Jacob Parrott

Jacob Wilson Parrott (July 17, 1843–December 22, 1908) was the first person to be given the Medal of Honor.

Jacob Wilson Parrott
Born	(1843-07-17)July 17, 1843 Fairfield County, Ohio
Died	December 22, 1908(1908-12-22) (aged 65) Kenton, Ohio
Place of burial	Grove Cemetery Kenton, Ohio
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army (POW)
Years of service	1861 - 1865
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	Company K, 33rd Ohio Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War
Awards	Medal of Honor

A museum to Parrott in Kenton

Biography

Parrott was from Fairfield County, Ohio. He joined the 20th OVI for 90 days. When he finished that he returned to his home town of Kenton, Ohio. He joined the United States Army in 1861 as a private in Company K, 33rd Ohio Infantry. He first fought in the Battle of Ivy Mountain. In April 1862, he volunteered to take part in a raid with twenty-one others (later known as "Andrews' Raiders" because they operated under the command of James J. Andrews). After going behind Confederate lines and stealing the locomotive "General," they were captured and imprisoned. Parrott was severely beaten 110 times to try to make him talk. He and fourteen others managed to escape. Only six of them reached friendly lines. He was later exchanged. He met President Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C.. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton gave him the Medal of Honor. He served with the Union Army for the rest of the war. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1863 after the Battle of Stones River. H was commissioned as a first lieutenant in 1864.

He returned to Kenton, Ohio after the war. He remained a cabinet maker. He ran a stone quarry south of Kenton, Ohio. Parrott suffered a heart attack and died while walking home from the county courthouse in Kenton, Ohio. He is buried in Grove Cemetery, on State Route 309, east edge of Kenton, Ohio.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

Private, Company K, 33d Ohio Infantry. Place and date: Georgia, April 1862. Entered service at: Hardin County, Ohio. Birth: July 17, 1843, Fairfield County, Ohio. Date of issue: March 25, 1863.

Citation:

One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell) penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and tracks between Chattanooga and Atlanta.

References

• "Andrews Raid biography of Parrott". Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
• "Civil War Medal of Honor recipients (M-Z)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
• "Jacob Parrott". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
• "Lancaster home to first Medal of Honor winner, eight others from Civil War". Retrieved March 20, 2014.