Civil War Pension File of George Henry Parks
SC 323.166
Unit: Company F & Company A, 2nd Illinois Cavalry
Enlisted: 10 or 12 Jul 1861 at Monticello, Illinois – Private
Re-enlisted: 5 Jan 1864
Mustered Out: 22 Nov 1865 at San Antonio, Texas - Sergeant
Discharged: 1 Jan 1866 at Springfield, Illinois
Description: 6 foot tall, light complexion, light hair, blue eyes
Documents:
(1) Declaration for an Original Invalid Pension – 25 Nov 1884 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
George Henry Parks, aged 47, declares he was enrolled on 12 Jul 1861 in Company F, 2nd Illinois
Volunteer Cavalry, commanded by M. L. Murser. He was discharged at Springfield, Illinois
on 1 Jan 1866. He is 6 foot tall with light complexion, light hair and blue eyes.
He declares that while in the service and in the line of his duty at New Iberia, Louisiana, in
December 1863 he contracted rheumatism in the left leg due to exposure.
"During the month of December 1863 it rained nearly all the time at New Iberia, Louisiana.
We arrived at New Iberia about the first day of December 1863 and we stayed at this place
until about the 26th day of December 1863 and during all this time we had no shelter nor tent and
were on the scout or doing picket duty and I took very severe cold and had Rheumatism in my left
hip and leg and have never been free from rheumatism in my left hip and leg from that time until
the present. I never was treated in hospital. I was lame but never went to hospital."
He has resided in the cities of Farmer City and Champaign, Illinois, and his occupation has been
that of a plaster and brick layer. He is now partly disabled. His Post Office is Farmer
City, DeWitt Co, Illinois.
Signed: George Henry Parks
Witnesses: Carlton Stansbury and George Herrick
(2) War Department, Surgeon General’s Office – 15 May 1885 – Washington, DC
Reports that the name of the soldier does not appear in the records on file at this office.
(3) War Department, Adjutant General ’s Office – 18 May 1885 – Washington, DC
George H. Parks is reported on the rolls as present until the March and April 1862 roll where he
is reported absent, home on sick furlough. Present on the May and June 1862 roll to 31 Oct
1862. On the November and December 1862 roll he is absent on detached service to Memphis,
Tennessee. From January to August 1863 he is reported as present. On the September
and October 1863 roll he is absent sick in Hospital. For November and December 1863 he is
present.
He re-enlisted as a Veteran Volunteer 5 Jan 1864. On 15 Feb 1864 was absent on Veteran
Furlough. Present from March 1864 to 30 Jun 1865 when he was transferred to Company A of
the same regiment. He was mustered out with the Company 22 Nov 1865 at San Antonio, Texas,
as a Sergeant.
(4) Inability Affidavit – 8 Jun 1885 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
George H. Parks of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, Post Office Farmer City, states that he is
unable to comply with the requirements of the Pension Office as to the Surgeon of his regiment.
He does not know where either the Surgeon or Assistant Surgeon of his regiment now lives.
That he was never treated by either the Surgeon or Assistant Surgeon of his regiment for
rheumatism. He requests that the testimony of Thomas S. Weedman and Arrod Knight be accepted
in lieu of the Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon.
(5) Proof of Disability – 8 Jun 1885 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
"Note—This affidavit must be executed by a Commissioned Officer, if possible, but, if
not possible to secure such evidence, then two of the soldier’s comrades should testify."
Thomas S. Weedman, aged 46, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, and Arrod Knight, aged 48, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, state they are acquainted with George H. Parks. That while in the line of duty at New Iberia, Louisiana, on or about the first part of November, 1863, became disabled in the following manner: "That the regiment went to New Iberia, Louisiana sometime in October 1863. That they had no tents or any means for protecting themselves from the storms. That they remained at New Iberia until about the 20th day of Dec 1863, that during the time the regiment was at New Iberia, these affiants were with said George H. Parks all the time. That while at New Iberia the said George H. Parks took a severe cold from exposure with rains and cold chilly weather and cold settled in the left hip and leg, and he complained [unreadable] from pain in his left hip and leg & was unable to mount his horse without assistance a part of time & commenced all the time the Company was at New Iberia. These affiants further state that they never knew of [unreadable] George H. Parks having been treated for his Rheumatism which resulted from his exposure to the storms as aforesaid by any physician of the regiment."
(6) Officer’s Certificate of Disability – 9 Jun 1885 – Monticello, Illinois
John Kirby, late 2nd Lieutenant of Company F of the 2nd Illinois Cavalry Volunteers, certifies that
George H. Parks was a Sergeant in his company.
"The said George H. Parks was with the company during the fall and early winter of 1863.
That sometime during Oct. 1863 the company with the reg. was sent to New Iberia, Louisiana, and
remained there until about the 20th day of Dec. 1863. That at the time the company was at New
Iberia they had no tents, and we had to do duty during this time. And during all that time, it
was rainy and very chilly. While the soldier George H Parks was doing duty he caught a very
severe cold which appeared to affect his left hip and leg and resulted in rheumatism in the left hip
and leg and was not able at times to mount his horse and his hip pained him 'severly.'
And that the said George H. Parks was at the time he enlisted in said company & regiment a sound
and able bodied man when he entered the service and never complained or was disabled from duty from
the time he enlisted until sometime in November 1863 when he caught the cold as above stated.
From that time until he was discharged he complained of pain in his left hip."
Signed John Kirby, Late 2nd Lieut, Co. "F" & "A" Illinois Cavalry Volunteer Regiment
(7) Declaration for Invalid Pension: Act of June 27, 1890 – 28 Jul 1890 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
George Henry Parks, aged 53, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, states he is partially
unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of rheumatism and heart trouble.
