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Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/vhp.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/2015655276
Collection material in English and French.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
Arranged in three series: Manuscripts, Photographs, and Artifacts.
Manuscripts are arranged alphabetically by type of material.
Accessioned, 2016.
Edward Joseph Parent collection, (AFC/2001/001/101856), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/vh016007.101856
Duplication of collection materials may be restricted.
Collection is open for research; access restrictions apply. To request collection materials, please contact the Veterans History Project at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/vhp.contact
John Carroll Parent, Sr. collection (AFC/2001/001/101855), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
John Carroll Parent, Sr., was born Jean Baptiste Francois Xavier Parent on August 11, 1885, in Brunswick, Maine. He changed his name to John Carroll Parent when he enlisted in the United States Army in 1906. One of six children of French-Canadian parents, Parent was raised bilingually, speaking both French and English in the home. At least one of his siblings, Edward Joseph Parent, also served in the United States Army.
Early in his service, Parent was assigned to Troop L, 6th Cavalry Regiment, stationed at Fort Keogh, Montana. While he was stationed at Fort Keogh, Troop L and Troop M, comprised of approximately 120 men, conducted a campaign against the Ute people. In 1907, Parent left California aboard a troop transport ship en route to the Philippine Islands. While stationed in the Philippine Islands, 1907-1910, Parent set up a telephone system on the island of Jolo. In the province of Sulu, Parent’s troop was assigned to protect the American tutor for the Sultan’s children. The tutor refused the Army’s protection, was subsequently ambushed and killed. Upon return to the United States, Parent was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and was assigned to a patrol along the United States border with Mexico from 1911 to 1913, during the Mexican Revolution.
In 1914, Parent returned to civilian life and worked as a Forest Ranger and as an immigration inspector with the United States Customs Service. He also met and married his wife, Nellie. In 1917, after the United States entry into World War I, Parent returned to the military and earned a commission. He was assigned to the Military Police, and served as an instructor at the Presidio in San Francisco, California. He then transferred to Camp Lewis, Washington, where he became acting adjutant in the 91st Division. Parent was next sent to Paris, France, in advance of the 91st Division, to serve as assistant to the adjutant of the advanced section, under Major Lohrs, and then as aide-de-camp to General W.R. Sample. He also served as aide-de-camp to Colonel E.R. Warner McCabe, whom Parent first met in the Philippines, when McCabe was a Second Lieutenant and commander of Troop K. Parent was detailed to Headquarters to organize the Secret Service, working with Major Allan Pinkerton II (of the Pinkerton Detective Agency) beginning in Tours, France, in 1918. Parent organized and commanded four companies of criminal investigation units in major cities throughout France. Bernard Flood (who would go on to become Chief of Detectives in New York City) and Captain Arthur A. Hopkins worked with Parent. Hopkins and Parent had worked together as immigration inspectors in Arizona. Also stationed in France during World War I was writer and poet, Alfred Damon Runyon, who had served in Troop L in the Philippines with Parent. Runyon gave Parent a poem referencing their combat missions in the Philippines titled "The Sergeant's Prayer."
After World War I, Parent returned home to his wife and two children and to his job with the US Customs Service. Parent died on August 21, 1961.
The collection includes biographical information, books, clippings, correspondence, creative works, memoirs, military papers, printed matter and photographs relating to John Carroll Parent's service in the United States Army in the Philippines, France, and the United States.
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2015655276
MS01: Brief overview of military service; locations of service; fluent in French, Spanish, English (and Greek and Latin); service in the US-Ute Campaign; the Philippines; history of the Military Police, 1917-1920; criminal investigations unit; organized US Secret Service in Tours, France (work with Allen Pinkerton and Bernard Flood); Forest Ranger; worked as US immigration inspector; and family background (one of six children).
MS02: Volume I: Early Life of John Carroll Parent, Sr., including his [French Canadian] ancestors from about 1600.
MS03: Alpha Code Book and handwritten description of installation of phone system on Jolo Island, Philippines.
MS04: Mess Sergeant's Handbook.
MS05: Book written in French: Lectures for all: the Christmas Victory, the Seven Stars of Marechal Foch [famous French General of WWI] 1918; seven short stories celebrating French victories during WWI.
MS06: Statue of Joan of Arc remains standing amid war damaged buildings; death of Marshal Joffre, a leader of French Army; local Brunswick, Maine news; General McCabe lays wreath at Jefferson's grave for President Theodore Roosevelt; poem; and US forces in the Philippines.
MS06 continued.
