Francis G. Parks (June 1, 1824 – February 18, 1902) was an American educator, newspaper editor, businessman, and politician. Born in Goshen,

Addison County, Vermont Addison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,363. Its shire town ( county seat) is the town of Middlebury. History Iroquois settled in the county before Europeans arrived in ...

, Parks went to Brandon Academy in

Brandon, Vermont Brandon is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,129. History On October 20, 1761, the town of Neshobe was chartered to Capt. Josiah Powers. In October 1784, the name of the town was chang ...

. He then went to a Latin school in Leicester, Vermont. Parks taught school in Rutland and Addison Counties, Vermont In 1845, he moved to St. Johnsbury, Vermont and worked at E & T Fairbanks & Company, which manufactured platform scales. In 1854, Parks served in the Vermont House of Representatives. During his term in the

Vermont General Assembly The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...

, he helped moved the county seat of Caledonia County, Vermont from

Danville, Vermont Danville is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,335 at the 2020 census. The primary settlement in town is recorded as the Danville census-designated place (CDP) and had a population of 385 at the 2020 census. ...

to St. Johnsbury, Vermont. In 1855, Parks moved to

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

and eventually settled in

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

Waukesha County, Wisconsin Waukesha County () is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its county seat and largest city is Waukesha. Waukesha C ...

. From 1888 to 1891, Parks of the editor of a weekly newspaper. He was also in the real estate and insurance business. Parks served as postmaster of Eagle, Wisconsin. He also served as chairman of the Eagle Town Board and on the school board. In 1873, Parks served in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

and was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. Parks died at his home in Eagle, Wisconsin.'The Town of St. Johnsbury VT-A Review of One Hundred and Twenty-Five Years to the Anniversary Pageant 1912,' Edward Fairbanks, The Cowles Press, St. Johnsbury, Vermont: 1914, At the State House-Town of St. Johnsbury, pg. 569-570

Notes

1824 births 1902 deaths People from Goshen, Vermont People from St. Johnsbury, Vermont People from Eagle, Wisconsin Businesspeople from Wisconsin Educators from Vermont Editors of Wisconsin newspapers Mayors of places in Wisconsin School board members in Wisconsin Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Wisconsin postmasters 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century American educators Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly 19th-century Wisconsin politicians {{Vermont-politician-stub