Lincoln Assassination Figure. He was, as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, assigned the task of guarding United States President Abraham Lincoln on the night the president was assassinated. After moving to Washington D.C., he was a carpenter before becoming one of the original members of this police force joining in 1861. He was one of four men assigned to guard President Lincoln. When the president was assassinated on April 14, 1865, he was not in the theater box with the president. On May 1, 1865, Parker was charged with neglect of duty in connection with the assassination. He was tried but the case was dismissed in June of 1865. Documents of the trial have been lost, but his personnel file from the police department shows that he had numerous infractions of duty, such as, conduct unbecoming an officer, using intemperate language, frequently visiting houses of prostitution while on duty, and being drunk on duty, yet he only received an occasional reprimand. He remained on the police force until 1868 when he was fired for sleeping on duty. An article in the "Smithsonian Magazine" gives these details. At that point, he returned to being a carpenter. Parker died of pneumonia, asthma and exhaustion. He was buried beside his three children in Glenwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. Parker's wife died in 1904 and was buried beside him.
Lincoln Assassination Figure. He was, as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, assigned the task of guarding United States President Abraham Lincoln on the night the president was assassinated. After moving to Washington D.C., he was a carpenter before becoming one of the original members of this police force joining in 1861. He was one of four men assigned to guard President Lincoln. When the president was assassinated on April 14, 1865, he was not in the theater box with the president. On May 1, 1865, Parker was charged with neglect of duty in connection with the assassination. He was tried but the case was dismissed in June of 1865. Documents of the trial have been lost, but his personnel file from the police department shows that he had numerous infractions of duty, such as, conduct unbecoming an officer, using intemperate language, frequently visiting houses of prostitution while on duty, and being drunk on duty, yet he only received an occasional reprimand. He remained on the police force until 1868 when he was fired for sleeping on duty. An article in the "Smithsonian Magazine" gives these details. At that point, he returned to being a carpenter. Parker died of pneumonia, asthma and exhaustion. He was buried beside his three children in Glenwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave. Parker's wife died in 1904 and was buried beside him.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Family Members
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