MS07: Letters from Parent to wife Nellie and children, 1917-1918; letter from Guy Benton from the University of Vermont, a family friend stationed in France with Parent, 09/18/1918; letter of thanks to Parent from [H.] T. Russell, 02/16/1919 (who worked for Lieutenant Parent). Topics covered include: Parent's wife Nellie had received a newspaper article that Parent had died in France, the article was about another John Parent, Guy Benton sent his letter stating he had just spent time with her husband before leaving France and he was in good health; to Nellie from Parent stationed at the Presidio in California waiting for his bags to arrive; happy about birth of son, 06/1918; end of war; recommended for promotion; Armistice with Germany.
MS07 continued.
MS08: Poems, one from fellow soldier in the Philippines, Alfred Damon Runyon, whom he met again in France during World War I.
MS08 continued.
MS09: Compilation of reflections over a period of years on his military service, 1906 - 1919; and working as a US customs and immigration inspector.
Topics covered include: Brief overview of military service; some humorous events; assigned to Troop L, 6th US Cavalry in 1907, at Fort Keogh, Montana; regiment stationed at Fort Meade, South Dakota with two troops in Yellowstone Park and two troops at Fort Keogh; Ute Campaign (mission to “round up Ute Indians on the warpath”); 6th US Cavalry stationed in the Philippines, 09/1907-1910; left San Francisco, California on troop transport ship Thomas, on Labor Day, 1907; landed in Honolulu, Hawaii (no docks, used long boats to get to shore) for refueling and brief shore leave; some men “stragglers” AWOL (left behind four men who did not return); typhoon, ship reported lost in Chicago newspaper account, ship SS Lipscomb sent to find them but could not and entered port at Guam, Parent’s ship entered port at Guam 14 days later with ship damage but no casualties; meeting cousin, Eddie Brennan, from Troop C aboard ship; campaign on Mindanao, Philippines, base camp at Fort Catabota, expedition into the mountains for over a month; mission during which Eddie Brennan’s Troop C lost nine men rushing caves, found out that the Filipinos were starving and would have succumbed had they waited; mission against the Datu-Jikiri cave stronghold, unit able to get them out with machine gun fire into the caves, 1908; mutiny of two companies of “Macabebe Scouts”; Moro constabulary established in 1908, white American officers were in charge of two companies of Moros “who proved efficient and loyal,” used against Filippino “outlaws” and areas to keep the peace; water buffalo on Luzon stampeding units on parade grounds; mission against Moro pirates; three months in Japan with Captain A.V.P. Anderson; story of “Mahogany Woods” Moro pirates attacking ships; Asiatic cholera epidemic; protecting Chinese merchants; story of “Tin Can Dump” on Jolo Island 1908, night guard on outpost, almost shot officer of the day, who came to the outpost unannounced (wearing only his underwear); Parent’s troop was assigned to protect the American tutor for the Sultan of Sulu’s children, the tutor declined protection and was killed, Parent’s unit had to collect the body parts; during WWI, First Lieutenant Parent worked with Major Allen Pinkerton organizing the United States Secret Service beginning in Tours, France, in 1918; Bernard Flood (future Chief of Detectives in New York City) was one of Parent’s assistants, Captain Hopkins was another assistant; Captain Hopkins and Parent worked together as United States Immigration Inspectors in Arizona, 1914-1916 (stayed until 05/04/1917, when he returned to the Army as a Lieutenant); Parent passed test to be a United States Forest Ranger; met future wife who was a school teacher in his district in 1916; attended school at the Presidio in San Francisco, California until 08/1917; orders to Camp Lewis, Washington to become acting adjutant of the 91st Division Trains and Military Police; sent overseas; job as assistant to the adjutant of the advanced section and aide-de-camp to General W.R. Sample; detailed to Headquarters to organize Secret Service (organized four companies and commanded them).
MS10: Certificate of honorable discharge; general orders to recruit men for new criminal investigations unit and US Secret Service; letters of recommendation for promotion; travel vouchers; and business cards.
MS10 continued.
MS10: Postcards; and pages from American Expeditionary Forces book; pages from "Kris Vs. Krag" book by Miguel Hernandez; and pages from book "The Pinkertons: The Detective Dynasty That Made History" by James D. Horan.
PH13-PH14: Two Christmas gifts of hand-sewn pajamas from wife, Nellie and his mother; and mounted display of photograph of Parent highlighting his cruise to the Philippine Islands.
PH15: Original glass-plate negative of Parent in uniform, in the Breton Office, School of Criminal Investigation in Paris, France.
PH01-PH11: Parent in uniform 1910, 1917, 1933; family portrait with wife and two children; unit Troop K, 6th Cavalry; and two postcards (depicting buildings and bullets).
PH16-PH24: Copies of original photographs (PH04-PH08, PH12); Moro market at Camp Vicars on Mindanao, Philippines; composite Parent, his unit, and poem; Parent's office building in France.
AR01: Napkin from Reserve Officer Training Camp dinner menu July 4, 1917, at the Presidio, San Francisco, California