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Submitted: 6/26/11 • Approved: 9/26/11 • Last Updated: 8/16/12 • R551137-G551136-S3
Spy Courier Smuggler
Confederate activist
June 17, 1835 - January 19, 1918
Sarah Jane Ish Parke was born to John Johannas and Cynthia Edmiston Ish in Canehill, Washington County, Arkansas. She was the eighth child of ten. Her father, John, was a veteran of the War of 1812 and one of the early pioneers of the new territory of Arkansas. He and his wife Cynthia lived in Clark County (now part of Pike County) until 1828 when they moved to Washington County, Arkansas.
On August 28, 1856 Sarah Jane married Frank Parke in Washington County, Arkansas. Frank was born in County Leitrim, Ireland to Thomas and Mary McGarry Parke. Frank and Sarah settled in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas. Their children were :Augustus Winfield Parke
Frank Parke, Mary Parke, Adelaide H Parke,
Phoebe Parke, Myrtle McCullough Parke, Lady Parke, Lillie May Parke, Lallah Rookh Parke and Jane Parke.
When the Civil War started Frank joined the Confederate Army. When the Union forces retook Fort Smith, Sarah started keeping a talley of the troops stationed there. She made several trips to North West Arkansas with her information. She, also, was used by the confederate soldiers to send informantion through the Union lines. She smuggled troops caught behind enemy lines back to the Confederate troops. The union soilders suspected her, but were never able to prove she had done anything. After the war Frank and Sarah continued to live at Ft Smith where they died and were buried.
Referenced: Arkansas in the Civil War by Dale Cox. Genelogy.com
Contributed on 6/26/11 by rgmeador7
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Record #: 551137