Person:Reuben Parkinson (2)

Daily Northwestern April 25, 1893

Mr. Parkinson Dead

A Pioneer of Oshkosh Expires

After an illness of about ten days, Reuben M. Parkinson, one of the oldest pioneers of Oshkosh, died at ten o'clock this morning at the residence of Mrs. Mary Spencer, 82 Franklin avenue. A week ago last Saturday Mr. Parkinson was stricken with a partial stroke of paralysis, and since that, although there were times when recovery seemed probably, his life has been despaired of. Last Thursday he was removed from the residence of Cook Ely, where he had been staying, to the home of Mrs. Spencer. He passed a bad night last night and this morning he was unconscious and death was momentarily expected.

Reuben M. Parkinson, one of the best known and highly esteemed pioneers of Oshkosh, was born in Schoharrie county, N.Y., May 10, 1808, and was a son of Reuben Parkinson and Nannie (McCurdy) Parkinson. He came to this city in September, 1850, the place then containing about 300 inhabitants. Later on he embarked in the grocery business, and devoted his attention to that for about two or three years. After that he gave some attention to the practice of law, but he gradually worked into the real estate business which was his chief pursuit until a few years ago, when he retired from active business. In 1833 he married Miss Esther A. Woodard, but in 1838 she died, leaving two children, Hannah J. Parkinson, now the wife of Samuel G. Norton, of Jasper county, Mo., and Joseph Parkinson, who died in Missouri in January, 1881. In 1840, in Erie county, N.Y., Mr. Parkinson married his second wife, Miss Chloe L. Pratt, who died in this city in April, 1874, and by whom he had four children: D.J. Parkinson, who practiced law in this city for about eight years and who died December 22, 1878; Morris B. Parkinson, now a musician of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Clara Parkinson, who married Walter R. Barns, a lawyer of Stevens Point, but now deceased; and Nellie Parkinson, now the wife of James Cavanaugh, an attorney of Kenosha. Mr. Parkinson was a gentleman highly popular both in business and social circles, and his death will be greatly regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.