| W. A. Parr | |
| State Senate1: | Arizona |
| District1: | Navajo County |
| Term Start1: | January 1919 |
| Term End1: | December 1920 |
| Predecessor1: | F. O. Mattox |
| Successor1: | James Scott |
| Nationality: | American |
| Party: | Democrat |
| Profession: | Politician |
W. A. Parr (1855 – May 25, 1922) was an American politician from Arizona. He served a single term in the Arizona State Senate during the 4th Arizona State Legislature, holding the seat from Navajo County.[1] In addition, he served two terms in the Arizona Territorial Legislature, both in the lower house. He was a contractor and an undertaker.
Parr was born in Canada in 1855.[2] [3] Parr moved to Arizona in 1891, settling in Winslow.[4] Parr was a building contractor in both Arizona and New Mexico,[5] [6] as well as running an undertaking business in Winslow.[7] [8] In the mid-1890s, Parr served as the justice of the peace for the Winslow district.[9] [10]
He served in the 20th and 22nd Arizona Territorial Legislatures, both time in the House.[11] [12] [13] During the 20th Legislature, his eight-year-old daughter, Essee, served as his page in the House.[14] In 1900 he ran for the 21st Arizona Territorial Legislature, but this time for the upper house, which was called the council during the time Arizona was a territory.[15] However, he lost narrowly to Republican Colin Campbell in the general election.[16] In 1902 he again ran for the legislature, this time for the House,[17] defeating Republican J. F. Mahoney in the general election.[18] [19] He did not run for re-election in 1904.[20]
In December 1902 his wife died of "congestion of the brain" after an illness of several weeks.[21] The couple had two children, both girls, Essie and Vina Alberta.[22]
In 1904 Parr was elected to the Winslow City Council.[23] On July 27, 1904, Parr remarried, this time to Frona A. Philipps of Lineville, Iowa, where the wedding was held.[24] In 1914 Parr ran for State Treasurer.[25] However, he was soundly defeated in the primary by fellow Democrat Mit Simms.[26] [27] In 1918, Parr announced his intention to run for the Arizona State Senate. He was opposed in the Democrat primary by C. C. McCauley.[28] He defeated McCauley in the primary, and went on to win the general election in November.[29] He did not run for re-election in 1920.[30]
In May 1922, Parr was working on one of his houses in Winslow when he fell from a ladder, seriously injuring himself. He was found unconscious, and was taken to a hospital in Los Angeles. He never regained consciousness and died several days later, on May 25.
. James H. McClintock . Arizona, Prehistoric, Aboriginal, Pioneer, Modern Vol. II . S. J. Clarke. Chicago . 1916 . 373.