Quanah Parker
In 1836 after Texas won its independence from Mexico, a nine year old white girl
was taken captive in a raid by the Comanches, along with five other women
and children. Her name was Cynthia Ann Parker, who was to become the mother of
Quanah Parker, along with his brother Pecos, and sister Prairie Flower.
Quanah's father was a chief called Peta Nocona, of the Nocanas a band of the
Comanche tribe. Taken so young, Cynthia adjusted to Indian life, and was soon
adopted by the tribe and married to Nocana in her teens. In the 1850's white
hunters offered a ransom for her freedom but she refused staying to care for
her young children and husband. In December 1860 near the Pease River the
Comanche were attacked by 40 Texas Rangers and 21 Calvery men commanded by
Ranger Captain Sul Ross. After the battle they noticed that one of the
captured women had blue eyes but spoke no English. They suspected that it was
Cynthia Parker taken 24 years earlier and had her identified by her Uncle
Isaac, who took her and her daughter Prairie Flower to live with him. Quanah's
father died later of an infected wound and his brother Pecos of disease. Quanah
joined the Kwhadies who lived on the Staked Plains of Texas. Meanwhile Cynthia
Parker had tried to return to the Indians but was stopped by her relatives.
In 1864 Prarie Flower died of disease and overcome with grief Cynthia starved
herself to death.
The Comanches together with the Kiowas as allies massacred hundreds of settlers
in Texas. The government called for a treaty in 1867 at Medicine Lodge Creek.
Most of the chiefs went but the two strongest hostile Comanches bands sent no r
epresentatives. Quanah, not at the meeting, declared "My band is not going to live
on a reservation. Tell the white chiefs that the Kwahadies are warriors." After the
treaty he continued with the raids leading some and second in command to Bull Bear
the leading Kwahadi chief in others. Some of the reservation Comanches joined
the raids in the spring and stayed on the reservation in the winter. In 1870
Colonel Ranald Slidell Mackenzie was sent to halt the raids. In 1871 he invaded
Kwahadies home ground. Quanah and Bull Bear used hit and run tactics and avoided
an all out battle. On Oct. 10,1871 Quanah lead a charge through Mackenzie's troops
to panic and steal their horses. When a small troop was sent to regain the
horses Quanah met them, charged and killed one soldier, and scalped him as
the others retreated. A snow storm ended the chase and Mackenzie took an arrow
chasing two scouts before returning. By March of 1872 he retuned to the field
and September surprised Kotsotekas at McClellan Creek killing 23 warriors and
taking 124 captives. After this, many comanche returned to the reservation.
The captives were released June of 1873 as a peace gesture but the Kwahadies
resumed their raids.
In 1874 the
buffalo hunters, using a new tanning process, started using buffalo hides for
commercial leather goods, and with the new Sharps rifles that killed at 600
yards there was a large slaughter of the Indians basic food supply. The slaughter w
as praised by General Philip Sheridan who wanted the buffalo exterminated. Bull
Bear was dying of pneumonia and Quanah teamed with Isa-tai to attack Adobe Walls
. The attack was faltered by a noise which warned the men at the base. Among
the men was the famous Bat Masterson who spotted Quanah's warriors moving in to
attack. After repeated charges the indians withdrew suffering too many casulties
and this ended Isa-tai's bid for fame. In September 1874 MacKensie attacked
at Palo Duro burning teepee's and capturing 100 horses. After giving some horses
to his Indian scouts he slaughtered the rest depriving the Camanches of
recapturing them. Many Comanches surrended as cold weather set in, but Quanah
still held out having enough horses to hunt buffalo. While hunting, Quanah heard
word that MacKenzie offered good treatment to his people if he surrenderd but not
if they held out. On June 2, 1875 they entered the reservation.
Quanah Parker
Quanah spent 35 of his 65 years as a peaceful citizen. He went to visit his
mothers people and learned their ways and to improve his English. He then
returned to the reservation and used his new found skills to better his people.
He made a business out of grazing rights leasing the Indians pasture to wealthy T
exans. He was chosen as a chief judge of a three-man Court of Indian Offences
in 1886. In 1892 he opposed the government efforts to organize several Indian
battalions, urging Comanches not to enlist. In 1886 a town between Red and
Pease rivers was named after Quanah. He invested in the railroad passing
through the town named Quannah, Acme & Pacific Railroad. He was one of the
wealthiest Indians in America. He rode in President Theodore Rooselvelt's
procession and went hunting with the President in Comanche country. He died on
February 22, 1911 of pneumonia, cared for by the tribal medicine man.
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