Harry Jeremiah Parks

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Harry Jeremiah Parks
February 24, 1848 (1848-02-24) – October 19, 1927 (aged 79)
Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth	Orangeville, New York
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	9th New York Cavalry 1st Colorado Light Artillery
Battles/wars	American Civil War *Battle of Cedar Creek
Awards	Medal of Honor

Harry Jeremiah Parks (February 24, 1848–October 19, 1927) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the American Civil War.

1 Biography
2 Medal of Honor citation
3 See also
4 Notes
5 References

[edit] Biography

Harry Jeremiah Parks, not Henry Parks, a farm boy from Orangeville, New York, Parks ran away from home twice to join the Union Army. He signed his name as Jeremiah Parks, using his middle name to escape from his father James Parks who had brought him back once before. He mustered in at Lockport, New York, at the age of fifteen and was assigned as a private to Company A of the 9th New York Cavalry. Serving under General Philip Sheridan, Parks rode into battle on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia, capturing the "Bonnie Blue Flag" and several prisoners. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions a week later, on October 26, 1864. At age sixteen, Parks is one of the youngest recipients of the medal.

On April 5, 1905, 'Harry Jeremiah Parks applied for his Civil War pension. However Parks had signed his name Jeremiah Parks on his enrollment papers to somehow keep his father from discovering that he had for the second time falsified enrollment into the Union Army. In letters dated to the pension Commissioner he then had to unravel the mess he had created by using just his middle name.page 2 Congressional affidavit" In the United States Congressional archives dated and stamped April 11, 1905, Parks then writes the following. "In General Sheridan's famous battle in the valley at Cedar Creek Va, October 19 th 1864, I captured the Bonnie Blue Flag, four men, three wagons, for this Sheridan sent me with Gen. Custer to Washington to report to the Secretary of War with flag. I called on then President Abraham Lincoln, he placed the medal on my breast for the first time and placing his arm around me said" God Bless my boy hero of the Shenandoah!. I was then just sixteen years of age." What is even more a mystery about Parks is that within all of this history, his muster rolls show he is of dark complexion. Not only is Parks background a mystery, he is placed in a very strange situation in American History. Parks is placed upon the landscape of the alleged curse of Shawnee Tecumseh, being one of the most bizarre historical situations in American history. He is shown here on achieve papers of appearing with Custer, Lincoln and Sheridan. Many articles as well as individuals have sought to debunk the curse of Shawnee Indian prophet Tecumseh's brother supposedly placed a curse on all United States presidents. Parks listed his mothers name as Rachel White born circa Maryland 1812 on his muster rolls. According to the Latter Day Saints records she is linked to a family Known as the Kirks, Quaker missionaries. Just before the battle of Tippecanoe, Washington assigned Quaker William Kirk to be the missionary to the Shawnee to teach them farming. Kirk then was disgraced and accused of not providing accountings to Washington and was removed. Henry Harrison then went in and killed Tecumseh the prophets brother. According to Latter Day Saints records, Parks mother is related to Kirk as well as all Quakers going back to the White Family, Allen, Kirks in Maryland as well as Virginia and Pennsylvania. Unless a genealogical detective can disprove this, Parks the dark skinned farmer boy, standing in Washington D.C, died on the same date he rode into battle with Sheridan and Custer may have been native American. The famous curse that was placed upon all U.S. Presidents is at best very at times suspect, however in this case, this family the Park's, has been linked also to some very bizarre as well as strange unexplainable coincidences linking them to Native American as well as American history. In Native American Folklore, Religion, as well as these curses which seem to have formed an unexplainable pattern which is documented by court records as well as repeat a theme right to present day. These curses seem to be on different websites, some of which are to rise to a level of morbid curiosity. Many have linked Kennedy to Lincoln and this curse.

Lincoln had a son named Tad who died on July 18 th, President John Kennedy's son John died on July 18, Harry Jeremiah Parks had a brother named Hezekiah Parks, his grandson was Harry Parks a world War II veteran named after Harry Jeremiah Parks, he died on July 18,2005 his granddaughter's name is Kennedy Parks named after President Kennedy. In the issues of this alleged curse, according to genealogical records and history, Harry Jeremiah Parks family is the closest historical proof of the existence of this alleged curse than what has ever been written about thus far. If Parks is a blood kin to Kirk, this family the Parks, is the only living surviving link to the actual William Kirk, Tecumseh, and his brother the Prophet who placed this curse. To even further this alleged curse of Tecumseh's brother, Harry Jeremiah Parks is placed in a room with Lincoln , who was shot in the head, by John Wilkes Booth, later Custer whom Sheridan had to send troops to recover the remains of Custer, and Kirk who was removed intentionally out of the picture so Harrison could butcher the Shawnee which led to the curse of Tippecanoe. The coincidences of Lincoln, Kennedy, and Harry Jeremiah's name sakes are all intertwined on dying on the same dates of July 18, are all also tied to Arlington National cemetery. Sheridan, Kennedy and Parks are all buried there. Individuals have tried to debunk the connection between Kennedy and Lincoln with the fact of bringing out that Lincoln may have had a low level secretary named Kennedy. However they cannot debunk the fact that Abraham Lincoln placed his arm around Parks, and pinned a medal on him for his October 15, 1864 event, which he ends up dying on that same date, whose great grand nephew Harry Parks was named after him, died on the same dates as Lincoln and Kennedy's sons on July 18th, and had a granddaughter named after Kennedy. In these documents recorded in the Library of Congress Harry Jeremiah Parks is charging into battle, he captured not just any flag, but the " Bonnie Blue Flag" second to the Union Jack. This battle was the turning point in the war. He is then sent to Washington with none other than Custer. He is in the same room as Custer, and Lincoln, and was sent there by Sheridan later sent arrogant Custer to the wars against the Sioux and Lakota.

Parks remained in the Army, eventually rising to the rank of captain and serving with Battery A of the 1st Colorado Light Artillery. He died at age 79 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

Private, Company A, 9th New York Cavalry. Place and Date: At Cedar Creek, Va., 19 October 1864. Entered Service At: Orangeville, N.Y. Born: 24 February 1848, Orangeville, N.Y. Date Of Issue: 26 October 1864.

Citation:

While alone and in advance of his unit and attempting to cut off the retreat of a supply wagon, he fought and sent to flight a Confederate color bearer. After capturing the color bearer and leaving him in the rear, he returned to the front and captured 3 more wagons and drivers.^[1]