Frederic Hale Parkhurst (November 5, 1864 – January 31, 1921) was an American politician. He was the 52nd Governor of Maine.

Biography

He graduated from

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

's Columbian Law School (now George Washington University Law School) in 1887 and became an attorney in Bangor. He soon abandoned the law for business, and became partner with his father in a successful leather manufacturing and retail business. 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 ...

, he served on the Bangor City Council from 1893 to 1894 and was the council's president in 1894. He was a member of the Maine House of Representatives from 1895 to 1896 and 1899 to 1902. He was a Delegate to the

1900 Republican National Convention The 1900 Republican National Convention was held June 19 to June 21 in the Exposition Auditorium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Exposition Auditorium was located south of the University of Pennsylvania, and the later Convention Hall was constr ...

. Parkhurst was also a member of the Maine Militia, serving as Commissary General with the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

from 1901 to 1904. From 1907 to 1908 Parkhurst was a member of the

Maine State Senate The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution ...

, and he was chairman of the

Maine Republican Party The Maine Republican Party is an affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Maine. It was founded in Strong, Maine, on August 7, 1854. The party currently does not control the governor's office or either chamber of the Maine Legislature ...

from 1914 to 1916. In 1920, he defeated incumbent Carl Milliken in Maine's Republican primary for governor.http://bridgton.advantage-preservation.com/Viewer/?k=milliken%20parkhurst&i=f&by=1920&bdd=1920&d=01011920-12311920&m=between&fn=the_bridgton_news_usa_maine_bridgton_19200625_english_2&df=1&dt=10 After winning the general election in September, Parkhurst became ill during the period between winning the election and his inauguration. Parkhurst managed to leave his sickbed to take the oath of office, but died of pneumonia just three weeks later. He was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor. His 26 days as Governor make his term one of the shortest in Maine history; the record belongs to Nathaniel Haskell, who served for 25 hours in 1953. Senate President Percival Proctor Baxter, also a Republican, finished Parkhurst's term in office.

References

Frederic Hale Parkurst
at
National Governors Association
' 1864 births 1921 deaths George Washington University Law School alumni Maine lawyers Politicians from Bangor, Maine Republican Party members of the Maine House of Representatives Republican Party Maine state senators Republican Party governors of Maine Deaths from pneumonia in Maine Burials in Maine Maine Republican Party chairs {{Maine-politician-stub