Luke Parsons is buried in a PARSONS HOUSTON family plot with his wife, Samuel D. Houston, Anna E. Houston, Helen A. Mitchell and Amy A. Mitchell.
The following is from the booklet, Gypsum Hill Cemetery Historical Walk, published by the City of Salina, Parks & Recreation and the Salina Public Library.
Luke Parsons was 22 years old when he came to Kansas in 1856 looking for excitement. Three weeks later the Free State Hotel in Lawrence where he worked was destroyed by a pro-slavery mob. Soon Parsons fell in with John Brown and rode whith his band for over a year. Brown recruited him for the Harper's Ferry raid, but when the venture was postponed for a year, Parsons went on to other things. At the encouragement of William A. Phillips, Parsons set out for a new town called Salina 180 miles west of the Missouri River. During the Civil War Parsons served under Phillips in the Third Indian Brigade. When the war ended, he returned to Saline County and in 1867 married schoolteacher Katherine Houston, one of the first students to attend Bluemont Central College, forerunner of Kansas State University. Her father, Samuel Dexter Houston, was an early settler in Riley County, locating a claim on Wildcat Creek in December 1853.
__________________________________
Obit from MT newspaper dated April 1926
Last Survivor of John Brown's Raiders is Dead
Kansas, 93 Years old, Joined Famous Abolitionist in Struggle for Free State
Death that he had confronted so often as a youth, laid its hand on Luke F. Parsons, Salina, Kan., 93 years old, last survivor of the famous John Brown band of slavery days.
When Parsons came west into Kansas in the spring of 1856, the country was in the throes of the free state-slave state agitation. He joined the famous abolitionist, John Brown, and his five sturdy sons in their fight to make Kansas a free state, and was with him in all his battles with the border opponents who sought to control Kansas politics and to extend slavery into the state.
Although selected by Brown as one of his 10 picked men for the raid into Virginia at Harper's Ferry, Parsons could not be with him and thus probably escaped the fate that befell that little party. He was in Colorado at the time, whither the gold rush had taken him.
Parsons was day clerk at the famous Eldridge or free state hotel at Lawrence, Kan., when it was burned by Quantrell's band.
Following the hanging of Brown, Parsons became the first sheriff of Saline county, Kansas. He entered the Sixth Kansas Cavalry at the outbreak of the Civil war, serving nearly four years.
Provided by Find a Graver Linda Morice (#47966727)
__________________________________
From Find a Graver Dolores J. Rush (47849893)
I just found a Texas newspaper about Teddy Roosevelt's dedication to the John Brown Park in 1910 and Luke Parsons was named in the article.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth83847/m1/2/zoom/?q=%22Martin%20White%22%20%20%20%22John%20Brown%22%20%20%201856&resolution=2⪫=5107.5&lon=1418
The following is from the booklet, Gypsum Hill Cemetery Historical Walk, published by the City of Salina, Parks & Recreation and the Salina Public Library.
Luke Parsons was 22 years old when he came to Kansas in 1856 looking for excitement. Three weeks later the Free State Hotel in Lawrence where he worked was destroyed by a pro-slavery mob. Soon Parsons fell in with John Brown and rode whith his band for over a year. Brown recruited him for the Harper's Ferry raid, but when the venture was postponed for a year, Parsons went on to other things. At the encouragement of William A. Phillips, Parsons set out for a new town called Salina 180 miles west of the Missouri River. During the Civil War Parsons served under Phillips in the Third Indian Brigade. When the war ended, he returned to Saline County and in 1867 married schoolteacher Katherine Houston, one of the first students to attend Bluemont Central College, forerunner of Kansas State University. Her father, Samuel Dexter Houston, was an early settler in Riley County, locating a claim on Wildcat Creek in December 1853.
__________________________________
Obit from MT newspaper dated April 1926
Last Survivor of John Brown's Raiders is Dead
Kansas, 93 Years old, Joined Famous Abolitionist in Struggle for Free State
Death that he had confronted so often as a youth, laid its hand on Luke F. Parsons, Salina, Kan., 93 years old, last survivor of the famous John Brown band of slavery days.
When Parsons came west into Kansas in the spring of 1856, the country was in the throes of the free state-slave state agitation. He joined the famous abolitionist, John Brown, and his five sturdy sons in their fight to make Kansas a free state, and was with him in all his battles with the border opponents who sought to control Kansas politics and to extend slavery into the state.
Although selected by Brown as one of his 10 picked men for the raid into Virginia at Harper's Ferry, Parsons could not be with him and thus probably escaped the fate that befell that little party. He was in Colorado at the time, whither the gold rush had taken him.
Parsons was day clerk at the famous Eldridge or free state hotel at Lawrence, Kan., when it was burned by Quantrell's band.
Following the hanging of Brown, Parsons became the first sheriff of Saline county, Kansas. He entered the Sixth Kansas Cavalry at the outbreak of the Civil war, serving nearly four years.
Provided by Find a Graver Linda Morice (#47966727)
__________________________________
From Find a Graver Dolores J. Rush (47849893)
I just found a Texas newspaper about Teddy Roosevelt's dedication to the John Brown Park in 1910 and Luke Parsons was named in the article.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth83847/m1/2/zoom/?q=%22Martin%20White%22%20%20%20%22John%20Brown%22%20%20%201856&resolution=2⪫=5107.5&lon=1418
Luke Parsons is buried in a PARSONS HOUSTON family plot with his wife, Samuel D. Houston, Anna E. Houston, Helen A. Mitchell and Amy A. Mitchell.
