinois. He 

 entered the Chicago Theological Seminary, from which he was 

 graduated in 1865. He was called to the pastorate of the Congre- 

 gational church at Plymouth, 111., where he remained two years. 

 During this period he studied and took the examinations at lUinoia 

 College, Jacksonville, and received the degree of doctor of philoso- 

 phy. In 1867 he was called to the chair of natural science in Lin- 

 coln College, Topeka, Kan. This institution afterward became 

 Washburn College. In 1875 Doctor Parker removed to Kansas 

 City, Mo., and during his residence there organized the Kansas 

 City Academy of Science. In 1881 he was commissioned by Presi- 

 dent Arthur as a post chaplain in the United States army, and 

 served with distinction in that capacity for fifteen years at various 

 army posts in Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Arizona and California. 

 His last station was at San Diego, Cal., where he was retired from 

 active service in 1896. 



While stationed in Nebraska Doctor Parker participated with 

 others in the organization of the Nebraska Academy of Science, at 

 Lincoln; and during his residence in San Diego, although in poor 

 health, he maintained his activity in the cause of science and edu- 

 cation. He was president of the University Extension Society, 

 and secured eminent men as lecturers under its auspices. He or- 

 ganized the Crtlifornia Scientific Association. The location of the 

 State Normal School at San Diego was largely due to his efforts. 

 This has been of great value to the southern part of California. 

 Having recovered his health to some degree, he went to Washing- 

 ton, D. C, and later to New Haven, Conn. He passed three years 

 among the congenial surroundings of that classical city, but failing 

 health again compelled him to seek the more congenial climate of 

 California, to which he returned in 1906, making his home in 

 Berkeley. In 1907 he had the happiness to celebrate with his 

 estimable wife the golden anniversary of their marriage, at which 

 time they received messages of congratulation from sixteen states, 

 Cuba and the Philippines. 



Doctor Parker died of arterial sclerosis, in the general hospital 

 at The Presidio, San Francisco, March 8, 1909. Funeral services 

 were held in the post chapel, where Chaplain Jones, assisted by 



