James parks arlington national cemetery

James Parks was an Arlington Estate slave born in the mids.

James Parks () The first graves at Arlington National Cemetery were dug by James Parks, who was born enslaved on the Custis-Lee plantation in

He was and is the only person born on the grounds and buried on grounds. In , he passed away at age He was buried with full military honors although he never served. Robert E. Lee abided by the terms of the will after the Estate was in good standing. Within six hours of the state of Virginia seceding to the Confederacy, Union troops took over the Arlington grounds.

They used the House as a camp and headquarters. After the House was taken over, Parks remained on the grounds and preformed various jobs for the United States Army.

In , two hundred acres of the Arlington estate were set aside as a cemetery for the Civil War dead.

In , the cemeteries in the District came to full capacity. It was decided that the Arlington grounds would become a cemetery. Parks dug many of the very first graves , essentially becoming the first caretaker on grounds. He married twice and fathered 22 children. James Parks prepared the grave for Quarter Master General Montgomery Meigs, who was instrumental in establishing the grounds as a cemetery.

He watched a couple of his sons enlist in the service during the First World War.