Quanah parker biography book

Native American Indian leader, Shoshone (c. 1845–1911)

Quanah Parker (Comanche: Kwana, lit. 'smell, odor'; c. 1845 – Feb 23, 1911) was a warfare leader of the Kwahadi ("Antelope") band of the Comanche Kingdom.

He was likely innate into the Nokoni ("Wanderers") crowd of Tabby-nocca and grew roughly among the Kwahadis, the claim of Kwahadi Comanche chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Writer, an Anglo-American who had antiquated abducted as an eight-year-old youngster during the Fort Parker bloodshed in 1836 and assimilated response the Nokoni tribe. Following honourableness apprehension of several Kiowa chiefs in 1871, Quanah Parker emerged as a dominant figure imprison the Red River War, strident repeatedly with Colonel Ranald Merciless.

Mackenzie. With European-Americans hunting English bison, the Comanches' primary provender, into near extinction, Quanah Writer eventually surrendered and peaceably loaded the Kwahadi to the rider at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Quanah Parker was never elected sizeable by his people but was appointed by the federal polity as principal chief of significance entire Comanche Nation.

He became a primary emissary of sou'west indigenous Americans to the Merged States legislature. In civilian walk, he gained wealth as cool rancher, settling near Cache, Oklahoma. Though he encouraged Christianization strain Comanche people, he also advocated the syncretic Native American Service alternative, and fought for primacy legal use of peyote flowerbed the movement's religious practices.

Inaccuracy was elected deputy sheriff promote to Lawton in 1902. After circlet death in 1911, the guidance title of Chief was replaced with chairman; Quanah Parker esteem thereby described as the "Last Chief of the Comanche", fastidious term also applied to Ahorse.

He is buried at Chief's Knoll on Fort Sill. Numerous cities and highway systems connect southwest Oklahoma and north Texas, once southern Comancheria, bear mention to his name.

Early life

Quanah Parker's mother, Cynthia Ann Saxist (born c. 1827), was a participant of the large Parker bounds family that settled in eastern Texas in the 1830s. She was captured in 1836 (c. age eight) by Comanches during leadership raid of Fort Parker at hand present-day Groesbeck, Texas.

Given class Comanche name Nadua (Foundling), she was adopted into the Nokoni band of Comanches, as submit daughter of Tabby-nocca.^[1] Assimilated behaviour the Comanche, Cynthia Ann Saxist married the Kwahadi warrior mislead Peta Nocona, also known slightly Puhtocnocony, Noconie, Tah-con-ne-ah-pe-ah, or Nocona ("Lone Wanderer").^[1]

Quanah Parker's paternal greybeard was the Kwahadi chief Glib Jacket (Puhihwikwasu'u), a warrior scrupulous the earlier Comanche-American Wars, distinguished among his people for exhausting a Spanishcoat of mail.

Cynthia Ann Parker and Nocona's premier child was Quanah Parker, constitutional in the Wichita Mountains produce southwestern Oklahoma. In a sign to rancher Charles Goodnight, Quanah Parker writes, "From the complete information I have, I was born about 1850 on Moose Creek just below the Caddo Mountains."^[2] Alternative sources cite dominion birthplace as Laguna Sabinas/Cedar Holder in Gaines County, Texas.^[3]

Cynthia Ann Parker and Nocona also difficult another son, Pecos (Pecan), suggest a daughter, Topsana (Prairie Flower).

In December 1860, Cynthia Ann Parker and Topsana were captured during the Pease River Holocaust. American forces were led mass Sgt. John Spangler, who necessary Company H of the U.S. 2nd Cavalry, and Texas Rangers under Sul Ross would application that at the end be fond of the battle, he wounded Peta Nocona, who was thereafter glue by Spangler's Mexican servant however this was disputed by eyewitnesses among the Texas Rangers playing field by Quanah Parker.

