The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-31
is COUSIN
To QUANAH
I. PARK { R.
CLAIM MADE BY WIFE OF.
EX-GOVERNOR ST. JOHN
OF KANSAS
MOTHER Of THE CHIEF
/ WAS WHITE WOMAN
n

A remarkable and little known
chapter OF the border history will be
the nucleus or book now being writ
ten by Mrs. John p. st. John OF
Olathe. Kas., wife of the Kansas ex-
governor, in which her Indian cousin,
Quanah Parker, head chief OF the
Comanches, will play the central part.
Few know that the fighting brave Is
half white; fewer that the wife Of an
ex-governor Of the Sunflower State Is
his cousin, and even fewer there are
who will recall the strange and tragic
romance tangled about Quanah Par
ker,s fair, pale-faced mother. These
things ale to be told Of authenticaliy
for the first time in Mrs. st. Johns
book.
Seen at her home In Olathe a few
days ago, Mrs. ST. John said with ref
ence to her book:
1T will not be big book, Just a few
hundred pages Of family history Of the
Parkers for private circulation. You
know my maiden name was Parker.
Not the least interesting part Of
the book will be the story of my In
dian cousin, Quanah Parker. head
chief Of tho Comanches, and his moth
er, Cynthia Ann Parker.
Cynthia Ann Parker, Quanah's
mother, was the daughter OF my un-
Gle, Silas Parker, and SO an own cuu-
sin, not only to myself but to M.
" B. Parker and DR.. John j. Par
ker of Olathe, DR. B. F. Parker Of
independence, Mo, and J. A. Parker
of Charleston, ILL.,. and can tell you.
we're all just proud of Quanah.
To Tell the True Story.
"The story has been written bui
never accurately | have spent a
great deal Of time and money gather.
ing materials for A true nioTy--an au-
thentic history Of Cynthia Ann Par.
ker and her distinguished son. |
listed Quanah at his home near
Cache. Ck., not long ago, in company
with woman friend. Quanah came
10 meet us within hla noted oxford
coach, drawn by four mules, and there
e cat on top beside his ccachman,
holding the lines himself and driv-
ing the mules at top speed. He
stopped them in front Of the hotel.
jumped down and came in. Quanah
is a man worth looking at. He is
q magnificent looking man and his
bearing and manner is that Of a cav
alier. He was dressed In the latest
style of civilization and as ne strode
into the hotel. was just proud Of
4 him. AS came forward to meet
4 him he stopped for a moment ant
] stood looking at me. He afterwards
i told me that lie was struck by my
resemblance to his mother. Then he
/ said:
Is this the cousin?
81 said, This Is the cousin Ther
he took any hand and kissed me al
cousinly and gently as If he hat
learned the art in some finishing
school for gentlemen. And. only t.
h think of it, not so many years ag'
\. this man was bloodthi.sty scalpinl
4 wild Indian.
When greetings were over, Quan
4 ah put us in his coach and showed u
the town, and | suspect, also, couple,
with it the qualification OF his owl
1 wish to show the cousin to the town
The journay TO Quanah's house, whic
Is built on the margin OF beautiful
creek near the southern slope of tn
| Wichita Mountains, was 'roun
about Quanah's landed possession:
which he proudly pointed out as "
rode along. The house is comfor
able and commodious two stor
frame, painted white-wlth larg
stars painted on the roof. II Is hant
so'nely furnished, Just as the hous
of any white man OF wealth and n
fnement, and VIC were royalty entc
tanned.
"Tte scrupulous cleanliness or e.
erything told us that Quanabs wive
were good housekeepers. There wer
two of them when was therc-Tl
nisi and Topaz. do not know Ii
cared more for one than for the othe
but Tuni-si w3s his show pony Sh
| Vas a fine looking full blood India
woman and seemed quite devoted
| Quanah. Topaz was In mourning II
recently dead child and Quanah W;
very tender and gentle towards he
! Al storm coming ap he called her fro
her room into the patlor where '