His traveling companions included James Audubon and Parker's brother-in-law, Dr. Alexander Jones, who suffered a knife wound in a fight in Tucson, Arizona.

In Los Angeles, nearly bereft of funds, Parker was elected to the first California legislature and was provided the means for the trip to San Jose.

[3] He authored legislation to incorporate the City of Los Angeles and facilitated introduction of the English Common Law into the California statutes.

He established law practice in San Francisco, Crittenden and Randolph, and served as counsel in 26 Supreme Court of California cases.

In 1863, with his brother-in-law attorney/politician Tod Robinson, he relocated to Virginia City, Nevada Territory after refusing to take the wartime oath of allegiance to the federal government.

[5] Clara remained in San Francisco and assisted the wife of Confederate Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston who had gone east for the war; falling in 1862 at Shiloh.

The Crittenden extended family personified Lincoln's House Divided Speech during the American Civil War.

[1] Fair's subsequent sensationalized trials, revealing the tawdry details of the prolonged affair, exposed the family to great embarrassment.