DWIGHT TIMOTHY PARKER, Sr., deceased, was born Dec. 21, 1821, in the village of Malone, N. Y. When a mere child, his parents removed to Georgia, Franklin Co., Vt., on the shores of that beautiful and historic lake - Champlain. Enos, his father, a pious, industrious and highly respected citizen, was one of the pioneers of that region, and possessed much of that ambitious spirit and determination which so signally characterized his son in after years; he departed this life only some sixteen months previous to the demise of his son Dwight, in the 76th year of his age. Mary Todd, the mother, whose death occurred during her son's infancy, was a sister to the late Dr. John Todd, a devout Christian, warm-hearted and noble, and a woman of rare intelligence. Here on the farm, near the little lake, Dwight T. Parker, Sr., was reared. Assisting his father in the fields during the summer months, he was taught that lesson of industry, perseverance and frugality that was never to be forgotten. In the winter he trudged wearily through the deep snows of Northern Vermont to and from the simple district school, where he learned the rudiments of figures, in which he afterward proved himself so thoroughly proficient. For several years after his majority, a desire grew upon him for more of fame and worldly goods than seemed likely to be acquired among the hills and densely populated regions of old Vermont. Thus, in the year 1843, he emigrated westward, his objective point being Wisconsin, then a Territoy. Arriving here, his first stop was made at Watertown, penniless and among strangers. From here he journeyed, principally on foot, to Lancaster, Grant Co., having been prompted thither with an eye to mining, then the principal vocation in that section, arriving there with but a small bundle of clothing and $12 in money, which constituted his entire worldly effects. Nothing daunted, he struck out for the mining business, but not having had sufficient experience, he met with poor success, and consequently pursued that occupation for only a brief period. The Boscobel Journal of 1870-71, in biographical sketches of his life, speaks of Mr. Parker as follows: "Coming to Lancaster, he sought, by working at whatever chanced to yield a return, to add to his greatly reduced purse, and we are told that while stopping with a distant relation, some question came up as to his poverty, and with a voice full of resolution, he replied that he would yet be at the top of the ladder. He took the job of digging for a mill a short distance from here, and by working night and day, completed his task, whereby he earned $50 in less than a week. We give this instance as illustrative of the indomitable will and wonderful power of endurance which he possessed. And it was by this industrious spirit, perseverance and economy that he has secured for his family a competency. Abandoning the pick and shovel for the book and rod, we next find him 'teaching the young idea how to shoot' in one of our smaller country towns. In 1848, we first hear of him in the mercantile business, as one of the firm of Kendall & Parker, located at Lancaster." Dec. 27, of this year, Mr. Parker was married to Miss Mary E., daughter of Lenhart O. Shrader, a man quite prominent in his time, whose sister, Mary E., was the estimable wife of Hon. Charles Dunn, first Chief Justice of Wisconsin, and afterward Judge of the 5th Wisconsin Circuit, and mother of Mrs. ex-Gov. Nelson Dewey, of this State. By this union four children were born, all of whom, together with the mother, are living - the eldest, a daughter, May Louise, and three sons, Dwight Timothy, Frank Arunah and Charles Dewey. The daughter, a woman of culture and refinement, and graduate both of music and letters, receiving instructions in the former at Rockford Female Seminary, and in the latter at Milwaukee Female College; was married in February, 1875, to Andrew J. Pipkin, at present a banker and prominent citizen of Boscobel. The eldest son, Dwight, Jr., an industrious, frugal and temperate young man, inheriting many of the father's excellent qualities, though "but 22 years of age, has," says a correspondent of the Chicago Tribune of 1879, "shown himself to be one of the best business men in the county." For several year prior to 1876, he pursued studies at Beloit College and the State University. In January, 1879, he was elected Vice President, and shortly afterward became President of the First National Bank of Boscobel, an institution founded by his father, and of which he was principal owner and President; but now in voluntary liquidation. Thus Dwight, Sr., was its first, and Dwight, Jr., its last presiding officer. Oct. 13, 1880, he was married to Cora B. Anderson, of Ripon, Wis. He resides on his fine stock farm in Fennimore. Frank A., the second son, 22 years of age, for some time attended school at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and afterward, owing somewhat to ill health, visited Colorado; he is at present in New Orleans. Frank is a young man of excellent habits, and possessing great pride of character. The third and youngest son, Charles D., now in his 19th year, resides with his mother at Boscobel, at ending school. He, too, is a youth of bright prospects and fair promise.
