Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Daniel Parks

123^rd NEW YORK VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: Summer, 1862 Salem, NY
Mustered In: 9/4/62 Salem, NY
Mustered Out: 6/8/65 Washington, D.C.

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: 
 

The 123^rd was a three year infantry regiment. It was to serve in both the eastern and western theaters of the American Civil War.
 

Recruitment for the 123^rd began in Washington County, NY. In December, 1863 a portion of the 145^th New York was transferred into its ranks.
 

Having left New York on 9/5/62, the 123^rd fought its first battle at Chancellorsville, VA (4/30 - 5/6/63). There it lost 148 killed, wounded and missing. The unit was only slightly engaged at Gettysburg, PA (7/1 - 4/63), so lost only 14 men. Pursuing Confed. Gen. R.E. Lee's forces back into Virginia, the 123^rd fought at Fairplay and Williamsport MD (7/6 - 16) without loss.
 

In September, 1863 the 123^rd was ordered into Tennessee. Railroad guard and picket duties followed.
 

During May, 1864 the regiment joined Union Gen. W.T. Sherman's campaign to capture Atlanta, GA. It was active during the battles of Resaca (5/13 – 15/64), Cassville (5/16-19/64) and Dallas (5/26 - 6/1/64). At the latter place twenty three were killed or wounded. Kennesaw Mountain (6/27/64) saw sixty three killed, wounded or missing. The siege and capture of Atlanta (7/22/64) came next with the "march to the sea" capping the year.
 

1865. The early months of the year found the 123^rd marching northward through the Carolinas. Battles during this campaign included Averasboro (3/16/65), Bentonville (3/19 – 21/65), Raleigh (4/13/65) and Bennett's House (4/17-18 - 26/65). The regiment’s total loss during this period was twenty one killed, wounded or missing.
 

With the final surrender of Confederate forces in late April, 1865 the 123^rd marched to Washington, D.C. There it participated in the Grand Review before final muster.
 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded:  6; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:  0; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded:  66; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 95.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Battenville Washington County, NY   Age: 18.4 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 7/26/62 Greenwich, NY   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 9/4/62 Salem, NY
Mustered Out: 6/8/65 Washington, D.C.
Highest Rank: Pvt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
 

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of Daniel Parks, Jr. was created in April, 2021 during the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'s National Archives were not available. At a later time those documents may be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
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Daniel Parks, Jr. was born on February 13, 1844. The location of his birth was Gallaway, NY.
 

Parents of Daniel, Jr. were Daniel Parks, Sr. (b. 6/4/14 England - d. 6/29/95 Saratoga County, NY) and Jane Ann (nee Trumbell b. 1816 NY - d. 12/9/49 Saratoga County, NY) Parks. Daniel, Sr. was, by trade, a blacksmith.
 

As best as can be determined from available U.S. Census data, Daniel, Jr. was the fifth of six children born to Daniel, Sr. and Jane. Older than Jr. were: George Grinning Parks (b. 1832), Marianna Parks (b.1834), Luther Lee Parks (b. 1838) and John F. Parks (b. unk). Younger than Jr. was Rhoda Matilda Parks (b. 10/6/48 - d. 2/15/50).
 

Following Jane's, death (date unk.) Daniel, Sr. remarried. The second Mrs. Parks was Orpha Ann Kenyon.  (b. 8/14/27 Warren County, NY. - d. 6/11/03 Saratoga County, NY).
 

It appears Orpha brought one child, a son named Charles (b. 1848), into the marriage. Still, she and Daniel, Sr.  produced at least four children of their own. They were: Carlephine Parks, William “Willie" W. Parks, Fracelia Gardner Parks and Carrie A. Parks.
 

The U.S. Census tally for 1850 found Daniel, Sr. and family in Moreau Saratoga County, NY. Ten years later, in 1860 they were still in New York, but then residing in Greenwich (Battenville) located in Washington County. It appears that Daniel, Jr. - hereafter Daniel - was living there with his father and step mother when, in 1862, he left home and went off to war.
 

