Saturday's Internet Edition, July 05, 2008.
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Jane Kosub presented an interesting program on the capture of Cynthia Ann Parker, and the Massacre of Parker’s Fort on May 19th, 1836. The Parkers were a large family who had immigrated to Texas from Illinois in the fall of 1833 on the west side of Navasota Creek in Limestone County. The eight or nine families living there had constructed a wooden barricade with outside walls ten to twelve feet high around their cabins to protect themselves from Indians. The families were truly the advance guard of civilization in this part of the frontier. They enjoyed a simple and contented life until late in 1835 when the Indians, and the invading Mexican Army forced them to flee. They got as far as the Trinity River when they were forced to stop and wait their turn with other Texians trying to cross the swollen river. While there, they heard that Santa Ana had been defeated at San Jacinto and began their return to their homes.
On the night of May 18, 1836, all slept soundly at the fort. Three of the younger men got up very early to go to their fields about a mile distant. About nine o’clock that day, they were visited by about 500 Comanche and Kiowa Indians. When they got within 300 yards of the fort, the Indians halted and presented a white flag. At this time there were six men in the fort and only five able to bear arms. There were10 women and 15 children.
Benjamin Parker went out to talk to the Indians, returned to the fort to report that he felt they were hostile, and went back to the Indians to try to avert a fight. He was immediately surrounded and killed. The five men remaining in the fort were killed, and Mrs. Rachel Plummer and her 2 year old son, Mrs. Elizabeth Kellog, Cynthia Parker aged nine and her 6 year old brother were taken captive. The men working out in the fields were able to gather up a few of the women and children and fight off the Indians in the woods. After the Indians had withdrawn, the survivors began walking to Fort Houston.
A burial party from Fort Houston returned to bury the dead. The Comanches and Kiowas traveled together until midnight, then danced the remainder of the night stomping upon their prisoners and beating them with bows. Mrs. Kellogg fell into the hands of the Keechis and six months later was purchased by the Delawares, who took her to Nacodoches and General Houston who paid $150 dollars for her. Mrs. Plummer remained a captive for 18 months. Six weeks after her capture she was delivered of a child. The crying of the infant annoyed her captors and they threw the baby from one to another and murdered her. Her son was eventually ransomed as a white captive and returned to live with his grandfather. Cynthia and John Parker were separated and held by different bands. They both forgot the customs, language, and manners of their own people and became thorough Comanches as the years passed. John Parker learned the skills to live in the wild. When he contracted small-pox he was left to die or recover on the Llano Escatado and his young Mexican sweetheart remained to care for him. He recovered. During the Civil War he joined a Mexican company in the Confederate service and was noted for his gallantry and daring. He refused to leave Texas soil ever.
Cynthia Ann was with a tribe called the Pa-ha-u-kas and was seen by trappers who offered to buy her when she was about 14. She was with a very loving Comanche family who would not trade her and whom she loved deeply. She became the bride of a Comanche war chief named Peta Nocona. They loved each other deeply and she accompanied him on horse back everywhere and was at his side during battles. She had three children. The eldest was Quannah, then Pecos, and the baby was Topsannah. After 15 years she was seen by a trader who recognized her and asked if she wanted to return to her family. She shook her head “no” and pointed to her husband and children.
Hostilities continued sporadically up to 1859-1860. Peta Nocona led a raiding party and Capt. Sul Ross was commissioned to take the field against him and bring protection to the frontier. On Dec. 18,1860, Capt Ross discovered a Comanche village and staged an attack against them. Peta was mounted for escape with Cynthia riding beside him holding a little girl.
Peta was killed and Cynthia Ann, who was about 34 at this time was grief stricken. She had not been heard from in 10 years, and had been given up for dead. Sul Ross was so sure who she was that he sent for Col. Parker at Fort Cooper. Who was unable to make any sign of recognition and was leaving when he said that he didn’t know if it was Cynthia Ann. At that moment she patted her breast and said “ Cincy Ann”
She was welcomed home by her relatives but sought every opportunity to escape. She was taken to Austin and awarded a $100 per year pension for five years and given a league of land She returned home and learned domestic duties such as spinning and weaving. She cherished her children and was terribly saddened to hear of the death of her son Pecos from small-pox. Her baby girl died of influenza in 1863 and Cynthia died a year later after having quit eating and developed influenza as well.