User:Frederick213/Charles Darling Parks

PARKS, Charles Darling, manufacturer was born in New Brunswick, N.J. Aug. 5, 1869, son of Frederick Hiram and Louise (Price) Parks. His earliest American ancestor, Sir Robert Parke of Preston, Lancashire, England, a personal friend of John Winthrop , with whom he sailed aboard the “Arbella” landed in Boston, Mass., in 1630, living in turn at Roxbury, Wethersfield Pequot and of Mystic River; and serving as selectman and deputy to the general court. From this colonist and his wife Martha Chaplin the line descends through their son Thomas and his wife Dorothy Thompson; their son Nathaniel and his wife Sarah Geer; their son Joseph and his wife Mary Smith; their son Daniel and his wife Anna Chapman; their son Daniel and his wife Lydia; their son Solomon and his wife Susannah; and their son Zina and his wife Emeline Hamlin, grandparents of Mr. Parks. Left an orphan at an early age, Charles D. Parks was reared by relatives in Brooklyn, N.Y., Rochelle, Illinois and Danbury, Connecticut, acquiring hi early education in various schools. He began his business career in 1888 as a dealer of hides and tallows in Danbury, Connecticut and two years later, in association with his brother Edward Solomon Parks, and John Norris, organized the Danbury Fertilizer Co., for the manufacture of fertilizer. Early in 1894 he purchased from his partners the hide and tallow division of this company. The fat and bones he rendered into tallow, thus utilizing elements previously regarded as quite valueless into sources of large profits. In this departure he laid the foundation of his life success. About 1896, with his brother Edward S. Parks, he inaugurated the enterprise of recovering shellac from stiff hat roundings, which to this time had been regarded as worthless by-products of the hat factories. This business, from its inception proved successful, especially after he had learned to treat the fur product after removal of the shellac, so that with other furs it could be utilized in the manufacture of felt hats. In January, 1901 he formed a partnership with Joseph P. Mcgovern of New York, then senior partner in the firm of J. P. McGovern & Bro., brokers in hatters furs, New York, in order to further expand the business of the manufacture of hatters furs. This business, incorporated as American Hatters and Furriers Corp., with a capital of 50,000, was increasingly successful year by year, and in 1906 was reorganized as the American Hatters and Furriers Co., Inc., with a capital of $500,000. Of this company Mr. Parks was president and manager, Mr. McGovern treasurer and vice president. After Mr. McGovern’s death in 1912, the business was continued with Mr. Mercier as treasurer. When Mr. Parks died the capital was $1,250,000. In 1903 Mr. Parks organized the Connecticut Glue Co., of which he was President and Mr. Mcgovern treasurer. This company was organized to make use of the by-product from the cutting of rabbit skins, the pelt being used to good advantage in the manufacture of “Pure Rabbit Skin Glue.” Like his other ventures, this undertaking proved a great success. Mr. Parks was also president of the Star Oil Co., the Sunfast Hats, Inc., abd the Irving Trust Co. As a controlling stockholder in Parks-Mercier, Inc., and as president of the C. D. Parks Co., he was interested in large realty holdings. On his extensive country estate, “Tarrywile,” in Danbury, he maintained a large dairy establishment stocked with the finest breeds of cattle and the most modern equipment. In the management of this enterprise also he applied his high natural talent for business, so effective in other fields and made it a profit yielding undertaking as well as a source of relaxation and keen enjoyment. Mr. Parks was vice president of the Danbury Agricultural Society, which conducts the Danbury Fair; vice president of the Danbury chamber of commerce; a member of the Danbury board of finance; and a trustee of the Wooster School, Danbury. For his extraordinary record in selling Libery Loan bonds during the World war, he received a special testimonial from the U. S. government. His clubs were the Bridgewood Country and the Danbury clubs of Danbury; the Norwalk Country Club; the Algonquin Club of Bridgeport; the Chemists Club of New York City and the Metabetchuan Club of Canada. Mr. Parks was a man of impressing presence, of excellent qualities of character and friendly manner. Although determined resourceful and calculating in the business deliberate in forming his opinions, cautious in his judgements, and adamant in his convictions, he was able to relinquish exneting cares and the join in the lighter enjoyments of life. A man of cultivated tastes and keen intellect, he was a lover of nature and of good literature, music and he was married , Dec. 4 1889 , to Eleanor Sophia daughter of Wallace Bruce Parks, of Moreau N.Y. They had two daughters: Irene, wife of Louis Chadwick Rathmell; and Jeanette Darling, wife of Donald Alexander Davis. Mr. Parks died at Danbury, Connecticut, Sept. 14, 1929.