JOHN CRAFFORD PARKER
THE TIDEWATER NEWS - 01-10-1919
The death of Hon. Jno. C. Parker of our town removes one of our most prominent and best-loved men; the county is bereft of a leader, upright and esteemed by everyone and the State as well will feel the loss of an able and gifted lawyer and public-spirited citizen. Mr. Parker was in his fifty-sixth year and although his health had not been up to its usual standard for many weeks, he was actually confined to his bed for only a short while before the last summons came. Those who were with him in his last hours saw him meet it with high heart and undaunted spirit, characteristic of the nobility of his soul, a man who had done his duty to his country and his God and had no reason to be afraid.
Mr. Parker was the son of the late Jesse A. Parker of Isle of Wight and was prominently connected with a number of the old families of that county. Graduating in law at the University of Virginia, he came to Franklin in 1882 to practice his profession and taught school here for a few months during his first year's residence in the town. He had grown with the town, watching it rise from a straggling village, hard hit by the disastrous fire of 188a, to the modern and progressive town which mourns his departure today, and in every upward movement, every undertaking for material progress and civic righteousness, he was always to be counted upon. He not only could ever be found upon the side of right, but in espousing its cause he was as fearless as a lion and held the voice of duty higher than any consideration of business or friendship. In the several campaigns looking to the curtailment and final abolition of the liquor traffic in Franklin, Mr. Parker took an active and an effective part, and as attorney for the town a number of years, the Mayor and Council had the benefit of his sound and able legal guidance.
Mr. Parker represented Southampton in the Virginia Legislature, sessions of 1895 - '96 and 1897-'97; served the county most acceptably as treasurer for the late Colonel L.R. Edwards while our lamented townsman was in the Spanish-American war; was Democratic county chairman for a number of years, and was prominently mentioned for Judge in 1916 when a new circuit was proposed by the Legislature and again in the early port of this year when Judge McLemore considered resigning from the bench. Mr. Parker receiving the unanimous endorsement of the Southampton bar on both occasions. He was also one of the Virginia delegation to the National Democratic convention in St. Louis in 1916.
Although still in the prime of life, he was the oldest practicing attorney in the county and he bore a reputation for legal attainments and for sterling integrity in his profession which was more than state-wide. He was associated with the Camp Manufacturing Company, Franklin's largest industrial enterprise, for thirty-two years, becoming attorney for that company soon after it located here in 1885 and no one, outside of his immediate family, feels his death more keenly than Messrs. P.D. and J.L. Damp, owners of the company and life-long friends of Mr. Parker.
We believe it is no exaggeration to say that the people of his town and county had learned to appreciate the great worth of our departed friend more for the last tow years of his life than ever before, although he had always enjoyed the general esteem and respect of his fellow citizens. When war was declared against Germany in April 1917, the clarion voice of John C. Parker calling the people to their duty to our great Government was one of the first to be heard in Southampton. Even before the war clouds broke upon America, Mr. Parker, in common with many others, had seen the approach of the storm and had voiced his indignation against the brutalities of the German nation. As the various war activities began to assume shape among our people and the call went forth for unselfish and publis0spirited men and women he was one of the very first to respond, and from that day until a few weeks prior to his death his voice was heard and his presence felt in every nook and corner of our county and in many neighboring communities of adjoining counties as he freely gave himself to the work of the Red Cross, the Liberty Loans, the Y.M.C.A. and to all other war-relief measures. To him the Red Cross of our county owes a debt which could not be paid, even were our friend still among us to receive the high need of praise which his splendid efforts for that great organization of mercy merited. The sole symbol worn upon his coat as he was laid to rest was a simple Red Cross button and surely no knight of chivalry was more honored by all the decorations of heraldry. As Red Cross chairman for the county since its organization, he had worked for th cause tirelessly and without ceasing, and his more intimate friends now realize that the strain and responsibility of this and other war work had seriously impaired his health and made him a more easy victim to the malady with which he was stricken a few weeks ago. His fellow townsmen love to think of him as they last saw him in public, in the peace celebration of November 11; the patriotic speech which he made to the crowds on the street and the sweet spirit with which he presided over the union thanksgiving service on the evening of the same day. No one rejoice more sincerely over the successful conclusion of the great war than he; no one had labored at home more earnestly and effectively - and to him belong equal honors with the fallen hero of the battlefield and the trench.
As a member of the M.E. Church, he was devoted to the Master's cause and a useful figure in both the local church and the Virginia Conference. He was a member of the Board of Stewards of the Franklin Methodist Church and of the Virginia Conference Education Board, besides having held other important assignments in the State and district conferences.
In 1888 he married Miss Emily V. Norfleet of this town, daughter of the late A.W. Norfleet, who survives him with two sons and one daughter, Lieut. Jno. C. Parker, Jr., of the army aviation forces in France; Alex W. Parker of the marine aviation corps, now stationed at Miami, Fla., and miss Mary V. Parker of Franklin; two brothers, Geo. H. Parker of Zuni, Va. and H.C. Parker of Newport News; two sisters, Mrs. E.S. Eley of Franklin and Miss Jesse M. Parker of Norfolk, besides a number of nephews and nieces, three of whom reside in Franklin, Geo. H. Parker, Jr., Mrs. Geo. R. Hayes and J. Lawrence Eley, U.S.N.
The funeral services were held from the Methodist church Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock and were conducted by his pastor Rev. R.M. Chandler, assisted by Rev. J.L. McCutcheon of the Baptist church and Rev. Francis R. Lee of the Episcopal church, Interment following in Poplar Spring cemetery. The pallbearers were Messrs. P.D. Camp, E. Frank Story, R.A. Pretlow, J.J. Bristow, dr. W.E. Snipes; Judge Jas. L. McClemore of Suffolk, Toy D. Savage of Norfolk and Jas. T. Gillette of Courtland.
Out-of-town relatives and friends attending Mr. Parker's funeral were Miss Jessie M. Parker of Norfolk, Mr. Jesse A. Parker of Newport News, Mrs. Jasper Cotton of Chuckatuck, Dr. and Mrs. J.A. Norfleet and Miss Hontas Norfleet of Berkley, Dr. and Mrs. Gavin Rawls and Miss Edna Rawls of Carrsville, Rev. and Mrs. J.D. Harte and son, Nelson, of Oxford, N.C., Judge Jas L. McLemore, Mrs. and Mrs. John King, Mrs. James Causey, Misses Georgie and Zaidee Crump of Suffolk and Mr. Toy D. Savage of Norfolk.
Contributor: Southampton Co.,Va.Hist.Soc. (47284464