JAMES D. PARKER. On January 18, 1915, James D. Parker passed from the scenes of his labors in Erie County, but the memory of his pure life his many benefactions and his kindly deeds still remains. A man of sterling character, he was honorable in business, stanch in his friendships, sincere in his religious professions and true to every trust, and probably no man has ever lived in Perkins Township whose death caused more general regret and a sense of greater community loss.

James D.. Parker was born near Monroeville, Huron County, Ohio, February 17, 1850, and was nearly sixty five years of age at his death. His parents were Joshua and Jane (Francis) Parker, both of whom were born in England and were of substantial English stock. They came to America and settled in Huron County, and for many years lived at Monroeville.

James D. Parker grew up near that village, and his primary education came from the public schools, including the Monroeville .High School. When in his eighteenth year he went to Sandusky: and for a time was a student in the old Buckeye Business College in that city. Here there came in evidence a quality which was manifested frequently in his mature years. That was an ability not only to comprehend but to make others understand the knowledge which was so clear in his own mental channels. He became an instructor in the business college, and subsequently bought the school and conducted it. as its proprietor until 1875, when on account of ill health he was obliged to sell out.

Following this business experience Mr. Parker moved to a farm in Perkins Township, locating on what is known as Yankee Street,. and was profitably engaged in general agriculture there for six years. He then turned his attention to merchandising, and bought the general store at the little Village of Bogart, and was the successful proprietor and the genial merchant at that point for more than twenty years, '\until 1902. It was only a logical expression of his character that in his work as a merchant he should be known for a strict integrity and high standard of commercial methods, which governed all his transactions. He had a large trade, and his customers were constant in their patronage. He also served as postmaster of Bogart :fourteen years, and in 1897 succeeded Thomas Wood as superintendent of the Sandusky, Milan and Norwalk Electric Railroad, and managed that interurban line during 1897, 1898 and 1899. He was one of the original promoters of this railway,which was a notable distinction as having been among the first electric interurban lines in the United States.

In 1902 Mr. Parker retired~iron merchandising at Bogart and removed to the home where he had his residence thirteen years until his death. During that time he served a number of years as justice of the peace in Perkins Township and was also a, notary public. For three years preceding his death he was secretary of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company of Erie County.

His part as a citizen was characterized by the utmost public spirit, and throughout his life he labored unselfishly to improve conditions in his home township and county.c In politics lie was a republican, and was a member of the Erie County Humane Society and at one time president of the Erie County board of visitors. He was one of the prominent Masons of Erie, County, having affiliations with.,Science Lodge No. 50, F. & A. M.j Sandusky City:; Chapter No. 72, R. A. M.; Sandusky City Council No. 26, R. & S. M.; Erie Commandery No. 23, Knights Templars; and with the thirty second degree of Scottish Rite. The Knights Templars had charge of his funeral services.

Aside from these varied interests Mr. Parker's enthusiasm was perhaps best manifested in his relations to the Perkins Grange. It is said that his activities in that body would constitute an important part of its entire history: He served for several' years as master of the grange, and his geniat manner and good humor brought pleasure to every gathering. He exemplifed throughout his life a sterling Christianity. Personally he was noted for his dry humor, which always gave a certain spice of interest to his conversation, but probably his, dominant trait was his tireless industry: He was fo~ many years identified with the Methodist Church, which he served as treasurer, trustee and steward. He had united with the Methodist society in Sandusky soon after his marriage, and thence transferred his membership to the Perkins. church and surrendered his official places in that society only a short time before his . death.

Mr; Parker was married November 3, 1869, to Miss Sarah S. Gurley, . who survives him. Mrs. Parker was born at Avery in Erie County, Ohio, a.daughter of William.B.. and Nancy J. (Stevenson) Gurley, her father a native of Connecticut and her mother also of New England.' stock. Mrs. Parker's, grandfather was Rev_William Gurley, one of the Methodist pioneers of Ohio. Throughout his career as a minister Rev. William Gurley displayed the enthusiasm which he had acquired by his early associations with the founder of Methodism, Rev. John Wesley. Rev. Mr. Gurley was ordained in Ireland by this noted divine and after coming to the new world located in Bloomingville, Ohio, in 1811. He was one of the earliest circuit riders, and for many years carried on hjs arduous and self-sacrificing labors in behalf of humanity, and two of his sons followed his calling in ministry.

To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Parker were born five children: Eva J., now deceased, who married James Jarrett,. of Erie County; Laura F., who died in infancy; Dr. James D. Parker, a successful and well :known physician at Sandusky; Mrs. Jessie A., the wife of Lee S. Merriam, of Bogart, Ohio; and Leila M., who is a graduate of the Milan High School and lives at Bogart with her mother. Mr. Parker was also survived by two half-brothers, Charles and Lewis Parker, of Shelby, Ohio. At the time of his death there were also seven grandchildren. Mrs. Parker and her daughter enjoy the comforts of a modest and desirable home at Bogart, and are esteemed members of social circles in Perkins Township.

