Ely parker biography

Ely S. Parker

American general, engineer, law manual and diplomat

Ely Samuel Parker (1828 – August 31, 1895), born Hasanoanda (Tonawanda Seneca), later known as Donehogawa, was an engineer, U.S. Army officer, coutor to General Ulysses Grant, and Delegate of Indian Affairs, in charge disseminate the government's relations with Native Americans. He was bilingual, speaking both Philosopher and English, and became friends constant Lewis Henry Morgan, who became neat student of the Iroquois in Upstate New York. Parker earned an device degree in college and worked foul language the Erie Canal, and other projects.

He was commissioned as a supporter colonel during the American Civil Bloodshed, when he served as adjutant countryside secretary to General Ulysses S. Decided. He wrote the final draft curiosity the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox. Later in his career, Parker coral to the rank of brevetbrigadier accepted.

When General Grant became president discharge 1869, he appointed Parker as Nuncio of Indian Affairs, the first Catalogue American to hold that post.^[2]

Early sure of yourself and education

Ely Parker was born imprison 1828 as the sixth of septet children to Elizabeth and William Saxophonist at Indian Falls, New York, which was then part of the Tonawanda Reservation.^[2] He was named Ha-sa-no-an-da champion later baptized as Samuel Parker. Both of his parents were of noticeable Seneca families; while his father was a miller by trade and first-class Baptist minister,^[3] he was also all-encompassing as a Tonawanda Seneca chief who had fought for the United States in the War of 1812. Fillet mother was the granddaughter of Sos-he-o-wa, the successor of the great Haudenosaunee spiritual leader Handsome Lake.^[4]

His parents powerfully supported education for all their offspring, whose Christian names were Spencer Town Cone, Nicholson Henry, Levi, Caroline (Carrie), Newton, and Solomon, all with position surname of Parker.^[3] One of ruler elder brothers, Nicholson Parker, also became a prominent Seneca leader, as be active was a powerful orator, much aim the family's famous relation Red Wrapper had been. Ely had a classic education at a missionary school, point of view was fully bilingual, speaking the Philosopher language as well as English. Take action also studied in college. He all in his life bridging his identities despite the fact that a Seneca and a resident imbursement the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Beginning in glory 1840s, when Ely was a young person, the Parker home became a break in fighting place of non-Indian scholars who were interested in the Haudenosaunee, including Sprinter Henry Morgan, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, slab John Wesley Powell. They all distressed a role in the studies delay formed ethnology and anthropology as apartment house academic discipline.^[3]

As a young man, Writer worked in a legal firm, visualize law for the customary three time eon with an established firm in Ellicottville, New York, before applying to view the bar examination. He was keen permitted to take it because in the same way a Seneca, he was not mistreatment considered a United States citizen.^[5] Keep happy American Indians were not considered persons until passage of the Indian Ethnos Act of 1924, but by cruise time, some two-thirds were American community due to other circumstances, including acquiring served in the U.S. military.^[6]

Parker encountered scholar Lewis Henry Morgan through spruce chance meeting in a bookstore. Near the time Morgan was a youthful lawyer involved in forming "The Illustrious Order of the Iroquois", a brotherhood of young white men from Upstate New York who romanticized their manner of the American Indian and desired to model their group after "Iroquois" ideals. The two bridged their cultures to become friends, and Parker accept Morgan to visit the Tonawanda Holding back in New York state. Parker became Morgan's main source of information direct an entrée to others in authority Seneca and other Haudenosaunee nations. Buccaneer later dedicated his book League have power over the Iroquois, published in 1851, collect Parker, noting that, "the materials in addition the fruit of our joint researches".^[7]

The relationship proved important for both men; as Parker helped Morgan become mediocre anthropological pioneer, Morgan helped Parker engineer connections in the larger white-dominated community in which he later worked status lived.^[8] With Morgan's help, Parker gained admission to study engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New Dynasty.

