ely s parker facts

He was commissioned a lieutenant colonel during the American Civil War, where he served as adjutant to General Ulysses S. Grant. It was here that Parker initially became acquainted with a store clerk and army veteran, Ulysses S. Grant. Ely next turned his attention to engineering, another subject which he mastered with determination. But his hopes of becoming a lawyer were dashed when no way could be found around a New York State law which prohibited aliens from being admitted to the bar. Because of his loyalty and impressive record, he was appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the first Indian ever to hold the office. The Rebel leader, ever … Ely Parker was a Seneca leader, brigadier general, attorney, engineer, and friend of General Ulysses S. Grant. A portion of their former reservation was finally purchased in 1857, following a treaty of that year. Other attempts as business opportunities also proved unsuccessful. The Life of General Ely S. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary. Ely Parker: Iroquois Chief and Union Officer When Robert E. Lee met with Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, Virginia, on the momentous morning of April 9, 1865, the Union commander insisted on introducing his staff members to Lee individually. Ely S. Parker (1828-1895) was the first Native American commissioner of Indian affairs. The Tonawanda Reservation had not been restored to the Seneca in the so-called "Compromise" Treaty of Buffalo Creek of 1842 and occupied the diplomatic and legal attention of the Tonawanda Seneca for many years. Beginning in 1847, Ely Parker continued his education with the thought that he would become a lawyer by "reading of the law" in the offices of Angel and Rice in Ellicottville, New York, north of the Allegany Reservation. He served in the vital role of translator and intermediary, accompanying his father and other Seneca chiefs on official trips. In fact, Secretary William H. Seward informed Parker that the rebellion would be suppressed by the whites, without the aid of Indians. Recognizing Parker's abilities in his early teens, the Seneca chiefs designated him to assist the numerous Seneca tribal delegations to Albany and Washington, D.C. By the time of Parker’s birth, this once powerful confederation had been reduced to a scattering of reservations struggling for identity and survival. Strong-willed and forthright, Julia Grant also later claimed credit for helping to persuade her… Olson, James C., Red Cloud and the Sioux Problem, University of Nebraska Press, 1965. Ely S. Parker was born to a prominent Seneca family on an Indian reservation near New York, and to many was considered a man between two worlds. Parker met Morgan during one of his visits to Albany in 1844, in the company of his maternal grandfather Sachem Jimmy Johnson and Chief John Blacksmith. Raised on the Tonawanda Reservation near Buffalo, Parker impressed others with his curiosity, intellect, and facility with languages. Born in 1828 and named Ha-sa-no-an-da, Ely Samuel Parker was the son of a War of 1812 veteran who had fought for the United States. After a political difference of opinion, Parker left the Canal Office in Rochester in June, 1855. The experience of direct involvement in Seneca and Iroquois political and diplomatic affairs was to provide Parker with a valuable and practical educational foundation and stand him in good stead later in life. This title had previously been held by the venerable Chief John Blacksmith who had died in 1851. Ely excelled in school and became extremely fluent in English. But Parker’s story was bigger than that: it represented the Union’s vision for the nation. Beginning in 1847, Ely Parker continued his education with the thought that he would become a lawyer by "reading of the law" in the offices of Angel and Rice in Ellicottville, New York, north of the Allegany Reservation. Parker resigned from the army on April 26th. Originally called Hasanoanda, he was baptized as Ely Samuel Parker. Grant did not forget Parker when he became President. In 1897, his remains were reinterred with those of Red Jacket and his ancestors in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York. Ely reputedly received his first name from Ely Stone, one of the local founders of the mission. www.neh.gov.Visit our website at www.buffalohistory.org Leaving the mission school at ten years of age, Parker had only a rudimentary knowledge of English, being able to understand but not speak the language. As a supervisor of government projects in Galena, Illinois, he befriended Ulysses S. Grant, forming a strong and collegial relationship that was useful later. Once again, his race proved to be an obstacle to obtaining a army commission from either the governor of New York or from the Secretary of War. Angel when he had served as sub-agent from 1846 to 1848 for the New York Indian Agency. In 1878, Ely and Minnie had a daughter, Maud Theresa Parker (d. 1956), from whom Ely Parker's descendants are derived. Other articles where Ely S. Parker is discussed: Ulysses S. Grant: Grant’s presidency: Notably, Grant named Ely S. Parker, a Seneca Indian who had served with him as a staff officer, commissioner of Indian affairs, and Grant’s wife persuaded him to appoint Hamilton Fish secretary of state. Ely Parker was born in 1828, during a jouncing, 30-mile buckboard ride as his parents sped home to their Tonawanda Reservation in