Ely S. Parker

Biography

Born into the Seneca Nation, Ely S. Parker's expertise as an engineer and his cool judgment led Ulysses S. Grant to appoint him as military secretary, where Parker helped draft the terms of surrender at Appomattox and secured a place among the Union's most trusted aides.

Later, as Commissioner of Indian Affairs he labored to bring fairness to Native American communities while remaining a bridge between cultures, and his final rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery honors a life of courage and diplomacy.