Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-08-20
A White Girl Among Comancnes'

Worth paper an advertisement saving ,na,
a Comanche Chief living near rofs on
wanted 10 obtain a photograph OIL ns
mothe, Cyn,h,a Ann Parker, and askinK
as a special favor that any one ,,,Id
where such a portrait coulo oe nau ;.rr
communicate with him. A r Coi LIS
of McLenuan County, saw the ause
ment. and at once wrote to the ne"spap
m question that he could furnish the Pic
mre. He happened to know tnat An o,u
daguerreotype Of the woman was - - .,
isrence in Waco. and, taking th's 10 AZ
art,,l. he had several copies made' one
of which was sent to the chiei.
CYNTHIA Ann Parker was the neloHaI
of one of the most touching romances Vi
the Texas border. tier parents anu
GRANDPARENTS were among the pioneers Vi
state. Her grandfather, Coionei I
after whom Parker County was nAIe'
was a noted man in his day. Inc
kers lived on an exposed frontier, snu'
though formidable IN Indian wafisle,
they were frequent sufferers from raius
by sayages. About the year lS4o, wnen
the Comanches swept over that part "i
the State. the Parkers lost nearly az
their property, and eventually some VI
them were killed, and Cynthia, then MN
wears of age, was taken prls)ner- Many
efforts were made to rescue her, but All
without avail. Several times parties oi
brave men invaded the camp OF tne ieu
skins and searched for the child, anu, on
at least two OCCASIONS, lives were los' III
the effort 10 return her TO her Iani y
Every device was resorted TO to gain IN
formation OF her. Sometimes for months
1t would be believed that she nsd 'een
killed, but finally a vague story woulu
gain circulation to the effect that whi'e
girl had been seen with rowing pa lu'
and the search would be renewed.
When Cynthia was taken captive the
savages placed her in charge OF theif
women, and the child, finding that she
was to be well treated, soon came 10
enjoy the wild life which she leo, snu
to look upon the Indians IS her nsturai
friends, When her clothing was worn
out she adopted the savage costume. one
learned their language, took part IN their
games, and, eventually, having become q
sturdy woman, joined them on some Il
their raids. Ten years after her capture
found her the wife Of the wsr CHIEF OF lhe
tribe, apparently as contented with her iot
as any OF the other women who were aer
C Instant associates.
Spme years after her marriage, when
the Comsnches were at peace with tne
settlers, p party Of white men entered their
camp one day and found the missing glrl,
now grown out of their recollection, a.
most. Two or three children played about
her knees, looking much ike the other
Youthful aborigines, save that they were
n It II in appearance and much more care
fully watched by their mother. When
they questioned her they found that she
had almost forgotten her native tongue,
and 1t was with the utmost difficulty she
could make them understand. She IN
oured after her relatives, and asked many
questions about the white people genetal y;
but in reply to suggestion that she should
accompany them TO her former home she
said she was happily married, had good
h1sband and nice chIldren, and could not
leave them. She had made their home
her home, and no other place on earth
would be other than a prison to her. They
left her very much cast down, and on
returning to the settlements spread her
story far and wide.
For long time the interest in her case
was revived, and many old settlers who
knew her father and grandfather threat
ened to make war on the COmanches and
take her away from them Nothing could
lnvInce these old settlers that Cynth a
would stay with the Indians of her own
free will, and it was only after the most
emphatic protests by the men who had
seen her in her savage home that her
would-be deliverers abandoned the idea of
taking her by force. She was finally
re-captured most unexpectedly. Being
out with a war party of the Comsnches IN
| the fall of 1855, she was cut off froin the
braves IN some manner by General l.. 5.
Ross, OF Waco, and taken prisoner IN
company with several other women. AT
/ first no one recognized her, but after be ng
ttken to Canton, Van z sndt County, some
c!o observers expressed the opinion that
/ she was white woman. Then the story
/ was circulated that she was CYNTHIA
| Parker, traditions of whose fate still ex.
l,ted, and her brothers and venerable
grandfather were sent for. The brothers
| looked at her long and earnestly, but could
not remember her. The old man, however,
\ identified her as the stolen glrl. and she
| finally admitted that he was night
There was great joy over her recovery
on the part of her relatives and then
| friends, but not so with her. She vainly
tried to escape, and passed many hours
in tears. She had with her at the time
of her capture her youngest child, two
wears of age, the two eldest having been
left at home. The little one had a smst
tering OF Spanish, and the mother spoke
that language, as well as the Indi I
tongue, tiuently, but neither knew any
thing of English. After awhile Cynthls
and her child accompanied her brothers
to their home in Parker county, where
she and the babe soon pined away arc
died.
Her two boys who had been left with
the tribe grew to be stalwart Warriors.
handsome in form and feature, and NOR,
than ordinarily intelligent. Ole OF then
IS now the chief OF the CJmanches II
the Indian Territory, man OF grea
influence with both the IDdIsns and tn,
whites, and under whose guidance hI
tribe has made decided progress in civil
zation. he remembers his mother affec
tionately, and his advertisement in tn,
Fort Worth paper was the result of hi
having heard that just before she died sh
had her picture taken. He did not know
where to look tor the likeness, but, deter
mining to obtain it, or copy of it, l
possible, advertised In a Texas paper unti
he found it. He expressed great 10y whel
the picture was placed IN his hands.
A perfect imitation of black walnu