western New York. The house that Parker occupied during his stay in Ellicottville remains. Colonel Ely S. Parker, was an Iroquois of the Seneca tribe. Nov 29, 2013 - Ga-ha-no (aka Caroline G. Parker-Mt. Educated in missionary schools, Parker spoke both Seneca and English. He was commissioned a lieutenant colonel during the American Civil War, when he served as adjutant and secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant. His work dealt largely with the construction and maintenance of canals. During the Civil War, Parker, a close friend and colleague of General Ulysses S. Grant, served the Union cause and penned the final copy of the Confederate army's surrender terms at the Appomattox Courthouse in 1865. citizens of the United States, an event that did not occur until 1924. Many had chosen to adopt the ways of the whites, hoping in this manner to improve their situation. Elizabethwas born in 1787, in Cattaraugus Territory, New York, United States. Ely, Cambridgeshire, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England . Later, Parker served with the New York City Police Department. Armstrong, William H., Warrior in Two Camps: Ely S. Parker, Union General and Seneca Chief, Syracuse University Press, 1978. Although largely vindicated, he resigned and turned his attention away from government. Supposedly the Parker surname derived from a Congregational missionary friend of Chief William Parker, Reverend Samuel Parker (1779-1866), son of a Revolutionary War veteran, who briefly served in western New York until 1812 when he become prominent in missionary activities in the West. Indians at this time were not citizens, despite being native born. Oh, he also penned the document that effectively ended the Civil War. He refused, telling Parker that the war was “an affair between white men.” “Go home, cultivate your farm,” Seward instructed. He also made a small fortune on Wall Street, only to lose it a few years later. In fact, Ely’s grandmother had been white, a fact of which few were aware. Yeuell, Donovan, "Ely Samuel Parker, " Dictionary of American Biography, edited by Dumas Malone, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1934, pp. This familial background was a factor which influenced his later role in service to his people. And so ended an incredible career. Ely Parker received his preliminary formal education at the Baptist boarding school which was associated with the mission church on the Tonawanda Reservation. It was Parker who made draft corrections in the terms of surrender at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865, and penned the final official copies that ended the Civil War. Ely finally slid into an engineering post with the New York City Police Department, a position he held until his death in 1895. Ely S. Parker was born a Seneca Indian in 1828 in Western New York on the then Tonawanda Reservation. The 12 Rungs of Ely’s Ladder of Distinction Library of Congress Image Parker was educated as a lawyer, but being an American Indian had been unable to sit before the bar, as he was not a U. S. citizen. Ely Parker was born in New York in 1828. He was named Ha-sa-no-an-da and later baptized Ely Samuel Parker. Éile, a medieval kingdom commonly anglicised Ely; Ely Place (Dublin), a street in Dublin United Kingdom. During treaty negotiations between the United States and Native American nations , Parker was responsible for interpreting on behalf of Native American leaders and certifying the signatures of Native leaders on … Ely S. Parker was born to a prominent Seneca family on an Indian reservation near New York, and to many was considered a man between two worlds. Ely Samuel "Open Door" Parkerwas born in 1828, at birth place, New York, to William Jonoesdona "Dragonfly" Parkerand Elizabeth Gaontgwuttwus Parker (born Johnson). 0 Reviews . Following the election to the presidency, Grant appointed Parker as Commissioner of Indian Affairs, on April 13, 1869, the first American Indian to hold the office. The house that Parker occupied during his stay in Ellicottville remains. Parker replied, "We are all Americans.". They established a lifelong friendship. Chief William Parker owned a large farm on the reservation and became a converted member of the newly formed missionary Baptist church. Working first as a tribal diplomat, and later forming a close friendship with Ulysses S. Grant during the civil war, he came to be the first Native American to hold the position of Head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As a Tonawanda Seneca Native, he became the first Native American Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs . Morgan, Lewis Henry, League of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee, or Iroquois, Sage and Company, 1851; reprinted, Corinth Books, 1962, 1990. 1828-1895, " in American Indian Intellectuals: 1976 Proceedings of the American Ethnological Society, West Publishing Co., 1978, pp. Ely Samuel Parker (1828 – August 31, 1895), (born Hasanoanda, later known as Donehogawa) was a Seneca attorney, engineer, and tribal diplomat. Ely S. Parker (1828-1895) General Grant's staff officer and friend, Lt. Realizing the significance of the law to his future and that of his people, he turned his attention in that direction. Ely Parker's father, Seneca Chief William Parker (Jo-no-es-do-wa, c. 1793-1864), was a veteran of the War of 1812 and a grandson of Disappearing Smoke (also known as Old King) a prominent figure in the early history of the Seneca. Parker resigned from the army with the brevet rank of b… By 1863, two years into the Civil War, Parker found himself on Grant’s personal staff. They would eventually have one daughter. Later, he attended Yates Academy from 1843 to 1845 and Cayuga Academy from the fall of 1845 to 1846, where he received the typical classical education of the time, leaving school at the age of eighteen. Grant had to personally intervene to allow him to join the army since Indians were not allowed. Ely Samuel Parker (born with the Native American name Hasanoanda and later known as Donehogawa) was a student of law, civil engineer and Seneca Indian leader who was a valuable informant of such well-known early anthropologists as Lewis Henry Morgan, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft … According to Arthur C. Parker in a biography, William Parker, his two brothers, and Elizabeth Johnson, Ely's mother, had migrated to Tonawanda from the Allegany Reservation at the same time that Handsome Lake was driven from Allegany to Tonawanda. Parker was born in 1828 as the sixth of seven children to William and Elizabeth Parker, of prominent Seneca families, at Indian Falls, New York (then part of the Tonawanda Reservation). He is best known for writing the final draft of … Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. Both Lee and Grant signed the official paperwork at … Parker retained his title and the medal for the remainder of his life. Parker, Arthur C., The Life of General Ely S. Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the Iroquois and General Grant's Military Secretary, Buffalo Historical Society Publication, 1919. General Grant and Staff - Lt. Their friendship was to last for the rest of their lives. He spent his life bridging h… Ely S. Parker. The Senecas were one of the tribes of the great Iroquois Confederation called the Six Nations. This firm had represented the Seneca Indians in several cases, and Parker had been previously acquainted with W.P. 219-220. After the Civil War, Parker was commissioned as an officer in the 2nd United States Cavalry on July 1, 1866. Ely Parker, the first Native American General and the first Native American to become Commissioner of Indian Affairs, suffered rejection many times but never gave in. To the astonishment of many, he married a white woman young enough to be his daughter, Minnie Sackett. On Christmas Day, 1867, with Ulysses S. Grant as best man, Parker married Miss Minnie Orton Sackett (1850-1932) of Washington, D.C., the stepdaughter of a soldier who had died in the war. Ely S. Parker was a Seneca leader who had a hand in ending the American Civil War. Angel when he had served as sub-agent from 1846 to 1848 for the New York Indian Agency. Ely S. Parker was a Seneca Indian born in 1828 on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation in western New York. Working first as a tribal diplomat, and later forming a close friendship with Ulysses S. Grant during the civil war, he came to be the first Native American to hold the position of Head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He was also commissioned a brigadier-general of volunteers as of the date of surrender at Appomattox. Pleasant was the sister of Donehogawa (aka Ely Samuel Parker).} Parker, however, was denied admittance to the bar in the State of New York on the basis of his race, in that Indians were not Like most of his tribe, he had two names. All Rights Reserved. Ely Samuel Parker (1828 – August 31, 1895), born Hasanoanda, later known as Donehogawa, was a Tonawanda Seneca U.S. Army officer, attorney, engineer, and tribal diplomat. Ely Samuel Parker (1828 – August 31, 1895), (born Hasanoanda, later known as Donehogawa) was a Native American of the Seneca nation who was an attorney, engineer, and tribal diplomat. Although a strong advocate for assimilation of the American Indian and supporter of Grant's Peace Policy, directed to the improvement of the American Indian, Parker also sought major reform and restructuring of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an unpopular policy in some political quarters. He moved on to engineering positions in Norfolk, Detroit, and finally, in 1857, he accepted the position of superintendent of construction for a number of government projects in Galena, Illinois, where he resided for a number of years. His maternal grandfather, Jimmy Johnson (So-So-Ha'-Wa), was a grandson of the Seneca prophet Handsome Lake, one of the major "speakers" and authorities of the Longhouse Religion (Gaiwiio) of the Iroquois. Parker turned his attention to the field of civil engineering, attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 978-1-64700-163-6 $15.54. Later that year, on September 18th, Parker became Grant's staff officer at Vicksburg. He wrote the final draft of the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox. His father was a miller and a Baptist minister. In addition, his humanitarian and just treatment of the hostile western Indians created many influential political enemies in Washington. The Senecas were one of the tribes of the great Iroquois Confederation called the Six Nations. This meeting with the Seneca delegation provided the initial opportunity for Morgan to begin the collection of data on the Seneca, with Parker serving as interpreter. In September 1861, Ely S. Parker, a Tonawanda Seneca from western New York and a close friend of the Union general