BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM PARK or PARKS of GREENPORT, NEW YORK

     William Park was born about 1836, Columbia County, New York, and baptized at Christ Church in Hudson, the eldest son of Samuel Park, Sr., and Mary (Rankin), who were immigrants from Ireland.

He and his four siblings were orphaned when William was about age 16, and he probably boarded at a Columbia County family as a farm worker or other occupation.

He worked as a laborer all his adult life, at least some of that time in the Becraft Quarry.

He died on 28 May, 1912, at Hudson, NY, and is buried in the Veteran's plot at Hudson City Cemetery.

On 14 September 1865, he married at Christ Church, Hudson, Salome Shaw.  William and Salome had four children: Mary, b. 1868, d. 1869; Ida, b. 1871, married Curt Almstead; Charles, b. 1872, d. at age 23; and William H., b. 1874.

     On 25 August 1862, he enlisted in the 167th Infantry Regiment of the Union Army at Greenport.  This regiment was later consolidated with the 159th, and he was honorably discharged on 14 September 1865.

     He received a pension for his Civil War service. Salome also applied for and received a pension as William's widow. 

     In his pension record, William states that his brother [Samuel] served in the 159th.

Submitted by: Virginia Basken , 18 February 2014