James D. Parker, M. D.. One of the leading homoeopathic physicians of SanduskyrJames D. Parker, M. D., was born in Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio, a son of James D. Parker, Sr. Joshua Parker, the Doctor's paternal grandfather, was born and reared near Boston, England. Immigrating to America. when young, he came directly to Erie County; settling in the vicinity of Milan. Ohio was then but sparsely settled, and there being no railroads in the state Milan was a shipping point for a large stretch of country, people Ivmg a hundred miles distant taking their surplus products there to sell or exchange. Working for Thomas' Butman, his first employer, a number of years he saved his scant earnings, and later bought a tract of land lying between Norwalk and Monroeville. On the farm which he cleared and improved, he spent the remainder of his days. His wife whose maiden name was Jane Francis, was also a native of England.

Born on the home farm in Huron County, February 17, 1850 James D. Parker, Sr., acquired his elementary education in. the rural' schools of his native district, afterward continuing his studies at the Monroeville High School. At the age of seventeen years he came to Sandusky to attend the Buckeye Business College, and after studying there a year became a teacher in the institution. Two years later he bought out the institution, which he conducted .successfully for six years. Being forced to give up teaching on account of failing health, he sold out, and moved to Perkins Township, where he carried on general farming until 1881. Disposing of his land in that year, he was engaged in mercantile pursuits at Bogart until 1902, when he retired from active business, although he subsequently served as deputy county treasurer, and as deputy county auditor. He continued his residence in Bogart the remainder of his life, dying January 18, 1915. He was a member of Science Lodge No. 50. Free and Accepted Masons; of Sandusky. City Chapter No. 72 Royal Arch Masons; of Sandusky City Council No. 26, Royal and Select Masters; of Erie Commandery No. 23, Knights Templars; and of the Toledo Consistory. He was a stanch republican in politics, and served as justice of the peace, and as postmaster at Bogart.

The maiden name of the wife of James D. Parker, Sr., was Sarah Gurley, who was born ,in Huron County, Ohio, a daughter of William D. Gurley; Her paternal grandfather, Rev. William D. Gurley, was born, reared and educated in County Wexford, Ireland, and there, after. serving an apprenticeship at the silversmith's trade, was for a while engaged in the jewelry business. Converted, and ordained as a preacher by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, he, with other Protestants, was persecuted and imprisoned. In 1801 he immigrated to the United States, and after spending a few weeks in New York City went to Norwalk, Connecticut, where he was engaged in the. jewelry business for ten years.

In 1811, accompanied by his wife and five children, he made an over1and journey to Ohio, coming by team to Erie County. From his brother in-law, John Beatty, he bought land lying near the present sitc of Bloomingville, becoming a pioneer of that section of the state, and the first preacher to locate permanenily in that vicinity. He preached. in different places, assisted in organizing many churches, being ever an active, faithful worker in the Master's vineyard. He died at his farm house, near Spears Corners, his remains being laid to rest in the rural cemetery near Bogart. He married Susan Beatty,. who was born in Ireland, and died on the home farm in 1848, the same year that he did, at the age of seventy years.

William D. Gurley, the Doctor's maternal grandfather, was .born, July 31, 1811, in Norwalk, Connecticut, and was but an infant when brought to Erie County, where he grew to manhood amid pioneer scenes. It is said that in 1832 he walked from. Milan, Ohio, to Chicago, where he found a very small village, containing a fort, five stores, and six houses, all of which were made of logs. Returning to Ohio, he followed his trade of a wagon maker in Perkins Township, and also engaged in general farming, remaining there until his death, in 1896, at the venerable age of eighty-five years." The house which he and his family occupied was quite a pretentious structure for those days, having been built of stone in 1822. He married Nancy Jane Stevenson, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1817, and died in Perkins Township in 1880. They reared six children, their daughter Sarah, the Doctor's mother, being now a resident of Bogart. To her and her husband four children were born, as follows: Eva; James D., the special subject of this sketch; Jessie; and Lelia.

Completing the course of study in the district schools, James D. Parker was subsequently graduated from the Sandusky High School with the class of 1894. Going then to Cleveland, he attended lectures at the homoeopathic medical department of the Ohio State University, and was there graduated in 1900 with the degree of M. D. He has since been successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Sandusky, where his professional knowledge and skill have won for him an extensive and lucrative patronage.

The Doctor belongs to the leading medical organizations of the country, including the Ohio HomoeopathicMedical Association; the American Institute; and the American Rail way, Surgeons' Association. Fraternally he is a member of ScienreLodge No. 50, Free and Accepted Masons; of Sandusky City Chapter No. 26, Royal Arch Masons; of Sandusky City Counci1 No. 26, &yal and Select Masters; of. Erie Commandery No. 23, Knights Templars; and of the Toledo Consistory.

Dr; Parker married, in 1900, Florence Glenn Day; who was born at Elmore, Ohio, a daughter of ,Amos and Edna Day, and into the pleasant home thus established five children have made their advent, namely: Ruth, Virginia, James, Watson, and Lester.