Isaac Charles Parker was born 15 October 1838 in Belmont County, Ohio
His parents were Joseph Parker and Jane Shannon.
At the age of 16, Isaac Parker began teaching school while attending
Barnesville Academy.
He later served as Prosecuting Attorney for Buchanan County and
Circuit Judge for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Missouri before
1870, when he was elected to the first of his two consecutive terms
in Congress.
In 1875 President U.S. Grant nominated Congressman Isaac Parker
to be Chief Justice of Utah.
President Grant withdrew this nomination to appoint Parker United
States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas, a life
appointment.

Judge Parker married MARY O'TOOLE in St. Joseph, Missouri on
12 December 1861. Mary ws the daughter of James B. O'Toole and
Sophia Hickman of Columbia, Missouri.
Mary O'Toole's grandfather was born in Ireland.

Judge Parker and his wife had three sons:
1.Charles Parker, born 26 August 1872 at St.Joseph, Missouri
2.James Joseph Parker, born 16 September 1875 at St. Louis, Missouri
3.They had a child that died in infancy.

In 1875 Judge Isaac Charles Parker, a Republican, was appointed to
the Western Judicial District of Arkansas. He was appointed by then
President Ulysses S. Grant, also a Republican.
Judge Isaac Parker served from 10 May 1875 to 1 September 1896
His salary was $3500.00 a year and he worked 72 hours a week
Judge Parker died 17 November 1896 and is buried at Ft.Smith,
Arkansas

After his death at Ft. Smith, a cyclone in 1897 destroyed the Parker
Home. Mrs. Parker went to live with her son Charles in Durant,
Oklahoma.

The Western Judicial District of Arkansas included the counties in
Arkansas that ran north and south along the western Arkansas border,
all of Indian Territory and a strip 50 miles wide along the southern
Kansas boundary. Indian Territory was an area of more than 70,000 square miles.

The U.S. Marshal drew a salary of $90 per month.
The Deputy Marshals drew no salary. They drew mileage of 6 cents per
mile whether tracking a killer or delivering court papers and summons
They also received pay of $2 each upon delivery of a summons or for
each prisoner they delivered to courthouse at Ft.Smith, Arkansas.
The court paid the cost of transporting the prisoners, which usually
consisted of a cook, chuck wagon, prison wagon and several extra
mules and horses.
Deputies had to use their wits and cunning in capturing the prisoners
and often lost their life in taking a prisoner.
It was hard work and conditions were tough.
Deputies could sometimes collect reward money offered by companies
or the Railroad for the capture of a wanted fugitive.

These deputies are unsung heroes of the western frontier.
Depending on their assigned mission, they rode alone or in pairs
and sometimes by wagon
Their lot was rough with little food and their bed was usually under
the stars. Awaiting them were killers, rapists, robbers, renegade
Indians, and groups of men who knew that their lives would be
forfeited if they were brought back to trial for their crimes.
These deputies were brave men....they had to be.
The deputies often times had to ride many miles to question people
who knew of the crimes that were committed.

They not only brought back the criminals but they had to obtain
witnesses, secure the evidence of the crime and produce this
evidence in court for a jury to pass judgement of guilt or the
innocence of those who were charged of the crimes.
Without these brave men, the court of Judge Parker would never have
become famous, nor the presiding judge honored as he was.
I believe the Clint Eastwood movie "Hang'em High" was based on
these deputies and Judge Isaac Parker.

Kinfolks
by Evelyn Flood
[email protected]

Many Northern Arkansas men rode for Judge Isaac Parker as deputy
U.S. Marshals. One of these men was SIMON FLUD, son of
Nathaniel Flood and Mary Polly Jones Flood of Newton County,
Arkansas.
Many other deputies were kinfolks of Northern Arkansas families.

In 1988, a cousin, Charlotte Blanchard and I drove to Ft. Smith,
Arkansas and stopped at the Ft. Smith Museum and took pictures.
We inquired about Simon Flood and the ranger on duty said the records
were at Ft. Worth, Texas.
Little did we know, but the Chief Ranger at the Ft. Smith Museum was
a relative.
Only later did we find that GUY NICHOLS, a distant cousin
had been stationed at Ft. Smith many years. We just missed him.
Later on, I found out about Guy Nichols and wrote him and called him
on the phone. Later on Guy filled us in on the Nichols information
we had been hunting for.
Guy's voice sounded so much like my beloved father-in-law Lee Flood.
Hope Guy Nichols is still with us. He was so interesting to talk
to.

Below is a list of deputy marshals who rode for Judge Parker**.
Names with + ,are recognized as living in Newton County area
or nearby Arkansas "cousin counties".
Some of my Kinfolks stories have familiar deputies names.
Names with *(asterik) are for those deputies who were killed in line
of duty. I put the death date when known.
Many men served before Judge Parker's tenure and afterwards.
Am compiling all the names I can find who served as
U.S. Deputy Marshals for the Western District of Arkansas.
Some deputies served after** Judge Parker's death and those dates
are given when known.
Am working from three different lists.
All the known deputies are listed and will be adding information
about these deputies as I find it.
If you have any information on these deputies, or if you feel I have
missed a deputy's name, please write me.

U S DEPUTY MARSHALS buried in OAK CEMETERY, FT. SMITH,ARKANSAS
http://fortsmithhistory.org/archive/marshals.html

I need YOUR help in completing this information.
If you don't see a name here, please come back later.
There were approximately 1,300 deputies.
NOTE:**
Some deputies served AFTER** Judge Parker's time on the bench.
The dates of oath of office are listed in column 3
Including all known deputies, guards and baliffs

If you have any names to add, please send me an E-mail.
Or if you recognize any of these names, please send me an E-mail
giving me any information you would like to share.
YOUR help would be greatly appreciated by anyone visiting this
site.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO DO LOOKUPS.
I do not have the time

NOTE-NOTE-NOTE: Charles D. Raney of the Fort Smith Historical Society, has prepared
a list of U.S.Marshals, Deputy Marshals, Jailers, Baliffs, Guards,
Possemen and Criers who are buried in OAK CEMETERY, Fort Smith,
Arkansas and these men will be listed with +OAK in the Death Column
NOTE:NOTE:NOTE:NOTE:

+OAK +OAK +OAK +OAK +OAK
+OAK=Deputy is buried in Oak Cemetery, Ft. Smith, Arkansas

Have written the genealogies of several of the U.S. Deputy Marshals
who rode for Judge Parker.
These stories can be found on my 'Rkinfolks Stories' Link below.
Go to the main page and click on the link in the center of the page
to view the 'Kinfolks Stories'.
Will add more stories as I complete them, so please come back
'Rkinfolks Stories by Evelyn Flood

I need YOUR help to fill in the missing information.
Know it will be appreciated by many people reading this information

Want to thank each and everyone that has sent information on these
Deputy U.S. Marshals.