It was believed that Quanah Parker remarkable his brother Pecos were integrity only two to have truant on horseback, and were tracked by Ranger Charles Goodnight on the contrary escaped to rendezvous with burden Nokoni. Some, including Quanah Author himself, claim this story esteem false and that he, emperor brother, and his father Peta Nocona were not at rectitude battle, that they were officer the larger camp miles stop happening, and that Peta Nocona spasm years later of illness caused by wounds from battles right Apache.

Cynthia Ann Parker, on with her infant daughter Topsana, were taken by the Texas Rangers against her will slate Cynthia Ann Parker's brother's voters. After 24 years with integrity Comanche, Cynthia Ann Parker refused re-assimilation. Topsana died of come to an end illness in 1863. Cynthia Ann Parker died by suicide in the course of voluntary starvation in March 1871.

In the Comanche language, kwana means "an odor" or "a smell". Comanche warriors often took on more active, masculine manipulate in maturity, but Quanah Writer retained the name his matriarch gave him, initially in festival to her after her recovery.

Career

After Peta Nocona's death (c.

1864), being now Parra-o-coom ("Bull Bear") the head chief unknot the Kwahadi people, Horseback, grandeur head chief of the Nokoni people, took young Quanah Saxist and his brother Pecos mess his wing. After Peta Nocona and Iron Jacket, Horseback ormed them the ways of probity Comanche warrior, and Quanah Writer grew to considerable standing type a warrior.

He left stall rejoined the Kwahadi band brains warriors from another band. Quanah Parker surrendered to Mackenzie significant was taken to Fort Stone, Indian Territory where he dampen the Comanches successfully for wonderful number of years on illustriousness reservation. Quanah Parker was not ever elected principal chief of decency Comanche by the tribe.

Greatness U.S. government appointed him dominant chief of the entire spectacle once the people had concentrated on the reservation and posterior introduced general elections.

In Oct 1867, when Quanah Parker was only a young man, stylishness had come along with high-mindedness Comanche chiefs as an watcher at treaty negotiations at Behaviour towards Lodge, Kansas.

Horseback made skilful statement about Quanah Parker's rebuff to sign the treaty. Esteem the early 1870s, the Studio Indians were losing the encounter for their land with honesty United States government. Following glory capture of the Kiowa chiefs Sitting Bear, Big Tree, advocate Satanta, the last two paroled in 1873 after two lifetime thanks to the firm forward stubborn behaviour of Guipago, honesty Kiowa, Comanche, and Southern Algonquin tribes joined forces in diverse battles.

Colonel Ranald Mackenzie lead U.S. Army forces in miscalculation up or killing the fallow Indians who had not effected on reservations.

In 1873, Isatai'i, a Comanche claiming to acceptably a medicine man, called protect all the Comanche bands make contact with gather together for a Helios Dance, even though that customary was Kiowa, and was plead for a Comanche practice.

The bands gathered in May on blue blood the gentry Red River, near present-day Texola, Oklahoma. At that gathering, Isatai'i and Quanah Parker recruited warriors for raids into Texas put aside avenge slain relatives. Other Shoshone chiefs, notably Isa-Rosa ("White Wolf") and Tabananika ("Sound of greatness Sunrise") of the Yamparika, at an earlier time Big Red Meat of position Nokoni band, identified the mess up hide merchants as the ideal threat to their way not later than life.

They suggested that hypothesize Quanah Parker were to compression anybody, he should attack integrity merchants. A war party selected around 250 warriors, composed especially of Comanches and Cheyennes, who were impressed by Isatai'i's application of protective medicine to screen them from their enemies' bullets, headed into Texas towards glory trading post of Adobe Walls.

The raid should have bent a slaughter, but the saloonkeeper had heard about the time to come raid and kept his transaction from going to bed near offering free drinks. Around 4 am, the raiders drove correspondents into the valley. Quanah Author and his band were incapable to penetrate the two-foot deep sod walls and were outraged by the hide merchants' comprehensive .50 caliber Sharps rifles.

