Samuel B. Parrish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 25, 1838 |
| Died | July 12, 1897 (aged 59) |
| Resting place | River View Cemetery |
| Occupation(s) | U.S. Indian Agent Portland Chief of Police |
Samuel B. Parrish (February 25, 1838 – July 12, 1897) was an American Indian Agent and Portland Police Chief. He lived at Cardwell–Parrish House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991.
As a young man, Parrish worked as a government express employee for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was a cowboy, and worked for the custom house. Parrish was indicted but not convicted of transporting liquor between Portland and Victoria, British Columbia in 1866 and 1867 without paying the duties.
He worked for Indian Affairs during the Modoc Wars, was instrumental in establishing the Malheur Indian Reservation, and was an Indian Agent there. With Sarah Winnemucca, Parrish introduced agricultural methods for effective farming and helped establish and operate a school for children and young adults. Some white people in the area were not happy with the job he was doing and had him fired after about a year and a half.
Parrish worked as assistant manager of the Monumental Mining Company in Grant County, Oregon, for about four years. He then worked at the Portland Police Department in customs and, beginning in 1884, as the city's chief of police, a position he held for eight years.