HomeMy WebLinkAboutI - 07 Ceremony honoring Alton B. ParkerSTATE OF NEW YORK
SUPREME COURT CHAMBERS
CORTLAND COUNTY COURTHOUSE
46 GREENBUSH STREET
CORTLAND, NEW YORK 13045-02772
(607) 218-3340
FAX (212) 520-6830
MARK G. MASLER
JUSTICE
CRTMasler_Chambers@nycourts.gov MICHAEL P. PORCIELLO, LAW CLERK
SHERYL A. HOLBROOK, SECRETARY
March 28, 2022
Via Email
Mr. Kevin Fitch, Chairman Dr. Erik Bitterbaum, President
Cortland County Legislature SUNY Cortland
60 Central Avenue Miller Building, Room 408
Cortland, New York 13045 Cortland, New York 13045
kfitch@cortland-co.org erik.bitterbaum@cortland.edu
Mr. Scott Steve, Mayor Mr. Christopher Kuretich, President, Board of Education
City of Cortland Mr. Robert Edwards, Superintendent
25 Court Street Cortland Enlarged City School District
Cortland, New York 13045 1 Valley View Drive
mayor@cortland.org Cortland, NY 13045
schoolboard@cortlandschools.org
Mr. Thomas Williams, Supervisor
Town of Cortlandville
3577 Terrace Road
Cortland, New York 13045
tawilliams@cortlandville.org
RE: Honoring Alton B. Parker
Dear Esteemed Community Leaders:
You may be familiar with the distinguished career of one of Cortland’s most
accomplished native sons, Alton B. Parker. Born in 1852 in Cortlandville – where a New York
State historical sign marks the place of his birth – he served as Chief Judge of the New York
Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court, and was the Democratic candidate for President of
the United States in 1904. Judge Parker had many local connections: He taught in Virgil
School, was a member of the first graduating class of the Cortland Normal School (predecessor
to SUNY Cortland), and, on October 5, 1922, laid the cornerstone for the present Cortland
County Courthouse. The former Parker Elementary School was named in his honor.
Additional biographical information is available at the links shown below.
Judge Parker’s portrait has been displayed in the Main Courtroom at the Cortland County
Courthouse for many years, with no biographical information provided. The court has
commissioned a plaque to display next to his portrait to commemorate his career and recognize
Honoring Alton B. Parker
March 28, 2022
Page 2
his many connections to our local community. We plan to dedicate this plaque during the
afternoon of October 5, 2022 – the centennial of the date on which Judge Parker laid the
cornerstone for the Courthouse. I am contacting each of you to extend an advance invitation to
attend the dedication ceremony and to ask that you also consider recognizing Judge Parker’s
connection to your respective organizations on this occasion. If you are interested in doing so,
please contact me by September 15, 2022 so that we can include your organization in the
program.
Very truly yours,
Hon. Mark G. Masler
Supreme Court Justice
MGM:sh
pc (via email): Mr. Christopher Simser, President, Cortland County Bar Association
Hon. Eugene D. Faughnan, Administrative Judge, Sixth Judicial District
Hon. Julie A. Campbell, Cortland County Judge
Hon. David C. Alexander, Cortland County Judge
Mr. Patrick Perfetti, Cortland County District Attorney
Ms. Elizabeth Larkin, Cortland County Clerk
Links:
Wikipedia, Alton B. Parker, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton_B._Parker
Robert M. Mandelbaum, Biography of Alton B. Parker from The Judges of the New York Court
of Appeals: A Biographical History, Fordham University Press (2007), available at
https://history.nycourts.gov/biography/alton-brooks-parker/ (see also,
https://history.nycourts.gov/biography/alton-b-parker/)
Robert C. Kennedy, Explanation of “Citizen Parker,” available at
https://www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=August&Date=20