Ely S. Parker

Ely S. Parker
Hasanoanda
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
In office 1869–1871
President	Ulysses S. Grant
Preceded by	Nathaniel Green Taylor
Succeeded by	Francis Amasa Walker
Personal details
Born	Ely Samuel Parker 1828 Indian Falls, New York, U.S.
Died	August 31, 1895 (aged 66–67) Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Nationality	Seneca United States
Relatives	Red Jacket (great grand-uncle)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army (Union Army)
Years of service	1863–1869[1]
Rank	Colonel Brevet brigadier general
Unit	Adjutant to General U.S. Grant 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment
Battles/wars	American Civil War Siege of Vicksburg Battle of Chattanooga Overland Campaign Siege of Petersburg Appomattox campaign

Ely Samuel Parker (1828 – August 31, 1895), born Hasanoanda (Tonawanda Seneca), later known as Donehogawa, was an engineer, U.S. Army officer, aide to General Ulysses Grant, and Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in charge of the government's relations with Native Americans. He was bilingual, speaking both Seneca and English, and became friends with Lewis Henry Morgan, who became a student of the Iroquois in Upstate New York. Parker earned an engineering degree in college and worked on the Erie Canal, and other projects.

He was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel during the American Civil War, when he served as adjutant and secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant. He wrote the final draft of the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox. Later in his career, Parker rose to the rank of brevet brigadier general.

When General Grant became president in 1869, he appointed Parker as Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the first Native American to hold that post.^[1]