Richard Chappel Parsons (October 10, 1826 – January 9, 1899) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio for one term from 1873 to 1875.

Early life and career

Born in New London, Connecticut, Parsons pursued classical studies, and moved to Norwalk, Ohio, in 1845. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1851 and commenced practice at

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

. He was the law partner of

Rufus P. Spalding Rufus Paine Spalding (May 3, 1798 – August 29, 1886) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer and judge from Ohio. From 1863 to 1869, he served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served as a justice of the Ohio Su ...

, a prominent Ohio politician and jurist who would himself serve three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Parsons was the son-in-law of Samuel Starkweather, who served non-consecutive terms as mayor of

in the mid-1800s.

Early political career

He served as member of the city council in 1852 and 1853 and served as president in 1853. He served as member of the State house of representatives 1858-1861 and served one term as speaker. He was appointed consul to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 27, 1862, but resigned, effective October 1, 1862. He served as collector of internal revenue at Cleveland 1862–1866. President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

offered Parsons the offices of Governor of Montana Territory and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. He declined both, instead serving as the first Marshal of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1867 to 1872.

Congress

Parsons was elected as a Republican to the Forty-third Congress (March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875). He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for reelection to the Forty-fourth Congress.

Later career

He resumed the practice of law in

. He was editor and part owner with

William Perry Fogg William Perry Fogg (27 July 1826 – 8 May 1909) was an American adventurer and author, as well as the inspiration for Phileas Fogg in the 1873 novel ''Around the World in 80 Days''. Fogg was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, the son of Josiah F ...

of the Cleveland ''Daily Herald'' in 1877.

Death

He died in

, January 9, 1899. He was interred in Lake View Cemetery.

References

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parsons, Richard Chappel 1826 births 1899 deaths Politicians from New London, Connecticut People from New London, Ohio Lawyers from Cleveland Burials at Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland Speakers of the Ohio House of Representatives 19th-century American newspaper publishers (people) Cleveland City Council members 19th-century American diplomats 19th-century American journalists American male journalists 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American male writers Journalists from Ohio Republican Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Marshals of the United States Supreme Court 19th-century American lawyers Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio