Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/209

 PARKER

PARKER

PARKER, Cortlandt, lawyer, was born at Perth Amboy, N.J., June 37, 1818 ; son of James and Penelope (Butler) Parker ; grandson of James Parker, who was one of the Proprietors of the colony of New Jersey. He bore off the honors of his class at Rutgers college ; delivered the vale- dictory, and was gra- duated A. B., 1836, A.M., 1839. He stu- died law under Theo- dore Frelinghuysen and Amzi Armstrong, and established him- self in practice at Newark, N.J., in 1839. His practice contin- ued to increase for some eight years and in September, 1847, he was married to Elizabeth Wolcott, daughter of Richard W. Stites of Morris- town, formerly of Savannah, Ga. He was pros- ecutor of pleas for Essex county, 1857-67. He de- clined a seat on the supreme bench of New Jersey in 1867, the judgeship of the court of Alabama claims offered by President Grant in 1874 ; the mission to Russia offered by President Hayes in 1877, and that to Austria offered by President Arthur in 1882. He was named by Governor Newell with others to the legislature, for the office of chancellor during the vacancy in that court in 1888, and was twice a prominent candi- date befoi'e the legislature for U.S. senator. He also declined the nomination by the Republican convention, after it was made, for representative in congress. During the civil war and the re- construction period he was a leader for the Union and for the civil rights of the freedmen. He was one of the revisers of the statutes of New Jersey in 1875 ; was sent to Louisiana in 1876 by President Grant to witness the count of electoral votes ; was commissioner to establish the bound- ary line between New Jersey and Delaware, and was largely instrumental in tiie forming and pas- sage of the general railroad law which removed an abundant source of corruption. He acted for the defense in no less than thirteen homicide cases, several of them very celebrated, and was concerned either for the paintiff or the defend- ant in almost all civil suits of great importance occurring in the state during his active practice. His power over a jury was phenomenal. He tried cases in every county in the state, as well as in New York and Philadelphia, and in the supreme court of the United States. He was the counsel of tlie Erie Railway company, and president of the American Bar association, of the State Bar

association and of the Essex County Bar associa- tion. The College of New Jersey and Rutgers college conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1866. He was influential in the coun- cils of the Protestant Episcopal church, as a del- egate to the Diocesan convention yearly for about forty years, and as a representative of his diocese in five general conventions.

PARKER, Ely Samuel, soldier, was born in the Indian reservation, Tonawanda, N.Y., in 1828 ; grandson of Red- Jacket, chief of the Wolf tribe, Seneca Indians, Six Nations. He was a full- blooded Indian, and chief in turn of his tribe, his Indian name being " On-E-Don-E-Wag-Wa." He was educated in the public schools ; took a course at the Rensselaer Polytechnic institute at Troy, N.Y., and studied law, but as Indians had no claim to citizenship at that time, he could not be admitted to the bar. He subsequently entered the employ of the U.S. government as an engin- eer and in that capacity superintended the erec- tion of the U.S. custom house and marine hospi- tal at Galena, 111., 1858-61. He there became the intimate friend of Ulysses S. Grant. When Gen. C. F. Smith assumed command at Paducah Parker was appointed on the engineer corps, and when Grant was before Vicksburg Parker was commis- sioned captain and assistant adjutant-general on his staff, May 25, 1863, and served as lieutenant- colonel and military secretary to Grant from Aug, 30, 1864, to July 25, 1866, succeeding Gen. W. R. Rowley. He wrote from Grant's dictation the terms of capitulation at the surrender of Lee, and was mustered out of the volunteer service July 1, 1866. He was appointed 2d lieutenant in the 2d cavalry March 22, 1866, served as colonel and aide-de-camp to General Grant from July 25,

1866, to March 4, 1869, was piomoted 1st lieuten- ant of the 2d cavalry, June 1, 1867, and resigned April 24, 1869. He was brevetted colonel of vol- unteers, Feb. 24, 1865, for faithful and meritori- ous services ; brigadier-general of volunteers April 9, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services during the campaign terminating in the surren- der of the army vmder General Lee, and 1st lieu- tenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel and brigadier general in the U.S. army Marcli 2,

1867, for faithful and meritorious services during the civil war. He served as U.S. commissioner of Indian affairs, 1869-71 ; then resumed the pro- fession of civil engineering, and was appointed on the police department of New York city, where he superintended repairs in department buildings and the purchase of supplies. 1876-95. He died at Fairfield, Conn., Aug. 31, 1895.

PARKER, Foxhall Alexander, naval officer, was born in New York city, Aug. 5, 1821 : son of Foxhall Alexander and Sara (Bogardus) Parker : gi-andson of William Harwar and Mary (Sturman^