The following is from the booklet, Gypsum Hill Cemetery Historical Walk, published by the City of Salina, Parks & Recreation and the Salina Public Library.
Luke Parsons was 22 years old when he came to Kansas in 1856 looking for excitement. Three weeks later the Free State Hotel in Lawrence where he worked was destroyed by a pro-slavery mob. Soon Parsons fell in with John Brown and rode whith his band for over a year. Brown recruited him for the Harper's Ferry raid, but when the venture was postponed for a year, Parsons went on to other things. At the encouragement of William A. Phillips, Parsons set out for a new town called Salina 180 miles west of the Missouri River. During the Civil War Parsons served under Phillips in the Third Indian Brigade. When the war ended, he returned to Saline County and in 1867 married schoolteacher Katherine Houston, one of the first students to attend Bluemont Central College, forerunner of Kansas State University. Her father, Samuel Dexter Houston, was an early settler in Riley County, locating a claim on Wildcat Creek in December 1853.
__________________________________
Obit from MT newspaper dated April 1926
Last Survivor of John Brown's Raiders is Dead
Kansas, 93 Years old, Joined Famous Abolitionist in Struggle for Free State
Death that he had confronted so often as a youth, laid its hand on Luke F. Parsons, Salina, Kan., 93 years old, last survivor of the famous John Brown band of slavery days.
When Parsons came west into Kansas in the spring of 1856, the country was in the throes of the free state-slave state agitation. He joined the famous abolitionist, John Brown, and his five sturdy sons in their fight to make Kansas a free state, and was with him in all his battles with the border opponents who sought to control Kansas politics and to extend slavery into the state.
Although selected by Brown as one of his 10 picked men for the raid into Virginia at Harper's Ferry, Parsons could not be with him and thus probably escaped the fate that befell that little party. He was in Colorado at the time, whither the gold rush had taken him.
Parsons was day clerk at the famous Eldridge or free state hotel at Lawrence, Kan., when it was burned by Quantrell's band.
Following the hanging of Brown, Parsons became the first sheriff of Saline county, Kansas. He entered the Sixth Kansas Cavalry at the outbreak of the Civil war, serving nearly four years.
Provided by Find a Graver Linda Morice (#47966727)
__________________________________
From Find a Graver Dolores J. Rush (47849893)
I just found a Texas newspaper about Teddy Roosevelt's dedication to the John Brown Park in 1910 and Luke Parsons was named in the article.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth83847/m1/2/zoom/?q=%22Martin%20White%22%20%20%20%22John%20Brown%22%20%20%201856&resolution=2⪫=5107.5&lon=1418
The following is from the booklet, Gypsum Hill Cemetery Historical Walk, published by the City of Salina, Parks & Recreation and the Salina Public Library.
Luke Parsons was 22 years old when he came to Kansas in 1856 looking for excitement. Three weeks later the Free State Hotel in Lawrence where he worked was destroyed by a pro-slavery mob. Soon Parsons fell in with John Brown and rode whith his band for over a year. Brown recruited him for the Harper's Ferry raid, but when the venture was postponed for a year, Parsons went on to other things. At the encouragement of William A. Phillips, Parsons set out for a new town called Salina 180 miles west of the Missouri River. During the Civil War Parsons served under Phillips in the Third Indian Brigade. When the war ended, he returned to Saline County and in 1867 married schoolteacher Katherine Houston, one of the first students to attend Bluemont Central College, forerunner of Kansas State University. Her father, Samuel Dexter Houston, was an early settler in Riley County, locating a claim on Wildcat Creek in December 1853.
__________________________________
Obit from MT newspaper dated April 1926
Last Survivor of John Brown's Raiders is Dead
Kansas, 93 Years old, Joined Famous Abolitionist in Struggle for Free State
Death that he had confronted so often as a youth, laid its hand on Luke F. Parsons, Salina, Kan., 93 years old, last survivor of the famous John Brown band of slavery days.
When Parsons came west into Kansas in the spring of 1856, the country was in the throes of the free state-slave state agitation. He joined the famous abolitionist, John Brown, and his five sturdy sons in their fight to make Kansas a free state, and was with him in all his battles with the border opponents who sought to control Kansas politics and to extend slavery into the state.
Although selected by Brown as one of his 10 picked men for the raid into Virginia at Harper's Ferry, Parsons could not be with him and thus probably escaped the fate that befell that little party. He was in Colorado at the time, whither the gold rush had taken him.
Parsons was day clerk at the famous Eldridge or free state hotel at Lawrence, Kan., when it was burned by Quantrell's band.
Following the hanging of Brown, Parsons became the first sheriff of Saline county, Kansas. He entered the Sixth Kansas Cavalry at the outbreak of the Civil war, serving nearly four years.
Provided by Find a Graver Linda Morice (#47966727)
__________________________________
From Find a Graver Dolores J. Rush (47849893)
I just found a Texas newspaper about Teddy Roosevelt's dedication to the John Brown Park in 1910 and Luke Parsons was named in the article.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth83847/m1/2/zoom/?q=%22Martin%20White%22%20%20%20%22John%20Brown%22%20%20%201856&resolution=2⪫=5107.5&lon=1418
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
