Frank Nesmith Parsons (September 3, 1854 – August 9, 1934) was a

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

, and Chief Justice of the

New Hampshire Supreme Court The New Hampshire Supreme Court is the supreme court of the U. S. state of New Hampshire and sole appellate court of the state. The Supreme Court is seated in the state capital, Concord. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate ...

from 1902 to 1924.

Biography

Parsons was born in

Dover, New Hampshire Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 32,741 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city in the New Hampshire Seacoast region and the fifth largest municipality in the state. It is the county se ...

on September 3, 1854, the son of Rev. Benjamin F. Parsons, a prominent New Hampshire

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

minister. He was educated at

Pinkerton Academy Pinkerton Academy is a secondary school in Derry, New Hampshire, United States. It serves roughly 3,269 students, making it by far the largest high school in New Hampshire, more than 1,300 students greater than the next largest high school. Pi ...

Derry, New Hampshire Derry is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 34,317 at the 2020 census. Although it is a town and not a city, Derry is the most populous community in Rockingham County and the fourth most populous in the ...

and at

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...

, graduating in the class of 1874. After teaching for several years, Parsons studied law and passed the bar in 1879. He became the law partner of

Austin F. Pike Austin Franklin Pike (October 16, 1819October 8, 1886) was a United States representative and Senator from New Hampshire. Born in Hebron, New Hampshire, he pursued an academic course, studied law, and was admitted to the bar of Merrimack Count ...

, a successful lawyer and politician; their partnership continued until Pike's death in 1886. Parsons married Pike's daughter Helen on October 26, 1880. She died on March 6, 1914. Parsons was appointed the State Law Reporter in 1891. 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 ...

, from 1893 to 1894 he served on the

New Hampshire Executive Council The Executive Council of the State of New Hampshire (commonly known as the Governor's Council) is the executive body of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The Executive Council advises the Governor on all matters and provides a check on the governor ...

. In 1895 Parsons was elected as the first mayor of

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

, and in the same year he was appointed an associate justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. In 1902 he became Chief Justice, and continued in this post until 1924. In 1912, Parsons was also president of the

New Hampshire Bar Association The New Hampshire Bar Association (NHBA) is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. History NHBA's lineage extends back to county bar chapters such as New Hampshire's Grafton County Bar Association which ...

. From 1925-1928 he served as a state representative. In 1889 and 1930 he represented Franklin at state constitutional conventions, serving as president of the convention in 1930. Parsons was also actively involved in community affairs, serving on the Franklin school board and board of water commissioners, as president or director of several local banks, as president of the board of trustees at Pinkerton Academy, president of Franklin Hospital, and president of the

New Hampshire Historical Society The New Hampshire Historical Society is an independent nonprofit in Concord that saves, preserves, and shares New Hampshire history. Introduction The New Hampshire Historical Society was founded in 1823. The society has an extensive collection o ...

. He died at his home in Franklin on August 9, 1934.

Notes

References

1854 births 1934 deaths People from Dover, New Hampshire Dartmouth College alumni New Hampshire lawyers Mayors of places in New Hampshire Members of the Executive Council of New Hampshire Republican Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives Chief Justices of the New Hampshire Supreme Court Pinkerton Academy alumni {{NewHampshire-mayor-stub