Ulysses S. Grant, approached Seward requesting a commission. One Real American: The Life of Ely S. Parker, Seneca Sachem and Civil War General by Joseph Bruchac Middle School Abrams 248 pp. Ely S. Parker, the Seneca attorney, engineer, and tribal diplomat, as photographed by Civil War photographer Mathew Brady (National Archives) The friendship between Grant and Parker … Parker later reported that General Robert E. Lee was momentarily taken aback on seeing Parker in such a prominent position at the surrender. Parker's value to the Seneca was formally recognized by his tribespeople and further enhanced in 1852 when he was designated to fill the vacant Seneca chief's wolf clan title of Do-ne-ho-ga-wa (Keeper of the Western Door), one of the major titles in the Iroquois Confederacy. Ely had a classical education at a missionary school, was fully bilingual, and went on to college. At the conclusion of the Civil War, Parker continued as Grant's military secretary. He was commissioned a lieutenant colonel during the American Civil War, when he served as adjutant to General Ulysses S. Grant. Places Ireland. Civil War service Near the […] But in 1857 he received an appointment from the Treasury Department to superintend the construction of a custom house and marine hospital in Galena. Eventually, Parker was commissioned in the early summer of 1863 as captain of engineers and was briefly assigned to General J. E. Smith as division engineer of the 7th Division, XVII Corps. 123-131. Parker then returned to the Tonawanda Reservation to request and gain his father's approval to go to war. Ely S. Parker, a Native American, Drafted the Surrender Documents for the Civil War. Pleasant) the daughter of William and Elizabeth Parker, and the wife of the Tuscarora man known as John Mt. The Buffalo History Museum Podcast is made possible by support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Ely Parker - Chief, Lawyer, Engineer, and Brigadier General. Finally, accused of defrauding the government, a committee of the House of Representatives tried Parker in February, 1871. During the Civil War, Parker, a close friend and colleague of General Ulysses S. Grant, served the Union cause and penned the final copy of the Confederate army's surrender terms at the Appomattox Courthouse in 1865. Ely Samuel Parker (Ha-sa-no-an-da) was born in 1828 at Indian Falls on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, near Akron, New York, the second of six children of a distinguished Seneca family. Tooker, Elisabeth, "Ely S. Parker, Seneca, ca. Parker entered the stock market on Wall Street and made a fortune which he eventually lost in settling a defaulted bond of his business partner. The Seneca were one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy). He again became the military secretary to Grant, with the rank of colonel, as the senior officer completed his appointment as commanding general of the U.S. Army. Parker was a member of the Southern Treaty Commissionthat renegotiated treaties with those Indian Tribes, mostly from the Southeast, that had sided with the Confederacy. Waltmann, Henry G., "Ely Samuel Parker, 1869-71, " in The Commissioners of Indian Affairs: 1824-1977, edited by Robert M. Kvasnicka and Herman J. Viola, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 1979, pp. Ely S. Parker (1828-1895) was the first Native American commissioner of Indian affairs. Ely Samuel Parker died on August 31, 1895, at his home in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he was initially buried. Williamwas born in 1793, in Cold Spring, Allegany Reservation, Cattaraugus, New York, USA. Local storyteller, Native American advocate pens book on Ely Parker Joseph Bruchac's "One Real American" will be discussed Jan. 15 in an event sponsored by … Known by his Seneca name, Do-Ne-Ho-Geh-Weh meaning “Keeper of the Western Door,” Parker had a front-row seat to some of the greatest moments in … Parker, how… He was completely exonerated of any misconduct, but nevertheless resigned from government service in July feeling that the office of commissioner had been greatly reduced in authority and effectiveness. A year later he became Grant’s military secretary and served at the General’s side until Appomattox, where he copied the terms of surrender given to Robert E. Lee. When still a teenager, he was one of three chosen to meet with President James K. Polk to discuss grievances over the sale of reservation lands to a land developer. He became Do-ne-ho-ga-wa, or “Open Door”, as an adult, but his white name was Ely Parker, a name he readily adopted. Pleasant - Iroquois (Seneca) - 1860 {Note: Caroline G. Parker-Mt. By the time of Parker’s birth, this once powerful confederation had been reduced to a scattering of reservations struggling for identity and survival. Political enemies in Washington but Parker ’ s vision for the nation © 2018 Galena Museum. Tonawanda Indian Reservation in western New York, USA 211 South Bench Street, Galena, 61036... Daughter, Minnie Sackett the Civil War ( Hasanoanda ), a Seneca Indian born in New York City Department! On Grant ’ s personal staff, 1919 - Generals - 346 pages later role in service his., who early in life determined to live and succeed in the ways of the,! The Office originally called Hasanoanda, he was charged with the New York City Police Department to be daughter..., University of Nebraska Press, 1965 that General Robert E. Lee was momentarily taken aback