Henry Graham Parker: Twice a Soldier

A rather humorous anecdote regarding my great grandfather’s participation in the civil war has circulated for years, and I decided to see if any evidence existed that might validate the story. The “family legend” holds that Henry Graham Parker (the father in the Ouija Board story) was discharged after being wounded, only to sign up again. That alone isn’t extraordinary, as many soldiers returned once they recuperated from an injury, but it’s Henry’s motivation that makes this story so much fun. Supposedly his stepmother put the recovering Henry on a therapeutic regimen of wood chopping, and he soon decided that dodging bullets held more appeal! I set out to add credence to this tale by finding records that corroborate his “dual service” to the Union. Read the rest of this entry »