Jasper Parrish (9 March 176712 July 1836) was a United States Agent and Interpreter for the Iroquois. Parrish was fluent in the

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans *Mohawk people (Kanien’kehá:ka), an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language (Kanien’kéha), the language spoken by the Mohawk people *Mohawk hairstyle, from a ...

and

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

languages after having lived among the

Munsee The Munsee () are a subtribe and one of the three divisions of the Lenape. Historically, they lived along the upper portion of the Delaware River, the Minisink, and the adjacent country in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. They were prom ...

and Mohawk nations for six years as a child. Parrish's residence with the Indian nations began when he and his father were kidnapped by members of the Munsee Indian nation on July 5, 1778.

Captivity and a new family

At the age of eleven, Jasper and his Father, Zebulon Parrish, were kidnapped by the

in southern New York. He was separated from his father, who was returned to the family in a prisoner of war exchange. Jasper remained with the Indians for seven years. In 1780, Jasper was sold to David Hill (Karonghyontye), a Mohawk chief, and formally adopted by his family. In 1784, at the conclusion of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

and after a surrender at

Fort Stanwix Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction commenced on August 26, 1758, under the direction of British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The bastion fort was bui ...

, he was given the choice to remain with the Hill family or return to his own. He chose to return to his own family. Although he was fluent in the Delaware and Mohawk languages, he had lost his knowledge of English.

Reintegration and a job with the US Government

Although Jasper Parrish had lost his fluency in English, after he returned to his birth family, he also returned to school for a year and then studied extensively on his own. In 1790 he was asked to serve as an interpreter for the newly formed US Government. In 1792 he relocated to

Canandaigua Canandaigua () is a city in Ontario County, New York, United States. Its population was 10,576 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Ontario County; some administrative offices are at the county complex in the adjacent town of Hopewell. ...

and worked under General Israel Chapin who was Superintendent of the Six Nations. The Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy consisted of the

(with whom Jasper Parrish had known family relationships), the

Oneida Oneida may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy * Oneida language * Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York * Oneida N ...

, the

Cayuga Cayuga often refers to: * Cayuga people, a native tribe to North America, part of the Iroquois Confederacy * Cayuga language, the language of the Cayuga Cayuga may also refer to: Places Canada *Cayuga, Ontario United States * Cayuga, Illinois ...

, the Seneca, the

Onondaga Onondaga may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Onondaga people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois League * Onondaga (village), Onondaga settlement and traditional Iroquois capit ...

, and the

Tuscarora Tuscarora may refer to the following: First nations and Native American people and culture * Tuscarora people **'' Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation'' (1960) * Tuscarora language, an Iroquoian language of the Tuscarora people * ...

Interpreter and Sub Agent

Parrish worked for the US Government for almost thirty years. He was involved in the negotiation of treaties and the securing of wampum for the Iroquois. He provided interpretation for The Pickering Treaty, signed at Canandaigua of 1794. This treaty resulted in peace between the Iroquois and the US Government as it gave the Six Nations ownership of their land. Members of the Iroquois were still receiving payment based on this treaty as late as 1941.

Appreciation Expressed by the Iroquois

Japser Parrish and Horatio Jones, another interpreter, were so appreciated for their services and themselves by the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

, that in 1798 they were given large land grants from the Six Nations. The words of a leader,

Farmer's Brother Honayawas or Farmer's Brother (c. 1730 – 1814) was a Seneca Chief, active member of the Six Nations, elected War Chief, translator, and noted orator who fought and negotiated with both the United States and British before, during, and after the ...

, convey the appreciation they felt. An excerpt is provided below.

You will recollect the late contest between you and your father, the great King of England. This contest threw the inhabitants of this whole island into a great tumult and commotion, like a raging whirlwind which tears up the trees, and tosses to and fro the leaves so that no one knows from whence they come, or where they will fall.—This whirlwind was so directed by the Great Spirit above as to throw into our arms two of your infant children, Jasper Parrish and Horatio Jones. We adopted them into our families, and made them our children. We loved then, and nourished them. They lived with us many years. At length the Great Spirit spoke to the whirlwind and it was still. A clear and uninterrupted sky appeared. The path of peace was opened, and the chain of friendship was once more made bright. Then these, our adopted children, left us to seek their relations; we wished them to remain among us, and promised if they would return and live in our country. to give each of them a seat of land for them and their children to sit down upon. They have returned and have, for several years past, been serviceable to us as interpreters. We still feel our hearts beat with affection for them, and now wish to fulfill the promise we made them, and reward them for their services.

Parrish Family

Jasper Parish married Roxalina Paine in 1783. She was the daughter of General Edward Paine. His great-great-granddaughter, Antoinette Parrish (Hough) Martin, who published under the name of " Nettie Parrish Martin", captured stories from the time of the Iroquois Nation in a book named ''Indian Legends of Early Days''. In the forward for her book, Martin notes: Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42000908/jasper-parrish)

Parrish Legacy

The Buffalo Municipal

Public Housing Public housing, also known as social housing, refers to Subsidized housing, subsidized or affordable housing provided in buildings that are usually owned and managed by local government, central government, nonprofit organizations or a ...

Authority Jasper Parrish Development commences at Jasper Parish Drive and Hertel Avenue in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

and extends to Lawn

Avenue Avenue or Avenues may refer to: Roads * Avenue (landscape), traditionally a straight path or road with a line of trees, in the shifted sense a tree line itself, or some of boulevards (also without trees) * Avenue Road, Bangalore * Avenue Road, Lon ...

on the north and Military

Road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

on the west.

References

External links

* "Guide to the Jasper Parrish Papers, 1757-1954 (bulk 1757-1869)", Archives and Special Collections Library, Vasser Colleg

* Subsidized Housing in the United States

Subsidized housing in the United States In the United States, subsidized housing is administered by federal, state and local agencies to provide subsidy, subsidized rental assistance for low-income households. Public housing is priced much below the market rate, allowing people to ...