Randolph  County,  Indiana

Walter  G. Parry


            The biographies of successful men are instructive as guides and incentives to those whose careers are yet to be achieved. The examples they furnish of patient purpose and consecutive endeavor strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accomplish, if he is willing to press forward in the face of all opposition, refusing to be downed by untoward circumstances, thus making stepping-stones of what some would find to be insurmountable stumbling blocks. The gentleman whose life history is herewith, we hope, accurately and succinctly set forth, is a conspicuous example of one who has lived to good purpose and achieved a definite degree of success in the special sphere to which his talents and energies have been directed.
            Walter G. Parry, one of the leading attorneys of Winchester and Randolph county, was born in Richmond, Indiana, March 30, 1873. He is a son of  George and Anna (Larsh) Parry, both natives of Wayne county, Indiana. The Parry family came from Pennsylvania, and the Larsh family from New Jersey, both being pioneer settlers of Wayne county, Indiana. George Parry learned the plasterer's trade in early life, which he followed for some time, but devoted the major portion of his life to farming. The family came to Randolph county over a quarter of a century ago and settled on a farm near Lynn, where our subject lived until he was seventeen years of age, then removed to the city of Winchester where he became connected with the offices of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, with which he remained for three years in various capacities, at different points along the line.
            On October 18, 1891 Mr. Parry married Hattie Belle Monks, a daughter of Richard and Margaret (Fraze) Monks, of Winchester. To this union two sons were born, Robert L., and James R. The elder is associated with his father; the younger is attending school.
            Mr. Parry received the equivalent of a high school education in his youth and this has been materially added to through close application at home and by actual contact with the world. Deciding that his true bent lay along legal lines he entered the law office of  J. S. Engle, now judge of the courts. This was in 1892 and our subject made rapid progress, completing the course in shorter time than usual, and was admitted to the bar in 1894. He then formed a partnership with Mr. Engle which continued with much success until September, 1899, when F. S. Caldwell became a member of the firm, the new firm continuing with growing business until 1908 when Mr. Engle was elected to the judgeship. Then the firm of Caldwell & Parry was formed which continued with satisfactory results until September 1, 1913 when Mr. Caldwell became a judge of the appellate court of the state of Indiana. Since that time Mr. Parry has carried on his practice alone, practicing in all the state and federal courts. He has been very successful with all kinds of cases, is careful, painstaking, persistent and vigilant and always has the interest of his client at heart. He keeps fully abreast of the times in all matters of jurisprudence and late decisions and statutes.
            Politically, he is a Republican and has been active and influential in public matters. He has three times been secretary of the Republican County Central Committee, and in the fall of 1906 was elected mayor of the city of Winchester, and he served one term, being the first mayor under the new codification, serving three years and four months, during which time much was done for the permanent material and moral good of the town. He has proven himself to be a conscientious, honorable and faithful public servant. He has always actively participated in local, district and state politics, and has been a frequent delegate to county, district and state conventions. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and he and his family affiliate with the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the Randolph club and an earnest advocate of good, healthy athletics, and a thoroughly public-spirited gentleman.
            The first brick street paving in Winchester was done during Mr. Parry's administration as mayor, and was brought about largely through his influence.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson

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