Memoirs of Georgia, Vol. II, Atlanta, Ga., pages 925-926
Published by The Southern Historical Association in 1895
TROUP COUNTY
James F. Park, LL. D., was born May 17, 1834, in Hall county,
Ga. He was the son of John and Sarah T. (Robertson) Park. His
paternal great-grandfather was a native of Virginia and a
soldier in the war of 1812. His paternal grandparents were
also from the state of Virginia. The Park family came
originally from County Donegal, Ireland, in 1744, and settled
in Chester county, Penn. Dr. Park�s great-grandfather was a
revolutionary soldier, killed at the battle of Cowpens. Dr.
Park received his early training from his father, a teacher by
profession and thorough and capable in his work; he completed
his education at the university of Georgia, where he graduated
with the highest honors of his class. He early chose the
profession of teaching as his life work, and followed it
without interruption for over thirty years. He was beyond
question a great teacher and a master in his profession, and
the high characters and intellects of many professional and
business men, prominent and many of them eminent, in the
several southern states testify to the powerful influence for
good and usefulness wrought into them by his care and guidance
as an educator. Few ever entered the educational field better
equipped for its useful and arduous labors, and none ever
reaped greater success in its truest sense. He was founder and
principal of the famous Park high school of Tuskegee, Ala., and
during his active labors was honored with the degree of Ph. D.
by the university of Alabama, and of LL. D. by the college at
Auburn, Ala. In 1883, from failing health, Dr. Park retired
from his profession and removed to his native state, settling
at LaGrange, Ga. Here he has lived a quiet, retired life with
the exception of two years service as alderman and two years as
mayor of LaGrange. During his mayoralty he was largely
instrumental in the inauguration of a system of electric lights
and water works for the city of LaGrange, which only needed
these two additional marks of progress to render it first among
the smaller cities of Georgia. In 1863 Dr. Parks married Miss
Emma Bailey, daughter of William and Octavia (Holt) Bailey.
Six sons are the result of this marriage: Frank, Edward
Douglass (deceased), Robert Emory, Walter Gordon, Henry Earle
and Raleigh Park. Dr. Park is today retired from active life
and spends a quiet time at his beautiful home in LaGrange,
varied with occasional travel.
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