James Cutter Dunn, musician, b. in Boston, 2 June, 1828, is the son of Samuel H. Parker. He was graduated at Harvard in 1848, and studied music at the Leipsic conservatory in 1851-'4. He has been professor of piano-forte and harmony in the Boston university college of music and in the New England conservatory. Since 1864 he has been organist in Trinity church, Boston, and he has also been organist to the Handel and Haydn society. He has written a “Manual of Harmony” (Boston, 1855) and “Theoretical and Practical Harmony” (Boston, 1870), translated Ernst F. E. Richter's “Manual of Harmony” (Boston), and has published collections of music, besides numerous original compositions.
PARKER, Samuel, clergyman, b. in Ashfield,
Mass., 23 April, 1779; d. in Ithaca, N. Y., 24 March,
1866. He was graduated at Williams in 1806
and at Andover theological seminary in 1810,
became a missionary in western New York, and
subsequently was in charge of Congregational churches
in Massachusetts and New York. Mr. Parker
originated the mission of the American board in
Oregon, travelled there in 1835-'7, subsequently
lectured in many eastern states on the character
of that territory, and did much to establish the
claims of the U. S. government to the lands, and
to induce emigrants to settle there. He is also
said to have been the first to suggest the possibility
of constructing a railroad through the
Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean. He
published “Exploring Tour Beyond the Rocky
Mountains” (Ithaca, N. Y., 1838). — His son, Henry
Webster, clergyman, b. in Danby, N. Y., 7 Sept.,
1824, was graduated at Amherst in 1843, studied
theology, was ordained to the ministry of the
Presbyterian church, and has been a pastor in
western and central New York and in Massachusetts.
He studied at the Lawrence scientific school
of Harvard in 1864-'5, became professor of chemistry
in Iowa college in the latter year, was professor
of mental science and natural history in Massachusetts
agricultural college in 1870-'9, and since
1879 has occupied a similar chair in Iowa college.
He has published “Story of a Soul,” a poem
(Auburn, N. Y., 1850) and “Verse” (Boston, 1862),
and has contributed largely to the magazines. —
His wife, Helen Fitch, author, b. in Auburn,
N. Y., 20 Dec., 1827; d. in Amherst, Mass., 4 Dec.,
1874, was educated at Auburn female seminary,
and married Mr. Parker in 1852. Her publications
include “Sunrise and Sunset” (Auburn, 1854);
“Morning Stars of the New World” (New York,
1854); “Rambles after Land Shells” (Boston,
1863); “Missions and Martyrs of Madagascar”
(1864); “Frank's Search for Sea-Shells” (1866);
“Constance of Aylmer,” a tale of the 17th century
(New York, 1869); “Blind Florette” (Boston, 1871);
and “Arthur's Aquarium” (1872).
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PARKER, Theodore, clergyman, b. in Lexington, Mass., 24 Aug., 1810; d. in Florence, Italy, 10 May, 1860. His grandfather, Capt. John Parker, commanded the company of minute-men that were fired on by the British troops on 19 April, 1775. Theodore was the youngest of eleven children. From the father, a Unitarian and Federalist, he inherited independence of mind, courage, and love of speculation; from his mother, depth of religious feeling. The family were poor, and the boy was brought up to labor on the farm. At the age of six he was sent to the district school, which was then taught by young students from Harvard. The instruction was never systematic, quite rudimental, and very meagre, but the boy's thirst for knowledge overcame all obstacles. At eight he had read translations of Homer and Plutarch, together with such other works in prose and verse as were accessible, including Rollin's “Ancient History.” At the age of sixteen he was allowed to go to a school at Lexington for one quarter, an expensive indulgence, costing four dollars. Here he began algebra, and extended his knowledge of Latin and Greek. At the age of seventeen he taught himself. No school could give him enough. He studied all the time, and remembered all he learned, for his memory was as amazing as his hunger for acquisition. This year militia duties were added, and Theodore threw himself into these with his usual ardor, rose to rank in his company, and learned how to fight. All the time he was the light of his home, charming among his mates, exuberant, joyous, a pure, natural boy in all his instincts. One day in August, 1830, having obtained leave of absence from his father, he walked to Cambridge, was examined, admitted, walked back, and told his unsuspecting father, then in bed, that he had entered Harvard college. For a year he stayed at home and worked on the farm, but kept up with his class, and went to Cambridge only to be examined. Under these circumstances he could not obtain his bachelor's degree, and that of A. M. was conferred on him as a mark of honor in 1840. In March, 1831, he became assistant teacher in a private school in Boston, and toiled ten hours a day. In 1832 he undertook a private school at Watertown. There he remained ten years, becoming intimate with Convers Francis, the large-minded Unitarian minister there, reading his books, teaching in his Sunday-school with Lydia Cabot, whom he afterward married, and working his way toward the ministry. While in Watertown he read Cicero, Herodotus, Thucydides, Pindar, Theocritus, Bion, Moschus, and Æschylus; wrote a history of the Jews for his Sunday-school class, studied French metaphysics, began Hebrew in Charlestown, whither he walked on Saturdays to meet Mr. Seixas, a Jew, and began the pursuit of theology. In 1834 he went to the divinity-school, and his religious feeling took a conservative turn at that time. He seemed rather over-weighted with erudition, though by no means dry. His first venture in preaching was at Watertown from the pulpit of his friend, Mr. Francis. Then followed a period of “candidating” at Barnstable, Concord, Waltham, Leominster, and elsewhere. In June, 1837, he was ordained as minister at West Roxbury. This was a season of study, friendship, social intercourse, intellectual companionship, solid achievement in thought, unconscious preparation for the work he was to do. Here he gradually became known as an iconoclast. He was at West Roxbury about seven years, until February, 1845. During that time the Unitarian controversy was begun, the overworked student had passed a year in Europe, examining, meditating, resolving, clearing his purpose, and making sure of his calling, and the future career of the “heresiarch” was pretty well marked out. In January, 1845, a small company of gentlemen met and passed a resolution “that the Rev. Theodore Parker shall have a chance to be heard in Boston.” This was the be-
