Parke, George

Born: 1826-05-06 Kentucky

Died: 1871-06-23 Bloomington, Illinois

As a young man, Parke moved from Kentucky to Bloomington, Illinois. In 1850, he lived in Sheriff William McCullough’s home. As early as 1850, he served as deputy sheriff. Parke also served as sheriff and collector of McLean County, from 1853-1854. A staunch Republican, Parke won election as mayor of Bloomington, serving in that capacity in 1861 and 1862.

William R. Bach, “Bloomington, Illinois,” Transactions of the McLean County Historical Society 2 (1903), 576; U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), Bloomington, McLean County, IL, 20; The History of McLean County, Illinois (Chicago: Wm. Le Baron, Jr., 1879), 198; Bloomington Pantagraph (IL), 24 June 1871, 4:2.