330 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



>i>^A^A^*^* ^*^< 



DANA F. PARK. 



Bee-keepers, like other people, must 

 sooner or later expect to be called from 

 earthly scenes to those of a higher and 

 better world. We believe that this is 

 only the third biographical sketch of the 

 kind that we have had in the Bek Jour- 

 nal, since beginning this department, 

 Mr. Quinby and Mr. Grimm being the 

 others. 



Though the leaders in bee-keeping are 

 taken from the field of earthly uselul- 

 ness, yet they live in the lives and 

 memories of those left to mourn their 

 departure ; and with the hope that help- 

 ful lessons may be learned from the life- 

 stories of those who have aided in advanc- 

 ing modern bee-culture, and also have 

 been a blessing to mankind in the va- 

 rious walks of life, we present to our 

 readers something about Mr. Dana F. 

 Park, of Athens, Pa., one of our old 

 subscribers, and who for nearly half a 

 century had been engaged in bee-culture, 

 keeping pace with its advancements, 

 and at death his apiary ranking with 

 the best in the section of country where 

 he lived. 



Along with his large mercantile trade 

 he acted as a general supply agent for 

 bee-keepers of the surrounding country, 

 and was in correspondence with apiarists 

 in many parts of the United States. 



From his son, Robert li., we find that 

 as a lad he learned to hive his father's 

 swarms, and had been actively engaged 

 in the work ever since. After one ter- 

 rible experience, such as any bee-man is 

 liable to — of falling from a tree with a 

 swarm of bees, resulting in many stings, 



and necessary staying in-doors for weeks 

 — the sting of a bee produced but mo- 

 mentary pain, no swelling following. 

 He preferred the Eclectic form of hive, 

 and replaced black bees with the Ital- 

 ians at an early date. 



Mr. Park died on Aug. 5, 1893, of 

 cancer of the liver, which had affected 

 other organs and the stomach. 



The following more formal account of 

 Mr. Park's life and labors among his 

 fellow men, we take from a newspaper 

 sketch published at Athens, Pa., where 

 he had been known and honored for 

 years : 



Dana Fish Park, the eldest son of the 

 late Rev. Chester Park, was born in 

 Sheshequin, Jan. 6, 1830. When Dana 

 was five years old the family came to 

 Athens, and his father embarked in the 

 mercantile business. At a very early 

 age Dana was installed as a clerk, 

 spending his time when not in school 

 waiting upon customers. Being un- 

 usually bright, he had so advanced be- 

 fore he was out of his teens, that be was 

 thoroughly competent to manage the es- 

 tablishment — a much more difficult task 

 then than in these days when business 

 is done more systematically. When he 

 attained his majority he was admitted 

 as partner in the store. Although the 

 partnership continued until 1862, when 

 the senior member retired, the manage- 

 ment of the concern devolved upon the 

 junior partner, and it is no flattery to 

 say that Athens never had a more popu- 

 lar business man. 



Mr. Park had been twice married ; 

 first, to Miss Catharine Ball, Oct. 22, 

 1855 ; second, to Miss Lydia M. Carner, 

 April 20, 1865, who survives him, with 

 his four sons, Irvin K., the only child 

 by the first marriage, and William K., 

 Robert B., and Charles D. ; also one 

 adopted daughter. May. 



Perhaps no other citizen of this village 

 has taken as great interest in its welfare 

 as Mr. Park. During his whole life ho 

 has been closely connected with its 

 affairs. He has several times filled offi- 

 ces of honor and trust, such as burgess, 

 councilman, school director, etc., the 

 duties of which were always discharged 

 with fidelity. He has always been fore- 

 most and selfsacrificing in promoting 

 the interests of the town and the good 

 of his fellowmen. 



During the Civil War lie was most en- 

 ergetic in ministering in every possible 



