Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-05-18
Account Of the Wholesale Massacre Of
the little Parker Colony in Lime.
stone County.
The Women Outraged and Murdered and
the Children Butohersd and Left
for the Wild Beasts.
Cynthia Ann Parker Taken Prisoner and
Married to 0hief-Jchn Parksr's
Love Affair.
Written for The Gazette.

ELLIS p. Bean, a warm personal friend
OF Gen. Sam Houston, was the agent
for the Indians in East Texas. The
survey and location of lands claimed
by these Indians had already produced
an unpleasant feeling between the two
races. But Bean kept the Indians
quiet until after the decisive battle of
San Jacinto, when the victory of the
Texans gave them such prestige that
the civilized tribes remained peaceable.
though grave fears were then enter
tanned that II the Texans were defeat
ed the W hites IN East Texas would be
killed or driven from their homes,
PARKER'S FORT MASSACRE
The Parker family emigrated from
Missouri in 1885, setting near the pres
ent town of Groesbeck, in Limestone
county, where they built fort to pro.
tect themselves against the frequent
incursions Of the Indians into that
| sparsely settled section. Parker's fee
bic little colony at that time consisted
of about eight families. These families
We're truly the advance guard of civili-
cation in that part of our frontier, Fort
|
the nearest protection except their own
trusty rifles. Here the struggling little
colony remained until the latter part
of 1885, when the hostility of the
Indians and Mexicans forced the little
band of brave men and women to
abandon their fort. On arriving at the
Trinity river they were compelled TO
halt In consequence OF an overflow.
Before they could cross the river the
sudden and unexpected news reached
them that Santa Anna and his Mexi.
can hordes had been confronted and
defeated at San Jacinto and that
TEXAS WAS FREE
from Mexican tyranny. On the re-
ceipt Of this news the fleeing settlers
were overjoyed and at once returned
to their desolate homes. The Parker
colony now Setraced their steps, going
to Fort Houston, where they remained
a few days in order to procure sup
plies, after which they made their way
to Fort Parker to look after their
stock and to prepare for
q crop. These hardy sons Of toll spent
their nights sometimes in the fort and
sometimes on their farms. On the
night of May is, 1886, they slept at the
fort, and left the next morning to
work on their farms, as was their Gus
tom. about III o'clock the 10th the
fort was visited by about six hundred
Comanche and Caddo Indians. On
approaching. the Indians presented q
white flag, at the same time
MAKING SIGNS OF FRIENDSHIP.
At this time there were only thirty
four people in the fort, the others hav-
| ing gone out to work on their farms,
as above mentioned. OF the thirty
four persons remaining in the fort only
ak were able TO bear arms, viz. Elder
John Parker, Benjamin and Silas Par
ker, Samuel and Robert Frost and j.
L. Dwight. There were ten women
and eighteen helpless children. The
Ind ians inquired for a, water-hole at
which to camp, at the same time asking
for beef. Not daring TO resent them
or refuse to give them the desired in
formation, Mr.. Benjamin Parker
stepped out to direct them to the water,
when he was instantly killed The
8 avages then rushed into the fort ut
tering the most unearthly and
blood-curdling yells that ever
greeted the ears Of mortals.
The frightful and sickening tragedy
was soon enacted. or the six men
| above mentioned
ALL WERE KILLED
except Mr.. Dwight, who made his es-
cape. Mrs Sarah Parker was wounded
and by feigning death escaped. Old
Granny Parker was outraged, stabbed
and left for dead. Mrs. Elizabeth
Kellogg, Mrs. Rachael Plummer
daughter Of James Parker her son
James Plstt Plummer two years old,
Cynthia Ann Parker, eight years old,
and her brother John Parker, ak years
old, all children Of Sllas Parker, were
| taken prisoners. Others were taken
prisoners but succeeded In making
their escape and after several days Of
wandering in the wilderness made
their way to the settlements
on the Brazos in what is
now Grimes county. Mrs. Kellogg
remained prisoner with the Indians
about six months and Mrs. Plummer
about thirteen months. Soon after
her capture she was delivered OF a
child. The crying Of her infant an
noyed her captors, and the mother was
forced
TO YIELD UP HER OFFSPRING
to the merciless fiends, To be murdered
before her eyes with all the demonstra-
tions OF brutality intact in those saw
ages. With an old knife the weeping
mother was allowed TO dig grave and
bury her babe. After this she was
given IS a servant TO q cruel cid squGw,
who treated her in a most brutal man
ner. Her son had been carried
Off by another party to the far West
and she supposed her husband and
father had been killed at the time OF
the massacre. Her infant WAS dead
and death 10 her would have been a
sweet relief Life was burden, and,
driven almost 70 desperation, che re-
solved no longer tosubmit 20 the brutal
old squsw. At time when the two
were come distance from, though still
in sight of the camp, her mistress At
tempted TO beat her with club. De
termined not 10 submit TO this, she
wrenehed the club from the hands OF
the squaw and
KNOCKED HER DOWN.
The Indians who had witnessed the
whole proceedings from their camp,
now came up shouting at the top OF
- Isl. a 4