JOHN William PARSONS, M. D., who at the time of his death, February 28, 1912, was the oldest practicing physician in Portsmouth, N. H., was born in Rye, N. H., August 1, 1841, a son of Col. Thomas Jefferson and Eliza (Brown) Parsons, and a grandson of Dr. John Wilkes Parsons, prominent among the earlier physicians of Rye, N. H. Col. Thomas J. Parsons, the father of John W. Parsons, was adjutant of the Thirty-fifth Regiment in the old New Hampshire militia, and lieutenant- colonel of the First Regiment in 1836, being also an aide-de-camp of Gen. Isaac Hill. John W. Parsons attended the public schools of Rye, Hampton Falls Academy, Pembroke Academy, Franklin Academy, was at Phillips Exeter Academy three years, and took a scientific course of one year at Norwich University, Vermont. He began the study of medicine in 1861 in Dover, N. H., with Levi G. Hill, M. D.; attended one course of lectures in Dart- mouth Medical College, 1862, and took a course in practical anatomy there in 1863. He also attended two courses of lectures and summer school at the Medical School of Harvard University, receiving the degree of M. D. there- from in March, 1865, and took a special course in gynecology at Boston, under Horatio R. Storer, M. D., in 1867. Dr. Parsons was commissioned assistant surgeon of the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in April, 1865, and was mustered out of service in January, 1866. He settled in Portsmouth, N. H., on his birthday, August 1, 1866, and continued the practice of medicine here until his death. He was an able and successful physician and surgeon, widely recognized as an authority on medical matters, and no less esteemed as a citizen. Few men were more generally beloved. During his long and active life Dr. Parsons served in various important positions with high credit. He was for more than thirty years president of the board of trustees of the Chase Home for Children. He was a trustee of the Portsmouth Hospital and a member of the board of directors of the Portsmouth Athenaeum. He served for many years as justice of the peace, and in 1876 was appointed, by the governor, auditor of the New Hampshire Asylum for the Insane. He held many prominent positions in his profession, being long an active and influential member of the American Medical Association. He was a member of the New Hampshire Medical Society for forty-five years, serving on its board of trustees twenty-two years and on its board of censors fifteen Page 1068 years, and as president in 1884. He was a member of the Strafford District Medical Society and served as its president in 1885-86, and also several terms -1884, 1889 and 1891-as president of the Portsmouth Medical Association. He was a member of the Harvard Medical Alumni Association; an honorary member of the Medical Society of the State of California; a member of the Grand Army of the Republic; a member of the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons; a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Massachusetts Commandery, and a member of the Sons of the Revolution. Dr. Parsons was examining surgeon for pensions from 1885 to 1889 inclusive. In religion he was a Unitarian, belonging to the church of that denomination in Portsmouth. The death of this useful and prominent citizen caused widespread sorrow throughout the city and wherever his character was known and appreciated. His remains were laid to rest in the South Cemetery. The following additional tribute to his memory is copied from the "Transactions of the New Hampshire Medical Society, 1912": "During his long career in Portsmouth, Dr. Parsons became a notable figure in the best life of the town. He was a man who commanded, first respect, and afterwards affection. Nobody who knew him could help honoring him for his qualities of character. He possessed the virtues which claim the respect and admiration of intelligent people-straight-forwardness and integrity, frankness of speech, entire and even self-sacrificing devotion to the duties of his profession, and the most absolute freedom from any sort of pretension. He was what he appeared to be-a perfectly upright, sincere, high-minded physician, of whose faithfulness and devotion, those who came to him could feel absolutely sure. In the resolution passed upon his death by the Portsmouth Medical Association, his brother physicians said of him: 'We desire to go on record as admiring his unswerving honesty, his inflexible purity of purpose, his steadfastness for the right, his skill and judgment as a physician, his ever-ready counsel in time of perplexity, and we believe that his unique position in the community will never be filled.'" Dr. Parsons was married February 12, 1873, to Mary Augusta, a daughter of the late Capt. Ebenezer G. Adams, a sea captain, formerly of Portsmouth, N. H. Mrs. Parsons survives her husband.

Name: John William Parsons
Residence: Boston, Massachusetts
Occupation: Surgeon
Age at enlistment: 23
Enlistment Date: 4 Aug 1865
Rank at enlistment: Asst Surgeon
State Served: Massachusetts
Survived the War?: Y
Service Record: Commissioned an officer in Company S, Massachusetts 24th Infantry Regiment on 17 Apr 1865.
Mustered out on 20 Jan 1866 at Richmond, VA.
Birth Date: 1 Aug 1841
Death Date: 28 Feb 1912
Death Place: Portsmouth, NH
Sources: 3,36,153,125,188