Ely S. Parker

Ely Samuel Parker was born in 1828 on the Tonawanda Reservation in New York, the son of a Seneca sachem and a mixed-heritage mother. His Seneca name, Ha-sa-no-an-da, meant 'Leading Name.' He attended Yates Academy and later studied law, but was denied admission to the bar because, as a Native American, he was not considered a US citizen. He then pursued engineering, graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1851, one of the first Native Americans to earn an engineering degree.

Parker worked on the Erie Canal and other public works, but his career was interrupted by the Civil War. He initially struggled to gain a commission, but through his friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, he was appointed to Grant's staff in 1863, rising to the rank of brevet brigadier general.

As military secretary to Grant, Parker was present at the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. He wrote the final draft of the surrender terms in his own hand, and Lee, upon noticing Parker's Native American heritage, remarked, 'I am glad to see one real American here.' Parker later recalled replying, 'We are all Americans.'

Parker's role was symbolic of the broader participation of Native Americans in the Civil War, with thousands serving on both sides. His presence at Appomattox was a poignant moment, as he represented a people who had been dispossessed by the very nation he helped to preserve.

In 1869, President Grant appointed Parker as Commissioner of Indian Affairs, making him the first Native American to lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He advocated for a 'peace policy' that sought to reduce corruption and treat tribes as sovereign nations, but he faced intense opposition from military and political interests. His tenure was marred by accusations of mismanagement, and he resigned in 1871.

After leaving office, Parker invested in the New York City stock market and lost his fortune. He spent his later years in poverty, working as a clerk in the New York City Police Department. He died in 1895 and was initially buried in Connecticut, but in 1897 his remains were reinterred in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York, near his Seneca homeland.

Beyond his famous military and political roles, Parker was a skilled linguist and ethnographer. He collaborated with Lewis Henry Morgan, the pioneering anthropologist, providing crucial information about Seneca kinship and governance that shaped Morgan's 1851 book, League of the Ho-dé-no-sau-nee, or Iroquois. Parker also helped preserve Seneca cultural artifacts and records.

Parker was a Freemason, and his Masonic connections aided his career. He was also a close friend of Grant, and after Grant's death, Parker served as a pallbearer at his funeral. Parker's life has been the subject of several biographies, and his legacy is honored by the Ely S. Parker Scholarship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Sachem

A chief or leader in some Native American tribes, especially the Iroquois.

Bureau of Indian Affairs

A US federal agency responsible for the administration and management of land held in trust for Native Americans.

Peace policy

A US government policy in the late 19th century aimed at assimilating Native Americans through education and Christianization, and reducing military conflict.