Background
Parsons was born on March 23, 1867 in New Marlboro, Massachusetts, United States; the son of Benjamin Franklin Parsons and Leonora (Bartlett) Parsons.
Ashburnham, Massachusetts, United States
Cushing Academy
Ithaca, New York, United States
Cornell University
Durham, New Hampshire, United States
University of New Hampshire
(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
This book was originally published prior to 1923, and represents a reproduction of an important historical work, maintaining the same format as the original work.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AVJCVTI/?tag=2022091-20
2011
Parsons was born on March 23, 1867 in New Marlboro, Massachusetts, United States; the son of Benjamin Franklin Parsons and Leonora (Bartlett) Parsons.
Parsons graduated from Cushing Academy in 1885. Three years later he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Cornell University.
Also in 1911, Charles received an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Maine and the University of New Hampshire in 1944. In 1915, he was given an honorary doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.
Parsons began his career as an assistant chemist at the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station in 1888. A year later he was appointed an instructor of chemistry at New Hampshire College (nowadays University of New Hampshire). Then in 1890, Charles took a position of an associate professor of chemistry and a professor of general and analytical chemistry in 1891 at the same college.
Also he supervised the transition of the chemistry department during New Hampshire College's move from Hanover to Durham in 1893. In 1903, Parsons became a professor of inorganic chemistry at New Hampshire College. Six years later he held a position of a head of the department of chemistry at that college.
In 1912, he became a chief mineral chemist at the United States Bureau of Mines. In addition, in 1913, Charles helped to organize the National Radium Institute in order to study the extraction of radium from carnotite ores and create a domestic process for its extraction. In 1916, he was transferred to the War Department as a chief engineer. Parsons was sent to Europe to study the fixation of nitrogen and oxidation of ammonia, which were important for the production of fertilizer and explosives. In 1919, he left the Bureau of Mines.
Also Parsons worked closely with chemist Marston T. Bogert in order to reform the structure of the American Chemical Society and expand its activities and membership. Charles helped to transform the society from a New York State Corporation into a national organization based in Washington. He was also involved with the creation of a number of divisions, organized around specialized groups, beginning with Industrial Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
(This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)
2011
Parsons became a member of the American Chemical Society in 1893. He served as a part-time secretary at the same society in 1907-1919. Then in 1919, Charles became a full-time executive secretary of that society and held it until his retirement in 1945.
Also he worked as a secretary of Section C of the American Association for the Advancement of Science from 1904 to 1908. Parsons served as a vice president for America of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry between 1919-1922.
He was an honorary member of the Romanian Chemical Society, Society of Chemical Industry of Great Britain, American Institute of Chemists, Chemists' Club in New York and a life member of the Société chimique de France.
Parsons was known as Mr. ACS (American Chemical Society) for his contribution to the formation of the association.
On December 29, 1887 Charles Parsons married Anna Robertson Parsons. He had four daughters, a son, eight grandchildren and great-grandchildren.