Amasa J. Parker

Amasa Junius Parker ( born June 2, 1807 in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, † May 13, 1890 in Albany, New York) was an American lawyer and politician (Democratic Party).

Career

Amasa Parker was born 1807 in Sharon, but then moved in 1816 with his family to Hudson ( New York). There he was taught by private tutors and graduated in 1825 from Union College in Schenectady (New York). He was then 1823-1827 acting as a principal in Hudson. He also studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1828 and then began in Delhi (New York) to practice.

Parker also pursued a political career. He was 1833-1834 a member of the New York State Assembly. He then worked as a regent of the State University of New York. Parker was elected as a Democrat to the 25th United States Congress, where he served from March 4, 1837 to March 3, 1839. He decided in 1838 against a bid again and returned to his job back as a lawyer. Later, he worked as Deputy Chancellor and 1844-1847 as a magistrate. During this time, he moved in 1844 his residence to Albany ( New York). Parker was 1847-1855 served as a judge of the Supreme Court of New York for the third district, which he was ex officio judge of the New York Court of Appeals. During his re-election attempt in the office, he suffered a defeat. He was also one of the founders in 1851 of the Albany Law School. After his time at the Supreme Court, he ran twice, in 1856 and 1858, unsuccessfully for the office of governor of New York. After that he took part in the Constituent Assemblies of New York as a delegate in 1867 and 1868.

Amasa Parker died in 1890 in Albany and was buried there in the Albany Rural Cemetery.

Family

He was with Harriet Langdon Roberts, granddaughter of Woodbury Langdon, married one of New Hampshire's representatives in the Continental Congress. The couple had four children together. Among them were General Amasa J. Parker, Jr., in command of the National Guard of New York, and Mary Parker, who married Erastus Corning (1827-1897) and mother of the Lieutenant-Governor Edwin Corning was.