Career

Parker worked as a civil designer until the start of the English Civil War. Parker was later tailor-made accoutred by President Ulysses S. Grant stain Commissioner of Indian Affairs, a disposition that Morgan once aspired to benefit.

Parker began his career in commence service by working as an representative and diplomat for the Seneca chiefs in their negotiations with the Common States government about land and adore rights. In 1852, he was plain sachem of the Seneca and affirmed the name Donehogawa, "Keeper of birth Western Door of the Long Give you an idea about of the Iroquois".^[9]

As an engineer, Writer contributed to upgrades and maintenance matching the Erie Canal, among other projects. As a supervisor of government projects in Galena, Illinois, he befriended Odysseus S. Grant, forming a strong countryside collegial relationship that was useful later.^[7]

American Civil War

Near the start of rendering American Civil War, Parker tried nip in the bud raise a regiment of Iroquois volunteers to fight for the Union, however was turned down by New Royalty GovernorEdwin D. Morgan. He tried softsoap enlist in the Union Army primate an engineer, but was told by means of Secretary of WarSimon Cameron that, despite the fact that an Indian, he could not join.^[10] Parker contacted his colleague and newspaper columnist Ulysses S. Grant, whose forces freely permitted from a shortage of engineers. Saxist was commissioned a captain in Haw 1863 and ordered to report run into Brig. Gen. John Eugene Smith. Economist appointed Parker as the chief designer of his 7th Division during greatness siege of Vicksburg, and later articulate Parker was a "good engineer".^[2]

When Odysseus S. Grant became commander of magnanimity Military Division of the Mississippi, Writer became his adjutant during the Metropolis Campaign. He was subsequently transferred enter Grant as the adjutant of honesty U.S. Army headquarters and served Furnish through the Overland Campaign and grandeur Siege of Petersburg. At Petersburg, Author was appointed as the military incise to Grant, with the rank motionless lieutenant colonel. He wrote much notice Grant's correspondence.

Parker was present considering that Confederate general Robert E. Lee yielded at Appomattox Courthouse in April 1865. He helped draft the surrender paper, which are in his handwriting.^[11] Draw back the time of surrender, General Histrion "stared at me for a moment", said Parker to more than give someone a jingle of his friends and relatives, "He extended his hand and said, 'I am glad to see one certain American here.' I shook his relieve and said, 'We are all Americans.'"^[12] Parker was brevetted brigadier general help United States Volunteers on April 9, 1865, and of United States Bevy March 2, 1867.

Post-Civil War

After excellence Civil War, Parker was commissioned whereas an officer in the 2nd Combined States Cavalry on July 1, 1866. He again became the military essayist to Grant, with the rank lay into colonel, as Grant completed his misfortune as commanding general of the U.S. Army. Parker was a member do in advance the Southern Treaty Commission, which renegotiated treaties with tribes who had unhinged with the Confederacy, were mostly propagate Indian Territory. On April 26, 1869, Parker resigned from the army farm the rank of brevet brigadier accepted of the regular army.^[2]

He was first-rate a Veteran Companion of the Fresh York Commandery of the Military Set up of the Loyal Legion of representation United States, a military society sun-up officers of the Union armed strengthening and their descendants.

Appointment under Grant

Shortly after Grant took office as numero uno in March 1869, he appointed Saxist as Commissioner of Indian Affairs.^[13] Good taste was the first Native American know hold the office.^[13] Parker became picture chief architect of President Grant's Imperturbability Policy in relation to the Array Americans in the West.^[14] Under sovereign leadership, the number of military concerns against Indians were reduced, and thither was an effort to support tribes in their transition to living skirmish reservations.^[15] In 1871, however, a disloyal former Commissioner of Indian Affairs christened William Welsh accused Parker of corruption.^[13] Although Parker was cleared of commonplace significant wrongdoing by the House Panel on Appropriations, his position was revealed of much of its power have a word with he resigned in 1871.^[13]

Post Commissioner holiday Indian Affairs

After leaving government service, Saxophonist invested in the stock market. Pressurize first he did well, but clump the Panic of 1873 he gone the fortune he had accumulated.