Private Daniel Parks served with the 123^rd New York Infantry. Without accessing his military records about all that can be said right now about his period of enlistment is that he survived The War and returned to his father and stepmother's New York home.
 

In 1865 Daniel was in Washington County, NY. Four years later, in 1869, he was in Washington Territory. What had drawn him to the Pacific Northwest is an unknown. Also, unknown is exactly when he arrived here.
 

It appears that within the Pacific Northwest Daniel settled in the Puget Sound region and, to be more specific, the Seattle King County area. Again, why he came here? We don't know.
 

By 1879 Daniel had departed Seattle and moved southward into California. In both 1879 and 1880 he was found to be in the Los Gatos region of Santa Clara County.  Why?  Once more, available documents do not give us the answer to that question.
 

One thing we know Daniel did while in California was get married. The location of his marriage was Los Gatos Santa Clara County, CA. His wedding date was 7/28/81.
 

His bride?  She had been born in England during either 1856 or 1860 and came to America in 1869.  We know her only by her married name, Sarah J. Parks. Available documents do not provide her maiden surname.
 

During their years together Daniel and Sarah produced four children. They were: Miriam Rhoda Parks (b. 10/22/82 Los Gatos Santa Clara County, CA), Ruth Alice Parks (b. 10/27/84 Santa Clara County, CA), John Patrick Parks (b. 10/18/86 Santa Clara County, CA) and Thomas Daniel Parks (b. 3/8/91 Seattle King County, WA). All four were alive as of 1900.
 

As noted by the birth states of the Parks children, at some point in time after the birth of John Patrick (10/18/86) and prior to July, 1889, Daniel and Sarah moved their family from California northward into the Puget Sound region of Washington State. What had prompted the northerly trek and exactly when it occurred are unknowns. As of 7/20/89 the family was residing in the King County, WA community of Green Lake. Green Lake is now a neighborhood in north Seattle.
 

At the dawn of the twentieth century the Parks family was still in King County, but by 1900 had moved southward from Seattle and taken up farming in an area known as Black River near present-day Renton, WA. Once more, what had drawn Daniel to this region is not known.
 

In 1920 the Parks family were still living in the Black River area. By that time, however, Daniel was no longer farming, but working as a bailiff in the (King County) Superior Court.
 

Around February or March, 1924 heart problems began plaguing Daniel to the degree that he was hospitalized. During that period of hospitalization he and Sarah began the paperwork to get him into the Washington State Veterans' home located across Puget Sound from Seattle in the Kitsap County community of Retsil. There, Daniel could receive medical care not available if he returned home to the Black River/Renton area.
 

From that paperwork process we gain a glimpse of Daniel Parks, the physical being. At 80.1 years of age the old soldier stood five feet and 1/2 inches tall. He had a dark complexion. 
 

Admittance approval was granted Daniel on 3/22/24. He was admitted to the home on 3/22/24. Sarah joined him there, in residence, on 4/24/24.
 

Daniel did not live long after moving to Retsil. He died there on 7/21/24. His earthly remains were buried, not in the Veterans' Home cemetery in Retsil, but in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery located in Renton, King County, WA.
 

On 6/23/91 Daniel had initiated the paper chase to obtain a U.S. Government disability pension based on having served in his country's military during the American Civil War. The pension request was granted, but without to Daniel's pension files the details of his inaugural stipend are unknown. From the Retsil application papers, however we learn that as of March, 1924 he was receiving $50 per month.
 

Following Daniel's death Sarah petitioned the government to continue receiving a portion of her late husband's financial benefits. Again, the petition was granted, but without Sarah's widow pension files we know nothing of her stipend dollars.
 

Sarah remained an "inmate" at the Retsil Home for the remainder of her days. She had many still ahead of her.
 

Mrs. Sarah J. Parks died in Retsil in 1954. The ninety seven or ninety eight year old was buried beside Daniel in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

Buried at Mt Olivet Cemetery