On This Day in 1836 - Indian Attack

Back on this day in 1836, Cynthia Ann Parker, along with four other white women and children were taken prisoner by Kiowa, Comanche, and Caddo Indians.  Cynthia was only nine years old, and at the time she lived at what became known as Fort Parker at the headwaters of the Navasota River.  That area later became Limestone County.

Backtracking for a moment; When Silas and Lucy Parker (Cynthia's parents) left Illinois and moved to Texas, they built a tall stockade that was supposed to be able to hold off an army.  The problem was. . . well it was that there were no problems, so they just left the gates open for long periods of time.  So braves from the tribes listed in my first paragraph, came in through the open gate and staged a surprise attack.  Five of the Parkers where killed and five were captured.  The Comanche and Caddo divided the captives and Cynthia was taken by the Comanche and she lived with them for 25 years.  She had become a full-fledged member of the tribe and actually wanted to stay with the Indians and was happily married to Peta Nocona, a warrior, and had two sons and a daughter.

No, she didn't live happily ever after.  In December of 1860, a Ranger force attacked Nocona's village, mortally wounding Nocona and captured Parker and her daughter, Prairie Flower.  Cynthia resigned herself to an unhappy life with people that she no longer understood.  Prairie Flower caught influenza and pneumonia and died in 1863.  The unhappy Parker managed to survive for another seven years and then, she too, died of influenza in 1870.  I guess this story doesn't have a happy "she lived happily the rest of her life" type of ending.  Sorry for that, but I can't change history, although there are lots of times I would have really liked to do just that.  Now, you all keep your scalps and have a great day, you hear?