Cynthia Ann Parker Analysis

Cynthia Ann Parker’s story is one of the most known incidents in the history of the South. According to the census of 1870 of Anderson County, Cynthia Ann Parker was born someday between June 2, 1824, and May 31, 1825 in Illinois. However, the exact date of her birthday is still uncertain. Cynthia’s parents, Lucy (Duty) and Silas M. Parker decided to move their family to Central Texas in 1836, where they built Fort Parker on the headwaters of the Navasota River, in the territory now known as Limestone County. Essentially, Parker’s story goes back to the beginning of the 1800’s when territorial rivalries still existed between Indian tribes and Americans. (TSHA) On the day May 19 of 1836, Fort Parker received a surprised attack led by the Commanche, Kiowa, and Caddo Indians. During the battle, the Indians killed five members of the Parker family. In addition, the Indians captured Cynthia Ann Parker whom was barely nine years old at that time, and also four other white women and children, including Cynthia’s brother, John Parker. After the battle, the Indian tribes divided their hostages among them, and thus Cynthia and John became part of the Comanche tribe. (History.com) From the prisoners, the women and children were later on released

Both men were approached by a Comanche warrior who told them that Cynthia was now his wife. Clearly, by 1845 Cynthia considered herself as a Comanche and she had lost her identity as an Anlgo-Saxon. The men quoted Cynthia by "she is unwilling to leave” and “she would run off and hide herself to avoid those who went to ransom her.” ( Wellman, 164). By the age of seventeen Cynthia got married to Peta Nocona and eventually had two sons, Quanah Parker and Pecos, and a daughter, Topsannah. By this time, she was clearly happy and satisfied with her new life, but Anglo-Texans could not imagine the idea of an Anglo-Saxon living with the wild