Richard E. Parker

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 by	Benjamin W. Leigh
Succeeded by	William H. Roane
Personal details
Born	December 27, 1783 Westmoreland County, Virginia
Died	September 10, 1840 (aged 56) Bluemont, Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Foushee Parker
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Unit	35th Virginia Regiment]]
Battles/wars	War 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. 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.

External links

• United States Congress. "Richard E. Parker (id: P000069)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
•  "Parker, Richard Elliott". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1900.
• Richard E. Parker at Find a Grave