Fenton Marion Parke
b. 21 September 1866, d. 6 February 1967
- Father: Andrew George Parke
- Mother: Mary Delina Hall
- Fenton Marion Parke was born on 21 September 1866 in Leon, Cattaraugus County, New York.
- He married Margaret Kidd, daughter of James Kidd and Mary Watt, on 9 April 1902 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, with Rev. Samuel V. Holmes, DD, officiating.
- Fenton Marion Parke became a widower at the 2 December 1925 death of his wife Margaret Kidd.
- The following appeared on 3 December 1925 in the Buffalo Evening News: The death of Mrs. Margaret Kidd Parke, 56, wife of Fenton M. Parke, real estate dealer, occurred Wednesday evening in the family residence, 123 Park street. Her death followed an operation. [:C:R] Throughout her life, Mrs. Parke was interested in educational and charitable work. She was born in Brampton, Ontario, September 20, 1869, the daughter of the late James and Mary Watt Kidd, of Buffalo. She was educated in Buffalo schools. She then devoted her attention to a study of kindergarten methods and teaching. [:C:R] In 1902 she was married to Fenton M. Parke. There are three children, Robert, Richard, and Margaret, all of Buffalo. For the past two years Mrs. Parke has been conected with the Home for the Friendless, as treasurer and editor of the bulletin of that organization. She was a member of the Chromatic society. Recently she completed a course at the University of Buffalo including astronomy, English, philosophy, and psychology. She returned from a three months' European trip only a few weeks ago. [:C:R] The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon in the family residence, with interment in Forest Lawn.
- Fenton Marion Parke died on 6 February 1967 at age 100 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, at 123 Park Street at his residence.
- The following appeared on 7 February 1967 in the Buffalo Courier-Express: Fenton M. Parke, dean of Buffalo realtors, civic leader and historian, who celebrated his 100th birthday Sept. 21, 1966, died Monday morning in his home at 123 Park St.
He had been active until several months ago and was sparkling with humor and good will at a large outdoor reception given for him when he reached the century mark.
In 1964 at the age 0f 96 he decided to "take it easy" and retired as president of the Board of Park Hall & Co., 66 Niagara St., a firm which he founded in 1902.
Mr. Parks had served for six years as president of the City Planning Assn., for 42 years as president of the Jesse Ketchum Memorial Fund and was a past president of the Buffalo Real Estate Assn.
Collecting antique clocks and material about Abraham Lincoln were two of Mr. Parke's favorite hobbies. His Lincoln material included potographs, documents, busts and other items. This collection he gave to the University of Buffalo several years ago.
He had collected more than 200 antique clocks and kept the valuable assortment in his home. Mr. Parke was noted for his clock parties held when the time changed in the fall and spring. Each clock wold be turned to the new time by Mr. Parke, who would give a brief lecture on each.
Mr. Parke was born in a log house in Alderbottom, a remote section in the Town of Leon, Cattaraugus County, a year after Lincoln was assassinated. He was named for Gov. Reuben E. Fenton, who came from Frewsburg, Chautauqua.
His parents, Mary Hall Parke and Andrew G. Parke, were members of farm families who had moved to New York from New England. Mr. Parke attended the one-room Dayton District School 7 and was graduated from the Chamberlin Institute, Randolph, in 1888.
His first position was teaching school in his home district. The next year he was named principal of the Leon village school.
During the years 1890 and 1891 he studied law with a Randolph law firm and then came to Buffalo to study at the University of Buffalo Law School, but poor health interrupted his studies and he returned to the farm.
Later he returned to Buffalo and accepted a position with Kingsley & Potter, a real estate firm. During this period he continued his law studies.
He remained with the real estate firm for 10 years and resigned from the company in 1901. In Jan. 1902 he opened his own business in the White Building now the Blue Cross-Blue Shield Bldg.
For four years Mr. Parke's firm was associated with Nathaniel P. Hall, who had an insurance business.
With six other men, Mr. Parke organized in 1904 the Real Estate Assn. of the Chamber of Commerce, which later became the Greater Buffalo Real Estate Board.
Mr. Parke took part in almost every important civic event since the turn of the century. He was a driving force in the erection of a monument to the memory of President McKinley, assassinated at the Pan-American Exposition here in 1901.
When plans were made for the restoration of old Ft. Niagara, Mr. Parke was active in the movement and at one time served as vice president of the Old Ft. Niagara Assn. He was a life member of the association.
During World War I Mr. Parke was one of 23 official negotiators who purchased land for the U.S. Housing Corp. In World War II he and 75 others formed the Society of Industrial Realtors to aid the federal government in securing industrial properties for national defense uses.
Through Mr. Parke's efforts the Society of Industrial Realtors (SIR) was introduced to Buffalo in the late 1940s.
In 1966 the Western New York Chapter of the society was chartered by the national organization. There are five Buffalo real estate offices currently in the local chapter. Realtors are elected to membership in the society.
In 1909 Mr. Parke became secretary of the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce. During this period a rival organization, the Manufacturers Club, staged an Industrial Expositions.
Mr. Parke was influential in getting the Chamber of Commerce to support the exposition and Mr. Parke's co-operative attitude led to a merger of the Manufacturers Club and the Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber, under Mr. Parke's leadership, raised more than $100,000 for a development fund and in 1910 set up an Industrial Committee to attract more businesses to Buffalo.
Mr. Parke kept abreast of the times. Although he dressed like a southern colonel of a past era, he was vitally interested in developments of the nuclear age.
Mr. Parke was a strong advocate of individualism and personal drive. One of the great interests of his later years was the Allentown Assn., an organization consecrated to the restoration and rejuvenation of the neighborhood in which he lived.
When Mayor Frank A. Sedita proclaimed Mr. Park's 100th birthday as Fenton Parke Day, the street in front of his home was blocked of for the big reception sponsored by the Allentown Assn. At this event Mr. Parks was presented a commissioned portrait of himself painted by Virginia Cuthbert Elliott.
Other birthday parties given for him at this time included those giiven by the 629 Club of the Buffalo Consistory, the Government Research Bureau and the Buffalo Rotary Club.
The centenarian never drank alcohol nor smoked and believed in eating in moderation. However, he always attributed his good health to the grace of God.
For years Mr. Parke was active in the affairs of Westminster Presbyterian Church and at one time was a ruling elder and later was named a life-long ruling elder.
His wife, the former Margaret Kidd, died in 1926 /[sic/]. He is survived by three children, Mrs. Margaret Eastman and Richar d J. of Buffalo, and Robert of Springville. There are seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Westminster Presbyterian Church, 724 Delaware Ave. - The following appeared on 7 February 1967 in.
- A detailed biographical sketch of Frnton Marion Parke and his forbears appears in Niagara Frontier: A Narrative and Documentary History, published in 1931.
- Last Edited: 22 Apr 2014