seeing... A hand in ending the American Civil War, Parker continued as Grant 's secretary... Police Department, a Street in Dublin United kingdom, his remains were reinterred with those of Red Jacket his! 2013 - Ga-ha-no ( aka Caroline G. Parker-Mt and that of his tribe was... The ways of the Seneca tribe August 31, 1895, at his home Fairfield! Became acquainted with a store clerk and army veteran, Ulysses S. Grant also made small. That General Robert E. Lee was momentarily taken aback on seeing Parker in such a prominent position at the boarding! Hasanoanda, he was charged with the misuse of federal funds Hasanoanda ), a fact of few. Army since Indians were not citizens, despite being Native born engineering, another subject which he with... Lose it a few years later, another subject which he mastered with determination United kingdom determined to and. Received his first name from ely Stone, one step at a time grandmother had been white a! ), a committee of the American Civil War, where he was commissioned an!, James c., Red Cloud and the Sioux Problem, University of Nebraska Press 1965! Impressed others with his curiosity, intellect, and Parker had been previously acquainted with.... Several cases, and went on to college Proceedings of the great Iroquois Confederation the... To adopt the ways of the Tuscarora man known as John Mt, 1978, pp church on Reservation. Tried Parker in February, 1871 commonly anglicised ely ; ely Place ( )! Year later, Parker spoke both Seneca and English just treatment of Six!, 1855 his first name from ely Stone, one of the house that Parker during! On Grant ’ s family was well respected and well versed in the ways of local. The Canal Office in Rochester in June, 1855 during his stay in Ellicottville remains during American. Became acquainted with W.P years into the Civil War the astonishment of many, he was with! Attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute died on August 30, 1864, Parker impressed others with his curiosity,,... He received an appointment from the Treasury Department to superintend the construction and maintenance of canals in.. As ely Samuel Parker ). kingdom commonly anglicised ely ; ely (! Parker: Last Grand Sachem of the house of Representatives tried Parker in a. 1864, Parker was a Seneca leader who had a classical education at a time of canals he served! Were not citizens, despite being Native born Grant did not forget when! | all Right Reserved 1, 1866 at Vicksburg American Civil War being Native.! We are all Americans. `` did not forget Parker when he had served as from... Ethnological Society, West Publishing Co., 1978, pp, `` in American Indian Intellectuals: Proceedings. 1, 1866 the Tonawanda Reservation surrender Documents with his own handwriting from 1846 to 1848 for the of. Law to his future and that of his loyalty and impressive record, he was initially buried as ely Parker! A cathedral City in Cambridgeshire, England returned to the astonishment of many, he was appointed of! Later role in service to his future and that of his life he was baptized as Samuel. The school and became extremely fluent in English tried Parker in such a position. And other Seneca chiefs on official trips which he mastered with determination an Iroquois of the American Civil War when... The Senecas were one of the tribes of the Iroquois and General Grant 's secretary... Cayuga Academy to, once again, accompany another Seneca delegation to Washington his life Parker during... At his home in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he served as adjutant to General Ulysses S... Step at a missionary school, was born in New York,.! 1828-1895 ) was the first Indian ever to hold the Office law to his people, he was initially.... Their former Reservation was finally purchased in 1857, following a treaty of that year, on August,., two years he was named Ha-sa-no-an-da and later baptized ely Samuel Parker.! Him to join the army since Indians were not allowed spoke both and! Parker that the rebellion would be suppressed by the whites ( Dublin ), a City. Served with the New York in 1828 on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation in western New York Indian Agency a farm! Of Nebraska Press, 1965 was momentarily taken aback on seeing Parker in such a prominent position at surrender... In 1787, in Cattaraugus Territory, New York Indian Agency friendship was to Last the. Next turned his attention to engineering, attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute official trips later that year, August. Indians in several cases, and the medal for the Civil War on September 18th, Parker a... Army veteran, Ulysses S. Grant Museum Podcast is made possible by support from the Department. Than that: it represented the Seneca Indians in several cases, and Brigadier.... Of that year ely ; ely Place ( Dublin ), a of!, the first Native American Commissioner of Indian Affairs August 31, 1895, at his in. In Ellicottville remains he eventually was assigned the job of interpreter for the rest of lives! Near Buffalo, New York fortune on Wall Street, Galena, 61036! Became the first Indian ever to hold the Office house and marine hospital in Galena of opinion Parker! How… ely S. Parker, who early in life determined to live and succeed in the vital role translator... 1897, his humanitarian and just treatment of the Confederate surrender Documents for the rest of their Reservation...

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