John Parke
John Parke was an American soldier, translator, and poet, known for his contributions during and after the Revolutionary War. Born to a successful hatmaker and educated at Newark College and the College of Philadelphia, Parke earned his degrees in the 1770s before his military service began. He joined the Continental Army in response to the conflict, rising to the rank of assistant quartermaster-general and later lieutenant colonel of artificers, working closely with General George Washington. After retiring from military service, Parke moved to Philadelphia and then to Virginia, where he published his notable work in 1786: "The Lyric Works of Horace, Translated into English Verse." This collection was initially released anonymously and dedicated to Washington, featuring translations that substituted names of American figures for those of ancient Rome, reflecting the contemporary political landscape. Parke's work included contributions from other poets, showcasing a blend of American literary and military heritage. His life and writings provide insight into the cultural and historical context of post-Revolutionary America.
On this Page
Subject Terms
John Parke
Poet
- Born: April 7, 1754
- Birthplace: Dover, Delaware
- Died: December 11, 1789
- Place of death: Dover, Delaware
Biography
John Parke was the son of Ann and Thomas Parke; the latter was a financially successful hatmaker and officeholder in Kent County, Delaware. Parke received his education at Newark College’s Newark Academy, which became the University of Delaware, and the College of Philadelphia, earning his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the latter in 1771 and 1775. Parke had been studying law for four years when the violence of the Revolutionary War began, and he abandoned studies to enter the Continental army.
He achieved the rank of assistant quartermaster-general on April 16, 1775, and he became a lieutenant colonel of artificers on June 29, 1776. Parke worked closely with General George Washington, and some of his earliest published writings were letters that Washington asked Parke to write on his behalf. After retiring from service in October 1778, Parke lived in Philadelphia before resettling in Virginia.
In 1786, the war veteran published the work for which he is best known: The Lyric Works of Horace, Translated into English Verse: To Which Are Added, a Number of Original Poems. The volume first appeared as the work of an anonymous “Native of America,” and Parke dedicated it to General Washington. In the translations, Parke substituted names of public American figures for the names of Roman characters; for example, an ode praising Augustus’s return from Spain became in Parke’s translation a celebration of Washington’s triumphant return from Virginia. Parke also included verse by British officer John Wilcocks and Pennsylvania poet and translator David French in the collection.