Fort Smith

          In 1817 Fort Smith was built in order to maintain peace between the Osage and Cherokee Indians and was named after General Thomas Smith. Fort Smith had become a very important place for supplies for the U.S army. In 1849 a small village had started to grow around the fort because of the people headed to California during the gold rush. In the beginning of the Civil War the confederates held the fort. By 1863 the Union Army had seized it and the federal army held it for the rest of the war.  After the Civil War outlaws had made their way to the fort and terrorized the peaceful Indian nations. This became an overwhelming factor and they needed to name a judge. This judge was Judge Parker, he was the judge for the western district of Arkansas. 

One of the side buildings and a carriage

Main Fort Smith building

           Judge Isaac Parker was known as the "Hanging Judge", he ruled over the Indian Territory. That area was full of horse thieves, whiskey peddlers and bandits. He was born in Ohio on October 15, 1838. He helped on his family farm and attended primary school. When he was 17 years old he entered a apprenticeship to learn to study law. In 1859 he was able to pass the Ohio Bar Exam, he was 21. In 1861 he started working at Municipal and county criminal courts.