I have previously done a Tidbit of Shelby County History on the life of R.L. Parker. Please check our website for this article to get a better understand of the life of R.L. Parker and his influence on the town of Center. His obituary was reprinted from The Champion May 17, 1916. This information was taken from Mildred Pinkston’s “Obituaries of Early Pioneer Shelby County, Texas.” It has been 159 years since R.L. Parker removed the county records from Shelbyville to the town that later became known as Center.

Founder of Center and Prominent In County for Years

Judge R.L. Parker died at the family residence here Wednesday afternoon at 4:25 o’clock, following a long siege of feeble health. The Champion stated last week that he was in a serious condition and that he could not live long, and before the paper was well off the press, the news of his death was received.
The funeral occurred Thursday afternoon, the religious services being held at the Methodist church and conducted by Rev. E.D. Watson, the pastor. Following the religious service the members of the Masonic order took charge of the remains and conducted the burial services, interment being at the old cemetery (Methodist Cemetery).

A very large crowd of friends and acquaintances attended the services and many floral offerings were presented as a token of the love and esteem of the donors.
Judge Parker is survived by five girls and one son by a first marriage, being Mrs. W.B. Downer of Center, Mrs. Nora McCutcheon of Fort Worth, Mrs. Livie Haynes of Beaumont, Mrs. Stella McGowan of Kaufman, Miss Irena Parker of this place and Dr. Robert Parker of Deadwood, and his wife of a second marriage and one daughter, Mrs. T.T. Smith of Center.

A sketch of Judge Parker’s life would be interesting if it could be gotten together as it really was, for he was noted for his kindness to suffering humanity. It is said that at no time was he ever known to turn away a needy person and that no time came when he was not ready to go to the assistance of those who called for help.
He was a rugged nature: strong in mind and body; lovable and interesting to take with. When the county seat was moved to Center he was the first to arrive and from that day until his recent illness, he always performed is part toward the upbuilding of the town. In everything he undertook, he did so in a way peculiar to his own, but in all things being open and fair to all.

“Honorable R.L. Parker was a remarkable man, and when death touched him at the age of eighty=six, it closed an eventful career. He first became prominent in Shelby County by his election to the office of Shelby Clerk in 1860, which position he continued to fill by re-election during the entire four years of war between the states, and for the generous, kind and continuous assistance he gave the people generally, and to the women and children especially, whose husbands and fathers were away in the serve of their country, he greatly and enduringly endeared himself to the people of Shelby County.

Because of his long service in the office of County Clerk, he acquired the thorough, practical knowledge of county affairs, which enabled his, as a member of the 15th Legislature of Texas, to render another great public service by the re-enactment of the probate law of 1846, the best law of the kind ever had by the state.

Full sixty years he lived in Shelby County. He passed through stirring times, participated in stormy scenes, engaged in bitter political contest, but his last years were years of peace and good will to his fellow man. He could not bear malice, could not cherish resentment, was the very soul of generosity and kindness, and while the present generation survives, he will be remembered for his countless deeds of kindness, for the good he did for other all along the journey of life.”