After researching my family history, I found many interesting things. I discovered that now only do I have ties back to Italy, Bohemia, and Germany, but also Native American heritage. I discovered that I am related to Quanah Parker who was by far the most interesting of the ancestors I found.
Quanah Parker was the son of Cynthia Ann Parker, an English-American settler who was captured by the Comanches at the age of nine, and Peta Nacona, a Comanche warrior. Quanah fought the European-Americans push for more land, refusing to sign a treaty, and fighting back, getting seriously wounded at one point. While the US regarded him as the principal chief of the Comanche nation, he did not truly hold that position among the tribe itself.
After being forced to surrender, the Comanche were placed on a reservation where Quanah grew to be a rich and resourceful leader. His white heritage, including the taking of the last name Parker, earned him the respect of the whites and he was even visited by Theodore Roosevelt several times. While Parker did embrace many aspects of white culture, he obviously advocated for the preservation of Native culture, and helped found the Native American Church movement, which would help preserve Native beliefs.
I wish I had more time to research more of my ancestors including Quanah; I might find someone even more interesting.
Quanah Parker was the son of Cynthia Ann Parker, an English-American settler who was captured by the Comanches at the age of nine, and Peta Nacona, a Comanche warrior. Quanah fought the European-Americans push for more land, refusing to sign a treaty, and fighting back, getting seriously wounded at one point. While the US regarded him as the principal chief of the Comanche nation, he did not truly hold that position among the tribe itself.
After being forced to surrender, the Comanche were placed on a reservation where Quanah grew to be a rich and resourceful leader. His white heritage, including the taking of the last name Parker, earned him the respect of the whites and he was even visited by Theodore Roosevelt several times. While Parker did embrace many aspects of white culture, he obviously advocated for the preservation of Native culture, and helped found the Native American Church movement, which would help preserve Native beliefs.
I wish I had more time to research more of my ancestors including Quanah; I might find someone even more interesting.