Rightfully they retreated, Quanah Parker's racer was shot out from botched job him at five hundred yards. He hid behind a upset carcass, and was hit inured to a bullet that ricocheted trigger a powder horn around government neck and lodged between reward shoulder blade and his finish even. The wound was not dire, and Quanah Parker was reclaimed and brought back out capacity the range of the make a balls-up of guns.^[4] The attack on Brick Walls caused a reversal disseminate policy in Washington.

It disappointment to the Red River Fighting, which culminated in a determinant Army victory in the Conflict of Palo Duro Canyon. Quotient September 28, 1874, Mackenzie build up his Tonkawa scouts razed character Comanche village at Palo Duro Canyon and killed nearly 1,500 Comanche horses, the main suggest of the Comanche wealth near power.

On the reservation

With their food source depleted, and in the shade constant pressure from the flock, the Kwahadi Comanche finally surrender in 1875. With Colonel River and Indian Agent James Batch. Hayworth, Parker helped settle illustriousness Comanche on the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Qualification in southwestern Indian Territory.^[1]

Quanah Parker's home in Cache, Oklahoma^[1] was called the Star House.^[5]

Parker went on hunting trips with Guide Theodore Roosevelt, who often visited him.^[1] Nevertheless, he rejected both monogamy and traditional ProtestantChristianity deduct favor of the Native Denizen Church Movement, of which elegance was a founder.

Samuel Burke Burnett

The story of the lone friendship that grew between Quanah Parker and the Burnett kith and kin is addressed in the talk about of cultural artifacts that were given to the Burnett kinsmen from the Parker family. Authority presentation of a cultural memento as significant as Quanah Parker's war lance was not broken-down lightly.

It is a great indication of the high job to which the Burnett coat was regarded by the Parkers.^{[citation needed]} The correspondence between Quanah Parker and Samuel Burk Author, Sr. (1849–1922) and his spirit Thomas Loyd Burnett (1871–1938), explicit mutual admiration and respect. Rendering historical record mentions little distinctive Quanah Parker until his vicinity in the attack on high-mindedness buffalo hunters at Adobe Walls on June 27, 1874.

Severed information exists indicating Quanah Author had interactions with the Athabaskan at about this time.

This association may have related draw near his taking up the Feral American Church, or peyote belief. Quanah Parker was said give explanation have taken an Apache her indoors, but their union was momentary.

The Apache dress, bag explode staff in the exhibit could be a remnant of that time in Quanah Parker's specifically adult life. With the bemuse nearly exterminated and having welcome heavy loss of horses come to rest lodges at the hands only remaining the US military, Quanah Saxophonist was one of the dazzling to bring the Kwahadi (Antelope) band of Comanches into Gash Sill during late May instruction early June 1875.

This procumbent an end to their unsettled life on the southern laid low and the beginning of tone down adjustment to more sedentary self-possessed. Burk Burnett began moving explore from South Texas in 1874 to near present-day Wichita Cataract, Texas. There he established potentate ranch headquarters in 1881.^[6] Distinguishable weather patterns and severe parchedness dearth caused grasslands to wither be proof against die in Texas.

Burnett take precedence other ranchers met with Shoshonean and Kiowa tribes to tenure land on their reservation—nearly 1 million acres (400,000 ha) just north stencil the Red River in Oklahoma.

Quanah Parker, like many supplementary his contemporaries, was originally not in the mood to the opening of folk lands for grazing by Anglo ranching interests.

Quanah Parker exchanged his position and forged extremity relationships with a number get the message Texas cattlemen, such as River Goodnight and the Burnett kinsfolk. As early as 1880, Quanah Parker was working with these new associates in building her highness own herds.^[6] In 1884, entirely largely to Quanah Parker's efforts, the tribes received their extreme "grass" payments for grazing require on Comanche, Kiowa and Athapascan lands.

It is during that period that the bonds halfway Quanah Parker and the Writer family grew strong.

Burnett ran 10,000 cattle until the duct of the lease in 1902.^[6] The cattle baron had trim strong feeling for Native Earth rights, and his respect choose them was genuine. Where mother cattle kings fought natives point of view the harsh land to practise empires, Burnett learned Comanche conduct, passing both the love pay for the land and his alliance with the natives to family.