Signed George Henry Parks
Witnesses: E.H. Wilson & W. H. Mosley
(8) Neighbor’s Affidavit – 13 Nov 1890 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
J. W. Eby, aged 54, a resident of Farmer City and C. S. Pryer, aged 49, resident of Farmer City,
state that they have known the applicant for 20 and 18 years. "We have worked with him
at the trade of plastering off and on during the time as stated above, also live in the same town
he lives in & has lived in for above period about one mile apart, that we worked together at
said trade all this time in Farmer City and Vicinity, that they know him to be suffering with
Rheumatism at the present time and also in the past, that the Rheumatism is in his legs and
renders him unable to labor the full time and also that we know him to have smothering spells
and pain in the breast, that taken together he is unable to labor only about one half the
proportion of a sound, able-bodied man’s work."
(9) Circular, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions – 15 Jan 1898 – Filled out by
G. H. Parks on 5 July 189[number smudged]
· Wife’s name and maiden name: Hester A. Huddleston
· Married 10 Mar 1864, Clinton, Illinois by Esq. Jones
· Was not previously married
· Living children: Guy L. Parks, born 25 Sep 1870; Edna F. Parks, born 28 Jan 1876
(10) Circular, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions – 23 Aug 1898 – Filled out by
George H. Parks on 28 Aug 1898
· Wife’s name and maiden name: Hester A. Parks, maiden name Hester A. Huddleston
· Married 10 Mar 1864, Clinton, Illinois by Esq Jones
· Was not previously married
· Living children: Guy L., born 24 Sep 1871; Edna F., born 28 Jan 1876
(11) General Affidavit – 2 Oct 1902 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
Samuel J. Hancock, aged 39, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois and Wm. R. Pryer, aged 35,
resident of Farmer City, declare as follows: "That each of said affiants are plasterers by trade,
that they have each known the said George H. Parks for more than ten years last past and have each
worked with him during each of said ten years; that they each knew the said Parks from March 6th 1902
to Sept 24th 1902 and worked with him during a portion of that time. That during the period
between the last two named dates the said George H. Parks was constantly afflicted with rheumatism,
hydrocele, and had injuries to his right foot and right shoulder and also complained of heart disease,
that by reason of said disabilities we affiants belief said George H. Parks is unable to do only about
one third (1/3) of the labor that the average skilled plasterer does.
"That said Parks has been a plasterer by trade for more than 12 years last past in the knowledge
of affiant Hancock and for 25 years in affiant Pryer’s knowledge."
(12) Declaration for Pension: Act of February 6, 1907 – 4 Jul 1907 – DeWitt Co, Illinois
George Henry Parks, aged 70, resident of Farmer City, DeWitt Co, Illinois, states he enrolled under
the name George Henry Parks on 10 Jul 1861 as a private in Company F, 2nd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry
and was honorably discharged at San Antonio, Texas on 22 Nov 1865. He had no other service.
His description at enlistment was height, 6 feet; complexion, light; eyes, blue; hair, light.
His occupation was a wagon maker. He was born 4 July 1837 at Parke Co, Indiana. He has
lived at or near Farmer City continuously since the date of his discharge. He is now a pensioner
under # 323166 and makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension roll under the
provisions of the Act of February 6, 1907.
Signed: George Henry Parks
Witnesses: W. W. Murphy & I. F. Houserman
(13) Department of the Interior: Bureau of Pensions – 9 Jan 1908 – Washington D.C.
A request for a full personal description of George Henry Parks and the reply from the Adjutant
General’s Office that the description at time of enlistment was: age, 25; height, 6 feet;
complexion, light; eyes, blue; hair, light; born at Park Co, Indiana; occupation, wagon maker.
(14) Drop Notice – 27 Dec 1911 – Chicago, Illinois
George Henry Parks, last paid at $15.00 to 4 Apr 1911, has been dropped because of death, 19 Jun 1911.
Compiled Service Record, George Henry Parks, Private, Company F & A, 2nd Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, File Designation SC 323.166, National Archives, Washington D.C.
Note: George Parks’ obituary
GEO. PARKS' SUDDEN DEATH.
Neuralgia of Heart Brings Death to Piatt County Old Soldier.
George Henry Parks died suddenly Monday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. S. Hemphill. His death was a surprise to his friends and family as he seemed to be feeling very well with the exception of a slight attack of neuralgia early last week. Sunday he was around town most of the day and when he arose Monday morning, mentioned that he was feeling much better than usual. He sat down to the breakfast table and was conversing with his daughter when he died suddenly in his chair.
Mr. Parks was born in Park county, Ind., on July 4th, 1837. He was one of ten children, five boys and five girls. He enlisted in Co. F. 2nd. Ill. Cavalry when the first call was made for troops and served his country faithfully and well until the end of the war.
To his marriage with Hester Ann Huddleston, on March 10th, 1864, seven children were born two of whom now survive, George L. Parks of Oregon, Ill., and Mrs. Ed. S.Hemphill of Monticello.
Mr. Parks was a member of the M. E. church, and was an industrious, upright citizen, a model husband and father, and it can be truthfully said that he never intentionally wronged a fellowman. His jovial cheerful nature made him a great favorite among his fellow workman and comrades to whom he was familiarly known as Uncle George.
Short services were held at the home of E. S. Hemphill at 11 o'clock Wednesday morning. The funeral services were then held in the church at Farmer City at 1:30 p.m. where interment was made in Farmer City cemetery.
Several from here went with the family to Farmer City. Six of his old regiment acted as pallbearers. They were A. T. England, John Kirby, William Patterson, A. B. Tinder, Mr. Madden and George Weaver. Before returning they called on two other comrades who were very ill.
(From The Monticello Bulletin (Monticello, Illinois) 23 Jun 1911, page 1)