John Richard Parker facts for kids

John Henry Parker (born 1830, died 1915) was an interesting figure from early Texas history. He was the brother of Cynthia Ann Parker and the uncle of the famous Comanche chief, Quanah Parker. When John was just five years old, he was taken from his family by a group of Native American warriors. Later, he was bought back from the Comanche. But John chose to return to live with the Native American people. He was part of the large Parker family who settled in central Texas in the 1830s. He was captured in 1836 during an attack on Fort Parker near what is now Groesbeck, Texas.

Early Life and Family

John Parker was born in 1830 in Crawford County, Illinois. He was the second oldest child of Silas Mercer Parker and Lucinda Duty. His older sister was Cynthia Ann Parker. He also had younger siblings named Silas Mercer Jr. and Orlena.

In 1833, John's family moved from Illinois to Texas. They were part of a larger group led by John's grandfather, Elder John Parker. This big family group settled near the Navasota River in what is now Limestone County. In 1834, they built a place called Fort Parker. This fort was meant to protect them on the frontier.

The Attack on Fort Parker

On May 19, 1836, a large group of Comanche and allied warriors attacked Fort Parker. This event became known as the Fort Parker Massacre. During the attack, five men were killed. Two women and three children were captured. The captured people included John Parker, his sister Cynthia Ann, Rachel Plummer, her son James Pratt Plummer, and Elizabeth Duty Kellogg.

Life as a Captive

The Comanche people often took captured women and children into their tribe. Children who were captured at a young age were often treated like tribal members. They were taught to be warriors and were adopted into the tribe.

Elizabeth Duty Kellogg was quickly bought back from the Delaware Indians. Rachel Plummer was held captive by the Comanche for almost two years. She never saw her oldest child, James Pratt Plummer, again.

John Parker was raised by the Comanche, just like his sister and younger cousin, James Pratt Plummer. The two boys were bought back in 1842. James Pratt Plummer went back to live with his grandfather and was able to get used to living in white society again. However, John Parker found it hard to adjust. He ran away from his family to go back and live with the Comanches.

Adventures in Mexico

Like many young Comanche, John Parker took part in many raids into Mexico. These raids often happened during the September full moon, which was called the "Comanche Moon." During one of these raids, John became sick with smallpox.

The Comanche were returning from the raid with captives and horses. John became too sick to ride when they were just north of the Rio Grande in West Texas. The Comanche were very scared of smallpox because it had killed many people in their tribe. So, they left John to get better on his own. They left a girl they had captured on the raid to take care of him. Instead of trying to escape, the girl nursed John back to health.

After he recovered, John returned to Mexico with the girl. He took her back to her home and family. Later, he married her.

Later Years

John Parker returned to the United States during the Civil War. He served with Confederate troops in Texas. After the war ended, he went back to Mexico. He died in 1915 on his ranch there. It seems that John was the only one of the Parker children who lived a happy life.