James Russell Parsons

James Russell Parsons Jr. (February 20, 1861 – December 5, 1905) was an American educator, author, and diplomat who served as consul general in Mexico City.

Early life

Parsons was born on February 20, 1861 in Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County, New York.[1] He was one of five sons of James Russell Parsons (1830–1899) and Eliza Edgerton (née Hinsdill) Parsons (1835–1896). Among his siblings were Willard Pope Parsons (who married Lillian Tompkins),[2] and Hinsdill Parsons, the general counsel for General Electric who also died in an automobile accident (he married Jessie Mary Burchard, a sister of Anson Wood Burchard).[3][4]

He attended Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, graduating as valedictorian of his class.[1] Two years later the degree of A.B. was conferred on him and in, 1902, he was made an LLB.[1]

Career

From 1882 to 1883, he served as private secretary to Bishop John Williams of Connecticut,[1] before he became School Commissioner of the First District, Rensselaer County from 1884 to 1887. At the same time, he was created Inspector of Teachers' Training Classes under the New York State Department of Public Instruction. In 1891, he became Inspector of Secondary Schools for the University of the State of New York.[5]

When Theodore Roosevelt, a close friend of Parsons, became Governor of New York in 1899, he appointed him to the New York State Board of Regents.[6]

Diplomatic career

Parsons was known to be "extremely bright, and fluent in Greek and Hebrew".[6] From 1888 to 1890, he was American consul to Aix-la-Chapelle (also known as Aachen) in Germany.

When Roosevelt became president in 1904, he made Parsons consul general to Mexico.[7] In 1905, not long after the family had moved from Elk Nest, Albany, to Mexico City, he was killed when his carriage collided with a streetcar. His wife and son were with him during the accident. His son emerged unscathed but his wife sustained minor injuries.[1]

Personal life

On February 8, 1896 Parsons was married to author Frances Theodora (née Smith) Dana (1861–1952), the daughter of New York tea merchant Denton Smith and widow of naval officer William Starr Dana (who died during the 1890 flu epidemic).[8] Before his early death, they were the parents of two children:

Following his death in an automobile accident on December 5, 1905 in Mexico City,[11] his body was returned to the United States, where he was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York.[12] His widow lived until 1952.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "CAR KILLS J.R. PARSONS, JR.; Consul General in City of Mexico Is Run Over". The New York Times. December 6, 1905. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  2. ^ The Stevens Indicator. Alumni Association of Stevens Institute of Technology. 1918. p. 213. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Hinsdill Parsons Papers, 1890-1912 - M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives". archives.albany.edu. University at Albany. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  4. ^ "H. PARSONS KILLED IN AUTO.; General Electric's Counsel Crushed Under Machine Near Albany". The New York Times. April 29, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  5. ^ Library, New York State (1905). Public Libraries. The University. p. 264. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b Pennoyer, Robert M. (13 October 2015). As It Was: A Memoir. Easton Studio Press, LLC. ISBN 978-1-63226-046-8. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Russell Parsons". www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org. Theodore Roosevelt Collection. MS Am 1454.41 (84). Harvard College Library.: Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved 19 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  8. ^ "HOW TO KNOW THE WILD FLOWERS.; A GUIDE TO THE NAMES, HUNTS, AND HABITS OP OUR COMMON WILD FLOWERS. By Mrs. William Starr Dana. Illustrated by Marlon Satterlee. New-York: Charles Soribner's Sons". The New York Times. April 16, 1893. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  9. ^ "J. RUSSELL PARSONS". The New York Times. June 10, 1970. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  10. ^ "MARGARET C. PARSONS". The New York Times. May 18, 1976. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  11. ^ Met Instant Death, in the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser; published December 6, 1905; via Newspapers.com
  12. ^ "Funeral of James R. Parsons, Jr". The New York Times. January 7, 1906. p. 7. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  13. ^ Who is Mrs. William Starr Dana? by Mary Finger, North Carolina Wildflower Preservation Society newsletter, Vol 10 No 2 (Winter 1998); reprinted in Notes of the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society, Vol 7 No 1 (Jan- March 2004) p 4-6; archived at Internet Archive Sept 26, 2006