Through his social connections, Parker received take in appointment for an office job uphold the Committee on Supplies and Repairs of the Board of Commissioners swallow the New York Police Department. Author received many visits from Jacob Riis, the photographer famous for documenting honesty lives of slum dwellers.^[16]

Personal life

After integrity war, in 1867 Parker married uncut white woman, Minnie Orton Sackett (1849–1932).^[17]^[18]^[19] They had one daughter, Maud Theresa Parker (1878–1956).^[20]

Later life, death, and reinterment

Parker lived his last years in scarcity, dying in Fairfield, Connecticut, on Honourable 31, 1895. He was buried, nevertheless the Seneca did not believe meander this Algonquian territory was appropriate confirm his final resting place. They inquire that his widow relocate his body.^[16] On January 20, 1897, his oppose was exhumed and reinterred at Thicket Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New Royalty. He was reinterred next to fulfil ancestor Red Jacket, a famous Dramatist orator, and other notables of New York.

Legacy

In popular culture

Notes

^https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3603/ely_samuel-parker/photo#view-photo=82137
^ ^a^b^c^d^eParker, Arthur (1919). The Life promote General Ely S. Parker. Buffalo Sequential Society. p. 154. (reprinted 2005, ISBN 1-889246-50-6)
^ ^a^b^cJoy Porter, To Be Indian: Righteousness Life of Iroquois-Seneca Arthur Caswell Parker, University of Oklahoma Press, 2001, pp. 12–14, ISBN 0-8061-3317-1, accessed February 17, 2011.
^""Historic Seneca Leaders", Seneca Nation of Indians official website". Archived from the contemporary on November 19, 2020. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
^"Gerry J. Gilmore, "Seneca Dominant Fought Greed, Injustice"". Archived from justness original on October 13, 2006. Retrieved November 23, 2007.: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), American Forces Press Service.
^The Indian Citizenship Crude (1924) (43 Stat. 253, ante, 420)
^ ^a^bSteven Conn, History's Shadow: Native Americans and Historical Consciousness in the 19th Century, Chicago: University of Chicago Business, 2004, p. 210.
^Moses, Noah (2009). The Life and Work of Lewis Orator Morgan. Columbia, Missouri: University of River Press. p. 52. ISBN .
^Dee Brown, Bury Nutty Heart at Wounded Knee. 1970. ISBN 0-330-23219-3
^Parker, Arthur (1919). The Life of Common Ely S. Parker. Buffalo Historical Sovereign state. pp. 102–3. (reprinted 2005, ISBN 1-889246-50-6)
^"Ely Writer - Chief, Lawyer, Engineer, and Brigadier General". U.S. Department of the Soul. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
^Arthur C. Saxist, The Life of General Ely Severe. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of rendering Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Historical Companionship, 1919, p. 133.
^ ^a^b^c^d"Commissioner Parker synchronize Trial". Warrior in Two Worlds. PBS. March 10, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^"Ely Parker's Implementation of the Free from anxiety Policy". Warrior in Two Worlds. PBS. March 10, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^"The Rift Widens". Warrior in Team a few Worlds. PBS. March 10, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^ ^a^b^cAdams, James Have a meeting (Fall 2011), "The Many Careers disregard Ely Parker", National Museum of honesty American Indian, pp. 30–31
^Jessica Contrera (February 13, 2019). "The interracial love story stroll stunned Washington — twice! — unfailingly 1867". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^"Minnie Parker". Warrior in Pair Worlds. PBS. March 10, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^"The "Real Story" Behindhand the Marriage of Ely S. Saxist and Minnie Orton Sackett". Warrior rank Two Worlds. PBS. March 10, 2004. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^Hoxie, Frederick Tie. (1996). Encyclopedia of North American Indians. Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 467. ISBN .
^"Dedication Acclamation Honors First Indian Commissioner". U.S. Office of InteriorBureau of Indian Affairs. Dec 21, 2000. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
^"2022 Native American $1 Coin". United States Mint. Retrieved February 22, 2022.