Quanah was born circa 1845 in Northern Texas. Quanah's father was Peta Nocone, a chief of the Kwahadi, the most turbulent and hostile of the Comanches. His mother was Cynthia Ann Parker, who as a child had been a survivor of a massacre of whites on the Navasota River, Texas, nine years before he was born. In 1860, his mother was taken and returned to her people with an infant daughter.
About 1866 Quanah organized a band of his own. His boldness, skill, and energy brought him many recruits, and by 1867 he was made chief. He refused to accept the Medicine Lodge treaty of 1867, requiring the Comanches, Kiowas, Kiowa Apaches, Southern Cheyennes, and Arapahos to settle on a reservation in the Indian Territory, and by a series of daring raids during the next seven years he terrorized the frontier settlements. In June 1874, as chief of the Comanches and war leader of the other hostiles, he led an attack of about 700 warriors against a party of twenty-eight white buffalo hunters at Adobe Walls, in the present Hutchinson County, Texas, but after an all-day fight was badly defeated.
A vigorous campaign by Ranald S. Mackenzie and Nelson A. Miles brought hostilities to a close by the middle of 1875, and, after some delay Quanah surrendered. After his surrender his conversion to the white man's way was immediate, and, except for the retention of many of his Indian beliefs and observances, it was thorough. He had been all savage, but he quickly adapted himself to the new conditions. Learning the facts about his mother, he took the name of Quanah Parker. To the memory of his mother, who, with her infant daughter, had died among her kinfolk, probably in 1864, he was devoted, and in the year before his death he had their remains exhumed and reburied near his home. Among his people and the confederated tribes he fostered building and agriculture, popularized education, and discouraged extravagance and dissipation.
By leasing the surplus pasture lands to stockmen he added greatly to the tribal income. He became a shrewd business man, and at one time was said to be the richest Indian in the nation. Some twelve miles west of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he built a large house and cultivated a good farm. Quanah died at his home on February 23, 1911.
Quotations:
"White man goes into his churches to talk about Jesus, the Indian into his Tepee to talk to Jesus. "
"The Tonkawa killed him it make my heart hot. I want my people follow after white way. Some white people do that, too. "
Quanah was brave, energetic. He was tall, straight, and powerfully built. Despite his white blood, his complexion was darker than that of most of his tribesmen. Those who had chanced to see him in his savage days said that his expression was ferocious. Quanah spoke a broken English and a fairly good Spanish. Quanah became widely known as a genial and at times jovial companion with a fondness for racy stories and a practice of using forthright and not too choice speech.
Quotes from others about the person
"In the person of Quanah Parker, an extraordinary man in whom the blood of two strong peoples flowed, the Lone Star and the Comanche Moon at last found common ground. " ― Thomas W. Knowles
Quanah was married three times. His first wife was Ta-ho-yea (or Tohayea), the daughter of Mescalero Apache chief Old Wolf. Quanah's other wife in 1872 was Wec-Keah or Weakeah, daughter of Penateka Comanche subchief Yellow Bear. Quanah married six more wives.
