PARSONS, THEOPIIILUS ( 1750-1813 ) . An eminent American jurist. He was born at By field, Mass., February 24. 1750. and graduated at Harvard in 1769. From 1770 to 1773 he taught school at Falmouth. now Portland, Maine, at the same time studying law, and was admitted to the bar in 1774. Ile Iwgan the practice of his profession at Falmouth, which was laid waste by a British squadron in October, 1775: and Parsons, whose prospects for professional suc cess at Falmouth were ruined by this disaster, returned soon afterwards to Byfield, his native town. There, for some years, he studied under Judge Edmund Trowbridge. of the Massa chusetts Superior Court. Parsons finally re moved to Newburyport, where he soon acquired an extensive practice. In 1778 he was active in the discussion of the new Constitution of Massa chusetts, then recently framed by the Legisla ture. Parsons was strongly opposed to the adoption of that instrument; he was a member of the 'Essex Junto,' which comprised a large num ber of the citizens hostile to the new Constitu tion; and the pamphlet called The Essex Result, which had a great influence in bringing about the defeat of the Constitution, is attributed to him. In 1779 be sat in the convention which
drew up the Constitution which with some changes still exists as the fundamental law of Massachusetts. In 1788 he was a member of the State convention called to ratify the Federal Constitution, which lie warmly supported, and the so-called Proposition in favor of its adoption. though offered by John Hancock, was drawn up by Parsons. Be settled in Boston in 1800. From 1806 until his death he was Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court. His judicial opin ions have not been fully reported, but those pre served in the early Massachusetts reports and in his Commentaries on. the Lou' of the United States (1836) show great ability and learning. especially in the department of real property and marine insurance. He died at Boston, October 30. ISIS. A memoir (Boston, I559) was pre pared by his son, Theophilus. Consult also a sketch by Knapp (Boston, 1821).