     In 1850, Mr. Parker bought the entire interest of his partner, Kendall, and for seven years stood alone, when, in 1857, discontinuing shortly afterward his Lancaster interest, he opened a branch store at Boscobel, calling it the "People's Store," a name that soon became nearly as familiar to the people of northern Grant and Crawford Counties as their own. He was really the founder and most prominent business man of the latter place, at the time of his death (1871) an enterprising village of about 1,500 inhabitants. "Up to five years ago," again quoting the Journal, "Mr. Parker's time and fortune were mainly devoted to merchandising, in which, with speculating in live-stock and grain, he was always successful. During the last five yeras, still furnishing capital for three stores, located at Boscobel, Wauzeka and Fennimore, Mr. Parker's time has been devoted mainly to farming and stock-raising. He is the owner of about 4,300 acres of wood and tillable land in this county." Speaking of his home farm, the Prairie du Chien Courier, in its obituary notice of Mr. Parker, says: "Though he was a successful merchant, he was equally as successful an agriculturist; he was a great lover of fine stock, and many of the most pleasant hours of his life were spent on his large farm. His stock farm, the largest in Grant Co., is situated in the town of Fennimore, about fourteen miles southward from Boscobel, and embraces nearly a score of eighties of the choicest lands in the State, 1,000 acres of which, in a body, are under an excellent state of cultivation, and the remainder heavily timbered land, a feature extremely important in connection with so large a farm. Here he put the best stock that could be found; and through a complete knowledge of the business, aided by a good judgment and well-directed energy, he became one of the most thorough and prosperous farmers in Wisconsin. This induced the members of the Grant County Agricultural Society to elect him their President, a position which he filled for three years, and with great ability." Speaking of him at home on his farm, the Journal again remarks: "Mr. Parker, ever ready with his fine conversational powers, and a mind well filled with all there is good of poetry or prose, will keep his guest a willing listener for hours to his quotations from Burns and Saxe, giving the peculiar dialect of the former to perfection. Of surety, Mr. Parker is peculiarly blest with a helpmate, one who has been chiefly instrumental by saving what he has by persevering industry secured. Mr. Parker is as liberal as hospitable; we could enumerate many instances of his generosity had we the time and space." Suffice to say, though a member of no religious denomination, he was a man of high moral character, and bequeathed, in several instances, sites for the erection of church edifices, in addition to liberal support otherwise; he gave generously for educational purposes, and those in adversity always found in him a friend and sympathizer. Mr. Parker was by far the heaviest real estate owner in Boscobel, being the possessor of at least a dozen buildings, and lots innumerable. In 1869, he erected here the largest and finest store building in Grant County; occupied after its completion by Parker, Hildebrand & Co. - Mr. Parker as the senior partner - a firm then doing the heaviest mercantile business in Southwestern Wisconsin. The last important business movement in which Mr. Parker distinguished himself was the establishment of the First National Bank of Boscobel, but a few weeks prior to his death, of which, as we have said, he was principal owner and President. The Courier, in its obituary notice of him, again adds: "He was a successful man in almost every enterprise he undertook, and at once gained the fullest confidence of his friends and patrons by his integrity and close attention to business. The hundreds with whom he was connected in business relations bear testimony to his just, honorable and generous dealings. He was singularly devoid of ostentation. Nothing was needed to secure his respect and confidence, but honesty and industry; and for nothing had he greater contempt than idleness and affectation." Having thus given an outline of Mr. Parker's life, brief mention will be made of his last moments and death. When, on the 19th day of May, 1871, after many months of suffering caused by a tumor, the result of an accident some two years previous, he was informed that there were no hopes of his recovery, he expressed no surprise, but regretted exceedingly that he might not be spared to see his children, whom he as fondly loved as ever did a parent, grown to honorable manhood and womanhood, under the guidance and protection of a father's loving hand. Thus, at 6:15 P. M., on the 21st day of May, 1871, his useful life went out, while yet "in the full strength of years;" and, to still more sadden the scene, at that period of the year when nature appears at her best, having but barely assumed that rich and perfect verdancy that so pleases life, as to cause not only the winged creatures to respond in sweetest notes and creation in general to acknowledge in their respective ways, the beauties of the Creator, but man himself to proclaim life, even at its worst, well worth the living.

This biography generously submitted by Roxanne Munns.