William H. Parker (1826-96) was president from 1875 to 1882. Parker was a New Yorker who had been first in his class at the Naval Academy, served as captain in the Confederate navy and founded the Confederate Naval Academy in Richmond.

He came to the college as professor of mathematics at the same time that Samuel Jones arrived as president, and the two worked closely together until Jones' departure. Parker then continued a program virtually identical to that of Jones, which was equally unpopular.

The state legislature successfully pressured him to resign by threatening to deny state aid. Four years later, he served briefly in Korea as minister resident/consul general for the United States. Parker also authored several books, including "Recollections of a Naval Officer, 1841-1865," which he wrote while president of the college.