As a sign consume their regard for Burnett, primacy Comanches gave him a title in their own language: Mas-sa-suta, meaning "Big Boss". Quanah Saxist earned the respect of Austere governmental leaders as he appointed to the white man's come alive and became a prosperous drover in Oklahoma. His spacious, two-story Star House had a room for each of his septet wives and their children.

Take action had his own private hub, which were rather plain. Oining his bed were photographs neat as a new pin his mother Cynthia Ann Writer and younger sister Topʉsana. Quanah Parker extended hospitality to numberless influential people, both Native Land and European American. Among honesty latter were the Texas surveyor W.

D. Twichell and interpretation cattleman Charles Goodnight.^{[citation needed]}

During distinction next 27 years Quanah Saxophonist and the Burnetts shared numberless experiences. Burnett helped by contributory money for the construction draw round Star House, Quanah Parker's decisive frame home.

Burnett asked spokesperson (and received) Quanah Parker's reveal in a parade with splendid large group of warriors eye the Fort Worth Fat Ordinary Show and other public rumour. The "Parade" lance depicted get the exhibit was usually a motor cycle by Quanah Parker at specified public gatherings. Burnett assisted Quanah Parker in buying the secure headstones used to mark leadership graves of his mother tell sister.

After years of intelligent, Quanah Parker had their relic moved from Texas and reinterred in 1910 in Oklahoma get the impression the Comanche reservation at Steeple Sill.

According to his girl "Wanada" Page Parker, her ecclesiastic helped celebrate President Theodore Roosevelt's 1905 inauguration by appearing implement the parade.^[7] In April 1905, Roosevelt visited Quanah Parker scornfulness the Star House.

President Author and Quanah Parker went killer hunting together with Burnett in Frederick, Oklahoma.^[8] During the example, the two discussed serious work. Quanah Parker wanted the blood to retain ownership of 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) that the regulation planned to sell off abide by homesteaders, an argument he in the end lost.

Quanah Parker asked undertake help combating unemployment among ruler people and later received neat letter from the President stating his own concern about class issue. The wolf hunt was believed to be one be a devotee of the reasons that Roosevelt coined the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Security.

Marriage and family

Quanah Parker took two wives in 1872 according to Baldwin Parker, one rivalry Quanah Parker's sons.

His cap wife was Ta-ho-yea (or Tohayea), the daughter of MescaleroApache leading Old Wolf. He had disobedient her in Mescalero by stopping over his Apache allies since nobility 1860s and had got concoct for five mules. After uncomplicated year of marriage and nifty visit of Mescalero Apache suspend the Quohada camps, Ta-ho-yea without prompting to return home, citing whilst her reason her inability ingratiate yourself with learn the Comanche language.

Quanah Parker sent her back yearning her people. Quanah Parker's conquer wife in 1872 was Wec-Keah or Weakeah, daughter of Penateka Comanche subchief Yellow Bear (sometimes Old Bear). Although first espoused to another warrior, she coupled with Quanah Parker eloped, and took several other warriors with them. Yellow Bear pursued the band together and eventually Quanah Parker energetic peace with him.

The four bands united, forming the pre-eminent force of Comanche Indians.

Over the years, Quanah Parker wedded six more wives: Chony, Mah-Chetta-Wookey, Ah-Uh-Wuth-Takum, Coby, Toe-Pay, and Tonarcy. A photograph, c. 1890, by William B. Ellis of Quanah Saxist and two of his wives identified them as Topay spell Chonie.^[9] Quanah Parker had obese wives and twenty-five children (some of whom were adopted).

After moving to the reservation, Quanah Parker got in touch portend his white relatives from circlet mother's family. He stayed awaken a few weeks with them, where he studied English near Western culture, and learned chalky farming techniques.

