Joseph F. Park. Jr.
Early Life
Joseph Field Park Jr. was born on October 22, 1899, in New York City, New York, the son of Joseph Field Park and Julia Waring. He grew up in a well-established family that later resided in Westchester County, including Rye and Harrison, New York.
His upbringing reflected a more affluent environment than many of his contemporaries, as his family maintained domestic staff and later established themselves within the suburban communities of Westchester County. By 1918, he was living in Rye and working in munitions production in Morgan, Middlesex County, New Jersey, contributing to the wartime industrial effort.
World War I Service
Park entered naval service on June 14, 1917, at the New York Navy Yard, joining the United States Naval Reserve Force as a Seaman.
He was assigned to the USS Wacondah (SP-238), a patrol vessel used during World War I for coastal defense, harbor patrol, and security operations. Vessels of this type were tasked with safeguarding American waters, escorting vessels, and supporting naval readiness along the Eastern Seaboard.
During his service, he also spent time at the Naval Hospital in New York, indicating a period of medical treatment or reassignment during his naval career.
His service lasted approximately 287 days, and he remained in the rank of Seaman. There is no record of overseas deployment or combat engagement. He was honorably discharged on March 28, 1918.
Life After Service
Following his military service, Park returned to civilian life and entered the financial sector, eventually working as an investment broker. He married Harriet Hurd Payne in 1924, and together they had several children, including Sarah “Sally” Park, Elizabeth Park, Barbara Park, and Joseph Field Park III.
The family resided in Rye and later in Bedford, New York, maintaining a lifestyle consistent with upper-middle-class suburban life during the interwar period. Census records reflect a household with domestic staff, including a chauffeur, cook, and nurse, illustrating the family’s economic standing.
Joseph F. Park Jr. died on November 17, 1975, in Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 76.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Harriet Hurd Payne Park; his children, Sarah “Sally” Park, Elizabeth Park, Barbara Park, and Joseph Field Park III; and extended family.