Annals of Platte County, Missouri - Paxton
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1890, JUNE. 919 G. PARK. [11 the -~{Irmute of Julie (3 (note the (()l1l(l(l(ll1(fL l.7l;. I published a kind notice wt (-olo-nel Park, a. part of \l1il1 l ililn- copy: lhe time has U0-Ill-L to do justice to the name of (li-org(- S. Park. During the Kansas: exriteinent of 1553-43 his name was cast out. and he was treavted with scorn and oblm]u: and during: the (ivil \ar he was often in personal danger. His sclieini-s of enlarged benevolence were far in advance of the ideas of the peo- ple among whom he moved; and now, when the frosts of 65 years have whitened his scanty locks. his zeal i11 behalf of education and religion nerves him to greater etforts. His Industrial (jol- lege is already shedding beams of ligl1t upon Platte County. Quite a. number of youths of both -sexes are preparing for lives of usefulness. Two young men are already supplying the pul- pits of neighboring towns. and seven Saibbath-schools are sus~ rained by as many students. 111 a few years these youths will he preaching tl1e gospel in wider elds. Mr. Park has long been planning some sclienie of benevolence, and his dreams of use- fulness are in part realized in the e11dow1nent of Park College. Hay he long live to support and guide it. Mr. Park sprang from an old and worthy family of er mont. Before he attained his majori-ty his father gave him a farm. which he sold for $1,200 and left for Illinois. His funds were invested in lands, and for several years he supported him- self by teaching school. He then entered Illinois College. at Jaclisonville, and received a. superior ediucation. In 1834 we nd him teaching in Galloway County, M0,, where he joined a Pres- byterian church. under the n1inistrv of the now sai11ted Dr. Nel- son, aut-hor of the work on Indelity, published by the Tract Society. When the Texas W~ar broke out. he volunteered and served to the end. His health had been broken dow11 by con- nement in the school-room, but the exercise and exposure of a nsoldi-ers life iii the West restored him to robust health. He was taken from the ranks and made comnlissary of his regi- ment. He was with Coil-oniel Fannin when nearlv all his men were murdered by order of Santa Ana. They had surrendered on the condition that their lives were to be spared. but were trea.cherouslv marched out in divisions. and to the number of 230 were mercilessly shot. V~hesn the squad in which Colonel Park was placed was led forth and placed in position. he sus- picioned the purpose. They were drawn up in line near a fence. close to (oleto River. At. a signal from the coinmanding officer he observed the men raising their muskets. and he fell prostrate in time to escape their murderous bullets. While pro- tected from view by the smoke. he bounded over the fence. and. amid a shower of balls. reached the wood bordering the river. Though a poor swimmer. he succeeded in crossing the stream. and wandered alone for days through a counitry deserted by every inhabitant. He subsisted upon provisions found in abundance