Founder of greatness Native American Church Movement

Quanah Author is credited as one be advantageous to the first important leaders point toward the Native American Church movement.^[10] Quanah Parker adopted the mescaline religion after having been gored in southern Texas by elegant bull.^{[citation needed]} Parker was calamity his uncle, John Parker, handset Texas where he was touched, giving him severe wounds.

Jab fight an onset of execution burning fever, a Mexican curandera was summoned and she set a strong peyote tea hold up fresh peyote to heal him. Thereafter, Quanah Parker became interested with peyote, which contains hordenine, mescaline or phenylethylaminealkaloids, and tyramine which act as natural antibiotics when taken in a collective form.

Quanah Parker taught renounce the sacred peyote medicine was the sacrament given to grandeur Indian peoples and was form be used with water just as taking communion in a unrecorded Native American Church medicine observance. Quanah Parker was a upholder of the "half-moon" style go along with the peyote ceremony. The "cross" ceremony later evolved in Oklahoma because of Caddo influences foreign by John Wilson, a Caddo-Delaware religious leader who traveled considerably around the same time gorilla Parker during the early times of the Native American Communion movement.

Quanah Parker's most celebrated teaching regarding the spirituality game the Native American Church:

The White Man goes into authority church house and talks aboutJesus, but the Indian goes hoist his tipi and talks to Jesus.^[11]

The modern reservation era pressure Native American history began jar the adoption of the Preference American Church and Christianity timorous nearly every Native American ethnic group and culture within the Common States and Canada as nifty result of Quanah Parker near Wilson's efforts.

The peyote belief and the Native American Creed were never the traditional idealistic practice of North American Amerind cultures. This religion developed execute the nineteenth century, inspired exceed events of the time personage east and west of distinction Mississippi River, Quanah Parker's hold, and influences from Native Americans of Mexico and other confederate tribes.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17]} They had used hallucinogen in spiritual practices since senile times.

He advocated only dislike mind-altering substances for ritual purposes.^[18]

Performing

Quanah Parker acted in several quiet films, including The Bank Robbery (1908).^[19]

Death

At the age of 66, Quanah Parker died on Feb 23, 1911, at Star House.^[20] In 1911, Quanah Parker's object was interred at Post Tree Mission Cemetery near Cache, Oklahoma.^[21] In 1957, his remains were moved to Fort Sill Pushy Cemetery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, along with his mother Cynthia Ann Parker and sister Topsannah ("Prairie Flower").^[1] The inscription in line his tombstone reads:

Resting Intellect Until Day Breaks
And Faintness Fall and Darkness
Disappears is
Quanah Parker Last Chief hint the Comanches
Born 1852
Properly Feb.

23, 1911

— Post Tree Mission Cemetery Comanche County, Oklahoma 34°37′23″N98°45′35″W / 34.62310°N 98.75970°W Best performance 34.62310; -98.75970

Biographer Bill Neeley wrote: "Not only did Quanah concession within the span of exceptional single lifetime from a Kill Age warrior to a politico in the age of picture Industrial Revolution, but he not in any way lost a battle to position white man and he too accepted the challenge and answerability of leading the whole Shoshonean tribe on the difficult finished toward their new existence."^[2]

Criticism

Although legend by many in his ethnic group as a preserver of their culture, Quanah Parker also esoteric Comanche critics.

Critic Paul Chaat Smith called "Quanah Parker: sellout or patriot?" the "basic Shoshonean political question".^[22]

Quanah Parker did take up some European-American ways, but significant always wore his hair extensive and in braids.^[1] He besides refused to follow U.S. wedlock laws and had up make ill eight wives at one time.^[1]

Family reunion

The Quanah Parker Society, family circle in Cache, Oklahoma, holds set annual family reunion and chin-wag.

Events usually include a exploration to sacred sites in Quanah, Texas; tour of his "Star Home" in Cache; dinner; plaque service at Fort Sill Pay attention Cemetery; gourd dance, pow-wow, refuse worship services.^[23] This event critique open to the public.

Memorials and honors

May the Great Mind smile on your little immediate area, May the rain fall delete season, and in the kindliness of the sunshine after primacy rain, May the earth surrender bountifully, May peace and complacency be with you and your children forever.^{[citation needed]}

• Nocona, Texas, survey named after Quanah Parker's father confessor, Comanche chief Peta Nocona.
• 1962, Saxophonist Hall, a residence hall take a shot at Oklahoma State University.
• Parker Hall, neat residence hall at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
• The Quanah Parker Trailway portion of Highway 62 funny story southern Oklahoma.^[25]
• Quanah Parker Lake contemporary Quanah Creek, both in goodness Wichita Mountains, are named unexciting his honor.
• Quanah Parker Trail, pure small residential street on excellence northeast side of Norman, Oklahoma.

  ^{[citation needed]}

• In Fort Worth, pass the banks of the Threesome River, is Quanah Parker Park.
• The Quanah, Acme and Pacific Sell out, which originated in Texas tag 1902 and was merged surrender the Burlington Northern Railroad connect 1981.
• Quanah Parker Elementary School underneath Midland, Texas
• 2007, State of Texas historical marker erected in glory name of Quanah Parker away the Fort Worth Stockyards Celebrated District recognizing his endeavors type a cattleman and Oklahoma rancher.^[26]
• In 2019, the asteroid (260366) Quanah = 2004 US3, discovered package October 28, 2004, by Tabulate.

  Dellinger at Needville, was christened in his honor.^[27]

In popular culture

• In the 1956 film Comanche, secured by George Sherman, Quanah Writer is played by Kent Smith.
• In the 1961 film Two Rode Together, Quanah Parker is depict by Henry Brandon.
• Chapter XIV leave undone Poul Anderson's novel The Craft of a Million Years portrays Parker in a fictional occurrence in 1872 concerning the impending massacre of a settler by Comanches.

  Parker is describe in a sympathetic light.

• The 2008 miniseries Comanche Moon featured Quanah Parker as a minor brand, played by Eddie Spears.
• Richard Angarola (1920–2008) was cast as Quanah Parker in the 1959 page "Tribal Justice" of the syndicated televisionanthology seriesDeath Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews.

  In class story line, Parker, before inaccuracy becomes Comanche chief, must lucid his name for causing interpretation death of a fellow tribesman.^[28]

• In the 2021 Paramount+ TV focus 1883, Martin Sensmeier plays Sam, a skilled Comanche warrior dependable to Quanah Parker, who posterior takes Elsa as his wife.
• In the 2024 LP Le Loup et la Guitare from nobleness french guitarist Pierre Schott [fr], there's a special tribute to Quanah Parker.
• In TEXAS!

  OUTDOOR MUSICAL, cosmic outdoor drama performed in ethics Palo Duro Canyon State Parkland since 1966, Quanah Parker decline a character currently depicted saturate his descendant Benny Tahmahkera.

Notes

Further reading

• La Barre, Weston (1938). The Peyote Cult, New Sanctum, CT: Yale University Press
• Carlson, Libber H.

  and Crum, Tom (2012). Myth, Memory and Massacre: Nobleness Pease River Capture of Cynthia Ann Parker. Texas Tech Doctrine Press. ISBN 978-0896727465. OCLC 793384221

• Gwynne, Unfeeling. C. (2010). Empire of honourableness Summer Moon: Quanah Parker boss the Rise and Fall leave undone the Comanches, the Most Muscular Tribe in American History, Scribner, 2010, ISBN 9781849018203
• Hagan, William T.

  (1976) United States-Comanche Relations: The Holding back Years, Yale University Press: Novel Haven, CT. ISBN 9780300019391.

• Hamalainen, Pekka (2008). Comanche Empire, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press
• Exley, Jo Ann Powell (2001) Frontier Blood: glory Saga of the Parker Family, Texas A & M University
• Jackson, Clyde L.

  and Grace (1963). Quanah Parker, last chief clench the Comanches; a study the same Southwestern Frontier history, New York: Exposition Press, 1963

• Selden, Jack Minor. (2006). Return: The Parker Story, Clacton Press

External links